Panasonic RP-HC300 Hi-Performance Noise Canceling Headphone
Panasonic RP-HC300 Noise Canceling Headphones

Got these for a fantastic price here at Buy.com, almost 2 years ago now, so I have some hindsight for this review. These headphones sound excellent for stereo headphones. The bass sounds great (no replacement for a true subwoofer of course), and the highs sound very clear. I've used these listening mainly to rock music, but on a pretty good range of music. With Flogging Molly for instance, the tin whistle, mandolin, violin, accordion, and banjo, all the instruments sound crisp from high to low. Orchestral soundtracks also shine; the headphones really provide excellent range. And with the right sound equipment, like the Razer Barracuda AC-1 sound card, they can create a impressive sound stage for the user. The noise canceling works quite well. It certainly can't block out everything, but it does a great job. As a test, I turned my surround system way up to the point where it was uncomfortable for my ears and the room was vibrating. I put on the headphones, and just turned them on. I could hear the music from the sound system obviously, but it no longer hurt my ears what-so-ever, and it sounded very clear. It was almost like it filtered out the distortion and lowered the intense sound to a comfortable level. So while noise canceling doesn't mean you will hear nothing, it does in fact reduce noise from around you, even extremely loud noise. Also, the quality is good. I haven't exactly abused them, but from normal use and sometimes carelessly throwing them in my pack instead of storing them in the nice case, there is no visible tearing or wearing on the cups or padding at all. They look like I bought them last week, and they sound like it too. Battery life is fine. I keep an extra rechargeable AAA in the case should I need it, but they go a long time on one battery. The cable is encased in a reasonably thick rubber that is very hard to get tangled, and once again after two years, I'm not getting sound distortion from a break in the cable like so many cheap headphones get in the first few months or year after purchase. Only oddity in ownership was a quiet clicking sound once in awhile. It mainly happened around when I first bought it, but I haven't heard it in awhile, so either it worked it's self out over time, or its just extremely rare and intermittent. I thought it may only happen when the batteries are getting low, but I cannot confirm that. It’s rare; I'll leave it at that. ;-) If you see these around $60 or less, grab them, they're a steal.
 
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After 15 min of use, headphone starts beeping and make strange noise. Noise come and go, i tried shutting it off and on but it still persists. Sometimes it goes away also. Even if its not connected to any source it still makes strange noise inside when turned on. Its not a hizzzz noise for noise cancelling. Headphone are good but i think i have a bad model or something.
 
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When these headphones arrived at my house, my son immediately took them out of the box and began to use them. The noise cancelling capability works well, although I have not flown with them yet. These headphones are very comfortable (i.e. they fit both my fairly small head and my son's huge head well) and come in a nice carrying case. The RP-HC300 compares generally favorably with the Bose headphones I've tried out - but would never buy because of the price.
 
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I have three Sony headsets MDR-NC22, MDR-NC11, and MDR-NC20. I don't like the NC20's b/c they are very uncomfortable. The NC22's are uncomfortable on long flights. The Panasonic HC300's are more comfortable than the NC20's and are a different feel than the in-ear NC22 and NC11. The Sonys have better noise cancellation. I haven't tested the Panasonics on a plane yet, but they do not block out the constant hum of my printer's fan and motor (at idle) as well as the Sonys. I wanted the Panasonics for long trips since I've noticed that the around-the-ear designs are a bit more comfortable than the in-ear's even tho they make you sweat. I was impressed by the original Bose QC1's and I have my doubts as to whether the Panasonics come close to them, but you can't beat the price. We'll see if I keep them.
 
