RHA CL750 Precision In-Ear Headphone Review

Christopher Coke October 26, 2018 Tech, Tech

From the very get-go, it was clear to me that RHA’s CL750 monitors were truly something special. Every single element – from the unboxing, to the elegant, premium stainless steel of the drivers, to the oxygen-free braided cable, just oozed quality. In the last several weeks, they’ve become my go-to headset and frankly, I’m shocked RHA isn’t charging twice as much as they currently are. This is our review of the RHA’s CL750 Precision In-Ear Headphone.

Specifications

MSRP: $139.99, Official Site ($108.31 – Amazon)
Drivers: CL Dynamic
Sensitivity: 89dB
Impedance: 150 Ohms
Frequency Range: 16-45,000Hz
Rated/Max Power: 10/50mW
Cable: 1.35m, Braided OFC
Connections 3.5mm
Warranty: 3-year

For the sake of this review, I’m going to be considering them at the $139.99 they’re currently available for on RHA’s website. Just be aware, however, that you can actually pick them up for far less than that, which should make everything else I’m about to say that much more compelling.

The CL750s are the fourth pair of in-ear headphones I’ve reviewed from RHA and they are my hands-down favorite. The company has impressed me in every round of testing we’ve done together, each set in a different way. The MA-750s are my daily driver, thanks to their premium sound and long bluetooth battery life. The MA-650s offer HiFi sound at a LoFi price. The T20s offer innovative sound-tuning tips that allow you to tailor the soundscape without ever touching software. But while each of these feels designed for a specific type of audio lover, the CL750s step into a class all their own.

Like all things sound, something being the “best” is entirely subjective. What’s not subjective, however, are the different elements that go into a set of in-ears of this caliber. The defining trait is the speakers which create the audioscape. Here, RHA uses their “CL” ultra wideband dynamic transducer which is makes use of a high-density voice coil to deliver a pristinely controlled audio experience across its entire frequency range. While that may sound like so much marketing speak, and with many manufacturers probably would be, the results speak for themselves. These drivers are rated for a wide frequency response range of 16-45,000Hz and are tight and crystal clear.

The CL750s also ship with a striking, audiophile-grade cord. It’s a long, 1.35m/4.4ft braided cable made with Oxygen Free Copper (OFC). While the audible benefits of OFC are still in question, OFC is clearly of a more premium grade than most headphones and is far less likely to oxidize and degrade over time. Likewise, they’re far less likely to result in signal interference between your left and right channels due to the purity of the metal. RHA has encased the cable in a translucent TPE giving the cable a touch of elasticity to aid in its durability. Paired with the stainless steel cable dividers and gold-plated terminations, it frankly gives an air of quality that would make any audiophile proud.

Of course, we also have the return of the stainless steel Aerophonic housings. They feel virtually indestructible. I have grown to absolutely adore these on my MA-750s, which I take everywhere, rain or shine. They show almost no signs of wear whatsoever despite living around my shoulders every single day. The CL750s, as wired headphones, aren’t likely to travel nearly so much.

Not to put too fine a point on it, but these headphones put the competition to shame. They are so far above everything else I’ve found in this price range that they warrant the price on build quality alone. Frankly, they make most others feel downright cheap.

But, like all pairs of headphones, it really comes down to sound. If they were tinny, being well-built really wouldn’t amount to much of anything. Thankfully, these have a very rich, detailed sound. When I first put them on, coming directly from a listening session with the MA-750s, I was struck by how full they sounded. There’s an incredible amount of detail that comes through in the mids and highs, also.

I especially enjoyed the CL750s with music that accentuated the highs but also featured a full body. Classical music sounds fantastic on these headphones, as does rock and metal. Listening to PVRIS’s Empty Room sessions, I reveled in the sparkle of the guitar. In the synth heavy strains of Bethel Music, I noticed texturing to the oscillations I’ve never picked up on before. Even for gaming, that rich bodied low end is perfect for creating a cinematic experience without sacrificing the necessity of directionality (which is pristine thanks to the exceptional noise separation).

One thing to note here: RHA does recommend that these be paired with an amp. Of course, I had to try the exact opposite – my impulsivity got the best of my when they arrived – and I plugged them straight into my Samsung Note 8. Surprisingly, the Note 8 was more than enough to drive these at a healthy volume. Pairing them with an amp did give them a nice bump in volume and seemed to tighten up the bass, too. When plugged into the front panel of my PC (running a Maximus X Hero motherboard rated for high impedance headphones) they worked flawlessly right off the bat.

Final Thoughts

So let’s get one thing straight. On RHA’s site, they’re listed for $139.99. That’s already a good deal for what you’re getting but the $108.31 pricing at Amazon is an absolute steal. The CL750s will go toe to toe with headphones that cost much more than that and probably win, especially in build quality. These are $250 headphones going for $140 (or less). Buy them, you won’t regret it.

Pros