RHA MA750

This is a very short review and comparison of the RHA ma-750i. My background is as an academic writer, so please let me know if the writing style is a bit off. This is also my first review and English is my second language, so any feedback is welcome! The RHA MA 750i was purchased by me about two years ago after a recommendation from Innerfidelity’s wall of fame when it was curated by Tyll Hertsens.

Build, fit, case

They come in a nice small leather pouch, with a decent amount of tips available. The build quality of the RHA is just fine, but there is cable is not detachable (the cable itself is a bit thick, but it is supple enough). The first impression is that they are built like a tank, but I got a pair with one side dead on arrival. Luckily, they gave me a new one, no questions asked. Since then, no build quality issues were found. Also, they come in an “I” version with remote and mic, which I found to work just fine. There is also a wireless version, but I have not reviewed that. In short, build and fit are good, and the design are great and industrial.

Sound impressions

I have used the RHA out of iphones, Huawei phones and my grace audio m900.

Fit is always tip-and user dependant, but for me, the comply t400’s were the best, isolation is great (the RHA 750s are vented, but I did not find this an issue).

The sound of the RHA ma-750s are not neutral in any way, but not so off that it is offensive. Rather, it has a sort of v-signature, where the bass is emphasized. Bass quantity are great for EDM, the extension as well, but the quality is not as good as, say a shure se846 when it comes to speed and resolution. That is not a diss of the RHA ma-750, as its bass is far better than say, Hifiman re-400 and the price of the se846 are, well, many times higher.

The mids are there, but they are not the greatest I have heard in the price bracket. It is probably found to be a bit back due to the bass quantity and present treble. It is a bit warm, probably because of the bass and a possible bleed, but not as warm as a shure se535 or a final audio heaven II, where vocals is a bit more forward and lush on the others. I find myself cranking up the volume a bit extra to get the vocals more forward. The highs are energetic, but they are inoffensive and rolling off before it becomes too much. Some details are lost when comparing to e.g.the re-400.

Soundstage is decent, but not overly wide or deep. The separation and imaging is also relatively average. Detail retrieval is also as expected for the price, maybe slightly behind the re-400 (maybe due to the sound signature. They are clear enough, and they do not appear congested before you start compare with iems 2-3x the price. Impedance is 16 ohm, and the dynamic driver makes this even along the fr spectrum (see e.g. innerfidelity measurements).

Conclusion

I would recommend them for under 100 usd, mostly due to the build quality and service-minded attitude when a problem occurred. They are fine for commuting, as the isolation and the sound signature makes for an involving listen when not listening critically (most 100 usd gear falls short here). I believe the competition is coming in when it comes to price/sound quality, as chi-fi brands like bgvp among others, and I think just as good sound quality can be had for slightly less. But if you are like me, you might need something that is built like it should last, and RHA is great at that!

I needed some IEMs better than cheap KZ ZST and Urbanfun Hifi. I managed to buy new RHA MA750 for 70 EUR, slightly cheaper than normal price.

The packaging and accessories are beyond expectation for rather cheap IEMs - nice magnet closed box, 3 size classic tips, bi-flange tips and Comply foams (two pairs each).

These IEMs has amazing build quality, small - metal shells and really strong looking cable. The only drawback are little bending due to strange packaging in a box, but it is not a problem.

MA750 is really comfortable to wear - I listen to music few hours a day with short break between each album and I do not feel any discomfort. The only problem I has was getting proper seal, I needed to learn to apply them, but it was matter of few trials.

I paired these IEMs with my Shanling M1 as my portable rig. Many people mention many sound changes during burning time, however I did not notice any significant changes through listeting.
The sound is "flattened V-shape" - middle range is slightly in the back of bass and trebles. The bas of based on subbass range, it's warm and rather soft, however it is not sloppy in fast and heavy music, bassists are perfectly accented, drums have required power. Middle range is nice, maybe for sometimes vocals could be closer to listener, but it depends on music and its source. Highs and ale nicely "wide" and clear, without any hisses and sibilance. Sometimes it can be unequal and unbalanced, but really rarely - it also depends on listening material.
Soundstage is wide with some level of depth - I would compare it to gigs in some big closed stages. It is more narrow than f.e. DT990 Edition, but sill pretty wide and you can hear nice instruments positioning.

