Rp-hs46e-k Slim Clip On Earphone - Black

Update at 2025-Jun-13: I bought my first pair of these earphones about 15 years ago. I've tried others now and then, but for me, these Panasonic over-the-ear earphones outperform them all. These Panasonic earphones typically work perfectly for about a year +/- 9 months. Some connection breaks down for one ear, leaving sound only in the other. So, I get another pair. A wireless pair would please me, but no manufacturer seems to have found a way to make Bluetooth with independence from heavy battery, user-friendly setup, basic sound quality, reliability, and the comfort of these Panasonic over-the-ear earphones. Original Review: I use my earphones while (1) Riding on the bus, (2) Riding on my bicycle, (3) Walking and hiking, and rarely otherwise. Top sound quality is something I would like to have, but I'll never get it, even with the finest earphones, because I use them in noisy environments. Fairly good sound is the best I can hope for. On the other hand, practicality and comfort matter greatly to me. Formerly, I used in-the-ear earbuds, but I got an ear infection, my first since I was a kid, and I felt (sorry, no controlled study on this) that sticking those objects in my ears led to the trouble. So, I switched to these earphone styles that grab the ears. I compare the competitor Koss KSC75 Portable Stereophone Headphones K ( Koss KSC75 Portable Stereophone Headphones ) with the Panasonic RPHS46EK Slim Headphones P. I've alternated use of both of them for about 2 months. Either K or P is a good choice. Both are good products. I prefer P. Of dozens of earphone makes and models, P is the best I've ever found for my purposes. K has better sound quality than P, I think, when I sit in a quiet room. On the road, I can tell no significant difference. Wind noise doesn't seriously affect either K or P. They are as good as any other earphones that don't completely cover the ear. K has a straight-thru jack, while P has an elbow jack. I like the elbow, because it goes in a pocket more easily, and because I don't worry about it snapping off, leaving a chunk of metal inside my iPhone. I've noticed no significant noise from the cord with either K or P. The earpieces of K are heavier than the P, so that when I disengage the earpieces (as when I want to hear somebody speaking to me) and hang them over a shirt collar, the K fairly rapidly descend with gravity so they swing in the breeze on the end of 30cm of slack cord. The K earpieces are rather larger than the P, maybe half again the diameter in any dimension. For me, it's more difficult to fit the K into a pocket when not in use. The earhooks on the K are more rigid than the earhooks on the P. Thus the K are a little more difficult to get on/off. I often have to "weave" my ear between the earhook and the pad to get a good fit. The stiffness of the K make them a little less comfortable to wear. Comfort can be increased with adjustment. The P are generally quite comfortable. One of the K earhooks popped off the other day. I was able to snap it back on, without much trouble. This may be a rare event. I haven't enough experience with them to say at this time. No such problem with the P.

My very old wired pair is hanging on for dear life and I needed a backup for the inevitable. I can’t wear earbuds, ouch! I didn’t want Bluetooth - babysitting another device battery life, no thanks. These earphones checked all my boxes! The sound is surprisingly good. Slim comfy fit, secure on my ears, doesn’t shake loose during activities. I’ve used them during yard work, chores, exercise, etc. The wire length is also a plus, not too long. I didn’t want to be constantly managing slack or tangles. At this price, totally worth it!

I have recently had to give up ear buds, but I didn't want to be tied only to "over-the-head" headphones because I frequently wear a wide-brimmed hat outside for sun protection. I ordered these headphones with some amount of skepticism but have been very pleasantly surprised by the listening experience they provide. These are not high-end earphones that deliver rich sound across a wide range of frequencies, but the sound is crisp and clear, not tinny at all when connected to my iPod. And while they do not block out any exterior sound (in fact you can have a complete conversation with someone without taking them off), they manage to deliver decent audio without having to set your listening device to a high volume. The other nice thing about these headphones is that they are very comfortable. The clips keep them in place without pinching the ear or creating uncomfortable friction. In fact, because they are so light, it is very easy to forget entirely that you are wearing them if you happen to turn your device off for some reason. I wear them for up to 90 minutes at a time while taking long walks and have not had any discomfort at all. Best of all, I can wear them with the wide-brimmed hat, which I could not do with standard headphones using a head band. I should add a note about shipping on this item. It is shipped from England (which I didn't notice when I ordered it) so I was troubled by the notice (after ordering) that it would be a month before delivery. But in fact the headphones came within two weeks. I have been wearing them every day since they arrived and am very pleased with them.

I have been using these every night for 3 and half years. I got them to replace the headphones in one of these headband earphones. The original headphones (different brand) crapped out in a few months. I fall asleep with white noise and these slipped into the headband. Not cushion comfort but well enough to sleep on and they lasted 3.5 years. The right ear piece went out. I'd order another set but can't seem to find the original flat style. I have another Panasonic flat style in my list, I'll probably order those. Sound quality was ok, good enough for my needs. Low price so yr not going to get Bose or even over the ear sound quality. But these helped drown out my husband's snoring.

