Panasonic Panasonic RP-HXS200M-K Sound Rush On-Ear Headphones, Black/Gray

it's made of plastic, which makes me think that it's not going to last. But, for the price, i guess it's ok.

Pills hair.

These headphones stopped working 4 months after purchase and are not eligible for return, which seems absurd.

Some of the reviews for these headphones seem to not know a lot about headphones and price ranges. I've reviewed everything from 30 dollar headphones to 300 dollar headphones so perhaps I can provide a bit of clarity as the self-proclaimed "Headphone King" :)First of all, OBVIOUSLY these are not comparable to a pair of high-priced headphones, so I am comparing to benchmark bargain champ, the Sennheiser HD 201. At first glance (or listen) these headphones seem fantastic. They are good and loud, and pop music has a nice expansive soundstage (you feel like you are in the room where the music is being played). If you listening to a well-mastered recording with a big sound stage you may indeed be blown away. But, as they say, the devil is in the details.Pop music sounds out amazing. Orchestral music on the other hand...As usual, I used the Tron Legacy soundtrack and film music recordings by the Prague Philharmonic as my primary forms of benchmark as they feature crystal clear recordings, lots of bass, and plenty of detail that shines on the best equipment money can buy.I played the Overture from Tron Legacy and noticed that while the sound on these headphones was more expansive than the 201's, the separation of the highs and lows was indeed "muddy" on these compared to the crystal clear transition on the 201's. Next I tested Back to the Future and Mask of the Phantasm to see how details and dynamic range were handled. On the Sennheisers both of these pieces make chills run down my spine every time because the music sounds so "alive". Comparing on these headphones both recordings sounded very lifeless. The loss of detail seriously effected the quality of the sound, to the point where a person not knowing the quality of the recordings (Silva Screen Records incredible mastering is legendary in my rants) might be unimpressed.Wanting to be fair to the Panasonic headphones I decided to try a poorly mastered orchestra recording of Unyielding Wish from Magic Knight Rayearth which features a lot of detail but poor bit-rate and distortion levels. The Sennheisers nicely mask the poor quality of the recording while highlighting the detail. On the Panasonic set the loss of detail made the recordings sound truly terrible as the quality was not masked in the slightest. So yes, these are confirmed not the best choice for classical music.The big surprise was listening to Lana Del Ray's "Young and Beautiful". Yes, it sounds excellent on the Sennheisers. However! Due to the quality of the recording and the massive sound stage, the power of the song actually brought tears to my eyes on the Panasonic set. Further testing with video game music and pop music confirms that so long as the range isn't too wide, and the recording is very clean, you will be impressed by the sound on this set.Conclusion? These are not the equal of the Sennheisers in any way except superior bass response (the 201's are criticized by many reviewers for lacking bass), and MUCH better expansive sound generally (interestingly the 201's had more expansive separation on Mr Mister's "Kyrie" for some reason (the synthesizers seemed to be coming from behind me). Go figure.If you are looking for headphones for your commute, or just for playing games and watching movies, these are an excellent choice. Classical music lovers will want to pass. In addition, they are VERY comfortable and seem well-constructed, if made of cheaper materials. For less than 15 dollars these would be great for kids or non-audiophiles who can't tell the difference in higher quality headsets. These headphones are good but not great. They can't stand up to the 201s, though to be fair they are almost 10 dollars cheaper.

Now I understand that everyone doesn't always have the budget to afford Bose, Dre's, or other high-end headphones, but these by Panasonic are for those on a limited budget or just want something in a hurry. Right out the box they look and feel cheap. The sound although loud, I'm sure will not last over time. Panasonic makes decent products but I'll attribute these headphones to lower market reach. I get the feeling that one small drop or bend in your backpack, gym bag or suitcase and snap crackle and pop. Again if you just want something cheap that initially sounds loud then by all means go for these. If you want a little bit more quality then save your money and wait until you can afford a better brand and/or make.