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  • Introduction

  • Product Overview

  • Speakers

  • Sides

  • Back

  • Band

  • Cable

  • Additional Features

  • In the Box

  • Durability

  • Aesthetics

  • Frequency Response

  • Distortion

  • Tracking

  • Isolation

  • Leakage

  • Maximum Usable Volume

  • Short-Term Use

  • Extended Use

  • Customizability

  • Cable Connectivity

  • Portability

  • Maintenance

  • Other Features

  • Design

  • Frequency Response

  • Distortion

  • Tracking

  • Isolation

  • Comfort

  • Verdict

  • Design

  • Frequency Response

  • Distortion

  • Tracking

  • Isolation

  • Comfort

  • Verdict

  • Design

  • Frequency Response

  • Distortion

  • Tracking

  • Isolation

  • Comfort

  • Verdict

  • Design

  • Frequency Response

  • Distortion

  • Tracking

  • Isolation

  • Comfort

  • Verdict

  • Conclusion

  • Introduction
  • Product Overview
  • Speakers
  • Sides
  • Back
  • Band
  • Cable
  • Additional Features
  • In the Box
  • Durability
  • Aesthetics
  • Frequency Response
  • Distortion
  • Tracking
  • Isolation
  • Leakage
  • Maximum Usable Volume
  • Short-Term Use
  • Extended Use
  • Customizability
  • Cable Connectivity
  • Portability
  • Maintenance
  • Other Features
  • Design
  • Frequency Response
  • Distortion
  • Tracking
  • Isolation
  • Comfort
  • Verdict
  • Design
  • Frequency Response
  • Distortion
  • Tracking
  • Isolation
  • Comfort
  • Verdict
  • Design
  • Frequency Response
  • Distortion
  • Tracking
  • Isolation
  • Comfort
  • Verdict
  • Design
  • Frequency Response
  • Distortion
  • Tracking
  • Isolation
  • Comfort
  • Verdict
  • Conclusion

Introduction

Product Overview

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The Panasonic RP-HTX7P-RS headphones are a set of over-ears sponsored by professional skateboarder, Ryan Sheckler. You can see his signature on the left ear cup in the picture below.

Speakers

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The ear cups are basically hollow ovals, which aren't particularly soft. You can remove the cup padding, though, which puts you a few screwdriver turns away from the headphones' interior.

Sides

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Clearly you're aware of who Ryan Sheckler is, care about his choice of headphones, and have rushed out to buy a baker's dozen, great gross, chiliad, or some other comically obscure unit of measurement we had to look up on Wikipedia. Hogshead.

Back

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Band

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Cable

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Additional Features

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In the Box

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In the RP-HTX7P-RS box you'll just find the headphones. That's it.

Durability

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These headphones seem sturdy enough, but they do have a lot of durability concerns, many of which center around the band. By having a curved rod make up the bottom portions of the band, as opposed to a solid piece of metal or plastic, these headphones seem more likely to break from getting twisted too far. The rod seems sturdy enough, but we definitely felt the tension in the band.

Aesthetics

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We're sure there's a crowd of young-uns out there who know who Ryan Sheckler is and will love having his signature soullessly stamped on their headphones. For those who don't care, the headphones have a slightly better than average design. They're simple, but we like a simple design with a splash of color. They don't look expensive or particularly elegant, but they look better than the average set of boring over-ears.

Frequency Response

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These headphones are detrimentally dynamic. The Panasonic RP-HTX7P-RS' bass has some very minor tracking problems in the bass (left and right channels are slightly off sync), but the response is otherwise right on the money. Towards the 1kHz mark the response starts to drop off, and it steadily does so until it's about 15dB below where it should be. The headphones also suddenly emphasize the 5kHz, 7kHz, 10kHz, and 15kHz points. These spikes are sudden and fairly extreme, especially the one at 7kHz. Really extreme changes in frequency response can cause playback to have odd audio qualities. In all, no, these aren't a good pair of headphones for audiophiles.

Click here for more information on our frequency response test.

Distortion

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The RP-HTX7P-RS headphones have a bit of distortion in the low end, but unless you're a superhero audiophile, you aren't going to notice this. There's minimal distortion throughout the frequency spectrum, and at one point there's a small distortion spike, but chances are your imperfect auditory system isn't going to pick up the difference. Really, the distortion is decent—especially compared to the headphones' frequency response. If you're looking for a pair of reference headphones, these probably aren't for you, but it won't be because of the headphones' distortion levels.

Click here for more information on our frequency response test.

Tracking

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The RP-HTX7P-RS' main problem with tracking (the volume balance between the left and right channels) is the big transition where the emphasis shifts from right to left (from below zero to above zero). That's a 7dB shift in total, but it's a shift from a very minor emphasis on the right (4dB) to an even more minuscule emphasis on the left (2DB): chances are you won't notice this. Towards the high-end, however, there are some pretty violent spikes at around 5kHz. Those you might notice. Since they're so sudden, sounds in that range might sound a bit wonky, like there's some crosstalk going on.

Click here for more information on our frequency response test.

