What are the Panasonic RP-HTX80B?
The Panasonic RP-HTX80B is a mid-priced wireless headset with such a retro look that it would not seem strange if it came with a manual press on vinyl.
is comfortable, the battery life is excellent and the wireless stability is solid as a rock. However, they are prone to play the mid-range resonance, which is not easy for the ear.
Related: Best wireless headphones
Panasonic RP-HTX80B – Design and convenience
The RP-HTX80B are among the most stylish headphones in the Panasonic range. The company sells many common-looking pairs, but these have a sense of style to face rival lifestyle brands like Urbanears and Urbanist.
I ran Google to see if I could find a direct inspiration for the Panasonic RP-HTX80B curved glass look They look so familiar I almost expected to find a photo of the 50s of a radio operator using something similar, but more noisy.
There was no such photo, but the Panasonic RP-HTX80B has a street-friendly style with a lighter, breezier look than the rival Beats Studio.
The headphones are made of plastic, apart from the aluminum cap that contains the Panasonic logo and the metal spokes of the headband. There are some nice touches to notice. There is an aspect sewn by hand on the headband, and the cable that connects the cup to the band is covered with fabric.
The Panasonic RP-HTX80B is lightweight and has full-size cups. This ensures that they avoid the most common comfort problems of the headphones. Do not hurt your ears or hold your head too hard. However, the headband is super elastic, which makes it safe enough to wear on the treadmill.
Here there is no folding mechanism. The glasses swing laterally a little to fit your head, but do not fold up to take up less space when you get out of your head.
The Panasonic RP-HTX80B accessory package is quite poor; It includes a charging cable, and that's it. There is not a transport case or an auxiliary cable, because there is not even a 3.5 mm input. This decision makes sense, since the phones are starting to completely cut out the headphone plugs, but most of us would like the option. Not so
Panasonic RP-HTX80B – Features
Like many recent Bluetooth headsets, the Panasonic RP-HTX80B offers excellent battery life. You will get up to 25 hours of use without charge. When they dry, simply connect the micro-USB cable included in the right cup plug. You also get more than two hours of use with an initial charge of 15 minutes, which is great.
Wireless stability is excellent. The latest Bluetooth chipsets not only result in twice the battery life we might have expected a few years ago, but seem (for the most part) to eliminate faults and fading that affected even high-quality wireless headphones .
Panasonic does not try anything too ambitious with the controls of the Panasonic RP-HTX80B, however. There are four buttons on the right cup, the standard trio that you can see on an online remote control and a power button. You can change tracks, play / pause and change the volume. They are also quite easy to use blindly.
The Panasonic RP-HTX80B does not have impressive additional features. There is no active noise cancellation, not aptX HD or even aptX. However, there is a microphone in the lower right part of the cup that allows you to answer calls while using the headphones. I tested the microphone with a voice recording and found that its tone is quite fine, and there is no noise cancellation behind the scenes.
Panasonic RP-HTX80B- Sound Quality
Like many full-size headphones, the Panasonic RP-HTX80B uses 40mm dynamic drivers. It is the default size for a pair like this.
The sound quality is perfectly good, and it is a generalized and irritating problem. These headphones have a real problem in their mid-range.
On numerous tracks, particularly those with a prominent voice, you will hear an average horn resonance. It is as hard on the ear as sharp sibilants, but as this type of distortion is not pointy or crispy, it is a bit more complicated to identify.
It shows in all volumes, but the Panasonic RP-HTX80B sound began to break down when I used them in the gym, increasing the volume to muffle the surrounding noise. Some melodies became uncomfortable to listen to.
Hours of pink noise later, the mid-range horn had not disappeared. And this problem will not be heard at the comparable price (if it's in the ear) AKG Y50BT or Urbanist Seattle.
The media are also somewhat sunken, and amorphous.
Apart from these ugly media, the Panasonic RP -HTX80B sounds pretty decent. The bass is not as powerful as the AKG Y50BT, but it sounds balanced and clean. Compared with the impetuosity of the media, the acute is soft and not sibilant.
Sound study is respectably broad, too. However, all good bits are not enough to downplay the central problem, which is hard to ignore.
Why buy the Panasonic RP-HTX80B?
The Panasonic RP-HTX80B looks good and offers most of the technology you want. The Bluetooth signal is good, the battery life is excellent and these headphones are comfortable to use.
However, there are real problems with sound. The means to honk is unpleasant.
The Lindy BNX-60 are better, but less attractive, with a pair of headphones. And the AKG Y50BT and the Seattle Urbanist are also two excellent alternatives for hearing at a similar price.
It's worth taking a look at the ATH ATH-AR5BT from Audio-Technica, if you can stretch to £ 150.
Verdict
These headphones are very elegant, but their means are too hard for the ear.