I could call them "fun variation of natural sound". This is not the level of details of. f.e. Vsonic GR07C/BE, they are more focused of giving pure pleasure.
RHA MA750 are perfect IEMs for energetic, fast paced music with dome dynamic needed - electronic music and metal are perfect. In its price range these are on of the best option to get.

I am very satisfied with these iems. Specially at the price which these are sold at the moment in Sweden.
I demoed then in the store and after 2 minutes bought them. Loved the quality of build. But to my surprise they sounded thin and ear piercing at home. Made me a believer in burn in. Did that for a couple of days and they got better. It's been a month now, still every day I feel I got something worthy.
Btw i have CKR9 and HD600s as well.

Initially, when I was looking to upgrade my VSD5, i wanted something to have good isolation, build, soundstage as my main requirements. Almost went with GR07BE with detachable cables, but not so good isolation and build held me back, and I pulled the trigger on these puppies for $125 incl. shipping.

Box:
The unboxing experience in itself will put a smile on your face. A good looking box, with a flap design, held by the magnets, reveals the earphones themselves, along with the wide variety of eartips provided (2xS, 2xM, 2xL, 2xBiFlange 2xComplyFoam), nicely put onto a metal holder. Pulling out those reveals a shirt clip, a nice zipped carrying pouch, big enough to hold all the eartips with the holder and the earphones themselves, and a hefty user manual.




Build:
The build of these oozes premium all over the place, with a stainless steel housing for the earphones, the Y-split, and the jack itself. The cable is thick, sort of rubbery, and feels good in the hand, which is somewhat tangle-free, until it tangles, then it just sticks to itself due to the rubbery texture, and is difficult to untangle. It's strain relieved properly everywhere, and the jack has a springy strain relief, which inspires confidence. The earphones ends at a over-the-ear earhook design, helping in reducing the microphonics and providing a good fit.




Fit and Isolation:
The fit is snug, feels comfortable to wear for prolonged listening sessions, and the isolation is really good. My main requirement was to block out all the noise on the road when I travel, and they do it pretty well, better than my VSD5 tape modded.

Sound:
Now comes the main aspect. How do they sound? In short, they have sort of a warm, U-shaped signature, with good emphasis on lows, slightly laid back mids, and good and non-fatiguing highs, and a really good soundstage.
I mostly listen to 60s-80s rock, old pop, EDM, OSTs, Trance, Metal, Alt.Rock, and had them on burnin period of 40-50hrs on these genres, mixed with the pink/white noise, frequency sweeps before actually starting listening to them.
Source:
Fiio X1 2nd Gen, Laptop with foobar2000, Oneplus 3, Spotify Web on laptop, Sansa Clip Zip.
Lows:
The lows are the highlight for these earphones, with emphasis on the sub-bass region, extended well, with fast decay and bleeding ever so slightly to the mids. I was never a bass-head, but had tape-mod on my VSD5 to increase the thump. These have better attack, with a sort of thumpy rumbling sub-bass, that won't reach the bass-head level, but will have enough quantity for any type of genre.
Mids:
The mids are the one's that slightly disappoints me, not in a bad way, just they sound slightly laidback to me. The vocals on some songs, lacks the intimacy you need, and in some, works really well. Guitars sound good, but again, lacks the feel that I am used to because of VSD5. Like the guitar in "Stairway to Heaven", "Sweet Child O'Mine", "Kashmir", "November Rain" sounds slightly veiled as compared to the VSD5's, and lacks the intimacy and energy you'd expect from these songs. Same goes for the vocals of Robert Plant in every Led Zeppelin song, slightly veiled.
Think like, in VSD5, the vocals and the guitar used to be the center of presentation, but in here, they are far away than that, so I need to sometimes crank them up to higher volumes in order to actually listen those details that I miss. In no ways the mids are bad, just I am used to the vsonics, which might take some time to adjust on these.
Highs:
Now, as I come from VSD5, you might expect that I have a good tolerance for those piercing highs.
The highs are well extended, non fatiguing, and not as piercing as in the VSD5. The drums in the beginning of "Unskinny Bop" sounds more like drums on these compared to VSD5, which now sounds like cymbals overpowering the drums in that segment. But, I do miss the airiness in these as compared to the Vsonics.
Soundstage/Imaging:
This aspect really nails it for me. The soundstage is vast for the earphones this size, better than the Vsonics, and made me realize how much depth was lacking in the VSD5's. They sound much more 3D than VSD5, GR07??(heard that they have slightly more intimate soundstage than VSD5), instruments sounds well separated from each other, though the 3D-ness seems to be dependent on the source. From my Fiio X1ii and foobar2000 on PC, the soundstage is impressive, but when I plug them in my office, playing from Spotify Web, soundstage suddenly like drops to 50%, everything sound congested and veiled to me. On VSD5, it didn't used to sound this bad as compared to these.