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While a good price and nicely packaged and built, I'm a bit puzzled by this product. First, it's a bit annoying that the headphones ONLY work with a battery-powered on/off switch. I would have liked to have been able to use the headphones without the noise cancellation if I needed to (if the battery was dead, for example). But - most annoying is that the on/off switch is very difficult to switch on (small, and awkardly located...you would have to try it to see what I mean)., and the noise cancellation mode has this constant, high-pitched "hiss". Frankly, it gives me a headache. The comfort is quite nice, and maybe the hiss is irrelevant when flying on an airplane...but maybe I have a misconception for 'noise-cancellation', as I can still hear noises around me just fine. I'm guessing the benefit is it can reduce sounds from fairly loud noises. But in my office, I'd rather use a standard headset and avoid the constant desire to take Advil...
 
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Good performance. I can still hear a little outside noise but overall I am happy with it.
 
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Very good noise cancellation for the price. But in a "head up" contest with my wife's Bose headphones, you can see why these are less expensive. Outstanding value for the price and adequate for most airplane noise cancellation. You decide the $$ difference:)
 
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I have just received these headphones and are quite pleased with their performance. I have always enjoyed Panasonic products and have many, from cameras to TVs. I think they make a quality product at a fair price and their technology is cutting edge. These headphones are no exception. Although I have not tried the BOSE, I cannot believe they are that much better to be worth 5 times as much as these cost. I have not tried these on an airplane yet, but at home they work well and the sound is superior. The only knock would be the size adjustment. I have an average size head and they fit well at nearly the smallest adjustment. I would not recommend for someone with a small head such as a child.
 
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Sound quality is quite good but noise canceling is quite disappointing. With them on and no music playing, I felt most of the background noise wasn't being filtered out. I had Philips HN-100 headphones a couple years ago that did a better job with noise cancellation. Other than that, they are comfortable and are made of good quality materials.
 
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I have always been very pleased with the qualitity and performance of Panasonic products, but their Noise Cancelling Headphones are the exception. While they are comfortable, well fitting, and easy to use the active noise cancellation feature is worthless. The difference between noise heard with power ON and OFF is nearly zero. Headsets from Bose and Sharper Image perform a hundred times better.
 
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I own a pair of Bose Quietcomfort 2 headphones, and am very pleased with them - the only drawback is the cost... These headphones are a kind of knockoff of the Bose headphones (they look much alike), but cost 1/4 as much. Sound is really quite good, though not as good as the Bose, and sound reduction is fairly good as well - though again, not as good as the Bose. The fit is also reasonably good, though definitely not as comfortable as the Bose - the material used that provides the seal around your ear is not as soft as the Bose, and the earcup seems to be a bit smaller as well, so they may not fit someonw with larger ears. Overall, I am very pleased - I definitely still like the Bose better, but what's to complain at this price?
 
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I think the only thing these give up to the overpriced, over-rated Bose models is in actual build quality - even there it is close. The tonal quality is much better with the Panasonic, with cleaner highs and less muddied bass. The actual specs seem to be much more honest with the Panasonic product. It seems Matsus***a has always made products which might not be state-of-the-art, but are of good value and solidly made. The noise cancelling may be slightly better with the Bose models, but the sound quality with Panasonic is superior. Of course, this isn't hard to do, as Bose is only known for good sound quality in their own advertising. Get these for under a hundred bucks and save yourself from throwing away good money on Bose products - about the only audio brand that spends more on advertising than on product. So, if you must have one of the latest consumer ripoffs, throw your money away on the Bose models - you'll have plenty of ill-informed non-audiophiles around to endorse your purchasing decision. If you want to be a smart shopper, remember this: No Highs, No Lows, Must Be Bose.
 
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Always been a fan of Bose going back to 1973 but their prices are steep! I already had the Bose Noise-Cancelling ($300 + tax) and wanted a second pair. These perform just as well at less than a fourth the cost. Dynamic range and slew rate are fine and the details are there just as with the Bose.
 
