Updated May 30, 2017
By Marc Henney
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We have currently reviewed 5 Panasonic headphones. They make budget noise-canceling and casual listening headphones that are decent for everyday use.
Compared to other brands
- Budget Price. Most headphones from Panasonic are relatively cheap, especially, their noise canceling models. They don't always deliver the best noise isolation but their price range is a lot more affordable than other brands that also offer budget noise canceling headphones.
- Mediocre Sound Quality. The sound quality of the Panasonic headphones we've reviewed so far has been mediocre-at-best.
- Inconsistent Noise Canceling. Panasonic has one of the best performing noise-canceling headphones at this price range. They also have an over-ear model that isolate well in loud environments. However, most of their other headphones have a poor or subpar isolation making the brand a bit inconsistent when it comes to noise canceling.
Overall, Panasonic delivers cheap noise canceling headphones that perform much better than other brands regarding isolation. However, their noise isolation performance is a bit inconsistent, making some of their budget headphones not suitable for loud, noisy environments. They also do not have the best sound quality, and although some of their models should sound sufficiently good for casual listening, they won't be the ideal brand for more critical listeners.
Best Panasonic Headphones
Panasonic lacks a large line-up of headphones but covers most headphone types. However, their naming strategy is not as clearly defined as some of the other headphone brands.
- RP- B = This lineup covers both wireless in-ears and over-ear models. The B in the name refers to Bluetooth.
- RP- H = The over/on-ear lineup from Panasonic that has some noise canceling models.
Best Panasonic Headphones for mixed usage
Usage Ratings -
Version 1.0
6.8
Mixed Usage
✕
What it is
This is the combination of the different use cases to evaluate how versatile the headphones are. Therefore an everyday headphone should be well-rounded enough to adapt to most situations and environments without significant losses in sound quality, design ergonomics or isolation.
Score components:
- 25% Critical Listening
- 25% Sports/Fitness
- 25% Office
- 25% Commute/Travel
6.0
Critical Listening
✕
What it is
The level of audio fidelity a headphone can reproduce. Therefore a balanced and true representation of bass, mids, treble, soundstage and imaging, as well as a comfortable listening experience, is essential for critical listening.
7.3
Commute/Travel
✕
What it is
How well the headphones handle the loud environments involved in commuting or traveling. Therefore your listening experience should be comfortable, hassle-free and as isolated from noise as possible.
Score components:
- 26% Noise Isolation
- 11% Battery
- 10% Comfort
- 10% Portability
- 10% Build Quality
- 6% Wireless
- 4% Controls
- 4% Breathability
- 4% Bass
- 4% Mid
- 4% Treble
- 4% Leakage
- 1% Total Harmonic Distortion
6.8
Sports/Fitness
✕
What it is
How well-adapted the headphones are, to use while doing sports or strenuous exercise. Therefore the headphones should not be too cumbersome and deliver a stable and comfortable listening experience.
Score components:
- 23% Stability
- 22% Portability
- 10% Breathability
- 8% Comfort
- 8% Wireless
- 6% Controls
- 5% Noise Isolation
- 4% Battery
- 4% Bass
- 4% Leakage
- 3% Mid
- 3% Treble
- 1% Total Harmonic Distortion
7.0
Office
✕
What it is
How well the headphones can deliver a comfortable and isolated listening experience in an office-like environment. They should not leak much and should block the noise of a busy office.
Score components:
6.8
Home Theater
✕
Score components:
- 27% Latency
- 19% Sound
- 18% Comfort
- 14% Wireless
- 5% Build Quality
- 5% Breathability
- 5% Battery
- 4% Noise Isolation
- 3% Leakage
The best Panasonic headphones for mixed usage are the RP-HC56 earbuds. They have one of the best noise canceling performances at their price range, they're compact and easy to carry on your person, and they have a long battery life.
