I am looking at getting myself a nice Christmas present. At the moment I have my mind torn between the Sony XBA-A2 and RHA T20i's. There isn't a lot of info about the XBA-A2's but the few people who do have them really like them.. And all I've heard is good about the T20i's and information is in abundance.. They are roughly in the same price bracket $200-$250,
 
In my opinion, the XBA-A2's seem like they would be the better of the two for the Hybrid configuration, but I have owned the RHA-T10i's before and thought they were amazing, so all the reviewers are saying the T20i's are a step up from from them, so now I'm questioning which would be better? I have always liked the bassier signature of the RHA line up. 
 
I usually listen to Heavy Metal like Periphery/Tesseract/Anup Sastry/Fear Factory/Born of Osiris, and what usually happens is they have Bass drops where it''s nice to have that Sub bass, but due to the low tuned guitars, I also require the headphones to produce Upfront mids as opposed to recessed mids. I have owned a lot of IEM's and I haven't found one that really stood out as absolutely amazing. 
 
For a while, I thought the Sony XBA-1's were fantastic, because of how Upfront and clear the mids were for the guitars and other subtle nuances to shine in the music, further more, I felt the amount of Bass it provided was adequate considering how much clarity I was getting as a whole.. but now I know that there are IEM's that offer SO much more.. Since then I have purchased the Sony XBA-3's,Sony XBA-H1's, the entire RHA line up (with exception of T20i's), and finally the Bowers & Wilkins C5 Series 2. I am at a loss for each of the aforementioned IEM's were really good for different types of music. If I listened to Rap, Classical, or Country, my mind would've already been made up, I was most happy with the RHA-MA600's, yes over the T10i's and the MA-750's.. In y opinion, the MA600's had a really good balance of weight, size, comfort, and sound for the price. But that's not what I'm looking for.. I want something that is going to get me happy with my Primary music genre, and sadly, the aforementioned IEM's are just not up to the level of SQ I'm looking for.
 
So, in conclusion.. any assistance between the Sony XBA-A2's vs the RHA T-20i's would be greatly appreciated.

Okay, so the Apple Store had the RHA T20i's in stock.. I went ahead and bought them.. So I'm letting them burn in.. However, I did listen to them as an Initial Impressions.. In my opinion, they are similar to what they did with the MA750's to the MA600's .. 600's were bassier variants of the 750's and the T10's are the bassier variant of the T20's.. That's not a bad thing.. Just trying to put it into perspective for others who may possibly read this.. In a few days I be able to test them out with some of the other IEM's I have laying around, and post my comments, but so far, I think they may be going back, for the Sony XBA-A2's.. But we'll see!

Okay. so first things first.. I got the Blacked out RHA-T20i's as you can see from the pictures. They look fantastic in person. They are very comfortable. Although, Yes, cable noise is minimized, due to their Negative profile design, the cable wrapped around your ear is a constant reminder they are there.
 
 

 
After letting them burn in over the weekend, I have really become quite fond of them. As with almost all Dynamic Drivers, they really opened up and smoothed out. 
 

 
Fantastic presentation!
 

 
RHA really knows how to make their products look great and really well displayed, similar to opening up a jewelry box and seeing the big old rock (diamond ring) sitting right there in the middle of the setting.
 

 
     Overall, I have become very fond of the T20i's. The bass is very controlled/tight/on the verge of being expansive (that was reserved for the T10's, which in my opinion wasn't a bad thing) Although I do feel the T20's are an overall step up from the T10's, I do miss that better sub-bass boom they produced. As bass drops in my Djent music genre isn't as clear and pronounced as I was hoping it to be. Prior to buying these, I was already expecting these to have slightly less bass than the T10's but have more clearer mids and highs due to the Dual-Voice Coil technology.
 
     To a certain degree, I was fine with that, because I was figuring I would be able to EQ the bass up a little to make up for the slightly less pronounced bass. But after using them, I've really noticed myself yearning for that jaw-rumbling bass of the T10's. They really could move some air. 
 
