ADVERTISEMENT

RHA MA650 Wireless

Sport-ready Bluetooth in-ear headphones with neckband

In a nutshell

With a listing price of 99.95 euros, the RHA MA650 Wireless is one third cheaper than its sibling, the MA750 Wireless. This one scores highly with a convincing price-performance ratio. In view of its significantly lower price, one may forgive that the sound quality doesn’t quite match up to the higher tier model, but it can still stand its ground in terms of sound delivery and integrated electronics. As a sports and on-the-go option, the RHA MA650 Wireless is a good choice for the more discerning listener, but less for the audiophile.

ADVERTISEMENT

Recently, the RHA MA750 Wireless convinced me with its powerful sound and excellent features. For about 50 euros less than this, you can get the similarly constructed MA650 Wireless, in a choice of black or white. It offers comparable functionality, but relies on other drivers and does not require an ear hook.

This model is impeccable in appearance and finished with sleek detail. The stainless steel housing for the dynamic drivers gives a nice first impression. Thanks to magnetisation, the earmolds adhere to each other when not in use and protect against accidental loss or damage. Very practical.

A flexible rubber neckband is utilised as with its predecessor, which contains the receiver electronics and the battery, but also serves as a strain relief for the earpieces. The model is also protected against splashes and perspiration in accordance with IPX4 guidelines. With a running time of 12 hours, the handset is also practical in terms of battery life.

Experience

The MA650 Wireless is sturdily constructed and comfortable to wear. With a total of 10 included earplugs in different sizes and materials, you’ll find a perfect fit for your own ears. At least for me, the drivers sat comfortably in the ear and didn’t slip once. The insulation against external noise is rather low, but the sound outlet to the outside is well dampened.

ADVERTISEMENT

The on/off switch, which is also responsible for pairing, is integrated on the right side of the neckband. The particularly fast NFC procedure is also supported. Once again, the radio link is safe and rapidly restored when restarted. All processes, including battery status, are communicated as voice announcements.

A 3-button remote control with miniature microphone is built into the right earpiece cable. The start/stop and track skip functions for forwards and backwards music playback, as well as volume control, are found here. You can also accept and end calls and call up voice control on your smartphone.

ADVERTISEMENT

Sound

The MA650 Wireless provides support for the high-resolution aptX codec. Mechanically, it relies on the dynamic driver 380.1 from the manufacturer behind it, with the sound conductor, in contrast to the MA750 Wireless not made of stainless steel, but rather aluminium. Nonetheless, the performance offered for the price of around 100 euros is considerable. As in the case of the MA750 Wireless, the overall impression is harmonious, tight and impressive, although the low frequencies have a slight emphasis. However, this ensures listening pleasure and proves to be advantageous for when you are on the go or at the gym, as the corresponding frequencies often sink more quickly in these circumstances. Low bass is also audible.

The mids are reproduced harmoniously with a warm root note and sufficient detail. Acoustic instruments, voices, drums and guitars come into their own.

In the treble range, the headphones still provide good detail resolution. The headphones tend to be warm and round in their delivery but still give a good stereo image with exact panning and appropriate room depth. Unpleasant hardnesses aren’t really noticeable unless they are present in the source media. This tuning makes the MA650 Wireless suitable for all genres, from jazz and heavy metal to low bass R’n’B and hip-hop. As expected, dynamic genres such as classical music come into their own, especially in quiet surroundings. Finally, the speech quality of the microphone is pleasingly clear.

6 years ago by Ulf Kaiser
  • Rating: 4.13
  • Sound
  • Handling
  • Price/Quality
  • Function

Technical specifications

  • Ear couplingIn-ear
  • Typeclosed
  • Transducer principledynamic
  • Frequency response (headphones)16 - 22.000 Hz
  • Weight with cable33 g

What's in the box

  • 10 pairs of ear-tips in different sizes
  • USB charging cable
  • Carrying pouch

Special features

  • Also available in white
  • BT codecs: SBC, AAC, aptX
  • Playback time: 12 hours
  • Warranty: 3 years

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

ADVERTISEMENT