Panasonic RP-HC200

I'm often asked: "What's the best cheap pair of noise-canceling headphones?" And people tend to not like the answer: There isn't one. Sure, there are plenty of inexpensive models, but effective noise-cancellation circuitry is not cheap to make. Thus, if the pair is under, say, $150, you're likely getting low-quality noise cancellation, poor audio performance, or both. The Panasonic RP-HC200 ($79.99 list)??falls well below that minimum price barrier, and unsurprisingly adheres to this trend?but that's not necessarily a knock. For $80, the headphones actually sound quite good, with an articulate, lively bass response. They can be used in passive mode, which saves battery life, and hey, the noise cancellation is not super-effective, but it'll cut out some hiss, so let's consider it an added bonus on an otherwise solid-sounding pair of well-priced headphones.

Design
Decidedly retro-looking with rounded, rectangular cups, the RP-HC200 is offered in several different color schemes?ours was a 70's-esque pale green and dark gray. The circumaural (around-the-ear) design of the headphones only barely encloses your entire ear, but the padding on the cups and underside of the headband are quite comfortable.

Unfortunately, the RP-HC200 uses a single AAA battery rather than a rechargeable cell. The compartment for the battery, along with the Noise Cancellation On/Off switch, is located on the left earcup. Panasonic claims a battery life of roughly 60 hours, but this will also depend on your choice of battery. The RP-HC200 does ship with one AAA battery, as well as an airplane jack adapter and a drawstring protective bag.

Performance
The noise-reduction capabilities of the RP-HC200 are rather modest. With no music playing, you can switch the noise cancellation on in an environment with significant ambient noise, and it noticeably cuts out a bit of the whir of an AC unit or drone of a train. It is not in the same league as more effective noise cancellation pairs, however, like the AKG K 490 NC . The RP-HC200 is effective to a certain degree, but it's not going to make you thank your lucky stars you didn't spend more money on the Bose QuietComfort 15 ?every time you switch it on. Let's set this fact aside for a moment, however, and examine the RP-HC200 as a standard pair of headphones.

Anytime an $80 pair of headphones offers a quality audio experience, I am pleasantly surprised. In this price range, you tend to get distortion at high volumes, especially when deep bass is involved, but the RP-HC200 delivers nearly pristine audio at maximum volume. Part of the reason for this is that they don't get quite as loud as most other headphones do, regardless of whether they're in passive or active modes. The fact that you can even you use them in passive mode is a bonus?some Bose models don't offer you this convenience. The difference in audio performance between the two modes is barely noticeable.?At $80, if noise cancellation is part of the equation, something's got to give?there's just not sufficient budget for both quality noise cancellation and quality audio in this price range.

So, Panasonic seems to have focused on the audio performance, which is worth the price alone. Deep bass tracks like the Knife's "Silent Shout" are delivered with rich, articulate low-end and crisp highs. No one will mistake the RP-HC200 for a high fidelity masterpiece, but listeners who enjoy robust bass response will not be disappointed. It's not on par with a pair of Monster Beats by Dr. Dre , but that pair takes bass response to an extreme that not everyone will enjoy. The RP-HC200's budget approach is to provide a solid bass floor for the rest of the mix to sit upon without getting things too muddy.

On rock, hip hop, and electronic music, it strikes a nice balance between the low-end and higher frequency content like vocals and percussion. On instrumental tracks, like John Adams' classical piece, "The Chairman Dances," the bass presence is much more subtle, but still lends a nice bit of deeper resonance to the lower register strings.

If there is one complaint to be made, perhaps the highs are a bit too bright at times?things never sound tinny thanks to the quality reproduction of the lows and mids, but some times horns or higher stringed instruments can sound a tad harsh. This, however, is fairly typical in this price range.

So, regardless of how they're marketed, what we have in the Panasonic RP-HC200 is a solid pair of headphones for the price. That they happen to have noise cancellation can be considered a bonus, but if noise cancellation is a priority, the aforementioned AKG K 490 NC and Bose QuietComfort 15 are your best bets. Able Planet's Clear Harmony NC1050 is also a great pair, but all of these are far more expensive than the RP-HC200. If you can spend a little more than $80, Phiaton PS 20 NC??offers an upgrade in noise cancellation, but it's in-canal pair of earphones may not suit everyone. For the price, the RP-HC200 offers well-above average sonic performance and passable noise cancellation. If $80 is your budget, you can buy this pair knowing that it's a standout in its lower-priced class, just don't expect fireworks.

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