Top critical review
1.0 out of 5 starsEDITED - Great so far, a few connection worries...
Reviewed in the United States on November 14, 2018
***EDITED - 12/3***
I think I've given these earbuds a fair shot, but I have to return them. They are too expensive to not work as intended.
I need earbuds for my commute, which means being able to keep my phone in my pocket, wear a jacket and be able to listen to music. I have had some success listening while my phone is in my right chest pocket... but today was the last straw. I wore a jacket that didn't have a right chest pocket - and it wouldn't stay connected in any other pocket (light jacket or jeans).
These earbuds CANNOT maintain a solid connection - the left earbud is nearly worthless, and right has started to struggle as well. I've tried clearing my bluetooth cache at the recommendation of RHA - but it doesn't help.
If you plan on using these while home or sitting in your office, sure they'll work fine. If you need to leave the house, steer clear.
***EDITED - 11/27***
Connection: Had take a few stars away, and warn all to avoid these headphones for now... I'm having a terribly inconsistent time with keeping these connected to my phone - which is the most important feature of Bluetooth headphones. Otherwise they are just expensive earplugs.
I can't isolate why I'm having issues. Whenever I wear these with my parka I keep my phone in my right chest pocket because I thought my jacket was the problem. It seemed to help (albeit a little annoying) - but today my left earbud just couldn't stay connected and eventually the right one started cutting in and out too. It seemed like any little movement of my head interrupted my music. Its not the first time I've had issues, but it was the most severe. I even took my phone out of my pocket and held it in front of my face and they still couldn't stay connected.
In ideal conditions (my home or my office) the connection tends to be rock solid. The moment I step outside its a crap shoot. Sometimes they're perfect, other times I'm so frustrated I just put them away and don't listen to anything. This is a problem because 75% of the time I wear them outside.
If this is a hardware issue, I think you should avoid them completely. If it's a software issue... still avoid them but keep your eyes open for updates. There is currently NO WAY for RHA to update these. There is no app and no way to update with a computer.
All my other points stand, but the connection problems are now ruining the experience.
***Original - 11/14***
These were delivered well ahead of schedule and my opinions all positive so, with some questions here and there.
Build: My biggest positive. Love the look and feel of both the buds and charging case. The buds do have that airpod wing sticking out, but its much more restrained. Charging case is solid and feels premium with magnets (I think) holding the buds in place, USB C for charging, and a metal hinge that is satisfying to open/close. Love the matte black!
Features: Missing the ability to have the music auto pause when you remove an earbud, but its fairly easy to pause/play with a quick tap. Single button controls are responsive when you remember them (right ear = volume, left ear = tracks) - and the assistant features work great (google assistant). Hoping they add an app for support with tuning/updates. Nothing out there right now.
Fit: Great for me. I'm in the camp where apple earbuds/airpods just don't stay in my ear. I need earbuds that physically go in the canal - and the fact that these come with Comply foam tips is amazing. I've felt no movement when they're in, and they do a decent enough job of blocking ambient noise.
Battery: Good so far but will need more testing. I have been using these for commutes which is rarely longer than 45mins, but when I get to work/home they seem to still have plenty charge (almost 90%).
Connection: So here's my biggest fault so far. I was hoping bluetooth 5 (with my Pixel 3) would have been strong... but I have had quite a few cutouts. I had my phone in my pants pocket, had a fairly bulky parka (cold day in NYC), and no hat, but when I turned my head away from my phone music will start to cut out. I can move my phone closer (chest pocket) and it helps, but I'll need more testing to see what the limits are. On the positive side there is NO noticeable lag while watching video on YouTube.
Sound: Solid to strong. You'll never replicate good wired buds range and volume, but I think they're great. Have seen reviews where they claim they are bass heavy, but it isn't noticeable to me. I've tried various beats and these are much more restrained. I've been impressed with volume, something I was worried about with bluetooth, but never felt the need to max them out even on noisy subway platforms.
Overall: Love them so far. The cutouts are disappointing, but they haven't ruined the experience. Great look, feel, sound and fit. Fingers crossed for an app from RHA.