This isn't really a straight copy from my blog post here, but it still is a copy. More pictures and more in-depth look is in this 5-part review-journal.

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A huge thank you to Reid Heath Audio and warrenpchi for making this review possible, and moreso the person in charge of contacting me. Without them, I wouldn’t have heard this marvelous IEM: the MA350

Accessories and build quality

You can check out here for more meandering on the package, but it has the usual package of IEMs: two more pairs of tips at small and large size, and a cloth pouch. Build quality is actually good: aluminium shells and ample strain relief on the speaker end, cloth-sheathed cable that’s not memory-prone, but sometimes can tangle if you’re not using the pouch, and ending with a gold-plated straight jack; although I find that the strain relief on the jack to be too soft to my liking.

The IEM tips are very good actually but err on the side of caution when you’re taking them off, lest you’ll end up like me with a torn tip. I’ve mentioned this to them and it is by design. Thankfully they sent me another set of tips and also this picture on how they recommend to put in the tips back.

And as can be seen there, it also has a narrow nozzle and circular shell, making it possible either to wear it cable down or cable up, where you wound the cable up above your ear before putting it in. I recommend wearing it cable up since the microphonics is not too forgiving when you’re moving. More on the cable here.

Generally though, after fiddling for a seal and such, I find it quite comfortable to last me at least 2 hours before feeling the need to take it off. Quite the ways you can go in that time, I feel.

Sound signature

Technically, this is a very capable IEM for the price; heck, sometimes I favor this more than my FXT90.

Soundstage is quite good; can go head-to-head with my FXT90 on most occasion. On fast and complex songs though, it can get a bit congested, the soundstage collapsed a little bit, the imaging becoming a bit smeared. This is where my FXT90 rise up. Otherwise, imaging and soundstage is superb.

Isolation is above good at the best of times, mediocre at the worst. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being crap isolation and 10 is total silence, I’d place it on 7 for normal noise (conversations), and 4 for loud BG noise (subways, trains, etc.) with music running at approximately 80 dB.

To my taste, the MA350 works best with songs that employ double bass, bass guitars, kick drums, etc. but not really with artificial bass. The strength of this IEM lies at its subbass without sacrificing other frequency range. The other thing that I like is the generally warm sound. For example it can make a biting, sizzling metal song into a flurry of fast-paced punches of the snare drums, slightly stealing the spotlight from the electric guitar but .

Getting a bit more in-depth, this IEM is bass-focused with polite treble and clear mids. Mind you though the above paragraphs work better at conveying how it would be like out and about; the following paragraphs are when the environment is quieter.

The bass impact is strong; it’s a tiny bit flabby but not to the point of terribleness. The texture of it is also another plus point for the bass that works quite well with jazz and some classical like I alluded earlier. Not to forget is the depth and quality of the bass too. If you’re like me and listen to a variety of genre and there’s that one dubstep song that you like (with real subbass), then rest assured the lowest bass can still be felt. The subbass is quite strong and detailed; amazing bass on most songs I’ve listened to. In some instance there can be a slight change to the focus on some songs, I find it amusing and not for the worst. As a result of this bass focus though, the overall sound will be warm. Mind you though that I’m not a basshead in anyway, but this is easily what I love about the MA350.

Despite all of that, there’s no bleeding into the mids that I can detech. The mids are still clear-sounding and mellow due to the warmth; nothing shouty nor grating at all. Vocals all sound exceptional, esp. for female vocals, and the male vocals are still no slouch. Upper mids seem to be where the midrange shines; snare drums sounds fast and clear, and I can hear almost each beat on fast passages. Surprisingly, they are not recessed in any way, which is amazing I might add.

And then comes the polite treble. I’d say that it’s not as forward/focused as the bass and I assume it’s on the same level as the mids. Not to say that you will not be able to hear anything in the range though. The treble is still quite detailed and able to deliver a sense of air and soundstage, without losing the brightness of bright songs. No sibilance at all, but this is expected when the treble is polite.

Overall, it is a bass-focused IEM, but not in any way offensively excessive, with clear mids, detailed yet polite treble with a good enough soundstage and imaging for less complex and busy songs. Good genre width, works absolutely well straight out of my phone without going high on the volume with good isolation to block out the hubbub of a commuter’s life and comfortable to boot. All of that for $40 MSRP with 3 years warranty, I reckon that this is a great buy for anyone that’s looking to get better sound but not wanting to drop lots of cash.

Thanks to RHA for sending me a pair of these to review!

What we have here is a headphone that I can only describe as incredible. Very impressive

Accessories - 3 sizes of round silicone tips and soft carrying pouch.

Build and Design- The MA-350 has a very nice aluminum housing that holds the driver. Simple, yet shows some elegance. Long strain reliefs show increased durability. Cloth-sheathed cord appears very durable. Doesn't appear to be prone to memory effects. With the cable being covered in cloth, microphonics can be quite bothersome if worn down. They become relatively nonexistent with over-ear wear, though. Cable cinch is useful and well built.

