RHA MA450i In-Ear Headphones [Review]

There’s lots of headphones out there. Over-ear, on-ear, various ear bud styles, and of course in-ear. If your preference falls to the latter, or if you’ve been considering a switch, RHA may have something to interest you. The MA450i in-ear headphones.

Based in Glasgow, UK, RHA produces several headphone models, including the SA950i which we reviewed this past October.

This time around we’re looking at the MA450i in-ear model. They are a very nice set of in-ear headphones. Made of aluminum, they are lightweight and comfortable, with a braided fabric cable that features an inline 3 button remote / microphone (compatibility listed here) for your iOS device, along with a variety of different sized silicone ear-tips that can be swapped out to get the best fit. They sit solidly in your ear canal, blocking out the majority of ambient noise and providing a comfortable and pleasant listening experience that’s perfect for noisy environments, your morning subway ride, or just watching a movie on your iPad while your spouse is sleeping.

My initial impression when listening was that they sounded really good, and this holds true after a few weeks of regular use. Once you get the correct size ear-tip installed (based on your ear canal size), they fit well, are comfortable, and (most important) don’t fall out. I did find that swapping ear-tips was somewhat challenging due to their tight fit on the headphones themselves, but getting the correct fit is important and once you’re done you won’t have to do it again.

The sound of the MA450i is excellent. Bass is solid and deep without overwhelming the vocals or mid-range. On a track like “Day of the Lords” by Joy Division you can feel Hooky’s bass vibrating in your skull, while Ian Curtis’ vocals shine on tracks like “Disorder”. You’ll be “Thunderstruck” by how good AC/DC sound. Nine Inch Nails remastered “Pretty Hate Machine” sounds excellent, as does Leonard Cohen’s latest “Old Ideas”. From hard rock to classical, podcasts to audiobooks, everything sounds as it should. These are great headphones!

So, if you’re looking for a solid and inexpensive pair of in-ear headphones, I’d definitely suggest checking out the MA450i. If they sound like something you might be interested in learning more about, check out the RHA website, or order a pair in Black or White from the online Apple Store today. At a very reasonable $49.95, the MA450i is a great buy, and they’d make a perfect Christmas gift for that special someone too!

What do you think? Do the MA450i sound like they might be for you? Let us know in the comments.