Panasonic RP-HTX7

Panasonic isn't really a specialist in portable audio equipment. We've even spotted the HTX7 in the product catalogue of Fostex, a manufacturer best known for making generic speakers and audio equipment for big-name brands. That said, the Panasonic in-ear headphones we tested were far from disastrous, and we've already seen that audio specialists like Sennheiser are more than capable of getting things wrong ...

Design: retro chic

The HTX7 headphones have a retro design. The shape, material and colours all have a throw-back air to them, and from the lacquered plastic to the bare metal bars for adjusting the fit, the HTX7 tick all the boxes of old-school design. Whether you love it or you hate it, you have to hand it to Panasonic for making such a full-on style statement.

The headphones are comfortable to wear and the full earpads (circum-aural) cover your ears entirely, making them less tiring to wear than supra-aural models, particularly for long periods of time. However, they may not be the best choice for users with larger ears.

The problem with the HTX7 is that they're big. They're too big for use out and about really, and as they can't be folded up, they'll take up a fair bit of room in your bag. Strangely though, the cable length clearly confirms that these headphones aren't designed for use at home with your hi-fi!

The cable seems sturdy enough too, even though we've almost certainly seen better elsewhere.

Audio quality: could do better

The HTX7 certainly aren't your typical 'boomy bass' headphones. Neither the bass nor the treble is particularly pronounced, with medium and upper-medium frequencies clearly dominating. With these channels the most prominent the sound is flattering to the ear, but it soon becomes unpleasant if you're a fan of anything other than vocal music.

There are also some accuracy issues. The headphones' large but totally closed design doesn't seem to be particularly well handled here. Instead of the 'compressed' kind of sound typical to closed-design headphones, there's a noticeable resonance. Even though this can appear to sound pleasant, accuracy is lost as a result.

These headphones are also not all that powerful. A lightweight device will certainly have its work cut out, even with the volume on full blast.

All in all, the HTX7 headphones offer a good compromise between design and audio quality. Although they don't excel in either field, they still make an interesting alternative to market leaders.