RHA MA600i Noise Isolating In-Ear Headphone Review

Reid and Heath Acoustics, or RHA, is a manufacturer of premium quality headphones from the United Kingdom. They have created a number of headphones that have given users a great listening experience that consisted of supreme comfort, epic sound and lasting build quality. Today, RHA has sent us one of it’s headphones, the MA600i.

Specifications

• Drivers: 320.1 Dynamic
• Frequency Range: 16Hz-22kHz
• Impedance 16 ohms
• Rated/Max Power: 1/5mW
• Sensitivity: 100dB
• Cable: Dual Insulated, Oxygen Free Copper Cable with Gold Plated 90 Degree connection
• Cable Length: 1.35m
• Aircfraft Grade Aluminum
• Noise Isolation Design

Closer Look

Packaging

Up front, you can see a great shot of the MA600i that showcases the aircraft grade aluminum that this set of buds is made of. Also present is the RHA logo as well as some specs like the 320.1 dyanamic custom made driver and a 3 year warranty.

When you open the front, it reveals the actual MA600i with the set of earbuds that can be substituted for the default ones placed in the headphones which is conveniently placed in a steel rack. At the left side, you can see an illustration on how you can wear the MA600i when on the go and the standard way.

You can also see how to place all the included steel rack and headphone in the leather pouch that is also included here but not shown. In the middle, there is a list of extra ear tips so you can keep track of everything.

Finally, there is a chart that displays the frequency range of the custom made 320.1 dynamic drivers.

At the back, there is a detailed breakdown of the buds and how the sound is released. Below is a list of the MA600i’s specs.

Inside the Packaging

The contents of the package are the MA600i Noise Reduction Headphones, a steel rack with the replacement eartips, a manual on how to use the MA600i and the leather travel pouch for your MA600i.

RHA MA600i Noise Reduction Headphones

The MA600i is a headset that gives a premium feels the first time you lay your eyes on it. Its earbuds shows the silver aircraft grade aluminum that was used to craft the headphones. The RHA logo can be seen at the back of each earbud. At the end, the 3.5mm jack made with an L-shape connector that is great for listening on the go.

Although its kind of small and might feel a little bit fragile, the cable is actually durable. Its great because it does not get tangled when you put it inside of its pouch.

The inline controller is a where the control for the volume as well as the play back, which a bit like the inline controller for the iOS devices. The back is made up of aluminum while the button is covered with a nice leather finish.

User Experience & Conclusion

Audio Source: iPhone 5S, Xperia Z, GIGABYTE Z97X-GAMING-G1 Black Edition with Creative SoundCore3D (Burr Brown OPA2134)

We play a highly varied mix of audio from classical, rock, kpop, and hiphop. The RHA MA600i has powerful bass, very rumbly and if you like that kind of music then you might want to knows its so powerful you need to throttle down on the volume to balance it out although if that’s your thing then feel free to experiment. Mids are clear and detailed with very good rendering of vocals. Particularly nice with unplugged and acoustic performances. Highs are a toss-up for me as they are superbly detailed but are quite sibilant for my taste. Again, some will like it but for rock tracks its quite overpowering and gets tiring after a while. Couple that with the rumbling lows and its easy to put down the RHA MA600i quickly if you want a more subdued experience. Otherwise, the V-profile orientation of the MA600i will be a pleasing listening experience for mainstream fans of vocal heavy pop music.

Moving on to quality, the build is quite impressive as the metal body is well-made. The wires are twisted-weave and coated in a plastic film. The cable is firm but tends to get mangled when you tie them up messily although as mentioned, they don’t tangle easy when dangling down. A wide selection of silicone earbuds are available and are well-organized by a metal rack that fits nicely in the carry pouch which is also a nice touch from RHA with a very premium feel to it.

The RHA MA600i is intended for iDevices so it was expected that it’ll have issues with out Android device. The volume controls don’t work on Android but works well in the iPhone. Play/Pause operates on both as well as the mic. Using it on the PC using a Y-splitter also gave a functional experience.

Coming in $89.95, the RHA MA600i is certainly well-priced for both is build and audio quality. The RHA MA600 is $79.95 and lacks the inline controller and mic but still retains the sound quality of the MA600i. As intended for iDevices, the RHA MA600i is a solid hands-free voice device for the active individual with discerning audio tastes. Either ways though, the sound quality is there in both versions.

In closing, if you’re after high-quality IEMs with a very distinct emphasis on bass/treble frequencies then then RHA MA600i is for your consideration. The build quality is just exquisite and the added functionality of an inline remote extends its usability on compatible devices. The looks also complement the Apple environment with its silver, metallic segments.

The RHA MA600i is backed by a lengthy 3-year warranty which is a testament to RHA’s confidence in the quality of their products. We award the RHA MA600i our B2G Recommend Award and B2G Bronze Award.