Fostex TE-05 IEMs review with comparison to RHA MA750i

NannerBeans · November 23, 2014

Introduction

So here it is! The one headphone that convinced my lazy ass to actually write a review on it. I've been meaning to write a review on some speakers I got and the Fostex TH600 but never got around to it but this IEM blew me away that I just had to say something about it. I bought a pair of RHA MA750i after thinking the Fostex I ordered got lost in the mail so I had a chance to compare the two. This is Fostex's first venture into mid/high range IEMs and I think they really nailed it. Rumors were that they were going to be priced at $100 at release but instead, the retail price was $150 at release due to the great feedback at audio shows. The current retail price at the time of wriging is still $150 but the lowest price is about $140 on Amazon. The RHA MA750 is at $120 for the non-remote version and $130 for the remote version (MA750i) so the Fostex are about $20-30 more depending how you look at it. For full disclosure, I paid $85 for the Fostex from a member on the Head-Fi classifieds which is an amazing deal and $95 for the RHA MA750i on Amazon warehouse deals. I'm not going to take price into consideration comparing the two IEMs since they are in the same price bracket and a $20 difference isn't that much. My source for these IEMs are my Monoprice DAC/AMP when I'm at home and an HTC One M7 for on the go. For reference, I have tried numerous headphones valuing from $50 to $700 and other audio gear but these two headphones are my first IEMs that cost more than $50. These will be replacing the SoundMagic E10 which was bassier than I like but still a very good IEM. I also prefer a neutral or slightly v-curved sound signature. Glamour shots to follow. Click on picture for bigger image. I do not have pictures of the RHA MA750 but will post links where you can view them.

Fostex TE-05 - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I4F5REC/ref=olp_product_details?ie=UTF8&me

RHA MA750i - http://www.amazon.com/RHA-MA750-Isolating-Headphone-Warranty/dp/B00ELAM8LE

Design, Functionality, and Comfort

My first impression on the Fostex TE-05 was that they are extremely light. I was also concerned about the quality of the cable since I've seen the same cable on the Jlabs J3 which is a much cheaper IEM (Costs about $20) but so far, I have no complains about it. I actually really like the cable on this IEM since it is so light. It doesn't drag down on your ears and therefore there really isn't a reason to make it an over the ear design like the RHA ones. The RHA does have the option of having the remote and microphone but that's not too important to me. If you do want it, this version is only fully compatible on iOS devices. The middle play/pause button does work on android with a bit of a delay and the mic works as well but the up and down buttons will not work unless there is some workaround that I do not know of.

The cable on the RHA is what I hate the most about it. It is a heavy, excessively long, and huge wire compared to other IEMs and it has some sticky coating that is just not pleasing. When they get tangled, they do not come apart easily because of this coating. The RHA also has the disadvantage of not having a detachable cable. As for the over the ear design, I'm impartial to it. It is nice since it makes it more durable when the cable gets tugged but with the detachable cable design of the Fostex, that's not really an issue. The cable around the ear does feel weird and takes some getting used to. This part of the wire was also very poorly designed since it is the only part that I would like to have the sticky coating but is the only place without it. The reason for that is the plastic that keeps the around the ear shape is hard and not very comfortable for long use. I would have preferred the coating over this plastic to keep it softer. On the other hand, the Fostex wire while can still be tangled, it is much easier to get apart when it does. The wire is also very light that you barely feel the IEMs when using them. The length of the wire is great but wouldn't mine a few inches added on. It is somewhat on the short side if you're a tall person or your source is farther away. I'm 5'11" and it is the right size from my front pocket to my ear but if you're taller, it might be short for you. I have tried comply tips on both of these IEMs but they do not work that well in the cold where I live so I'm sticking with the normal ones included with the IEMs. Note that the RHAs also come with foam tips but they are much harder than comply tips and I personally do not like them. The detachable cable is very nice since the cable is the part of the headphone that is most likely to break. If it does, you can just buy another one since repairing IEM cables is significantly harder than over the head cables due to the size and may not be possible if the wire is too badly damaged since you will likely not be able to get to the driver. There is a concern that the socket might get damaged but it seems durable enough to me. Only time will tell if that is the case. If the Fostex gets tugged on, it will likely just pop out of your ears without causing any damage to them since they are very light but if they do get stuck in your ear, the cable will likely detach before any damage actually comes to the main part of the IEM since they disconnect just by pulling straight down and are not the twist on type. The RHA seems to be very durable with it's huge wire which I guess is the only benefit from it. The stress will go to the wire around your ear instead of where the wire and housing meet since that part is the weakest. However, it does lack a detachable cable so don't roll over it with a chair or have your cats chew it.

The housing design of both IEMs look great to me but that is more personal preference. The problem I have with the RHA though is that the housing is too big so it hurts my ear. Mainly my right one as the housing touches my ear when wearing the IEMs. Also, with the weight, I have the urge to push it further into my ear to counteract this but that is uncomfortable since the metal parts of the housing will start to touch my ear. I do not have any of these problems with the Fostex.

Sound

So this is the part you're probably all waiting for. It'll be fairly brief though since I'm not going to be using the 100 different words that describe sound that Head-Fi does which pretty much are pulled out of a hat and make zero sense. I'll start with the one that disappointed me. The RHA MA750 has a v-curved sound signature but it wasn't too extreme from what I can tell. It doesn't have overwhelming bass or treble. However, it wasn't particularly mindblowing either. It was pretty much average. The bass was slightly thumpy and the mids and highs were definitely there but they just didn't impress me which was very surprising since this replaced the Shure SE215 on InnerFidelity's "Wall of Fame" which is the go to IEM at $100. Granted, I've never tried the SE215 so I cannot say how good they are but if InnerFidelity can be trusted, the SE215 would be lacking compared to the Fostex as well. Now the Fostex are a completely different story. As an "audiophile," or really just someone that appreciates good music/audio since audiophile sometimes has a negative connotation attached to it, we're usually searching for that initial high that we get when you try that first pair of good headphones and it just blows you away. The Fostex TE-05 was what brought it back for me. I felt more positive about this pair of headphones more than my $700 Fostex TH600. While the TH600 does sound a bit better, for the price of the TE-05, the value is amazing. On the TE-05, the sound signature is very neutral. The bass is punchy and does sound good but the mids and highs are where these really shine. The first time I listened to them, I heard the rhythm guitar in the background that I had not noticed before. After going back to my TH600s though I could clearly hear it but I had not noticed them before. I would describe the sound overall as extremely clear which is what I prefer. Nothing is overwhelming or stands out. It sounds like they are in perfect harmony.

Conclusion

Pretty much if you're in the market for a $100-$200 IEM, you can't go wrong with the Fostex TE-05. I highly recommend them. They are worth the extra money over the RHA MA750. I would be completely ok with even spending the full $150 on them. However, note that your ear may be better or worse than mine so your mileage may vary. I do recommend comply tips on them though as they do make in ears more comfortable but they do not work well in the extreme cold. It is not on Comply's compatibility list but the 400 versions do fit on the TE-05.