RHA S500i Impressions Thread

[dweaver]

I have been using them for about an hour and when I take them out I definitely have some ear fatigue due the upper mids and treble so will hope they settle down a bit with burn in but for their price they are pretty darn sweet.

I also am finding them comfortable to wear. I am curious to how they work in the train on Monday.

I have been trying some new IEMs lately such as the AKG N20 and the Focal Sphear so will do a bit of a comparison between the 3. The S500 is a sight but cheaper though. The N20 works with both Android and Apple with all 3 buttons though which is a nice feature. The N20 and Sphear both are not very isolating though which I think this little guy might be.

From memory the N20 had more of a balanced signature with slightly less pronounced bass but a similar upper midrange emphasis. The Sphear is warmer with a more neutral midrange that is not emphasized in the upper mids but offers as good a detail. Of the 3 the Sphear is the least fatiguing.

After I do the train test on Monday will do a one or two song comparison.

 

[H T T]

I find that I have to pump more volume than I like to bring out the best from the S500. I usually listen for background music at a low volume (50-60 dB) while doing desk work. They have a slight metallic edge, sonically. I'm not usually a Comply guy, but Complys seem to take some of the edge off. Comfort with Comply or silicone eartips is top-notch.

 

[dweaver]

I was finding them a bit harsh and tried the N20 on the same song and the N20 is a definite step up. I still need to do a full comparison though to determine the differences versus just going by my preference in sound.

 

[droido256]

I just ordered these to help me sleep during the day. RHA really is a DL company lol never heard of them before and not much info on them.

 

[jrunr619]

**double post**

 

[jrunr619]

I was finding them a bit harsh and tried the N20 on the same song and the N20 is a definite step up. I still need to do a full comparison though to determine the differences versus just going by my preference in sound.

I am very interested in hearing your comparison to the N20's as I have just started using mine.  I love them for their vocal presence, but wish they has just a tad more bass...

 

[dweaver]

Not sure if you mean the N20 or the S500 in regards to bass. Using a couple of tracks the T20 is slightly more linear having less mid bass than the S500. The sub bass is similar between the two but slightly more pronounced in the T20 due to it having a bit less mid-bass.

The T20 has a more emphasized upper midrange compared to the S500 which gives the S500 a bit more body.

The S500 has a typical RHA lower treble which is slightly peaked and can be a bit harsh. The T20 on the other hand is smoother while retaining detail.

I would say the T20 is more refined sounding and better technically speaking while the S500 a bit more fun sounding.

The T20 does offer the ability to work with Apple and Android for volume and Mic buttons which helps increase its value. The S500 is much more affordable though which makes it easily the best value.

 

[jrunr619]

Yes. I wish the N20's had a bit more bass presence. Totally addicted to the voicing of these. Just wish they had a it more bottom end...

 

[dweaver]

The S500 will give that to you but at a bit of a cost to what you LIKE about the N20.

 

[droido256]

Sometimes you find a headphone that for the price, just blows you away. These are one of those instances. I cant really put my finger on what makes these sound so good. Listening to Fleetwood Mac on these right now and im just toe tapping and jammin out. These are fun.
I dont get where people say these are bass shy. Theyre doing a good job of blowing my my head off. Pretty impressive given how tiny they are.

 

[DecentLevi]

Hi guys, I've picked up the RHA S500 a few weeks ago, thanks to Moe's letting me audition his at an SF meet. Overall these are very well refined with clean, crisp sound, good FR, great isolation and dynamics - especially for a cheap little earphone. And speaking of isolation, these actually perform equally to industrial grade earplugs @ -32db noise isolation, with the correct seal!
 
Anyway just posting a tip for anybody interested in getting the most out of these. After trying literally 25-30 different eartips including all shapes of silicon and most of the Comply foam line, I've finally found out what works best for me: what I call deep insertion. It was Comply foam tips, I believe the medium size of their 200 or maybe 400 series (don't have the box anymore). Previously I thought their large round foam pads were the best, giving a fairly refined sound with just inserting into the 'main' outer section of your ear canals. But basically what I did yesterday was to put on one of those smaller medium tips, and inserted it a good 1" (inch) into my ear canal, exactly the way I would with an earplug. And instantly I heard more of what I was missing: vastly improved dynamics, clarity and bass quality, even more isolation... closer to the truth! Make sure to turn the earphone cable cable upside-down to allow for 'deep inserion' in your ears for an upgraded sound!
 
@warrenpchi I see you like these too
 
PS- these tiny little things really scale with / benefit from amping, as I've noticed markedly improved sound with higher caliber DAP's

 

[davisouzarj]

Anyway just posting a tip for anybody interested in getting the most out of these. After trying literally 25-30 different eartips including all shapes of silicon and most of the Comply foam line, I've finally found out what works best for me: what I call deep insertion. It was Comply foam tips, I believe the medium size of their 200 or maybe 400 series (don't have the box anymore). Previously I thought their large round foam pads were the best, giving a fairly refined sound with just inserting into the 'main' outer section of your ear canals. But basically what I did yesterday was to put on one of those smaller medium tips, and inserted it a good 1" (inch) into my ear canal, exactly the way I would with an earplug. And instantly I heard more of what I was missing: vastly improved dynamics, clarity and bass quality, even more isolation... closer to the truth! Make sure to turn the earphone cable cable upside-down to allow for 'deep inserion' in your ears for an upgraded sound!


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Complys are certainly good to slightly smooth the sound, bringing the sound signature a bit to the warm side. Also I tried and enjoyed the Spin Fit tips, that also smooth the sound a bit but less than the Complys. The Spin Fits are my main tips for the S500 now.

 

[DecentLevi]

Hi all, so I just once again upgraded my eartips for the S500's. I noticed the ones I was using for the above mentioned 'deep insertion' method were a bit too small. I've confirmed they were the Comply S-200 Sport series, small size. Now with the S-200 medium Sport series tips, the refinement on these little earphones has improved even more; a more snug fit further improving the bass definition and clarity.
 
Of course, these being small single driver earphones I'm not saying these are anywhere near the performance of top-tier full size headphones, but they're a solid performer and good build quality especially for the price.
 
Personally my preference was for the S500 standard rather than the "i" version, under the assumption that IEM's with microphones take a hit on fidelity due to possible thinner wiring.

 

[harry501501]

Even though they have the RHA fantastic build quality, they don't have the sound that backs them up. The highs are excruciating and quickly fatiguing... sibilance a plenty. Vocals are too dry and recessed and tinny sounding. Detail is good but I think this goes down to the hot treble. Soundstage is good as is separation. Bass is also decent and punchy and I wouldn't say it is lacking.
 
I'e tried them with my Xduoo X3 to see if it wood smooth the sound out a bit... and it did slightly but not enough to continue listening enjoyably.
 
Still have my T20s and I had a good enough experience with the 750s before i sold them.

 

[harry501501]

One other thing, the box they came in is nice to look at but really impractical. It is difficult to open without tearing and it's like a jigsaw trying to get them out of the box and out of the foam housing them. I'm not even going to try to fit everything back in as it's going to damage the box. Will send back as best i can to Amazon.