From budget shoppers’ favourite RHA comes the S500 Universal headphones with voice control.
Yes, wireless is slowly taking over the world whilst compression and connectivity issues continue to interfere with sound quality. Consequently, there is still definitely a place on the market for good old wired headphones. Like many of the RHA products, you will be surprised by the high level of build quality you get for the low-price tag: these headphones have a tough aluminium build, an ultra-compact design that fits every ear and the lightweight housings weigh just 14g, making it comfortable for all day wear.
The S500 has noise isolation, a remote control and a mic for hands-free calling. The 1.35 cable has a woven protective outer until the cable splits away for the two separate earbuds. The 3.5mm is gold plated and there are three different sizes of dual density silicone ear tips: large, medium and small, as well as a double flange pair to ensure a precise and comfortable fit. A tip holder is included to store your spare tips instead of letting then get filthy at the bottom of a draw, whilst the draw string carry pouch provides a safe and secure place to keep them when not in use. These phones will work with every digital assistant, and the remote allows for easy pause and playback functions as well as taking calls. There are 140.1 micro drivers that have been custom engineered to provide a 100dB sensitivity.
The S500 may look awesome, but what do they sound like? Well, when compared to other headphones in this price range, they perform admirably. They get nice and loud, have a punchy bass and defined mid tones. However, as we have found before with RHA headphones, the high tones are harsh at louder volumes and get swallowed up by the mid-range at lower volumes. The RHA S500 headphones are a good choice if you are looking for a low cost, reliable option with a few extra features, including voice activation and remote – plus, you won’t be too out of pocket if you accidently leave them on the train! RRP £29.95
3.8 out of 5
Pros
Premium build quality for budget price
Comfortable
Lightweight
Loud
Good bass and mid tones
Remote control
Built in mic
Voice activated control
Cons
Harsh high tones
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