(Updated Review 2021) 5 Years Later and I use these on occasion. I still own 2 sets of these headphones. Headphone A lost functionality on the right channel, likely because I had washed them too many times accidentally and it finally gave out. Headphone B's cord is now very stiff for some reason, not loose and floppy like they came out of the package. The sound quality has not diminished from either A or B, but I can't say the same for the foam ear pads. B's pads completely disintegrated over time due to normal wear and tear, but they lasted quite a good deal of time overall. A's pad is starting to rip from the rim. Would I buy these again? No. I now have these which i think are quite decent if not equivalent to the Panasonics. https://www.amazon.com/Technica-ATH-EQ300M-PL-Ear-Fit-Headphones/dp/B001DDIJ24/ (Old Review 2016) These headphones are worth it. Love these these things so much. About 10 years ago I purchased these headphones, cheap, pretty good audio, nothing special. However, they somehow managed to last 9 years when almost all the headphones I'd purchased since then had come and gone, breaking, etc. These Panasonic earphones finally broke when I stupidly ripped the wire and I immediately ordered another pair. They have become a mainstay in my back pocket when out of the house and, even after being sat on daily, still sound great and have zero damage whatsoever. I have faith this replacement will last me just as long as the first. They are a great choice for low profile, high quality listening without having to use bud style headphones. They're quite comfortable and if you're trying to get good, clean audio without catching attention with big, expensive cans, these are it.

I saw these online I thought they were about the size of dimes. They're more like silver dollar sized, close to 1.5" across, not including the housing for the ear wires. When I first put them on I was struck by a few things: 1. They are very light 2. Almost feels like not wearing anything at all 3. The sound was somewhat harsh Since they sit a little far from the ear canal, the mid and low ranges are lost, making the high end tones sound more pronounced. Press them up against your ears, and you hear the difference. Since mid and low range are important for music, I would classify these personally as being good for things like audio books, podcasts, Skype, YouTube vids (other than music), and other things where a full acoustic envelope isn't required. Not because they can't deliver more, but b/c they can't unless pushed against your ears, OR turned up high enough that the low and mid ranges are projected to your ear canal... but this makes the high end tones louder too, so maybe with some EQ adjustments, this would work for you. But listening to music at lower volumes AND having the full spectrum of tones isn't really compatible with this design in my experience. I think I read people were exercising with them which surprises me b/c they aren't super-secured to your ears. And while they were totally comfie at first, after 30min or so the ear pieces began to irritate a little where they hook over top of the ears. (The hooks are made of hard molded plastic rather than a wire covered with something softer and more pliable.) I got these for listening to audio in bed, thinking I could lay on my side with them. However I didn't realize how large they are, and while I read reviewers who said they were using them in bed and loving them, I did not find them comfortable on my side at all. If a standard earbud design were rated as a 1 with 1 being least comfortable for laying on your side, and 5 being best or most comfortable, I'd rate these at 2. To be fair, they aren't marketed for that purpose. For $13 they might have a place in your roster of needs... since they don't fit anywhere near your ear canal you can hear everything going on around you, which might be a plus for those who need to stay alert to surrounding sounds, such as mothers with kids in the house, or people at work. And they are comfortable sitting up, especially for the first 30m - 1hr. But I can't recommend them for listening to music at lower volume levels unless you don't mind losing the mid range and bass. For that reason I'd categorize them more as utility ear buds, myself. JMO.

At this price range, these Panasonic slim clip-ons are a terrific value. I find ear buds annoying to wear with generally poor audio quality, and other over-ear or behind-the-neck versions I've tried left my ears sore. I took a chance on this pair of ear-clip style phones, and I'm very pleased. First - they are very comfortable and light weight. I can wear them all day at my desk while working and I don't feel any weight, or any pressure on my ear at all. No irritation or soreness where the clip goes behind the ear! The cord drapes nicely and does not pull. Second - the audio quality is far better than I had expected. Music sounds full and rich, with every sonic detail coming through clear as a bell - and full sounding volume does not come at the price of that "loud" feeling so many others do. They do not cancel out any ambient noise, and in fact background sounds can pass through fairly easily. This is actually a plus when wearing them in an environment where you still need to be able to hear someone speak to you or be aware of what is going on around you, yet still enjoy your music or podcast. Great bargain at this price point!

I once purchased these -- or something almost identical to them -- from a local Walmart. After they were annihilated, I discovered that Walmart was no longer carrying them, and for years I sulked and purchased inferior (and thick and uncomfortable) earclips. These are wonderful for five reasons (that I count -- lumpers and splitters may find less or more reasons, respectively): 1. They are slim, and sit on your ears and under your hair without being a nuisance 2. They are comfortable -- they do not bite into my years and cause pain, or feel too heavy (they are very light-weight). 3. The sound quality is great -- they do not sound "tinny," nothing sounds too distant or too close, music does not play louder in one ear than the other. 4. The cords for each earclip are the same length -- it drives me crazy when the shorter earclip cord tickles my chin. Sadly most earclips are designed in this asymmetrical fashion. 5. They will last. My previous pair was still perfect after about two years of use, and it only broke because I was too violent with it. Mea culpa. I've been through several other earclips since my first Panasonic's destruction -- they fall apart. Cords fray, one clip will begin to sound "tinny," &c. In summary, these are lightweight and comfortable, with symmetrical cords for each earclip, the sound it good and even, and they will last for years.