     What made them so good was the simple fact that they (T10's) could hit the deep sub-bass notes of the bass drop and still manage to produce the guitars, drums, bass guitar and vocalist during the bass hit. In general the bass drop overpowers all other aspects of the music therefore causing every other instrument to take a backseat to the bass drop, once the bass hit fades away, the rest of the music returns. The RHA MA-600's could mimic this similar to the T10's due to their natural sound signature better than the MA-750's. 
 
     So.. sad to say, although I have greatly enjoyed my time with the T20's, I will be returning them and getting the Sony XBA-A2's. As the multiple drivers and built in cross-overs should make for a more evenly distributed sound.
 
     In conclusion, as a mini-review of the RHA-T20i's, I would still rate these as  5-star IEMs. Honestly, they had that neutral/uncolored sound signature everyone expects of a flagship. Not to mention, sound stage, timbre, comfort, style, build quality, price, fact that they sound amazing amp or no-amp, (the list can go on and on). But, I am looking for a VERY specific IEM sound signature and to no fault of RHA. I will definitely give "Props" to RHA they made a VERY compelling product for me to REALLY think hard about passing up on. And if after I get the Sony XBA-A2's and they don't work out for me.. I know for a fact which IEM set I will be returning to.. The RHA-T10i's.
 
Stay tuned for my upcoming trial of the Sony XBA-A2's.

They're big but so is their sound!
 

 
Classic Sony style packaging.
 

 
English and Japanese wording 
 

 
Like gems in a ring setting.
 

 
Even the accessories are given great attention to detail. Kudos Sony!
 

 
 
THOUGHTS:
 
When it's all said and done, are these absolutely perfect for the sound signature I've looking for? YES!!
 
I completely understand why it takes manufacturers a couple of generations to get it just right in terms of sound. Remember, Sony manufactures their own Balanced Armature drives. Therefore, they get to tune it to exactly the sound they want, not just what what Knowles produces.. or any other manufacturer of Balanced Armature drives. The first generation XBA series were quite amazing honestly for Sony's first execution. Everyone raved how much better their 2nd gen were (XBA-10 through 40's). This new generation is no different. They've really gotten the hang of it down. In addition, know exactly what they need to do in order to get their Sony Signature sound.
 

 
BASS:
 
These sounded great out of the box.. The only reason why I burned them for 30-40 hrs, was only due to the 12mm Dynamic Driver, as Balanced Armatures don't require burn in. 
 
After the burn in period, the bass settled out deeper and had a quicker thump. Listening to Fear Factory's new album Genexus was a pleasant walk in the park for them. Even listening to bands like Fleshwrought the song Mental Illness from their Dementia/Dyslexia that contains blast beat drumming amongst some of the fastest on a legitimate song, (there are faster blast beats for world record purposes, but that's not musical, nor will I be listening to audio that fast on a daily basis to enjoy. lol )
 
MIDS:
 
The mids are honestly very reminiscent of my XBA-1's they are so forward without being bloated. Granted if you alter the EQ, they will and can be.. which is a good and bad thing. What I mean by that.. some music requires a different sound signature and needs that boost in the mids, while others require just a slight dip in EQ for the mids. I prefer their sound with no EQ in general. For example, while listening to Anup Sastry's song Titan on his self-titled album Titan, there are additional guitar parts only on the left channel and later switches to the right channel. I haven't heard that so clear and pronounced on any other IEM with exception to the XBA-1's. Even the XBA-3's due to the additional BA drivers and no crossovers, caused it to sound recessed in comparison. 
 
HIGHS:
 
The only issue I had here was solely dependent on amped or not. Let me explain before I get to the details. Amped: regardless of the bass in the song had, the highs shine through, cymbals are well defined and I can differentiate which ones were being hit and where they were located on the drum set. Unamped: if bass is too heavy in the song, if they aren't dialed back just a hair (depending on volume of course) the cymbals can still be heard and are distinguishable.. However, they have a faint distortion to them.. Like a slight extra sizzle.. And once again.. If I dial the bass back a hair, I don't have that problem.. but hey... honestly.. that's going to pretty much always be the case of Amped vs UnAmped.. In addition, I'm being VERY picky.. however, since I noticed it.. I have to list it as a subjective con..
 
