Last week, I had written my initial impressions on the RHA's MA600i. Now that it passed the 50 hours burn-in mark and I've been using it for more than a week, RHA MA 600i is now ready for a full review. :)
RHA MA600i Full Review
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| MA600i's Packaging |
The entire package contains a set of all useful accessories which includes :
- 1 RHA Hard Carrying Case
- 1 RHA Eartips Holder
- 2 Sets of Dual Density Small Eartips
- 2 Sets of Dual Density Medium Eartips
- 2 Sets of Dual Density Large Eartips
- 1 Set of Dual Density Small Bi-Flange Eartips
- 1 Set of Dual Density Medium Bi-Flange Eartips
Case
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| A close look to RHA IEM Case |
RHA's IEM case is a little larger than most clam-shell carrying case included to most of the IEMS today. Functionality wise it is very useful, as it sports 2 slots wherein you could put your set of tips or anything you wish (even a small music player like the ipod nano would fit) then the In Ear Monitors itself.
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| Inside view of the Case |
Eartips Holder and Eartips
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| Eartips Holder and Eartips |
I do find RHA's Eartips holder very handy and useful, before I have my own carrying case for my extra tips. I must say that this one is really brilliant!
RHA's eartips itself is top notch! It's very soft and fits most ears very well, surprisingly it doesn't irritate my ears after hours and hours of use. Comfort wise this is better than my Sony hybrids and TDK tips and Mee Electronics tips, sound-wise it's near the quality of my favorite Sony hybrids tips.
Shirt Clip
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| RHA Shirt Clip |
RHA also included a shirt clip in their package this could be used to reduce microphonics when wearing your MA600i's straight down and to keep your IEM in place.
Overall
RHA accessory package is just right, it may not be as extravagant as Vsonic and Dunu's package yet all the items included are useful! Though I would have personally liked it better if the included ear-hooks, foam tips and microphone adapter for PC and Laptop microphone use ala Soundmagic E10M.
Design
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| A looker indeed! |
RHA's design is simple yet elegant, it's like a businessman's in ear monitors. It's not too flashy like celebrity endorsed monitors. Overall from packaging to the monitors itself everything is just brilliant and classy as you can imagine.
Compatibility
Now here's my little issue with MA600i, since there is an "i" so it means that it would favorable work for idevices only. However it still has that 3.5mm jack that would work to other music players such as laptops, PC and portable music players like Sandisk Sansa and Sony Walkmans. Unfortunately, it wont work to most Android phones and Windows phones with the exemption of some unless you use a portable amp or a smartphone adapter like Fiio LU1.
Build Quality
Cables
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| Loving that cable cinch and that high quality Y Splitter |
Made of very good quality! It feels tougher than Brainwavz B2's twisted braided cables, Mee Electronics M6 shielded cables and on par with Fiio's twisted braided replacement cables, only its big brother, hisound popo and other high end replacement cables are tougher than this one.
Plus it's very soft and flexible and just have a little memory issue.
3.5mm Jack
Decent! It's not the best L shaped plug I've seen but is made of very good quality and would take a lot of abuse.
Body
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| Well Machined! |
It uses high grade lightweight aircraft aluminum, so this wont break unless you use some destructive tools. :) It also have a good strain relief that prevents cable damage as well.
Overall
Top notch! After more than a week of daily use I have now the confidence to say that this wont break for years! Plus this one carries 3 full years of warranty so in case of an accidents you are covered.
Comfort / Microphonics / Wearing Style
Really Comfortable! I could wear this for hours without much fatigue. I preferred to use its stock medium tips because it gave me the best comfort level, however I'm also impressed with its stock bi-flange tips and I find it the most comfortable bi-flange I've ever used.
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| Different Wearing Styles |
Could be worn straight down / conventional fit or over ear. There's a little cable noise or microphonics when its worn straight down the solution is to use the shirt clip or wear it over ear. Wearing it over-ear gave me the best comfort and fit.
