[warrenpchi]

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Wondering if anyone has used these with an android device - or specifically a Galaxy S3?  I'm thinking of getting a pair of these for my commute and need to be able to answer calls etc.  Anyone been there with these?

 
I would think that - like any Apple-certified control unit - the play/pause button will work but the + and - buttons won't.  I don't know whether the play/pause button acts like a call-answer button on Android devices though...

 

[jeromium]

Any word on whether these have shown up in Apple stores yet? I read they would be available October 30 or 31st. They're not yet on the website. I'll like to try them out, but maybe I'm better off waiting until tomorrow to visit the store.

 

[warrenpchi]

I think that the official launch date might be November 1st?  But since they're going to want to stock them before that date, I would think you could probably score one tomorrow (31st) afternoon. 

 

[jeromium]

I went to the Apple store at lunch today to try them out. I first went to the table where they have a bunch of headphones out for trying, but didn't see them there. But they were in stock on the wall, in box. An employee was happy to open a box to let me try them out. 
 
My first impression was that they are quite a bit smaller than I expected, though I know they are on-ear versus over the ear so I should have expected their actual size. Very light set. As soon as I put them on something bothered me: The cups don't swivel from side to side and they sat funny on my ears as opposed to flush. They were a bit open toward the front. Since they don't swivel, I didn't see that they would ever adjust to sit flush against my ears, and thought if anything they might put too much pressure on the back part of my ear. Though they didn't feel tight. I do feel they were a bit small for my head and ears. I am 6' 4" and have a proportionately sized head and ears. 
 
Being that I'm not an audiophile and I'm actually shopping around for my first set of good to great quality headphones, I can't begin to describe the sound. I'm not a basshead but I'm definitely looking for something with more bass than most studio monitors with a flat sound tend to have (based on what I've tried). I definitely feel these had just the right amount of bass. The highs and mids seemed pretty well balanced to my ears, though the store was a bit noisy and they don't totally isolate outside noise so that's really as much as I can describe.
 
They're very well in line with the sound I'm looking for, the undesirable fit was the only thing that kept me from taking them home.

 

[warrenpchi]

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I went to the Apple store at lunch today to try them out. I first went to the table where they have a bunch of headphones out for trying, but didn't see them there. But they were in stock on the wall, in box. An employee was happy to open a box to let me try them out. 

 
That's cool of them.  I guess they need to have at least one open box so that people can audition it.
 
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My first impression was that they are quite a bit smaller than I expected, though I know they are on-ear versus over the ear so I should have expected their actual size. Very light set. As soon as I put them on something bothered me: The cups don't swivel from side to side and they sat funny on my ears as opposed to flush. They were a bit open toward the front. Since they don't swivel, I didn't see that they would ever adjust to sit flush against my ears, and thought if anything they might put too much pressure on the back part of my ear. Though they didn't feel tight. I do feel they were a bit small for my head and ears. I am 6' 4" and have a proportionately sized head and ears. 

 
Yeah, I noticed the small size as well.  I have a rather slim cranial profile, so I had room to spare in the headband extension.  But I can easily see how our big-noggin bretheren might have a bit of a tough time with it.  I didn't have any problem with the lack of a swivel joint, as I found the bails have a bit of flex to them - but I can see what you mean.
 
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Being that I'm not an audiophile and I'm actually shopping around for my first set of good to great quality headphones, I can't begin to describe the sound. I'm not a basshead but I'm definitely looking for something with more bass than most studio monitors with a flat sound tend to have (based on what I've tried). I definitely feel these had just the right amount of bass. The highs and mids seemed pretty well balanced to my ears, though the store was a bit noisy and they don't totally isolate outside noise so that's really as much as I can describe.

 
LOL, I think you might be a little bit of a basshead yeah?  These tend to have a rather dominant LF presence straight out of the box.  It calms down over time, but it's definitely there in the beginning.
 
I think the Titanium coating really helps smooth out the mids and highs though - no grainyness at all as far as I can tell.  That's probably the real prize right there, as the Titanium-coated drivers are a steal at the price they're asking for these.
 
I've got a full and in-depth review of these coming shortly, so don't want to say too much here.

 

[jeromium]

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LOL, I think you might be a little bit of a basshead yeah?  These tend to have a rather dominant LF presence straight out of the box.  It calms down over time, but it's definitely there in the beginning.

 
I guess it's possible that by this community's standards I'm a basshead, haven't quite figured it out yet. 