Most people probably won't care.. but then again.. Most average customers probably wouldn't buy IEM's in this price range.. most average consumers (like my wife) are more than satisfied with her UrBeats, and "Can't tell the difference".. Ugh.. who did I marry? lol..
But back to my point.. Since the majority of us aren't "Average consumers" I figured that we are the people I should be writing this review towards. 
 

 
COMFORT:
 
Dadgum.. Do I have to talk about this??.. lol..
Okay, so sadly, I turned my self off from these due to this fact alone.. Seriously, if they were the size (thickness) of the XBA-3's, I'd be completely fine with them.. However, sadly for my ears they are too thick.. If Sony is listening to this, Keep this configuration but put the nozzle in an angle, that would make the fitment SO much more comfortable.. They have no problem angling all of their affordable line ups (MDR-XB110 or the MDR-EX50's for example). The nozzles themselves are just right for my ears though.. I had no issues with finding the perfect fit as I always do with every other Sony product I've ever used. 
 
CONCLUSION:
 
Although I have stated they are the perfect sound signature I have been after this whole time.. now I am faced with another issue that I wasn't expecting. The thickness of the housings. For some this may not be an issue. For those lucky individuals, all I can say is get these if you're on the fence of getting them. They sound amazing! Thank you Sony for taking the time to perfect this Hybrid technology.
So.. Now what?? Any recommendations?? Lol...

sledgeharvy said:

  Okay. so first things first.. I got the Blacked out RHA-T20i's as you can see from the pictures. They look fantastic in person. They are very comfortable. Although, Yes, cable noise is minimized, due to their Negative profile design, the cable wrapped around your ear is a constant reminder they are there.
 
 

 
After letting them burn in over the weekend, I have really become quite fond of them. As with almost all Dynamic Drivers, they really opened up and smoothed out. 
 

 
Fantastic presentation!
 

 
RHA really knows how to make their products look great and really well displayed, similar to opening up a jewelry box and seeing the big old rock (diamond ring) sitting right there in the middle of the setting.
 

 
     Overall, I have become very fond of the T20i's. The bass is very controlled/tight/on the verge of being expansive (that was reserved for the T10's, which in my opinion wasn't a bad thing) Although I do feel the T20's are an overall step up from the T10's, I do miss that better sub-bass boom they produced. As bass drops in my Djent music genre isn't as clear and pronounced as I was hoping it to be. Prior to buying these, I was already expecting these to have slightly less bass than the T10's but have more clearer mids and highs due to the Dual-Voice Coil technology.
 
     To a certain degree, I was fine with that, because I was figuring I would be able to EQ the bass up a little to make up for the slightly less pronounced bass. But after using them, I've really noticed myself yearning for that jaw-rumbling bass of the T10's. They really could move some air. 
 
     What made them so good was the simple fact that they (T10's) could hit the deep sub-bass notes of the bass drop and still manage to produce the guitars, drums, bass guitar and vocalist during the bass hit. In general the bass drop overpowers all other aspects of the music therefore causing every other instrument to take a backseat to the bass drop, once the bass hit fades away, the rest of the music returns. The RHA MA-600's could mimic this similar to the T10's due to their natural sound signature better than the MA-750's. 
 
     So.. sad to say, although I have greatly enjoyed my time with the T20's, I will be returning them and getting the Sony XBA-A2's. As the multiple drivers and built in cross-overs should make for a more evenly distributed sound.
 
     In conclusion, as a mini-review of the RHA-T20i's, I would still rate these as  5-star IEMs. Honestly, they had that neutral/uncolored sound signature everyone expects of a flagship. Not to mention, sound stage, timbre, comfort, style, build quality, price, fact that they sound amazing amp or no-amp, (the list can go on and on). But, I am looking for a VERY specific IEM sound signature and to no fault of RHA. I will definitely give "Props" to RHA they made a VERY compelling product for me to REALLY think hard about passing up on. And if after I get the Sony XBA-A2's and they don't work out for me.. I know for a fact which IEM set I will be returning to.. The RHA-T10i's.
 