Isolation

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The RP-HTX7P-RS doesn't isolate well at all. It doesn't block out any bass frequencies, and only stops a handful of mid-range sounds from reaching your ears. It can bounce back some high-end noise, but so can just about any physical object. The RP-HTX7P-RSs provide poorer isolation than just cupping your hands loosely over your ears. These aren't headphones for a noisy environment.

Click here for more information on our isolation test.

Leakage

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The headphones don't do a great job controlling noise. Sitting in a quiet room, we could definitely hear music being played back at a moderate volume. If, like us, you enjoy wandering around quiet places like the local public library or museum, listening to industrial remixes of Vivaldi as loud as possible, you'll probably want a different set of headphones.

Click here for more information on our leakage test.

Maximum Usable Volume

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The Panasonic RP-HTX7P-RSs were capable of outputting over 120dB without playback becoming distorted. Since your ears won't want your playback much louder (you run the risk of hearing loss!), the RP-HTX7P-RSs should be fine for most users.

Click here for more on our maximum usable volume test

Short-Term Use

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The Panasonic RP-HTX7P-RSs exist in a realm between comfortable and uncomfortable, inspiring only a general ambivalence about their fit. What they do well: not weigh a lot. The headphones don't have much padding on their band, but they also barely weigh anything. What they do poorly: the padding on the ear cups. The padding might be soft to the touch, but its foam core is a bit stiff. Although they didn't feel like some magical acoustic pillow, affixed to our ears with the finest silk ribbon, they didn't cause us any pain or discomfort.

Obviously, this section is subjective: we tried on the headphones and passed them around the office to get a general consensus. We didn't do our typical rigorous lab testing here, because we currently don't have a robot to provide us with objective data. Until that wonderful day when 90% of our jobs are done by an army of robots churning out review after review of universal truth, take our advice: try the headphones on before you buy them. Just because we thought they were comfortable doesn't mean you will.

Extended Use

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We had no issues with the headphones, even after six hours. They're fairly lightweight, so even though there wasn't an abundance of padding along the band, the headphones never felt like they were cutting into our skull. Like we said above, although these headphones didn't offer a particularly luxurious wear experience, they weren't uncomfortable either.

Before you decide on whether or not a set of headphones is right for you, you should typically wear them for an extended period of time, just to make sure you're okay with the fit. If you don't like them after a few hours, you should probably return them.

Customizability

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There isn't a whole lot to do with these headphones to customize your wear experience. The cups can be moved along a rail system, which doubles as an extendable band, but this means the headphones can't rotate to fit the contour of your particular head.

Cable Connectivity

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The Panasonic RP-HTX7P-RS' cord is just shy of four feet in length. That's a good size for a pair of headphones that are meant to be portable. If you were looking to connect these to a home audio setup, however, they wouldn't provide you much of a leash.

Portability

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These headphones seem to want to be portable, but when it comes down to it, over-ears just aren't particularly easy to lug around. The RP-HTX7P-RSs are more portable than a full-size bureau, or a 47-inch LCD, or most other sets of over-ears, but compared to a set of in-ears, they're behemoths. The RP-HTX7P-RSs also don't fold up, so they'll just be a huge loop of wasted space in whatever vessel you're using to contain them.

Maintenance

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These headphones are pretty easy to disassemble. They have normal-sized screws that any old Phillips can handle. You can get right down to the headphones' innards to clean out any dust, but unfortunately, you can't take the cups off their metal rails without snapping some plastic.

Other Features

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Battery

These headphones don't require batteries, which is great. Batteries are a pain and require additional maintenance.

Design

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Both headphones are vaguely aesthetically pleasing, but the RP-DH1200s were a bit more sturdy than the RP-HTX7P-RSs.

Frequency Response

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Both sets of headphones had roughly similar frequency responses, which were dynamic to a detrimental degree. Some of the higher mid-tones will be under-emphasized compared to the bass.

Distortion

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The RP-HTX7P-RSs had a bit more distortion than the RP-DH1200s. Neither set was pristine, but neither had levels of distortion that the average listener would care about.

Tracking

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The RP-DH1200s had fewer sudden shifts in their tracking, resulting in a more balanced sound.

Isolation

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Neither set of headphones isolated well at all.

Comfort

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We thought the RP-DH1200s were very, very tight. The RP-HTX7P-RSs filled us with ambivalence, but not discomfort; they win this round.

Verdict

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Both headphones are similar, to a degree that's very detrimental for the RP-DH1200s. Since they cost about $100 more than the RP-HTX7P-RSs, you'd expect a significant difference in audio quality, or active cancellation, or some other bonus. All you get, though, is slightly better tracking and a less comfortable fit. We'd recommend the RP-HTX7P-RSs over the RP-DH1200s.]

Design

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Neither set of headphones wowed us with their design. The PXC 250-IIs look higher class, but the RP-HTX7P-RSs have the sort of youthful jubilance and whimsy that can only come from the endorsement of a professional skateboarder. We do think the PXC 250-IIs were built to last a bit longer, but they seemed a bit too dainty to inspire too much confidence in their construction.

