Review - The RHA T20 iem - A 'Solid' Choice

[daniel_hokkaido]

 

 

 

Intro

 

Firstly, thanks to both RHA and to Head-fi’er RearWing for organizing this UK tour of the new T20 iems! I don’t have many reviews (well one!) to my name yet on head-fi so the chance to try a new iem and compare it to my Sony XBA-Z5 was a nice opportunity.

 

 

For the review I was using my PONO player exclusively with the T20s as a source, playing FLACs.  Also I made only one comparison to another iem (the Z5) during the review. I just wish to make it clear up front too that as I don’t like to remove my cables from the Z5 I kept the Z5 operating balanced from the PONO while using the T20 single ended. So of course keep this in mind when I stick in some comparisons later with the z5.  

 

Lastly, I feel the comparison with the Z5 was an important one to make also as it raised some specific technical pros and cons of the T20 which hopefully place it better in you (the buyer’s) mind as an option you want to consider. In short, I found the T20 quite good but it is really about what your budget is and what type of listening experience you want.

 

The iem in question: the RHA T20!

 

Packaging

 

Very good, well put together and presented. Not much more could be asked for at this iem’s pricepoint.

 

 

Build Quality

 

In short, like a tank! Very impressive fit, and comfort. These will stand a good chance of survival for those of you whose iems end up at the bottom of your rucksacks. Though I’m not endorsing this

 

Sound (with comparisons to the Z5)

 

Firstly I like bass. I have a pair of HD650s along with my Z5s and found the bass on the T20 lacking for me, so straight away, and for all of this review I used the bass boosting filters with the T20.  Also I find most standard tips uncomfortable so I whacked on a pair of Spinfits for all listening.

 

Also my approach to reviewing sound is just post up a youtube clip of a track and describe how an iem presents that sound (though im using FLACs mind). Due to time and also cause I find the track below a really good all round example, the review will work off a single song format.

 

Low – Words

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrUoK_TvVa8

 

The T20s present a nice, natural bass during this track. No obvious upper bass to mid bleed. The vocals are nicely separate and distinct. I’d say from my short time with these that they are a mild-V shape. The stereo image is relatively compact and central and not that wide. On the high freq side, the drums’ high-hat has decent impact but perhaps is a little dull sounding at times making me think the upper freq extension rolls off a bit.

 

On the Z5 bass (esp sub bass) is definitely more present but I’d say in terms of bass quality/detail it is on par with the T20.  Mids are a bit smoother and richer though I think not as clear as the T20. While the bass does dip into the mids , but personally I like this. The highs on the Z5 sound a little more restrained, though they are somehow noticeably more impactful. I’m thinking that snare drum here..and maybe its the BA driver causing this. 

 

So between both iems, on the quality of the sound alone, it is not really a massive difference, and more about what your taste is. However, where the Z5’s technicalities (and higher price point) raise it above the T20 is soundstage and instrument & stereo separation. On this track, coming from the T20, straight away I could feel how much more robust instrument separation was and with a far more 3D sound; which brings the music much closer to the listener. So that classic mantra of ‘more first row’. The Z5 also allows the listener to locate the direction of sound for the instruments much better than the T20.

 

Going back again to the T20 again I can confirm that the mids definitely sound further away from the listener. Though the drums felt closer, as I said, they had a more dulled impact compared to the balanced armature driven super tweeter on the Z5.

 

Conclusions

 

To wind up I want to just flag that I am a bass and soundstage fiend. It is why I got the Z5s. I find they perfectly present the type of sound I like, and in that distinct way which BA loving iem users sing about from the rooftops - but with that added 'real' bass of a dynamic driver.

 

The build quality on the Z5 seems pretty modest when compared to the T20, especially the slight movement from the cables where they conne
 

ct into the iem body. I am not worried personally but if build quality is your thing you’ll love the T20. The sound overall is solid and for the money you are probably not going to find much better out there. Add in the ability  to swop filters (though I didn’t full explore this) and you have a really worthy evolution in the RHA line up and I personally hope the company keeps releasing more advanced iems in the years to come as for a relative newcomers on the head-fi scene they are making a nice impact!

 

So would I recommend the T20? In short , yes certainly. But more for a listener either getting a little further into the head-fi game who find the T20 price right, or as a solid out of the house option for those on the go, and lastly if fit, build quality and solid sound trump soundstage and instrument separation.