Design and features:These headphone ear plug-like design and electronic noise canceling feature reduce both outside noise and sound leaking out into your environment. The headphones work with or without the noise canceling feature being turned on. You can use the noise-canceling feature without listening to music. The RZ-S500W has a volume control plus an integrated microphone and player function controls and integrated call connect/disconnect controls. Additional features include charging/carrying case has built-in rechargeable battery that the manufacturer claims can be used to recharge the earphone batteries approximately 2 times (to add an additional 13 hrs. of playtime for a total of 19.5 hrs.). Manufacturer claims water resistance (IPX4). Free Panasonic Audio Connect app download for Apple and Android mobile devices add additional features. Noise canceling and ambient sound monitoring levels can be adjusted using the Panasonic Audio Connect app download for Apple and Android mobile devices. Touch sensitive Bluetooth volume, music player and call connect/disconnect, ambient sound monitoring and digital voice assistant activation controls. Has power on/off and volume +/- alert tones, and low battery alert. Has Bluetooth connect/disconnect, ambient mode/ANC mode voice announcements. Supports Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and Apple Siri digital assistant voice commands when used with Bluetooth devices that have those features. Users must specifically choose which voice assistant to use within the Panasonic Audio Connect App. Has quick-charge feature - 15 minutes of charging provides 70 minutes of audio playback. Bluetooth connected Apple mobile devices using iOS Version 5 and above will show the battery level. The free Panasonic Audio Connect app download for Apple and Android mobile devices can be used to either select preset or custom EQ settings, adjust the amount of noise that is cancelled by the earbuds, view battery level, adjust connection mode settings, locate and find the earbuds if missing, customize or disable the automatic shut-off function, and provide firmware updates. This model comes with Five pairs of ear pieces in various sizes, USB-A to USB-C charging cable, charging cradle/recharger battery/carrying case.
Sound quality: We found the RZ-S500W delivers sound quality that falls in the very good range - it reproduces music and voice very well although it does have some noticeable sonic quirks and excellent active noise reduction. With the noise cancelling mode engaged and the Panasonic Audio Connect app Sound Enhancer feature disabled (as received state of the headphone) the bass (as in bass drums, bass guitars, stand-up bass, etc.) has good impact and goes deep, but somewhat prominent and boomy. The midrange (voices, guitars, horns, etc.) is a touch thin, somewhat grainy and hazy, and a bit congested. The treble (cymbals, the upper range of violins, etc.) is extended but is a bit prominent and somewhat smeared. The sound also has a decent sense of liveliness and is somewhat open--sound-wise it almost seems like you don't have anything plugging up your ears. However, it does only a so-so job of recovering room ambience (the sense of the acoustic space in which the audio program that's being listened to was recorded). Mixed character - generally warmish with cool treble. The overall sound can best be summarized as somewhat bassy, grainy and hazy. The tone settings of the app do have a noticeable effect on the sound of these headphones. Noise Canceling: Excellent noise reduction across the entire frequency range with the low frequencies reduced the most. The noise canceling electronics do not produce any background noise that can be heard when there is no audio program to drown it out.
Comfort: As typical of in-ear models they produce a sense of pressure in the ear canal opening that might be uncomfortable for some. Users with small earbowls might find that the earphone body feels a bit bulky in their earbowl and that they stick out too far and feel like they may lever out of place and are mostly held in place by the section of the earphone that is inserted in the ear canal, but that they will generally stay in place during casual use. Users with medium sized ear bowls will probably find that this model fits and stays in place with no problems for casual use and that they are stable even during vigorous head movement. Users with larger sized ear bowls will probably find that this model fits and stays in place with no problems and that they are very stable even during vigorous head movement. Incidental contact with the touch controls can cause unintentional volume level changes, playing, pausing, or track skipping.