Frequency Response

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The PXC 250-IIs had a much more even frequency response. It was dynamic without totally blowing out or dimming large swaths of the frequency range.

Distortion

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Sennheiser headphones rarely have any distortion to speak of, and the PXC 250-IIs follow this rule. The RP-HTX7P-RSs had some problems in their low end.

Tracking

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Both sets of headphones had some tracking issues, but the PXC 250-IIs were a bit more even than the RP-HTX7P-RSs.

Isolation

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While we wouldn't recommend either pair of headphones for particularly noisy environments, the PXC 250-IIs block out a bit more than the RP-HTX7P-RSs.

Comfort

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We thought the PXC 250-IIs were pretty comfortable once we got used to the fit. We thought they were a bit more lightweight than the RP-HTX7P-RSs, and their padding was softer.

Verdict

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This is a budget battle. The PXC 250-IIs are better headphones in just about every situation you'd want the RP-HTX7P-RSs: they have better audio quality, are more portable, and isolate slightly better. They do, on the other hand, cost a lot more money. If you're just looking for a set of headphones, the RP-HTX7P-RSs are likely the better choice. If you're tired of the poor audio quality you'd find on a media player's packaged-in headphones, you'll probably get more for your money with the PXC 250-IIs.

Design

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The Triqiis look cheap, feel cheap, and are cheap. The RP-HTX7P-RSs don't exactly look posh, but they do like like you paid more than $30 for them. They'll probably last you longer too.

Frequency Response

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The Triqiis really don't have a bad frequency response, which is fairly amazing considering that 1.) they're dirt cheap, and 2.) they have foam padding. Foam padding provides a poor seal with your ear, and allows sound to bleed out. Although the headphones definitely take a lump for it in the next section, the Triqiis best the RP-HTX7P-RSs in this category despite their ride their aural handicap.

Distortion

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The RP-HTX7P-RSs have a small amount of distortion in the low end, but really, it's such a low level that only audiophiles will bat their eyelashes (audiophiles are notorious for showing off their long, luxurious lashes). The Triqiis have a ton of distortion in the low end, likely because the foam padding doesn't do much to keep the bass from leaking out.

Tracking

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The Triqiis performed slightly better on our tracking test. Even though there was some fluctuation , the volume really didn't shift to an extent that the human ear could hear.

Isolation

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The Triqiis really don't isolate well, which we again blame on their foam padding. Foam padding does everything it can to prevent a good seal with your head, which lets a lot of external noise in to your listening space. The RP-HTX7P-RSs weren't stellar isolators either, but they performed better than the Triqiis.

Comfort

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The Triqiis weren't particularly comfortable. The foam was a bit scratchy and hot. The RP-HTX7P-RSs weren't uncomfortable, but we wouldn't consider them to be particularly comfortable. It's a really close call here, though, so we'd highly recommend trying both sets on before deciding on a purchase.

Verdict

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The RP-HTX7P-RSs and Triqiis are both headphones for budget buyers. The Triqiis cost about $15 and the RP-HTX7P-RSs cost about $30, so neither one represents a significant investment. We'd recommend trying out both pairs before you buy, and deciding based on comfort and sound.

Design

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The DT 770s feature a much sturdier design and a very classy look. They look like expensive headphones without being overly garish. They aren't as flashy as the RP-HTX7P-RSs, however, which is definitely the choice for the younger crowd or any cool bros out there. As for durability, the DT 770s win this by a mile. They're really, really sturdy, with a thick metal core to their band.

Frequency Response

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The DT 770s have a much more even frequency response. Although they cost significantly more than the RP-HTX7P-RSs, you definitely get what you pay for here.

Distortion

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The DT 770s were virtually distortion free, although the RP-HTX7P-RSs weren't exactly rife with issues here.

Tracking

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The RP-HTX7P-RS has roughly the same quality tracking as the DT 770s.

Isolation

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Neither set of headphones are particularly good isolators. The DT 770s have semi-open backs, so they're really, really not meant to isolate.

Comfort

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We thought the DT 770s were pretty comfortable. They have very soft padding with a plush-like covering. They only potential problem is they might start to feel really heavy after a few hours: the padding in the band is great, but the DT 770s have some heft to them. The RP-HTX7P-RSs are definitely more comfortable over a long duration, since they're lightweight.

Verdict

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This is a budget battle. If you want a great sound on a durable set of cans, the DT 770s are definitely the better choice. If you couldn't fathom spending over $200 for a set of headphones, the RP-HTX7P-RSs are the better bet.

Conclusion

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The Panasonic RP-HTX7P-RSs are a decent set of beginner headphones. They don't offer the sort of clarity or audio quality you'd find in a more expensive pair, but for $30, it's hard to complain. We think they're very appropriately priced for what they offer.

Meet the tester

Mark Brezinski

Mark Brezinski

Senior Writer

@markbrezinski

Mark Brezinski works on the Home Team, reviewing refrigerators, minifridges, dishwashers, washing machines, dryers, air conditioners, air purifiers, and fans.

See all of Mark Brezinski's reviews

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