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We've recently released our Test Bench 1.6 update for Headphones! Read the Latency R&D Article to learn more.

Panasonic RP-HC800 Headphones Review

Tested using Methodology v1.3.1
Reviewed Feb 26, 2016 at 12:00 am
Latest change: Test bench update Nov 21, 2019 at 11:21 am
Panasonic RP-HC800 Picture
6.2
Mixed Usage
6.7
Neutral Sound
6.5
Commute/Travel
5.9
Sports/Fitness
6.2
Office
5.1
Wireless Gaming
6.7
Wired Gaming
6.5
Phone Call

The Panasonic RP-HC800 are sturdy headphones that deliver great isolation. Unfortunately, they sound average-at-best, they're a little uncomfortable and the stiff ear padding lets a lot of sound escape. They won't be the ideal headphones for office use and they're a bit too bulky and cumbersome for running or working out.

Our Verdict

6.2 Mixed Usage

The RP-HC800 will make decent everyday headphones. They're sturdy and isolate really well from noise. However, their leakage can be distracting to the people around you.

Pros
  • Sturdy build.
  • Great noise cancelling.
Cons
  • Poor seal, leaks a lot of sound.
  • Uncomfortable padding.
  • Bass-heavy audio profile.
6.7 Neutral Sound

Mediocre for neutral listening. They have a decent but uneven sound quality. They also sound a little too closed for pure neutral listening.

6.5 Commute/Travel

The RP-HC800 are good headphones for commuting. Their noise isolation is efficient enough for most commutes and even noisy flights. They also have a decent control scheme. However, others may be to hear your audio at high volumes.

5.9 Sports/Fitness

Mediocre for sports. They're a little too bulky and cumbersome to use while doing strenuous exercise or running.

6.2 Office

Mediocre at best for office use. They will block most of the ambient noise in the office however they leak a lot and will be audible even at moderate volumes.

6.7 Wired Gaming
  • 6.2 Mixed Usage
  • 6.7 Neutral Sound
  • 6.5 Commute/Travel
  • 5.9 Sports/Fitness
  • 6.2 Office
  • 5.1 Wireless Gaming
  • 6.7 Wired Gaming
  • 6.5 Phone Call
  1. Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
  2. Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
  3. Updated Feb 16, 2018: Converted to Test Bench 1.2.
  4. Updated Oct 02, 2017: The microphone has been tested with our new methodology, as explained here
  5. Updated Aug 10, 2017: Converted to Test Bench 1.1.
  6. Updated Mar 01, 2017: Converted to Test Bench 1.0.
  7. Updated Feb 26, 2016: Review published.

Test Results

Design
Design
Style
Type Over-ear
Enclosure Closed-Back
Wireless No
Transducer Dynamic

The HC800 have an understated studio design. They're not the most stylish headphones but their simple all black esthetic will surely work for some. The textured back, oval-shaped ear cups do add a little more flare and the headband is well-padded.

6.5
Design
Comfort
Weight 0.6 lbs
Clamping Force
1.11 lbs

The ear cups are large enough to easily fit around most people's ears and flexible enough to not feel rigid when on the head. The issue is with the padding used to cushion the ear cups. It's not soft, feels unpleasant and definitely could be improved. This reduces the HC800's comfortability significantly.

6.0
Design
Controls
OS Compatibility
iOS
Ease Of Use Decent
Feedback Okay
Call/Music Control Yes
Volume Control Yes
Microphone Control No
Channel Mixing
N/A
Noise Cancelling Control No
Talk-Through
No
Additional Buttons No

Button layout is simple and easy to use. There is only one noise cancelling button on the ear cup and the rest of the controls are relegated to the in-line controls of the provided TRRS-TRRS audio cable. The in-line controls are good but would be better if they could deliver a little more tactile feedback when clicking.

7.0
Design
Breathability
Avg.Temp.Difference 4.2 °C
6.0
Design
Portability
L 7.48"
W 7.09"
H 1.97"
Volume 104.32 in³
Transmitter Required N/A

The RP-HC800 are a little on the larger side for over-ear headphones. They are below-average portable and do not fold into a more compact format. They won't fit into your pockets and are a little cumbersome to carry around comfortably. On the upside, the ear cups lay flat to take up less space in a backpack.

7.5
Design
Case
Type Hard case
L 8.27"
W 7.48"
H 2.17"
Volume 133.92 in³

Comes with a stylish hard case that will protect the headphones from scratches and falls. It will also shield the headphones from minor water damage and doesn't add too much bulk.

7.0
Design
Build Quality

Build quality is good all-around for the HC800. They're not built with the most premium materials but the plastic feels solid and the metal frame makes them sturdy. However, the joints may become weak over time and the ear cup padding could be much softer.

6.5
Design
Stability

The Panasonic RP-HC800 are decently stable headphones. They stay in place during casual listening sessions but are unideal for gym use. The large ear cups sway too much while running and slip off your ears during high-intensity exercises. On the upside, the audio cable is detachable and won't pull the headphones off your head if it gets hooked on something.

