Review on Yamaha RH1C Black Portable Headphones by Shane Schobinger

These Yamaha RH1C headphones sound absolutely amazing! This is exactly what in-ear headphones should be. These are (to date) the most comfortable and accurate headphones I've heard in this form factor. There is a good, even balance at all frequencies, and all the main frequencies are absent. Unlike some other headphones of this type I've tried, namely the Panasonic RP-HT21 and Kensington K33137 with a 9ft cable, the bass and lower mids aren't missing or severely weakened. The hyped upper mids are also missing, which was a problem with the Panasonic RP-HT21. The Yamaha RH1C will blow them all away, unbeatable. Another great feature of the Yamaha RH1C is the long 8-foot cord which, while not as convenient for an iPod, is ideal for playing musical instruments such as electronic keyboards and guitar amp models. The Yamaha RH1C may be inexpensive, but it's valued by professionals who value clean and accurate monitoring. While they're not as good as some of the much larger (less comfortable and physically hotter) and more expensive studio monitors, I think you'll have to pay over $300 to get the sound quality. In addition, with a resistance of only 32 ohms, they are easy to control. (You don't need a powerful headphone amp -- they're loud enough when connected to household appliances like an iPod.) My favorite on-ear headphones used to be the Audio-Technica ATH-P5, which unfortunately are now discontinued. While I might miss the extra bass and lower mids in these headphones, I have to say that the Yamaha RH1C has a much more accurate frequency response across all frequency ranges. (The Audio Technica ATH-P5s were more of a "character" headphone, but had a slightly uneven frequency response, some odd jagged mids and overly bubbling highs. I really liked the Technica ATH-P5s.) Still, I have to admit that Yamaha RH1C is better. I know a good sound when I hear it.