RHA TrueConnect 2

On the face of it, the new TrueConnect model is similar to its predecessor. At the same time, however, according to the manufacturer, there have been improvements to details in several areas. These include increased level reserves and improved range for the wireless link, which actually stably extended over several rooms. The battery capacity has also been expanded from 25 to 44 hours total duration (including the capacity of the case battery). The headphones themselves run for about nine hours and can be quickly “recharged” using the quick-charge function. Finally, the manufacturer has now replaced the mechanical function switches on the earplugs with touch-sensitive buttons.

These pleasantly light Bluetooth 5 headphones are available in a decorative matt blue or black finish and both look equally robust and high quality, but also a little chunky. They are housed in a matching, sturdy folding metal case, which acts as a charging station as usual, but also provides additional battery capacity (35 hours, full charging time approx. 2.5 hours). RHA continues to dispense completely with a control app. I didn’t really miss anything, because the TrueConnect 2 don’t have any extras such as noise cancelling.

In practice

As always, the fit of these headphones depends on the shape of your ears. Due to their design, a considerable part of the headphones is located outside the ear. In my case, there was pressure during longer listening sessions, but this didn’t happen for another tester. Nevertheless, the TrueConnect 2 fits securely in your ear and is therefore also recommended for sports use. In this context, resistance to dust, sweat and splashing water has been further improved and now meets the stricter international IP55 standard.

Silicone earplugs are included in a large selection to ensure the all-important correct fit. Nevertheless, I missed the Comply foam inserts that came with their predecessor.

Pairing with the last connected device is done quickly and automatically after removal from the case. There are no longer any on/off switches. As soon as a headphone is inserted into the case, it simply switches itself off. Accordingly, you can also make phone calls comfortably with only one earpiece.

The two touch fields allow you to start and stop music playback as well as answer and end phone calls. Double and triple taps on the left allow track skipping, while the right side is used for volume control. Smartphone voice assistants can also be called up. The operation requires some practice, but works just as desired. The touch sensors are quite sensitive, particularly as multiple taps cause unwanted noise in the ear canal. The volume control is graduated and not very elegant. In practice, therefore, I controlled it directly on my Smartphone.

Sound

With their dynamic 6 mm drivers this device delivers a quite appealing sound image. The TrueConnect 2 is tuned for mobile use and therefore less neutral than headphones designed for the HiFi sector. With good passive shielding, you can expect a low-noise, quite detailed sound with considerable level reserves.

I was a bit disappointed about the continued restrictions to the SBC audio codec. Nowadays you might expect more from headphones in the middle price segment.

The bass range is tight with sufficient richness. While their predecessor gave me the impression of a slight overemphasis, the TrueConnect 2 are almost too slim. But if you turn up the volume, they become much more balanced. Deep bass is reproduced audibly, and fortunately without annoying humming.

The mid-range also appears slim rather than full-bodied. Core elements of the music, voices and distinctive instruments are worked out clearly and in detail. Nevertheless, rock titles do not lack the desired width and richness in this frequency range. The dynamics are also clearly comprehensible and this impression is continued in the trebles. There is no unnecessary harshness and clear details facilitate the separation of the elements involved in the mix as well as supporting their stereo placement. However, don’t expect audiophile openness. These headphones have their strengths with modern genres, but they also master purely acoustic recordings decently considering their price range. Last but not least, RHA has also improved speech quality by installing two interacting microphones per headphone.