RHA T10i
What are they?
Banging new headphones from a Scottish firm.
How will they change my life?
I often write about headphones but think of me as being like Goldilocks - I'm looking for a set that is just right. To that end, the fit has to be perfect; the sound can't be too tinny or heavy on bass; and they have to offer value for money as well as look good.
Over the years, I've learned that music appreciation is a bit like tastebuds, in that not everyone will hear a sound or pitch in the same way. Ultimately, what sounds good is subjective so it's important that you have equipment that will give an accurate mirror of what the artists created.
Just when I thought my mission to find a set that were "just right" was doomed to failure, a flash of brilliance pricked my ears: T10i in-ear headphones from Glasgow-based RHA.
Good points?
From first use, the T10i headphones put me in a blissful trance akin to following the pied piper to rock 'n' roll heaven. The large selection of memory foam buds should give most people their ideal fit and effortlessly cling to the aural canal like a soothing padded plaster which, coupled with the immense noise-isolating design, protects you from the harsh racket of the outside world while aiding musical enjoyment.
Many high-profile companies should look at the RHA technology as a template instead of trying to alter the sound to reflect how they think consumers want to hear certain sounds. Unlike RHA, attempts to second guess the tastes of their audience only act as a hardwired filter which restricts most genres.
The T10i come with interchangeable tuning filters which put sound control into the hands of the listener to dampen bass and so on when needed.
It's staggering just how much innovation and the degree of technological detail the designers and engineers have put into the T10i, from the mouldable ear hooks to the three-button remote and microphone.
Bad points?
You would need an electron microscope to find fault with this fine specimen.
Best for ...
Everyone. The sound balance will suit all music lovers.
Avoid if ...
Like Voltaire, you think anything too stupid to be said is sung.
Score 10/10
RHA T10i, £149.95 (rha-audio.com)
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