Stay tuned for my upcoming trial of the Sony XBA-A2's.

Click to expand...

 
How would you compare the T20's sound to that of the MA750?  The 750 is my favorite IEM by far, is the T20 a significant upgrade?  I find the T10's TOO bassy (loose) and too rolled off on top, we obviously prefer different sound signatures.  I wouldn't mind a little more sparkle that the 750's have, as long as it doesn't turn sibilant.  I've read that the T20's if used with the bass filter come close to matching the level of bass in the T10, but with a better mid and top end, I was curious if you tried the bass filter.

Sure thing.. Okay... So the T20's compared to the T10's..
The T20's were definitely less overall bassy, however, in most people's mind.. That's not a bad thing. I would say the T20's bass is just more controlled and focused. Whereas the T10's were big and powerful, brute force essentially. However, at no time do I ever label the bass as overdone, or even bloated.. While listening to Classical music, I feel that extra bass helps with deep stringed instruments such as the Cello. It makes for a fuller sound. Now, same time, if you boost the 32hz range on the T20's it has the same effect, so it's not like the T20 can't sound full.. But when listening to music like Twista or modern rap like Rick Ross, that's where the T20's lack in the deep sub-bass. Just don't over exaggerate what I'm stating. It is never anorexic in sub-bass, it's just not as prominent as it is on the T10's.

In reference to the rest of the overall sound of T20's vs the T10's the T20's soundstage is just more open, or as I will say, more defined. It's better layered.. Each instrument can be picked out easier. Not to mention the imaging of each instrument.
Best example to truly define the differences between the MA-750's, T10's, and T20's, the Ride cymbal on Heavy Metal songs on cheaper headphones sounds like a piece of paper being crumbled. On the MA-750's it can be made out to be a ride cymbal, on the T10's you heard the stick thud hitting the cymbal, and on the T20, you get all that, but add the decay of the cymbal resonating in it's entirety.
Another example being a distorted guitar sustained note. On cheap IEM's, you hear the fuzz of the guitar, the MA-750's you heard the true-to-life distorted sound of the note. Step up to the T10's adds the attack of the guitar pick with the natural harmonics. Step up to the T20's and you get all the aforementioned items but get the overtones and fullness as if the amp is in the room with you.

Overall, the T20 is a fantastic step up from the MA-750's. In pretty much every aspect. In my opinion, the natural bass frequency the MA-750's produce is not that mid-bass range, but upper bass range. I'd say around the 175-200 range.. On some genres of music, that makes for a natural flat tone to the cello, such as in the Beatles, (All The Lonely People) The bass stringed instruments have a fantastic natural at home sound, but the T20's listening to the same track, the deeper natural frequency of the bass response adds the mid-bass and sub-bass to accentuate the thickness of the bass stringed instruments. Not to mention, the better layering and imaging of the T20's really makes the violins shine and shimmer with ease. I say ease, because never does it sound distorted and sibalant/harsh.. Now, of course, that's with little to no EQ'ing. As depending on the player or amp you're using, might cause the haziness to appear in the mix.
As we all know, not every track was produced by the same audio engineer, therefore a little EQ'ing will be required to a small degree.
I'm probably going way to in depth for your question. However, when someone asks my opinion, I feel the need to give examples, and explain my reasoning to paint the metaphoric picture.
So, after it's all said and done, if you got the T20's how much would you actually be benefiting by getting them over the MA-750's. I would say incrementally not exponentially. They are a refined variant of the MA-750's from Sub-bass to Highs. So when you add in the better imaging, layering, decay, and timbre. It's all just there. The only last question is, is it worth twice what you paid for the MA-750's.. That honestly is up to you. For me, I would say it is, because there are far more expensive IEM's that offer just the same quality sound the T20's have, but don't offer the same highly respected RHA customer service. In addition, you're already accustomed to their House sound of the MA-750's.. If you go with something like the Sennheiser IE-80's for example, they sound amazing, but you may find the natural sound to be lacking or in abundance in some form or fashion. Whereas the T20's will be everything what you love about the MA-750's only more of it.