Final Verdict:
I needed an upgrade from my Vsonics, and got what I expected from them. They are worth the money you pay for them, and I'd say that though I haven't tried the GR07BE, I have a sense of what I would have got if I had gone that path. I am happy with my purchase, and 3 year warranty is a cherry on top if something goes wrong. Highly recommend these in under $150.

If you are looking at the RHA-MA750, you already have done a bit of research about how they sound. So, I will get straight to my review.

Sound Quality:
Let me start off by saying that these are reference quality buds...meaning, if you are a bass-head, stay away from these! These are "almost" neutral sounding in-ears. Right out of the box I felt these were harsh (overly-bright) sounding, which was later corrected after a long period of burn-in. Bass is clean and not over or under emphasized. The sub bass kind of felt subdued at first. But after some burn-in I really felt that the sub bass was adequate. Sound-stage of these are the best I've heard in any of my IEMs, even with no burn-in. One thing to note, though, is that you need to be wary of the songs you play through these. As these are reference level IEMs, they are unforgiving of bad recordings (with flat/no equalization). I mostly use them with my Schiit Fulla USB DAC and Amp Combo with my PC as the source, but you really don't need a headphone amp to drive these, as they are easy to drive, and you don't need something fancy for them to sound their best. As a side note- I listen to a wide genre of music, for instance: Rock, Alternative, Metal, Country, R&B, Hip-Hop, Pop and Classical, and these do not disappoint.

Comfort:
With the right ear-tip, these are quite comfortable. For me, the tip that worked, was the provided Comply Comfort Plus memory foam tip (TSX-200). There shouldn't be an issue with the fit, at least there wasn't for me. They are not that heavy and don't fall out of my ear. Once placed in, I don't feel like I have an earbud inside my ear: Yes, they are that comfortable for me! I won't lie, it takes some time adjusting to it, especially if you have never used something like these. But once you get accustomed to them, they are enjoyable.

Build Quality:
These are well-built. With stainless steel housing, connector and splitter, these seem like to last forever. The cord is thick enough to make me think that it's unbreakable. And when a company backs a product with a three year warranty, you certainly feel confident with your purchase.

Overall:
For the money you spend on these, nothing beats them. Though MA-750 requires a lot of burn-in, and don't sound as good out of the box, they are some of the best that I have ever heard. They surely compete with other IEMs that cost twice the price.

I was on the lookout for some high quality earbuds to complement (and maybe replace) my Shure E5cs. I wouldn't say I'm an audiophile, in the sense that I prefer to listen to music without over-analysing the equipment, however I do like what I listen through to sound reasonably good. My go-to 'phones for more serious listening have been the E5cs. The E5cs are impressive units but they have some problems for me. The main problem is that the are sooo sensitive. Any noise on your source: they'll pick it up. Any little glitches on a track: they'll kindly serve it up to you. So the E5cs don't work with my laptop, which has a noisy amp, and I find them frustrating with some classical music which hasn't been mastered carefully. Briefly, the MA750s seem to fit the bill for me, in that they fix these issues to a degree: I can use them on my laptop and not hear the hiss of the amp. Of course they're still good headphones, so glitches in the tracks do still come through.
 