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For the price paid, these headphones are a great deal. I've used these on several flights to NY (from LA) and they were great. They were good at canceling out a good deal of ambient noise, were comfortable, and they sound decent as well (nice highs and midrange, and respectable low-end). The best thing about it is if you don't want to listen to music, you can simply disconnect the cord from the headphone and use it purely for its noise canceling capabilities! The downside is that you must use batteries at all times but its just a single AAA battery which lasts quite a long time (like 17 hours)! Ignore the other negative comments comparing this to the Bose QC series. Those Bose headphones are 4-5 times the cost (but definitely NOT 4-5 times better), so they had better be good!! If you have the money to burn, get the Bose. If you do ALOT of traveling and want the best, get the Bose. However, if you can't justify the 300+ dollars for headphones, get these....you won't be disappointed. Anyways, i'm a pretty serious audiophile junkie whether its in the car, home, or PC so i think i'm more than qualified to give a review on this. For (..) bucks (which is what i bought them for), these are a steal!
 
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As the saying goes, you get what you pay for. If you want cheap, you've found your headphones. But if you want quality and performance, I'd pass on these. I've compared these Panasonic "noise reduction" headphones with Bose QC-2's and there is no comparison. The comfort, sound performance in clarity and bass and noise reduction from the Bose units are far far superior.
 
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Very good performance at a very low price. A little background noise still gets through, but not enough to be annoying. Sturdy travel case is a plus. For the money, these can't be beat.
 
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These headphones work really well. I use them at the gym because I'm just not into the disco craze anymore which is what they like to play over the system. The headphones sound great and I hear very little of the ambient noise. My only critcism would be that they don't have much adjustment for small heads. I have a big head and they just fit. Bought them originally for my wife, but she's unable to make them fit well.
 
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Value 5, because I'm comparing them to the Bose headphones, otherwise, there are cheaper choices. Ease of use 5, because they are very nice, easy to use, very good quality and nice appearance. Also nice Fit. Performance 4: Well for NC is a 5, but for normal everyday use a 3, so on average a 4. Noise cancelling is great, better than most, but that's all. Sound quality is dim even on max volume, if you have it on mid volume, you can hear the music from the input microphone on the side of the headphone. If in a plane, a person next to you will hear what you are playing. Also can be very annoying for that person. Sounds is OK just not good enough. Overall 4: I will not buy this set for just listening to music, but if avoiding outside disturbance is your thing (main thing), this is the set you want to own. Not a bad purchase, not a great one.
 
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As a frequent flier, I see ads for the noise cancelling Bose headphones every trip, but this last trip I found an advertisement for these Panasonic headphones. Both products have similar technical specifications minus one, PRICE! The Bose cost $300-350 to Panasonic's $84. With the Google $20 instant rebate, purchasing the Panasonic's was a no brainer. I love the headphones. They are comfortable on my head. The noise cancelling is superb. They do create your own low frequency quiet zone. I highly recommend this product
 
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They have very good sound quality. I am hearing some notes that I didn't even notice before. I also find them quite comfortable. All in all, I am very happy with these headphones, and think they compare very favorably with the Bose headphones. I paid a total of $64.00 for my Panasonic headphones thanks to the low Buy.Com price, free shipping, no taxes, and a $20 discount from Google. I would have considered these a great value for $100, but at $64 they are a steal. If there is one thing I would like with these headphones it would be having the option of a shorter, lighter cable to connect to my music source. There are times when this will be an advantage, though.
 
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I just received these earlier today, and I must say that right off the bat, I was very impressed with the feel and construction of the headphones. The leather carrying case is a nice addition, and I'm sure will prove to be very useful. I leave on an international flight on Friday, and I'm anxious to test these babies out in a real travel situation....
 
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These Panasonic RP-HC300 Noise Canceling Headphones sound great and do a good job of cancelling out sounds like - snoring co-workers, backround noise, fans, etc. Nice, protective hard pouch and detatchable cord. MUST have a battery in the headphones in order to hear sound. Very satisfied with this purchase.
 