Design
Headshots 1
Design
Headshots 2
Design
Top
Design
In The Box

  • Panasonic RP-HC800 Headphones
  • Carrying case
  • AAA battery
  • Audio cable
  • Airline adapter
  • Manual

Sound
Sound
Sound Profile
Bass Amount
4.5 dB
Treble Amount
0.15 dB
8.6
Sound
Frequency Response Consistency
Avg. Std. Deviation
0.28 dB
Sound
Raw Frequency Response
7.7
Sound
Bass Accuracy
Std. Err.
3.17 dB
Low-Frequency Extension
10 Hz
Low-Bass
3.83 dB
Mid-Bass
2.87 dB
High-Bass
3.94 dB
6.0
Sound
Mid Accuracy
Std. Err.
5.32 dB
Low-Mid
2.58 dB
Mid-Mid
-5.25 dB
High-Mid
-6.09 dB
7.7
Sound
Treble Accuracy
Std. Err.
3.77 dB
Low-Treble
-4.21 dB
Mid-Treble
0.52 dB
High-Treble
0.73 dB
7.1
Sound
Peaks/Dips
Peaks
1.76 dB
Dips
1.77 dB
8.8
Sound
Imaging
Weighted Group Delay
0.13
Weighted Amplitude Mismatch
0.75
Weighted Frequency Mismatch
1.67
Weighted Phase Mismatch
3.69
3.1
Sound
Soundstage
PRTF Accuracy (Std. Dev.)
4.47 dB
PRTF Size (Avg.)
1.76 dB
PRTF Distance
-1.18 dB
Openness
1.8
Acoustic Space Excitation
6.7
6.7
Sound
Weighted Harmonic Distortion
WHD @ 90
0.295
WHD @ 100
0.697
Isolation
8.3
Isolation
Noise Isolation
Isolation Audio
Overall Attenuation
-23.22 dB
Noise Cancelling Yes
Bass
-14.45 dB
Mid
-20.28 dB
Treble
-35.35 dB

Very good noise cancellation overall. With ANC set to Off, reduction starts at around 300Hz and gently reaches -40dB just before 20KHz. The active noise cancellation starts at 20Hz with more than 10dB of reduction, peaking at -20dB at 50Hz, and consistently remaining below -14dB.

4.4
Isolation
Leakage
Leakage Audio
Overall Leakage @ 1ft
52.36 dB

Poor leakage performance, considering these are closed, over-ear headphones. The profile of the leakage is quite broadband too. It starts from 300Hz and up to 7KHz.

Microphone
Microphone
Microphone Style
Integrated
No
In-line
Yes
Boom
No
Detachable Boom
N/A
Mic Yes
6.2
Microphone
Recording Quality
Recorded Speech
LFE
500.69 Hz
FR Std. Dev.
1.23 dB
HFE
4,243.66 Hz
Weighted THD
19.713
Gain
27.55 dB
6.5
Microphone
Noise Handling
Speech + Pink Noise
Speech + Subway Noise
SpNR
17.53 dB
Active Features
7.2
Active Features
Battery
Battery Type
AAA
Continuous Battery Life
20.5 hrs
Additional Charges
N/A
Total Battery Life
20.5 hrs
Charge Time
N/A
Power Saving Feature
No
Audio While Charging
N/A
Passive Playback
No
Charging Port N/A

The Panasonic RP-HC800 have a satisfactory battery life of 20.5 hours. This gives you enough continuous playtime for long flights, but you will still need to change the battery after a full day of continuous use. Unfortunately, they do not have any battery saving features.

0
Active Features
App Support
App Name N/A
iOS N/A
Android N/A
macOS N/A
Windows N/A
Equalizer
N/A
ANC Control
N/A
Mic Control N/A
Room effects
N/A
Playback Control
N/A
Button Mapping N/A
Surround Sound N/A

No compatible app.

Connectivity
0
Connectivity
Bluetooth
Bluetooth Version
N/A
Multi-Device Pairing
N/A
NFC Pairing
N/A
Line of Sight Range
N/A
Default Latency
N/A
aptX Latency
N/A
aptX(LL) Latency
N/A
0
Connectivity
Non-Bluetooth Wireless
Non-BT Line of Sight Range
N/A
Non-BT Latency
N/A
9.5
Connectivity
Wired
Analog Audio
Yes
USB Audio
No
Detachable Yes
Length 4.99 ft
Connection 1/8" TRRS
Wired Latency
0 ms
Connectivity
PC / PS4 Compatibility
PC / PS4 Analog
Audio + Microphone
PC / PS4 Wired USB
No
PC / PS4 Non-BT Wireless
No
Connectivity
Xbox One Compatibility
Xbox One Analog
Audio Only
Xbox One Wired USB
No
Xbox One Wireless
No
0
Connectivity
Base/Dock
Type
N/A
USB Input
N/A
Line In
N/A
Line Out
N/A
Optical Input
N/A
RCA Input
N/A
Dock Charging
N/A
Power Supply
N/A