General build quality seems good. They look awesome and unique. There's a fine mesh protecting the aperture: it looks delicate: like it's glued into place. With the bud on, though, it should be safe. The cord is thick and slightly tacky and soft to the feel. The way that the cord was packaged means that, even several hours later, there are marks in it from where it was clamped by the cheap plastic in the box. It doesn't bother me much, but it seems like this could have been avoided with better (and more eco-friendly) card packaging. I wear glasses and, despite what I've read elsewhere, the over-ear cables are zero problem. They're comfortable and work well. These earphones feel quicker to insert and remove compared to my E5cs (where I use the yellow foam plugs).
 
These earphones come with a plasticy black clip that doesn't jive with the all-stainless construction of the rest of the hardware. I'm not planning on using the clip.
 
The earphones are comfortable. They don't feel heavy. I've tried them with various of the supplied tips (apart from the very biggest size) and they all seem to fit. I can't hear any different in the sound signature with different tips, but the foam tips do isolate a fair bit better than the others. For the office I prefer the regular dome tips, but I can see that the foam would be nice for plane rides.
 
 
I don't feel that I have strong skills in describing the sound characteristics, so I'll preface this by saying that I listen to a wide range of music: most things from Mozart to The Prodigy (although I tend to stay away from jazz, rap, and hip hop). I've compared the MA750s to the E5cs on a range of tracks and used my Sony MDR-EX71SLA Fontopias as third point of reference. The former two clearly out-perform the Fonotopias, which sound rather lackluster in comparison. The overall sound signature of the E5cs was warmer (to my surprise) than the MA750s. This is especially noticeable on acoustic tracks with vocals and guitars. There's a cutting clarity to the voices with the MA750s that is not really present with the E5cs. Perhaps you might say that the MA750s are brighter. I noticed this when I did a side-by-side comparison between two but it didn't stick out otherwise. I don't find this problematic, but I mention it as it's the most obvious difference to my ears. The bass was similar between the two and I don't find it overwhelming or problematic. From reviews I was expecting a slightly more bass-heavy experience compared to the E5cs, but that didn't come through.
 
Happy with them overall. I'm knocking off half a star because I don't like the clip, the over-long metal cover associated with the jack, or the nasty plastic packaging.

This is my first review. Honestly I am quite new to head-fi although I have tried and bought and sold a lot of headphones and earphones lately.
I bought a pair of MA750 a week ago for 108USD in Hong Kong and I have been listening to it in and testing it with both my cellphone HTC one and my dac Teac UD-501.
 
As an earphone priced about $100, the MA750/MA750i might be a candidate for the first "expensive" earphone for some head-fi new comers.
 
First of all, The MA750 is a quite balanced. It does not emphasis on certain frequency, although during the first 20 hours I experienced disturbing overwhelming sub-bass and recessed midtone. Since most cheap headphones emphasis on mid-bass, the MA750 comparatively has much less mid bass, therefore some genres like EDM sound less dynamic and probably less enjoyable until users turn to enjoy the soundstage and separation.
 
MA750 has a very terrific soundstage, as spacious as famous $400 earphones like IE80 and UE900s. The treble, midtone, bass are very well separated, and each of them behaves as good as any dynamic driver earphone at its price range. Since the instruments are very well separated, user will easily fine much pleasure from them, often more than the vocal. I listen to my favorite AKG K712 amped with the Teac UD-501 at home, which cost a lot more. However I still find it enjoyable to listen to the MA750 powered by my cellphone when I travel.
 
The built is another element to be highly praised with. Its shiny stainless metal built is stylish, durable and cold. The over-ear hooks is doing great in preventing the earphone from falling off. In my opinion, it is more comfortable than the square shaped IE80. The MA750 shares the same accessories with RHA's higher model t10/t10i, apart from the 3 interchangeable tuning filters, which are the very special feature of the t10/t10i. Otherwise the very elegant leather pouch, the 9 pairs of spare foams/tips are identical to those from the t10/t10i, and these serious accessories are rarely seen in $100 earphones.
 