Sound Quality
Sound Signature
RHA's Custom 320.1 Driver produces a Warm V – Shaped IEM, a lot of emphasis on Bass and Treble
and Upper Mids. Suitable to nearly all kinds of music from Rock, Hip-hop, Jazz, Dub-step, Acoustic to Pop. I love its very open feel and the way it present every beat and vibes of the instruments and vocals. While listening Royals by Lorde, you could clearly hear the rumble of the sub-bass with and still vocals clearly.
When listening to a less bassy track like Castaway by Franco it revealed its sparkling highs and its good instrumental separation, while it may not be as fast as Balanced Armatures sets this one is surely enough for the needs of a regular consumer.
Sound Changes
PJ - After 50 hours of burn-in the sound changed a little, mids are clearer and fuller than before plus sound-stage opened up a little more too. Other than that I hardly find noticeable changes from bass and treble regions.
Jerome - From memory it opened up! Treble and Bass didn't overwhelm the Mids as much as before. Soundstage is a bit wider too.
Highs
PJ - As
a Treble-head, this IEM presents a lot of treble with the crispiness and
sparkle and brightness I always wanted that is lacking a little on my VC02 and
Monoprice 9927, yet a it could be a little too much for some.
Jerome - Highs bright in a way that is startling, it doesn't have a piercing feel as well.
Mids
PJ - Just
fine and well refined and clear, though a little lacking definitely not the strong point of these IEMS. VSD1 have
better mids for example at a cheaper price range.
Jerome - Not much emphasis on mids, I would have liked it better if the mids are fuller. Bass and Treble overwhelms the mids a little.
Lows
PJ - A
lot of bass! Bass-heads and most of the general public will surely love this!
It have great emphasis on sub-bass Bassier than Vsonic VSD1, and from what I
remember very equal to bass quantity to Sony’s MH1C. Bass quantity maybe a
little too much for some, especially to fans of balance signatures, yet to my
ears it’s just right and matches very well to most genres.
Jerome - Deep Resonating Bass, I like the way it presented its bass this would be very good for tracks with a lot of bass. Could be a basshead dream IEM
Soundstage
PJ - Somehow wide as I expected, it may be due to
it’s a little large housing. It have that 3D effect as well which is very good for the price.
Jerome - Soundstage not much of an articulation much same as popo, but with slight differences.
Amplification
Not much of a need, it could be driven well by an iDevice or any music player. Unless you wanted to add some flavor to it and change its signature a little or you'll use it to an android phone and you don't have a smartphone adapter. Yet, sound quality could be improved with the use of an external DAC and AMP.
Lossless Tracks Used
1. Better Days - Franco - FLAC / ALAC
2. Let It Go - Frozen Soundtrack - FLAC / ALAC
3. Life Chasing Summers - Tiestö - M4A
4. Constantly - Nina Live - FLAC / ALAC
5. Just The Way You Are - Best of Jazz Audiophile Collection FLAC / ALAC
6. Alive - Avicci - FLAC / ALAC
7. Castaway - Franco - FLAC / ALAC
8. Lorde - Royals
Music Sources
1. Galaxy Nexus / MyPhone A888 with Fiio LU1 Smart Adapter and Fiio E6
2. Itouch 4th Gen
3. Ipod 5.5G
4. Ipod Nano
4. Ipod Nano
5. Dell Latitude D830 / E6400
Pros
Great Build Quality, Clear Mic, Good V - Shaped Sound and Great Value
Cons
Not compatible with Android Phones and Windows Phones, Treble and Bass overwhelms the Mids a little.
Verdict
Better than Great! If you are looking for good sounding V- Shaped IEM with mic that tank like build quality under P 5,000.00. This one if definitely one of my top choices. It is significantly better than those IEMS with mic like the Sound Magic E10M, Jays in build and sound quality department.
Source
Distributor Philippines: Digits
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