Best budget Panasonic Headphones
Usage Ratings -
Version 1.2
6.0
Mixed Usage
✕
What it is
This is the combination of the different use cases to evaluate how versatile the headphones are. Therefore an everyday headphone should be well-rounded enough to adapt to most situations and environments without significant losses in sound quality, design ergonomics or isolation.
Score components:
- 25% Critical Listening
- 25% Office
- 25% Commute/Travel
- 10% Sports/Fitness
- 9% Gaming
- 6% Home Theater
6.4
Critical Listening
✕
What it is
The level of audio fidelity a headphone can reproduce. Therefore a balanced and true representation of bass, mids, treble, soundstage and imaging, as well as a comfortable listening experience, is essential for critical listening.
Score components:
- 80% Sound
- 10% Build Quality
- 7% Comfort
- 3% Breathability
5.9
Commute/Travel
✕
What it is
How well the headphones handle the loud environments involved in commuting or traveling. Therefore your listening experience should be comfortable, hassle-free and as isolated from noise as possible.
Score components:
- 24% Noise Isolation
- 14% Sound
- 11% Portability
- 10% Comfort
- 10% Build Quality
- 10% Battery
- 6% Wireless Range
- 4% Controls
- 4% Breathability
- 4% Leakage
- 3% Microphone
- 1% Multi-Device Pairing
- 1% NFC
6.6
Sports/Fitness
✕
What it is
How well-adapted the headphones are, to use while doing sports or strenuous exercise. Therefore the headphones should not be too cumbersome and deliver a stable and comfortable listening experience.
Score components:
- 24% Stability
- 23% Portability
- 11% Sound
- 10% Breathability
- 8% Comfort
- 6% Wireless Range
- 5% Controls
- 5% Battery
- 4% Noise Isolation
- 4% Leakage
5.9
Office
✕
What it is
How well the headphones can deliver a comfortable and isolated listening experience in an office-like environment. They should not leak much and should block the noise of a busy office.
Score components:
- 24% Comfort
- 21% Sound
- 16% Noise Isolation
- 8% Leakage
- 7% Battery
- 7% Wireless Range
- 5% Breathability
- 3% Build Quality
- 3% Microphone
- 1% Controls
- 1% Multi-Device Pairing
- 0% USB
- 0% PC Compatible
- 0% Latency
- 0% Analog
- 0% Line In
- 0% USB Input
- 0% PC Compatible
- 0% Power Supply
- 0% Dock Charging
5.7
Home Theater
✕
Score components:
- 23% Sound
- 17% Comfort
- 15% Default Latency
- 10% Wireless Range
- 5% Build Quality
- 5% Breathability
- 4% Optical Input
- 4% Battery
- 3% Analog
- 3% Leakage
- 3% Noise Isolation
- 2% RCA Input
- 2% Multi-Device Pairing
- 2% Line In
- 2% Line Out
- 2% Power Supply
- 2% Dock Charging
5.4
Gaming
✕
Score components:
- 21% Sound
- 21% Default Latency
- 15% Comfort
- 12% Microphone
- 5% Breathability
- 5% Battery
- 5% Base/Dock
- 3% Build Quality
- 3% Wireless Range
- 3% Microphone Control
- 3% Channel Mixing
- 3% Wired
- 2% Volume Control
- 2% App Support
- 1% Bluetooth
Panasonic makes relatively cheap headphones, but if you really do not want to spend much on a pair of simple and straightforward headphones to keep on you at all times, then consider the RP-HJE120. They're highly portable, ultra-budget headphones that sound pretty good. However, their low price point is reflected in their build quality, which doesn't feel particularly durable.
Conclusion
Panasonic is not particularly known for their headphone lineup, but they offer some of the cheapest noise canceling headphones available on the market. Their models are best for casual everyday use and commuting as they do not deliver a lot of headphones meant for critical listening. We have yet to test Panasonic's full lineup and their pricier models but from the headphones we've reviewed so far, if you care about affordable noise canceling, then Panasonic will be a good brand for you. However, if you're a more critical listener, what Panasonic has to offer may not meet your standards.
Discover our recommendations for budget headphones.
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