The MA750 nevertheless has its limit. After all it is not an expensive earphone, it does improves on amping, but not to an extend to compete with some $400 earphones when both are properly amped.
 
Overall, In terms of sound quality the MA750 stands out in the soundstage and separation. Along with its built, comfort, isolation, 3-year warranty, accessories, it is certainly one of the best earphone at this price range currently.

RHA MA750 Review
 
Introduction
 
Many thanks to RHA-Audio.com for providing Dubai with a MA750 to review and demo at the local Headphone Meet-up, your support for the headphone community is exemplary and highly appreciated. 
 
The company:
RHA is short for Reid Heath Audio - a Scottish headphone company that is still quite young but churning out better and better earphones with amazing quality and generous warranty. I own the MA350 for quite some time which was at the time it was released a very solid offering with incredible value for money.
 
From product release to product release RHA managed to up the sound quality and production value of their earphones. It seems that every detail they learned was implemented in the subsequent product - and they listen closely to what the community and customers have to say.
 
RHA produces their own drivers and uses metal housings for their headphones which makes them stand out from the competition.
 
I am reviewing the MA750 without the remote and microphone for iOS devices. The non-i earphones from RHA are across the range $10 cheaper. So, if you don’t need a mic (like me) save the money and buy these versions….
 


MA750 on the right 
 
 Manufacture’s Specifications

1. Type: in-ear
2. Drivers Size: ??
3. Drivers Type: Dynamic
4. Frequency Response: 16Hz to 22KHz
5. Sensitivity: 100dB @1mW
6. Impedance:  16 Ω
7. Microphone sensitivity: 
8. Maximum Input:  
9. Weight with cable: 36g  
10. Connector: 3.5mm single ended
11. MSRP:  $119 (750i = $129)

 
Design
 
The MA750 is constructed from machined stainless steel (303F grade) components. It has  a thick and sturdy cable that is not replaceable. The design is called “Aerophonic (TM)” and it looks surely extremely nice. Everything feels top quality and the 3 years warranty is certainly something you can believe in. Everything is designed with a lot of care, like the metal tip-holder and the thought through carry case. The drivers are RHA’s own developed 560.1 dynamic drivers that are handmade (!!).



MA750 in the right
 
Style

I would describe them in the best way as Apple-ish. They are functional and reduced to what counts and lovely to handle. Your haptic sense will have a field day. They can only be worn over the ear, which is the way I prefer in any case. 
 

Build quality

 
Everything about this ear phone feels good. Solid and reliable. No complaints here. For the same amount of money you not always get this kind of quality feel. Others might feel (not be, just feel) more flimsy. RHA surely instills a nice quality feel with their products. The cable is a steel reinforced, oxygen free copper cable. The connections are gold plated. Strain relieves are made of a metal spring on the plug, it doesn’t get much better than that.
 

Comfort
 

Man are they comfy and easy to put on. I must admit, this sounds too fanboish but I recently had a pair of Aurisonics AS-2.5 and they were large and hard to get on. These here are so easy to pop in and just snug in and seal properly. Since my ears are quite a bit different (left/right), I am always happy if I don't have to fiddle around much to get a proper seal and a nice fit. It must be a combination of the earpieces and tips together with the cable. All around a very thought through product. Sometime the metal can feel a bit cold on first insertion (you could warm them up holding them your hand for a minute) - but that feeling fades away in seconds. Once inserted I don't feel their weight, though they are a bit heavier than other non-metal in-ears.

 

Supplied accessories

 
A nice and soft carrying case (zip-up wallet style) made of soft touch plastic with compartments for all supplied accessories, including the metal tip holder. The selection of tips is amazing for this price point. The ear tips include 6 pairs of silicone tips, two pairs of double flange tips and two pairs of memory foam tips (10 pairs in total).  The cable on the 750i has a three button remote and mic for use with Apple devices, while the reviews 750 has no mic and remote. A clothing clip is also provided. 
 