Stock tips don't work too well with my ears. I seem to lose the seal pretty easily no matter what size tip I use. I prefer to use the Sony Hybrid with the MA-350, which is strange, as I don't normally like the Sony Hybrids too much.

Comfort - Keep in mind that comfort is very subjective. With my ears, the MA-350 is mainly comfortable, but the large housing design allows for quite shallow insertion, and I seem to subconsciously try to push them in deeper than they can go. It's a slight problem that I have. Other than that, the comfort of these is quite good. 

Isolation is a bit above average for dynamic driver IEMs with large housings. Lack of venting is probably the reason for that.

Sound - The sound is pure bliss for me.

Bass - These IEMs deliver some of the best sub-bass response I've ever heard from an IEM, especially in this price range. It's punchy, detailed, and very controlled. Quite a lot of sub-bass too. 

Mid-bass and upper-bass are neutral when compared to the rest of the spectrum. I wouldn't consider it warm sounding at all, but I don't think I would go as far as to call it cold. 

Mids - The midrange is a tiny bit recessed to my ears. Definitely not enough to be considered a v-shaped signature, but enough to notice. It's pretty clean sounding overall.

Highs - I don't know whether to consider the highs or the bass as the main focus of these. The highs on these are very nice. Detailed, bright, sparkly. I love it.

Soundstage - Slightly above average for a dynamic IEM. Depth is good. Width is average.


Overall -  The RHA MA-350 is a great contender in the $40 price range. With incredible sub-bass and sparkly highs, these IEMs can really make any kind of music sound great, but I think they work best with electronic music, like DnB, dubstep, and electro house. Build is fantastic, and a 3-year warranty shows that these can be working for you for a long time. 
Highly recommended.






 

 

First, I’d like to thank the folks at RHA for sending me a pair of the MA-350 to review.

 

RHA is a name I’ll admit I’m not immediately familiar with, so when an email fell into my inbox, offering me a chance to review their MA-350 model IEM, I admit I was a bit skeptical. But nonetheless, I accepted the offer and a couple days later the package arrived in my mailbox. So, does this upstart have what it takes to box with the best in the budget class? Read on to find out.

 

Packaging and Accessories: Comes in a simple paper/plastic box with three pairs of single flange eartips and a drawstring carrying case.

 

Design and Build Quality: Solid metal shells made of machined aluminum feel exceptionally sturdy without being heavy. The cable is well relieved at both ends, features a nice chin slider and a cloth weave covering. Overall, I’m impressed with the tank-like build and RHA backs these up with a rather impressive 3 year warranty, not something you see often.

 

Comfort and Isolation: The bell shape surrounding the 10mm dynamic drivers was most comfortable when I wore them over the ear, due to the long strain reliefs pressing lightly against my outer ear when I wore them straight down. Throughout most of my listening sessions I barely noticed they were in my ears, even over fairly long periods of time.

 

These isolate well for a dynamic driver IEM but can’t compete with the balanced armature IEMs in my collection in that respect. Microphonics were surprisingly quiet, in spite of the cloth covered cable, which I’ve found exacerbates these noises on a number of IEMs.

Sound Quality

Burn in: The RHA MA-350 IEMs were given upwards of 50 hours of burn in time prior to review. No significant changes were heard.

 

The low end is…peculiar. I’d hesitate to call them neutral but they’re neither bass light nor heavy so I guess I’m going to have to. The bass boasts impressive depth and very good texture and refinement in a way that will never creep up on the mids or muddy the sound but has the ability to step forward when a song calls for it. The bass is also less punchy than it is textured, with a full weight and body but doesn’t punch as hard as many dynamics I’ve reviewed. Personally, I’d say it has more similarities to balanced armature bass than that of dynamics, which was peculiar at first but is nonetheless great for a wide range of music.

 

The midrange is slightly cold in tone as well as linear and smooth. Vocals are nicely defined and everything sounds as it should. The micro detail retrieval is impressive, thanks to a slightly thin note presentation, which again makes me think of balanced armature based IEMs in a positive way. The high end is similarly detailed and airy.

 

The most immediately striking aspect of the MA-350 is the clarity and openness of its sound. It surprises with the depth of its soundstage and its ability to image properly, with a good sense of space between instruments and vocals and makes for a coherent and enjoyable presentation.

 

Conclusion

Just about every aspect of the RHA MA-350’s sound signature impressed me, especially since they retail for about $40 and sound like they’d cost much more. It’s clear, detailed, engaging and refined to the point that it can box above its price range with ease.

 

So, yeah, I recommend the RHA MA-350. It’s quite the impressive performer for $40 as long as you’re into a neutral sound that emphasizes clarity and detail above boosted bass and treble. It seems the budget IEM set has yet another very competent challenger in RHA.