[Review] RHA S500i

Pros: Build quality; Strong bass presence.

Cons: Driver flex - makes positioning finicky; Sibilant; Scooped out lower midrange.

Tonal Balance: V-Shaped (Enhanced bass and upper midrange)

Style: Worn down IEM

Cost at Time of Review: $40 for non mic, $50 for mic



Reviewing Process
The RHA S500i have been my daily driver through my iBasso DX90 for approximately 1 month now. I’ve almost exclusively used them with the DX90 and no need for additional amplification. I’ve spent enough time with the S500i that I feel comfortable sharing my opinions on their sound and build. Even so, this is a subjective review and reviews will never trump experience. Test out headphones whenever possible before purchasing them!



Build & Fit
Build

The housing is tiny, machined of lightweight aluminum alloy without a weak spot visible. The housings are denoted L or R to easily distinguish which side is which. The cable seems adequately built with adequate stress relief on either end, terminating in a rugged feeling aluminum alloy 3.5mm jack. The remote feels higher-quality than most in this pricerange, no looseness felt on the buttons and the microphone sounded quite clear for cell phone usage. Budget in price, but solid in feel.



Fit

The fit is not particularly noted as comfortable, but I’ve had no issues wearing these for 2 hours at a time. Insertion is simple, though finicky to get a proper sound and driver flex is a part of the issue. The driver flex is not severe, but certainly heard when forming a seal and creates a bit of an issue in obtaining optimal sound from the S500i. A plethora of tips should ensure a solid fit for most.



Sound Quality
Bass

The S500i prominently displays the bass, often being the forefront of the sound regardless of the genre. They dig deeply with somewhat decent speed and decay, though somewhat loose and untextured throughout. They’re not as pushy and bloated as the Xiaomi Piston 2, but the bass is average for the price in all but presence.



Mids & Highs

The lower-midrange is prominently recessed; sandwiched in between prominent bass and shouty upper-midrange that simply amplifies this recession. This gives lower-ranged vocals, lower to mid-ranged piano notes and lower to mid-ranged guitar notes a feeling of being drowned out. In a vacuum the midrange sounds rather clean and enjoyable, but the moment other instruments enter, the lower-midrange takes a big step back.



The upper-midrange does nothing to hide sibilance, and when sibilance isn’t an issue I find this frequency range to be shouty and somewhat grainy. There’s a distinct lack of balance between the lower-midrange and the upper-midrange that creates a very uneven volume level between the two frequency ranges, especially as singers vocals climb in range.



The treble is present, somewhat grainy and fuzzy, similar to the bass in regards of texture. Having a rather generic splash for cymbals rather than showing each type of cymbal’s distinct tone and texture. Treble is present though, without being harsh.



Presentation

Width is respectable for an IEM, though the depth is rather unremarkable - I get no sense of distance from front to back. Imaging is also rather unremarkable, a simple left and right is noticed, but the sound is presented rather flatly. Congestion is also a concern and is mostly an issue of bass bloom and the shoutiness from the upper-midrange. There is no real sense of hard edges to the instruments with the S500i.



Conclusion
Man, it really seems like I hate the S500i yeah? I really don’t, and perhaps I’m being overly critical of them. I actually like the S500i more than most of the budget IEMs that I’ve heard, much better than the Piston 2, for instance, but they do have pretty notable flaws that I can not gloss over. At the end of the day the S500i are a budget IEM and they are certainly going to have compromises by design - but for a $40 IEM (without microphone) they have been a nice daily driver for the past month.



Now the question is do I recommend these? Given a 3 year warranty and a plethora of accessories the S500i are a solid buy for those who want a strong bass response and the security of a reputable company backing them.