 I don't produce music so I don't need things to sound flat, I like a little kick. It's just when I think if basshead I think serious booming bass it seems extreme to me. I care about mids and highs but do want a clean kick most times. 

 

[warrenpchi]

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I guess it's possible that by this community's standards I'm a basshead, haven't quite figured it out yet. 

 I don't produce music so I don't need things to sound flat, I like a little kick. It's just when I think if basshead I think serious booming bass it seems extreme to me. I care about mids and highs but do want a clean kick most times. 

 
LOL, nothing wrong with that whatsoever.  Plus, there are varying degrees of bassheadyness.  I myself am a slight basshead in that I would prefer a little more LF response (as opposed to too little LF response).  Like you, I prefer fast and clean bass hits that are tight and precise.  I have a couple cans that are considered basshead cans (XB300 & XB500).  In addition to sounding generally crappy in an unbalanced and recessed mids kind of way, they also leave me feeling a bit homicidal after listening to them.

 

[warrenpchi]

BTW, I'm liking these a lot more after having spent some more ear-time with them.  Full review is still days away (at least) but I've left a few brief impressions here:  http://www.head-fi.org/t/630148/rhas-new-sa950i-is-gonna-be-in-apple-stores

 

[tnil]

I have had my RHA SA950i for almost a week now.
I use them together with my Samsung Galaxy Nexus and S2. Working very well with the buttons , except the volume 
buttons does not work with an android. The most important is that the microphone is working very well and the button for 
answer/stop call is working.
 
Regarding the sound, I can not stop listening to my SA950i. Very good sound ( I compare them to my other on the go head phones AKG k518le).
The bass is great, but is not too dominant.
I am happy that a such cheap pair of head phones sound so good!

 

[warrenpchi]

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Regarding the sound, I can not stop listening to my SA950i.

 
You know it's funny, but the exact same thing happened to me.  I know it's not perfect, and I can't even say that it's truly balanced.  But one Saturday afternoon, I spent some time just walking around town, running errands with it.  Normally, I'd put down my travel cans when I get home.  But I was enjoying these so much that I didn't - not for a few more hours at least.

 

[stevdev]

I've never heard of the RHA brand before but purchased these SA950i's based on the raving reviews. Couple weeks later I ran across a pair of Crosley Amplitone Headphones that look really similar for about $30 less, does anyone know if the 2 headphones sonically sound similar? Thanks!

 

[warrenpchi]

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I've never heard of the RHA brand before but purchased these SA950i's based on the raving reviews. Couple weeks later I ran across a pair of Crosley Amplitone Headphones that look really similar for about $30 less, does anyone know if the 2 headphones sonically sound similar? Thanks!

 
Sorry about the delayed response stevdev.  I too was curious when I saw the above, so I wanted to check in with my contact at RHA and see what I could find out.
 
It seems that Crosley has created an UNAUTHORIZED carbon copy of the SA950i... with the exception of adding (IMO) stupid-looking color choices.  Since RHA has been granted a design patent, I can't imagine this working out well for Crosley.
 
But more importantly, I have also confirmed that Crosley is NOT utilizing RHA's titanium drivers.  I have no idea how the Crosley sounds, but the smooth and easy mids of the SA950i's titanium drivers was/is a big part of why I enjoy them.
 
Hope that helps! 

 

[stevdev]

Wow, thanks for looking into that warrenpchi. I too did enjoy the sound of the RHA SA950i's, but was disappointed a little when I thought their design wasn't that unique since Crosley had a similar looking pair. Glad you helped clear that up that the RHA's are also superior sounding compared to the Crosley copycats

 

[warrenpchi]

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Wow, thanks for looking into that warrenpchi. I too did enjoy the sound of the RHA SA950i's, but was disappointed a little when I thought their design wasn't that unique since Crosley had a similar looking pair. Glad you helped clear that up that the RHA's are also superior sounding compared to the Crosley copycats

 
You're welcome of course!  I should add that I've never actually heard the Crosley (and I don't intend to).  So, if I'm to be honest, I have no idea what they sound like.  But I was understandably curious as they looked so similar.  I'm glad my curiosity didn't lead me to pick up a pair. 

 

[warrenpchi]

Just in case anyone is interested, Crosley had a booth at CES 2013. 
 
I took the opportunity to do a little recon, and found out that the Crosleys are indeed cheap (poor quality) knock-offs.  Just take a look at this spectacularly unimpressive workmanship:
 

 
Now that's some craptastic fit and finish right there!  Didn't even bother to give it a listen (because how can they possibly make it sound decent if they can't even get two pieces of plastic to fit flush?).