 
 
Sound
 
RHA creates their own drivers. The drive used in this earphone is the RHA 560 series. General consensus of anyone I forced this earphone on is: they sound amazing for the money. Lovely soundstage, properly lifted bass (sometimes even a bit much but perfect for the outside) and a great musicality that is very satisfying. These are my preferred carry around earphones that you can throw in your bag and abuse for many years while enjoying a very refined sound. There is some cable noise even with the cable running behind your ears which is a bit disappointing but I guess the soft and thick cable has it’s small downside in this.  Percussion instruments have the proper hit to them. Clarity is spot on. If you swap headphones back and forth they can sound a tiny bit distant for the first few seconds but then click, you brain adjusts and they are surrounding you with music. They isolate pretty well from outside noise. 

Bass

Yes. Bass. It’s there, well controlled and fun, not overly boosted but never shy of bass. It’s surprising how - for me - it has the perfect balance, never bloated, never anemic. Since I like my bass a bit boosted for the right fun signature, I am more than pleased to tell you that the MA750 delivers. 

Mid-range

Great balance, vocals have a tonal balance that is surprising for this price range, full and round, female vocals are sounding a tad on the harsh side at times, but that is nitpicking.
 
Treble
Not harsh, no sibilance. Prominent but not forward. It’s not the most reveling ear phone, some others extend a bit higher maybe but it’s perfect for me because it makes this a headphone you can use for hours on end without any fatigue setting in. Hence it’s not a treble monster, a bit on the dark side (but not a dark ear phone) - I think RHA strikes a perfect balance here. 



 

 
 

Sound Stage and instruments separations

 
One of the strongest selling points of these headphones. It sounds very open and expansive for an in-ear. 
 
 
Pros & Cons

Pros:

1. Sound quality 
2. extremely comfortable
3. Soundstage
4. high quality cable 
5. high build quality, built to last, feels like it can withstand lots of abuse
6. 3 years warranty and great customer service
7. outstanding value for money

Cons:

1. a bit heavier due to metal build (didn’t bother me at all but just want to mention it)
2. has to be worn cable-over-ear (my preference but YMMV)
3. might not be available in your region as RHA is still ramping up distributors and retailers

 

 
 Rating

1. Comfort                       9/10
2. Sound Quality             8/10
3. Design                        9/10
4. Durability                    9/10
5. Value for Money         9/10

 
Conclusion
 
The moment you unpack the MA750 you know that you are in for a treat. The packaging looks great, once you open the flap and see the earphones neatly arranged in the plastic window - hype, you know you are going to like them. And thankfully that initial impression is continuing once you hold them in your hands and handle the MA750. Solid build, extremely nicely machined, an armada of ear tips to choose from and find the ones that fit you.
 
Then you go in for the first listen and you know you made the right decision. The sound signature is not neutral, instead it’s what you expect from pleasant sounding ear-phones these days. A gently boosted bass and not too harsh highs. Still these in-ears are detailed and have pleasant mids, they provide a great soundstage, actually a surprisingly large one for in-ears, they have fantastic build quality and do most things right.
 
Some people have experienced a long burn in period until they sound their best, I have not had this experience. 
 
As to amplification, these sounded perfectly fine directly from my iPhone 6, Fiio X5 (with and without C5) or AK100 (Mk2) and Audioengine D3 and Aune T1 Mk2. So even with 10 Ohm output impedance they were doing fine. I put them onto the CEntrance DACMini CX with the 1 Ohm mod and while getting slightly (and I mean tiny weeny bit) more detailed there was no dramatic change due to stronger amplification. 
 
My conclusion: If you are in the market for a around $100-$150 in-ear - you need to consider this RHA MA750 - unless you are bassophobic or enjoy more neutral sound.
 
  
 
Disclaimer: RHA provided a MA750 and a T10 for a headphone meet in Dubai - they did not ask for a review - I am reviewing it because it was pretty popular during the meet and I think they deserve to be reviewed - they are that good. My ratings are relative to the price point of the earphone.