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Got these headphones a couple of days ago and immediately took them out of the box. Unfortunately, the letters stuck to the plastic and had to tear the vinly covering on top of the headset to use them. Other than the tears on top of the headphone, I think these headphones perform great. Bass sounds good, treble is not scratchy, Great buy, I bought a second pair just the other day.
 
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I have several other noise-canceling headphones (Sony, JVC, Aiwa, etc.) but these are the best. I especially like the removable cord and slick battery compartment. The sound is excellent and the noise cancelation is as good as it gets. Keep a few AAA batteries as spares on a trip 'cause no battery, no sound (just like the Bose I've seen). It's up to you to decide if the Bose are worth $300 more. Or buy a video iPod with the difference and have a really good time.
 
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I checked the price on these at the Panasonic store. It was still $200. Ritz Camera is selling them for $129. The Buy.Com price was about $68, and included free shipping. I tried them out on a laptop download of Fiona Apple's "Extraordinary Machine" using Rhapsody, a media service. Quality of sound was excellent. The headphones are very comfortable. I have not tried them as noise canceling devices on airplanes, the main reason I purchased them, but have faith that they will be much better than nothing. I got two sets. They are very well made.
 
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There is a fundamental flaw to this product. You must turn it on to hear ANY sound! Pretty much every other noise canceling headphone I have will pass thru sound without power. So, if your battery runs out mid-day and have no spares lying about, no music for you. The design is pretty good in every other way. The detachable cord is a particularly good feature if you need to walk away from your desk for a few seconds and don't want to remove your headphone (it's difficult to adjust headphones so that they are in a position of perfect comfort), you can just remove the cord. Alternatively, if you just want to cancel out noise without listening to music, you wouldn't have to drag a cable around.
 
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This product was everything I could have hoped for the price. The noise cancelation blocks out my annoying cubicle neighbors, and I can enjoy work all day long! In order to hear any music, the headphones must be turned on by a switch on the right earpiece, this is powered by a small battery that will need replacement in the future. I've had mine for a few weeks and I use them everyday with no problem!
 
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Just got back from a European business trip (9+ hrs flight) and these things are great! The battery lasted the round trip and is still going. The flight attendant had to tap my on my shoulder to get my attention as I couldn't hear her while listening to my iPod. These aren't Bose but they are definitely right for your pocket book and satisfaction. Bose who?
 
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A coworker of mine got the Bose Quiet Comfort 2 headphones and he basically got me fixated on HAVING to get a pair... however I wasn't about to shell out the price they run at. I ran across these and read some positive reviews and for the price figured I should try them. Well I just got them and I must say they sound incredible. They cancel the low frequency sounds very well although I haven't brought them on the ultimate test on a plane yet. The sound quality surprised me. I normally suffer with $10 headphones but... I have a feeling I'll never go back. They also are very comfortable (particularly if you put them on and give a slight push on the top so the ear pieces slide a bit down where they should be). Awesome buy, well worth the price.
 
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Excellent pair of headphones!! Work extreemly well on commuter train in and around boston. Worked very well on the back of a southwestern flight, sitting near the tail of the plane where the engine noise was horrible. These are not Bose, but they are the best value for the money. I'm ordering a second pair as a gift.
 
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Panasonic has a winner in the headphone department! The HC300 provide a comfortable sound experience while reducing background noise. You'll lose yourself in your own world while wearing these headphones. Sound quality is excellent with crisp tones and a deep bass that isn't overpowering. Your grandma will even enjoy them. Included with the headphones is a airplane plug adaptor, detachable cord (to plug into media device), large plug adaptor for home audio devices, battery and a nice carrying case. The only negative aspect of the HC300 is the one mode of operation. When the headphones are in the "Off" position they are completely off. Other headphones in the noise canceling arena offer the ability to use the headphones without the noise canceling option. The HC300 do not. While this may not be a big issue, it may cause some problems for long duration use such as international travel if the battery (AAA) runs out. However, just pack a few extra batteries in the handy carrying case and you'll be good as gold.
 
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