Design and features:This noise-canceling portable model has an earplug-like design and electronic noise-cancellation that reduces both outside noise and sound leaking out into your environment. The headphones only work when the noise-canceling feature is turned on. You can use the noise-canceling feature without listening to music, but you can't detach the cable to get it out of the way when using the noise reduction only. The earphones have medium-high sensitivity, so they can provide satisfying volume levels even when used with lower-powered portable audio devices. The RP-HC56 has an inline volume control, and comes with three pairs of earpieces in various sizes, a carrying bag, and a mini-plug-to-airplane-jack adapter.
Sound quality: The RP-HC56 delivers good overall sound with a cool character, and very good active noise reduction. Bass has good impact, but mid-bass is pronounced and thumpy while upper bass is recessed, and low bass is lacking. Midrange is thin and peaky, and treble is pronounced and sizzly. These earphones don't do a good job of recovering room ambience-- a sense of the room where the music was recorded--in the bass and midrange, but treble sounds open. Although the overall sound quality of this model is considered to be good, the dynamics were so-so, and the upper midrange though treble has a pervasive electronically processed sound that some might find fatiguing over time. We found that the noise reduction was very good across the full audio range, with a bit more reduction of low-frequency noise.
Comfort: We found that these earphones produce a sense of pressure in the ear opening that might be uncomfortable for some. They fit and stay in place with no problem if you clip the battery/sound module to your clothing, otherwise it pulls on the earphones.
