21Nov Panasonic RP-HTX7 Monitor Headphones – Road Test
A lot of times when I put together a review it’s after a few weeks of working with it. I think it might be beneficial to revisit some of the items I’ve had for a long time. Do I still use them on a regular basis? How durable are they after long term use? Would I still give it a good review after a year or more of use?
I figured I’d start these road tests off with a par of headphones I just replaced. Normally I’d say that cheap headphones don’t last, but in the case of the Pansonic RP-HTX7 it’s the complete opposite. I bought my first pair of RP-HTX7 headphones in February of 2007 and I’ve been using them constantly over the past 5 years. Finally a few months ago the leather on the ear pads started to crack and last week I finally decided to replace them.
I didn’t actually realize how long I’d had these headphones until I looked up the old Amazon order. The original price of the Pansonic RP-HTX7 was $35, to my surprise these headphones are still in production and the price has dropped to $32. The audio quality has always been what I would consider good for the price, durability is excellent, and they feel very comfortable on my ears.
If you’re looking for a decent pair of monitoring headphones at an affordable price, the Pansonic RP-HTX7 is at the top of my list. 5 years of heavy use is very nice for a pair of headphones under $40. I know the retro look of the RP-HTX7 isn’t for everyone and lime green isn’t the most popular color (other colors are available), but if you can get past that I think you’ll find these headphones very usable for the price.
In 4 or 5 more years when this pair finally gives out, I would still gladly order another set of RP-HTX7 if they’re still available. These really are great headphones for the price.
