Panasonic RP-HC500 Noise-Canceling Headphones by Panasonic
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Our Price: $329.99 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $199.00 (click here) Category: CE See more digital camera details and other models |
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Digital camera reviews of Panasonic RP-HC500 Noise-Canceling Headphones
Digital camera Review: Best Headphones I ever Used...and Noise Cancelling to boot!
Summary: 4 Stars
I bought these for my Mom who is in a convalescent center. The constant noise makes it all but impossible for her to even have a few quiet & private moments. I liked the idea these could function as noise attenuators w/o any audio input. Best news is they work and works WELL. I once owned a pair of Navy issue flight-line attenuators and these easily rival the noise reduction of that set.
Next you do not even know you are wearing them. I know people often make such claims. But in this case it's true. In fact my Mom is how can i say this, a tad high strung, the sort who finds fault with anything and everything. These headphones fit and,more importantly feel like the softest kid-glove leather. They are also extremely well balanced.
Now the negatives. First there is no volume control. This is only a problem because the Samsung LCD TV I also bought her has NO standard headphone jack???!!! Who knew TV's today are missing this simply feature?? Simple fix to use a y-adapter to connect the headphones to the TV. Problem is the TV does not control volume to anything beyond the built-in speakers. This is not a huge issue but had the head phones been equipped with a volume control they would be PERFECT. As it is they are the most perfect set I ever tried. More important they work for my Mom.
My work around is going to be either an in-line volume control or an small stereo the TV can jack into and then run the headphones off the stereo.
I will say this...I like these so very much I am going to buy a set for myself...now if there was a Bluetooth, Wifi or RF version the world would be nirvana... ;)
I can completely recommend this set. And my only reason for the 4-stars is just for the lack of a built-in volume control. I never thought to look and in a way I am pleased I never did look. ;)
Digital camera Review: Best NC Phones for the money
Summary: 4 Stars
I received my new headphones a few days ago in the mail and have been using them every chance I get. I work from home and have 4 children...peace and quiet is hard to come by. When I have these headphones on I literally hear nothing of the outside world. It is a gift from heaven! The cups fit my ear size really well but as with all over the ear headphones I have tried they get a little itchy after prolonged wear. The sound quality is excellent and in my opinion very close to the quality of the Bose, which my father has and I have compared them to. The only area I can find that they do not quite measure up to the Bose is the noticeable white noise that is generated by the Noise Canceling feature. But, it is only heard when there is no music playing. All in all, definitely the best Noise Canceling headphones for the money. I paid 1/3 the cost of the Bose here on Amazon and in my opinion the Bose are only about 10% better.Digital camera Review: Best Noise Canceling Headphones on the market!
Summary: 5 Stars
After thorough research for the best noise canceling headphones, Panasonic suprisingly beats all the others, even BOSE! To be clear they do not produce the best sound, but rather a decent sound with the best "92%" noise cancellation. With my family sitting next to me in bed, I could not hear them over music or a movie. I have tried the BOSE Quiet Comfort II and III as well as the JVC HANC250 and the Audio-Technica ATH-ANC7. BOSE III wins on sound but is not as sturdy as the Audio-Technica and Panasonic Headphones. Both the Panasonic's and Audio-Technica's were virtually the same in all aspects, both are sturdy and built similarly with good sound and minimal feedback. However, Panasonic wins on noise cancelling by 7% as advertised over all others. As a side note, the Audio-Technica Headphones are the best looking with sheek black.Digital camera Review: Best Over-the-ear Noise Cancelling for the Money
Summary: 5 Stars
Well worth the price; works great on an airplane.
Major function for me is its ability to drown out background sound, which this does as good as any others I have ever tried.
I cannot seem to get on-ear or in-ear (buds) to work so need over-the-ear, so these are a great alternative to the higher-priced Bose or Sennheiser.
I like the removable cord as it can allow longer distances (at least until I leave it behind on the airplane :-)
Case is perfect for including an iPod.
Others have mentioned the "sound bleed". I asked others around me when I had it really loud, they could not hear; but really not an issue for me as 99% of my use of it is airplane trips.
Top cushion and expanding portion are very nice as others I tried have pinched the hair.
Blue light going to blink to show battery life is a nice feature.
A volume control would be nice to accommodate the airlines inability to find the perfect sound level; but not a major show stopper.
After a couple hours (2 airplane movies) my left ear gets uncomfortable, and I don't think it is my irregular shaped head :-). But I live with taking it off for 10-15 minutes every 5-6 hours for the comfort.
Your mileage may vary, but this product works for me.
Digital camera Review: Best Value
Summary: 5 Stars
I needed the headphones for long flights (12-17 hours in air is nerve racking!) and tested both the Bose and the Panasonic HC 500. The Bose have a slight edge in noise cancellation and bass sound, but the price differential made me tone deaf to the slight difference compared to the enormous price difference. The Panasonic is definitely a bargain. The only downside is the connection on the earphone is a little sensitive and you must make certain the connection is solid.