Panasonic’s “retro headphones” RP-HTX20B are tuned for modern bass affinity, sit comfortably and convince with a fast-charging, long-lasting battery. Only the disruptive cable noise of the Bluetooth in-ears is worthy of criticism.
The wireless in-ears RP-HTX20B from Panasonic offer a powerful sound with high output, are capable of fast charging and have an appealing battery life due to their low weight. A 3-button remote with integrated microphone for controlling Android and iOS devices is also included.
The ergonomic shape of the earphones is a good feature, making them comfortable to wear and free of pressure problems. At the same time, there is enough support to wear them while going for a short sprint. The retro design is striking and makes them stands out. The in-ears, which are primarily made of plastic, also have a good finish. However, the cable noises that occur as soon as the optically highlighted textile cable is touched or comes into contact with clothing can be disturbing.
On the plus side, it was positively noticeable that the running time of the earphones was significantly longer than the manufacturer’s specifications, as more than ten hours could be achieved despite the high-level output. The same applies to the quick-charge function, which enables use of up to two hours after fifteen minutes of charging, so they are ready to use quickly. A complete charging cycle of the lithium-polymer battery, which has a capacity of 155 mAh, also takes about two hours, with a corresponding USB charging cable included in the package.
Device control
The in-ears support the Bluetooth standard 4.2 and, in combination with various iOS and Android devices, offered stable ranges of eight metres within an urban environment. Connection problems during pairing were avoided by holding down the central remote button, switching the system on and directly into pairing mode. The button is then used to control the Play/Stop function of the device and to answer and end phone calls. Language assistants are also supported and can be called up by double-clicking. The separate plus and minus buttons can be used to adjust the volume. By keeping these buttons pressed, they can also be used for title navigation – use the plus to jump forward and the minus button to jump backwards. However, speech intelligibility appears somewhat limited when telephoning, since the voice is delivered quietly and sounds rather dull. Otherwise, the remote works reliably.
Sound
The bass foundation of the earpiece reaches into the low frequencies and has an earthy sound character with a slight dullness. This is countered, however, by the significantly brighter mid-range and treble, which despite their rounding off give an appealing clarity. The result is a round, pleasing sound without sharpness, but with a powerful bass response. Although the treble drops slightly and the stereo stage is rather compact, the in-ears cover a wide musical spectrum. The high output offers a lot of reserves, which can also be used with very little distortion. At the same time, even moderate volume levels are sufficient for listening pleasure.
Technical specifications
- Ear couplingIn-ear
- Typeclosed
- Transducer principledynamischy
- Frequency response (headphones)20 - 20.000 Hz
- Weight without cable18 g
What's in the box
- Ear tips in S, M, L
- USB charging cable
Special features
- BT codecs: SBC
- BT version: 4.2
- BT profiles: A2DP, AVRCP, HSP, HFP
Thank you so much. Finally after few months, I came here and found a solution to pair this Panasonic earphones.
I am very sorry to say that the overall impression I got after buying and testing out this pair of headphones is rather disappointing. At the very least, it does not reflect the review shown on this page.
In all fairness, the ergonomics is very good though and the built quality is alright.
As for the listening experience, I feel it is way below expected. The mid-range tones are all over the place, dominating in the 1kHz, rendering the high end of the spectrum dull and undefined. The low tones are absolutely boosted but lacking any dynamics whatsoever.
At the end of the day, you get what you pay for … maybe in this case I even paid a lot more!
They are going back to the store first thing in the morning, I’m afraid.
I wouldn’t recommend these! I found when they wear they unattach inside and the listening goes out. Now both sides have this problem! There should at minimum be an alert that this can occur! Ergonomics needs to aid in having this. I will look to get a refund.