I really hope this answer helps you on your trek.

Thank you for the detailed reply, its very helpful.  I'm about 99% sold on the T20's, they've been calling me ever since they were released.  The only other one I'm considering is the FLC 8s, on sale right now (today only, probably) for $250.  But that is buying from Singapore, and not nearly as easy to deal with warranty issues should they arise whereas RHA is very easy to deal with and there is always the 30 day (actually 90 day right now due to Christmas season) return period with Amazon.  While the increased customizability of the FLC is compelling, it might be a little too much, considering some of the pieces are quite small and require very careful handling.  I also own the Audeo PFE and their tiny filters can be a PITA, the FLC likely would be too.  The T20 filters are much more manageable.

To be fair, the tuning filters only do very little on all earbuds. I generally prefer each of the above with the treble filter, because it doesn't add the foam inside the filter system, as I feel that recesses the highs plus causes a faint distortion to them, very faint, but yes, I'm that picky ... Lol.. I however, found myself using the bass filter on the T20's because as you know, I prefer a thicker sound. Some others would prefer the opposite, hence the reason the T10's I found myself using the Treble filters.. And all the "filter systems" are is they add a piece of foam, (reference filter) or a larger piece of foam (bass filter) to recess the highs which causes the bass the sound naturally elevated.. Every company does the same concept though.. I have a pair of Apple IEM's that have the Dual Balanced Armature drives, that come with a spare set of removable tips, I did the same exact thing, added a piece of that dampening foam inside on of the sets of filters, and left the other set free of foam. Which in turn made for a bassier sound, but recessed the highs. And to be honest, for those isn't a bad thing, as most Balanced Armature IEMs are known for being light on Bass.. .
Only advice I would say about the FLC 8's, they have a low impedance of 11ohms, therefore highly source dependent.
Not sure if you've ever considered the Audio-Technica ATH-IM70? At $105 on Amazon they are a steal. Easy to drive amp or no amp, wide sound stage great imaging, especially guitars, yet, still has the bass to play EDM, don't be strayed by that statement, as yes they have bass, but it's a controlled bass that is quite reserved. It will be laid back if needed.. Mids and highs is where these shine. Details brought out and very organic sound.
As I stated in the previous post. At the end of the day, the T20's will give the upgrade in overall sound signature you're already accustomed to with the MA-750's. Whereas, any other IEM will have a slightly different house sound signature, which you may like or not.. Only you can decide, we're here to give you our personal views on our experiences..

So is it worth spending for the higher versions of RHA other than buying 750? I had to return my 750 because the grey cable cover got broken just in front of the plastic bump. I'm quite disappointed as I had them only 8 months and hope they will repair/replace. I wonder what should I buy now. Going for Shure SE215(or one higher) because of detachable cabel or going for RHA t10. I wonder if there is even reason going above the $100 mark. I mostly listen spotify via phone or via xDuuo. 
 
Thanks.

azm1 said:

So is it worth spending for the higher versions of RHA other than buying 750? I had to return my 750 because the grey cable cover got broken just in front of the plastic bump. I'm quite disappointed as I had them only 8 months and hope they will repair/replace. I wonder what should I buy now. Going for Shure SE215(or one higher) because of detachable cabel or going for RHA t10. I wonder if there is even reason going above the $100 mark. I mostly listen spotify via phone or via xDuuo. 

Thanks.

Click to expand...

I would skip the T10, it has way too much bass and treble is rolled off. IMO,it doesn't sound as good as the 750. The T20, on the other hand blows the T10 and the 215 out of the water. Much more detailed and refined sound. If the Spotify stream is good quality, I think the T20 is worth it and it's very easy to drive. Even on low quality material, it wont make it sound worse, just won't live up to the 20's full potential.

Thank you for input! At the end  I bought ''MEE Audio Pinnacle P1'' which was recommended by the person in the Shop(specializes on HP) and I'm blown away. Awesome sound.
Also the RHA did accept the warranty replacement so I basically paid only half price of the P1s.
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/794787/mee-audio-pinnacle-p1-199-dynamic-driver-flagship-reviews-2nd-post