Few months ago, we explored the trends of audio gear and what Indians were mostly buying in 2018. The results did throw up a few surprises, especially how the demand for wireless neckbands have increased over the past 10 to 12 months, as the prices have come down.
This got us intrigued, and we decided to test out multiple neckband wireless earphones, catering to different price segments. We got the RHA MA650 and the OnePlus Bullets Wireless that are priced at Rs 7,999 and Rs 3,999 respectively.
Mind you, pricing isn’t quite pocket-friendly for most Indian consumers, but these products offer a different experience.
Design
For under Rs 8,000 RHA has given a premium treatment to the MA650. The neckband understandably gets a rubberised touch, while the sound drivers (earbuds in this case) get aluminium finishing. The MA650 can be charged via a USB Type C port and the power button has been built into the band.
The use of chrome around the edges of the earphone is also another point worth noting about this. Over all, RHA tries to give you the best in terms of design and practicality with the MA650.
The OnePlus Bullets wireless merely takes forward the Bullets lineup of audio products from the phone maker. Priced at Rs 3,999 these have been designed with durability being the top-most focus. It is flexible and lightweight to wear around the neck as well.
You can stretch, use it aggressively (not too much though) without fearing wear and tear. Having said that, the finishing around the earbuds is rather half-hearted, clearly evident with the glossy materials used. You’ve got the volume buttons, the power button closer to the chin and the USB Type C port for charging.
How It Plays
You do get your money's worth in this case. OnePlus has purely focused on an all-rounder, giving the best output for all music genres without going overboard on the quality.
The vocals are subtle, crisp but not without its share of mild distortion. The bass levels are a mixed bag and simply varies depending on what kind of genre you listen to. To determine the quality of vocals, we played a few classical tracks with soft-touch music to judge the crispness of the audio, while the bass sits nicely behind in the background.
The harshness of the bass became clearer as we played Cinema by Skrillex and while it was good to hear the thump, it was puzzling to see the lack of low-levels. For its price tag, OnePlus doesn’t fit everyone’s music needs, but gets the job done.
Coming to the RHA MA650, this one ranks as premium audio gear in every respect. It delivers cleaner tones and it is best suited for audio in the mid-range. It was good to see that the bass is not overpowering, keeping your earlobes happy.
With Hotel California, we could experience the drum notes, even in the background. And most importantly, the quality of the buds resulted in better noise cancellation (which is a boon in a noisy office space). If you aren’t too adventurous with music then the MA650 fits right in your alley.
Battery and More
OnePlus claims that the Bullets Wireless can last up to 8 hours on a single charge and during our time testing it, we got more than 7 hours on an average. This includes music playback time of over 3 hours and 5 to 10 voice calls received. But this average battery life is compensated by the use of dash charge, which is OnePlus’ secret weapon.
You can charge via the cable bundled with the Bullets Wireless and charge it with the dash adapter (if you own a OnePlus phone). With just 15 minutes of charge, you can use the Bullets Wireless for up to 5 hours. The buds get a magnetic connect feature, which ensures they aren’t dangling around your neck.
The MA650 has got a long battery life and there’s no better way to put it. The company claims about 12 hours of battery life, but in our tests it lasted even more. But unlike the Bullets Wireless, you rely on regular charging speeds for this one.
The unique thing about the MA650 is its band, which vibrates (just like your phone) whenever you get a call. The irritating bit is that, you’ll have to wait for the call to disconnect for the vibration to end, which means you end up picking every call (even if you don’t want to).
Worth the Buy?
OnePlus Bullets Wireless looks like a decent bet for its price. It’s durable, easy to use, multi-functional with microphone and supports dash charging too. The audio notes can be wayward, but has got a balanced approach that most people wouldn’t mind owning for under Rs 5,000.
The MA650 from RHA is better suited to the needs of audiophiles, who aren’t looking to burn a hole in their pockets. Even this is durable and offers the luxury of a wireless neckband with noise cancellation in tow. Others in this price bracket, like Sennheiser offer good value for the money, but with the MA650, you’re getting much more.
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