First off I want to thank RHA for selecting me as one of their 3 reviewers here on Head-fi. I really appreciate being selected out of so many quality reviewers that replied in the reviewers wanted thread. I also would like to thank the people who posted their recommendation for me. I was touched by those posts more than you realize, as the process of writing reviews can at times feel like I am talking to myself. It was wonderful to see such positive feedback about my writing, making all the effort worth while.
OK so enough fluff, lets get down to the brass tacks!
RHA has created what I think is the best pizza I have had the pleasure of trying in quite a long time! Unfortunately it's not my flavour... But like a great pizza, this IEM is so well made it has made me stop and sample the flavor being offered and DARNED IF I DON'T LIKE IT IN SPITE OF MYSELF!
So what makes this IEM so special?
For starters BUILD QUALITY. The IEM body is beautifully made from stainless steel in a process that shows RHA's dedication to quality and willingness to go the extra distance to ensure their product is robust while esthetically pleasing to the eye. They then have used a slightly thicker than average cable that is subtle and not so big as to be considered overly bulky and have couple it with an excellent mic/controller. The microphone is good enough I was able to have a quality conversation with my wife for 15 minutes while walking on a busy street in downtown Calgary during lunch time! The cable also has an above average spring based strain relief at the I shaped jack. The Coup de gras of this IEM though is it's memory wire system, the spring coil wire is simply one of the most comfortable well thought out designs I have ever used!
Build quality receives a 5.5 ot of 5! You heard that right, I'm cheating here because its that good
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Then we have the accessory kit. This IEM offers a good enough selection of quality tips to satisfy any buyers needs. The tips seal well on the IEM and offer excellent fit (at least for my ears which are at times kind of fussy), as well as a nice system to display and hold all the extra tips. Then there is a decent soft square case for holding the IEM's. one might want a hard shell case but I think this IEM is robust enough it doesn't need one. Finally there is the filter system, but I think they deserve a paragraph all to themselves.
Other companies have made filter systems in the past so RHA isn't necessarily breaking new ground here. But I have not seen filters as well designed and easily switched as these. From their aesthetic beauty, their details to little things like using a rubber seal, and most importantly their sonic changing abilities RHA has done this better than anyone to date. The bass filter takes an already bass oriented IEM and raises the bass stake significantly. The balanced filter offers a nice in between level of performance, while the treble filter increases the upper midrange and treble as advertised.
Accessories score 5 out of 5. Some might think a triple flange is needed to achieve a 5 but this IEM is designed for comfort so I feel the dual flanges are enough to cover isolation and seal for those needing something other than a single flange tip.
Speaking of isolation. This IEM is not quite on the scale of an Etymotic or Shure IEM for passive isolation but it is close. So I give it a score of 4.5 in this area. While I am on the subject of sound (outside of the music) I think the micro phonics of this IEM are also above average and again deserve a score of 4.5 ot of 5.
Now let talk about how they sound. This is where it gets tricky.
OK, let start of by establishing my position... TO HECK WITH WHAT I LIKE! So you might be wondering why I have taken such a stand. It simple really, this review needs to transcend my personal sonic likes and dislikes to do the T10i justice.
So what are my sonic preferences? I like good solid bass but never at the expense of the midrange, I like neutral to slightly bright mids, and treble that has lots of detail without coming across as splashy or harsh. My personal headphone/IEM's I have enjoyed the most are Pioneer DJE1500 (an IEM with solid bass that never compromises the midrange, neutral mids, treble that highlights cymbals and highs with decent detail while never being harsh or sibilant), UE900 (solid bass that has the typical BA qualities, mids that are definitely peaked towards the upper midrange possibly a bit to much so, treble that is very detailed but again without being harsh or sibilant), AKG K712 Pro (bass that is very present but more on the punchy side that the heavy side, super detail midrange that is slightly tipped towards the upper midrange, detailed sharp treble that can be harsh if the original recording has sharpness to it). So there you have it, I am a mid/treble oriented head-fi'er who likes to indulge in bass.In this regard the T10i falls short and to be honest, based on my own posts, if someone else had written them and I was reading to decide if I would want the T10i based solely on my own preferences, I would end up taking a pass. But based on my actual listening experience I know this would be to my own detriment.
So is there any group that should probably avoid this IEM? The answer is yes, there are two groups. If you find any bass heavy signature distasteful or if you live and die by sharp precise detailed treble you will want to likely take a pass on this IEM.
For everyone else, depending on where you sit these will be either a must have IEM or one that might be an excellent alternate option for your stable or a possible number 1 choice based off all the reasons above PLUS a signature that is more enjoyable than it's signature placement might lead you to believe.
I would rate this IEM as a 5 out of 5 for bass lovers and a 4 out of 5 for balanced signature lovers and a 3.5 out of 5 for treble lovers. But honestly think the bass signature is done well enough that it might skew those rating by half a point in the positive for both balanced and treble lovers. It can be even better if your willing to use an equalizer to help shape the sound. For my LG G3 I simply turn on the treble enhancement setting to satisfy my treble love. For anyone coming from stock ear buds that come with their DAP or lower entry level IEM's found in most retail stores the T10i will be all the upgrade they will likely want and without having to do all the head-fi tricks most of us on head-fi are used to such as resorting to tip rolling.
Bass - The bass of the T10i is easily it's most defining aspect and one that will either win you over or possibly have you running away. The bass also seems to become stronger with most of the amps I have tried it with so does not seem to be improved by added current. On the flip side I have enjoyed the bass straight from every device I have tried which includes an iPad, LG G3, Dell Venue 8 Pro tablet, Lenovo Windows 8 touch screen laptop, so it really is designed for portable use requiring just a DAP. The bass is deep, slightly slow and thick with a great sense of fullness and completion. Out of the box it will feel to strong but does settle down after 20-30hrs of use. The bass affects the midrange but only slightly giving the lower midrange more warmth.
Midrange - As mentioned the midrange is on the warm side leaning towards rich and luxurious. It is not recessed but errs on the side of relaxed rather than detailed and is lacking in urgency as compared to IEM's such as the GR07 or the DJE1500 in my collection. But while the midrange is on the relaxed side it also has an enjoyable aspect to it that is down right addictive for some genres such as early vocal jazz and to some degree even some rock genres or bands you would not think it would work with such as Led Zeppelin and Rush where it brings so enjoyable warmth to some of their songs.
Treble - The treble of the T10i is probably it's most obvious Achilles heel based solely on an audiophile scale as it is very rolled off and laid back. This is great for people who are allergic to sharp treble but will be missed by anyone who is a lover of cymbals and intricate treble detail. This is not to say it doesn't have the detail it is just that it is to much in the back ground.
I will close this review with two pleas.
To those that know this will not be in your wheel house, if you can try a pair at a local Head-fi meet or work a temporary trade/borrow session with another head-fi member. Give this IEM a try as it might surprise the heck out of you.
To RHA, please take your exquisite IEM design and simply build another flavour of driver. Since I am making the plea I would like an ALL DRESSED please! For me that would be one with slightly less bass presence that has more punch in the sub-bass and a bit less mid-bass with a bit more speed and texture. If the bass is fixed it should by design then leave the midrange untouched removing some of the warmth and make the midrange more dynamic and alive. For the treble if you could add more detail especially for cymbals allowing them to have more crash with decent decay. All of the above give better imaging and instrument separation to go along with the sound stage offered by your IEM shell design.
Here are some pics I have placed in various posts already.
