I have been checking out a lot of different audio products recently and have been using the RHA MA450i earphones on a regular basis. They sound fantastic, have a well designed cord that doesn't tangle, and are priced low. RHA sent along their other iOS-optimized audio product, the SA950i headphones, and they too are good performers.

Retail package, fit and functionality

RHA created a very attractive retail package for the SA950i that shows glossy photos of the headphones. You can open a flap to reveal the headphones through a clear plastic window on the right. On the left you will find a photo blow up of the headphones, mic, and a performance chart.

The headphones are compact and much lighter than I thought a set of headphones could be. They slide up and down about an inch and also rotate to fit your head size well. The earpieces are covered in soft material that feel like leather. This same soft material is all along the top as well. The 3.5mm headphone jack fits into the bottom of the left earpiece. The outside of the earpieces are glossy black plastic. The braided cable is 1.5 meters and does a good job of remaining tangle free.

There are three buttons on the mic control unit. The upper is for increasing volume and the lower is for decreasing volume. The center button controls several things through a series of pushes and this is easily used thanks to the indented design so you don't have to look down and can manipulate it by feel. A single press answers or hangs up a call while also acting to play or pause media. Double press skips forward and a triple press goes back. A long press and hold launches Siri on my iPhone 5. Unfortunately, the mic is not supported on other devices and while the press and hold launches Google Now on my Note II, the mic is not picked up so it is worthless there. The retail package clearly states these earphones are made for iPod, iPhone, and iPad. They do work for enjoying audio on Android or Windows Phone, but there are some limitations.

Specifications

These headphones are very lightweight at just 105 grams. Specifications of the RHA SA950i include the following:

• 40 mm titanium-coated mylar drivers
• Frequency response: 16 Hz - 22,000 Hz
• Impedence: 32 ohms
• Sensitivity: 113 dB
• 1.5 meter cable length
• Straight, gold plated 3.5mm headset jack

Daily usage and experiences

The SA950i has a cable the same as the MA450i and that is a great thing. I like the braided covering on the cable that keeps it from getting tangled like many other headphones. These headphones fit on top of your ears and even with my glasses on they were quite comfortable and I was able to wear them for extended periods of time. The nice thing about such a lightweight set of headphones is that they are easy to carry around with you.

Music, podcasts, and audio from movies sounded great on the RHA SA950i headphones and I really can not believe they are priced at just $59.95, from online stores such as Amazon. I have tested several different audio products recently and think these are the best value so far. People pay two to five times this price for headphones and this is a brand and model I am putting on my list for potential gifts.