It can be hard to find affordable wireless headphones that actually sound good - but this $100 pair fits the bill and then some
Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
- I don't like dealing with complicated tech or specs.
- But I do really like these simple, affordable wireless headphones by RHA that cost $99.95 on Amazon.
- They sound just as good as my in-ear Bose SoundSports, and come with volume controls and a built-in microphone, too.
- One year update: I still use these headphones every day for my commute and workouts. They've held up extremely well, continue to pair seamlessly via Bluetooth, and the sound quality still impresses me every time I use them.
I am pretty bad with tech. It's not that I don't know how to use it, it's just that I'm impatient; I hate setting up new gadgets, and I feel intimidated by all the language used to describe them. You'll never get me exited by talking about LED zones or OLED displays or any kinds of bits or bytes because I honestly have no idea what any of that means.
So when I find a tech product that's affordable, relatively uncomplicated, and easy to incorporate into everyday use, I feel the need to share it. Such is the case with this pair of $99 MA650 headphones from RHA.
This is the first wireless pair I've owned, and they've been extremely kind to me so far. It wasn't until I started using them that I realized how much of a pain it was to be physically tethered to my computer all day. (However, if you do appreciate wired headphones, RHA recently came out with a $60 wired version of these with an Apple-compatible Lightning connector that can be pre-ordered now.)
The setup for the MA650 is super easy, only requiring you to charge the headphones, turn them on, and discover them via Bluetooth on whatever device you're using. Once paired, you shouldn't have an issue connecting them. A year later and I haven't experienced a single Bluetooth-related issue.
The battery lasts a full 12 hours of use, which is pretty solid for wireless headphones, and there's a built-in voice notification for when it's running low and needs to be charged. Each pair also comes with a set of eight earbud styles you can swap around depending on the size and shape you prefer, which is something my tiny ears appreciate very much.
The flexible, sweat-proof rubber build is super comfortable, and the built-in remote and microphones work like a dream. The only annoyance is that it strains my eyes a bit to see the controls since they're pretty close to my face, but the more I use the headphones and get a feel for where all the buttons are, the less I need to look at it to make sure I'm pressing the right thing.
RHA offers two versions of their wireless headphones: the MA650 ($100) and the MA750 ($165). I've been using the MA650, but the advantage to the MA750 is the added feature of digital assistant control (which I don't particularly need for an additional $65). Also, I'm sure there's some sort of sound quality difference, but I haven't tested the MA750s so I can't speak knowledgeably about it.
The pair I usually use is the Bose in-ear SoundSports, which costs $99 and has excellent quality audio. The wireless MA650 is at a similar level, but the noise-isolating capacity gives it a leg up. Sometimes I have no idea that one of my coworkers is trying to talk to me until they frantically wave their hands around to get my attention - which, depending on how much you like your coworkers, could be both a pro and a con (for the record, I love my coworkers, and I try to keep the volume pretty low now so I'm never completely sealed in my own world).
All in all, I'm just here to tell you that I really like these headphones. They're affordable, high-quality, wireless, and extremely comfortable. The sound competes with my Bose pair, and though not completely mind-blowing, it's pretty solid for small in-ear buds. If you're not super tech-savvy, or even if you're just looking for a good pair of wireless headphones, these are my personal recommendation.