Review: The Panasonic RZ-S500W Earbud in-ears headphone

Review: Panasonic RZ-S500W Earbud in-ears headphone : When you buy wireless in-ears, you want them to be as light and comfortable as possible, but most important of all is and remains: you want to go for the best possible sound reproduction tailored to your listening needs. Nowadays there are many in-ears on the market. You have them in all kinds of different shapes, sizes, shapes, price ranges, … When purchasing them, it is therefore a matter of always finding the balance between specifications, options, price and quality. Our eye recently fell on the Panasonic RZ-S500W . The name will not suggest it, but this is the latest true wireless in-ear model from Panasonic with noise canceling technology.

When you hear the Panasonic brand, you will undoubtedly first think of the manufacturer of TVs, cameras, … and also the owner of the audio brand Technics. But at Panasonic it goes much further than that, they have since grown into the world’s largest producer of electronics.

They recently added the RZ-S500W wireless in-ears to their portfolio. They have 8mm drivers on board and are therefore slightly larger than ‘normal’ in terms of design. Noise canceling, ambient noise suppression, voice assistance,… The RZ-S500W has it all. Reason enough to take a close look at the RZ-S500W.

Wired listening, still of this time?

If you want to enjoy your favorite music, there are two options: either you listen wired or wirelessly. While wireless is ‘easier’, many music lovers prefer wired. The reason for that? Very simple because they want to go for that crystal-clear sound reproduction as the artist intended the original during the composition. And of course we cannot blame them!

But as the saying goes here at home: every advantage has its disadvantage. For example, you are not going to quickly take a wired set of speakers to the park if you want to enjoy music there. It would be more convenient here to simply bring wireless in-ears, such as the RZ-S500W in-ears from Panasonic.

The shape: more important than the design?

When the postman arrived with the package, I was very curious about what these in-ears, worth 180 euros, could achieve. In the past I have had less experience with other and cheaper models. This was mainly due to elements such as the build quality, fit, music quality, … which did not always suit me well.

At first sight I was pleasantly surprised. This is partly due to the compact and beautiful design of Panasonic. They come in a handy transport case and immediately gave a premium feel.

Ready? Set, go!

Switch on, connect and you are ready for hours of music enjoyment. It was of course described in more detail on the supplied manual, but this is what it basically comes down to. To link your Android or Apple device with the in-ears, it is of course necessary to install the Panasonic Audio Connect App first.

You take the in-ears out of their case and press the outside of the left or right cap for about 7 seconds. They then enter pairing mode and are automatically recognized by the app. Just confirm and you are ready for 19.5 hours of musical pleasure. A not unimportant tip: if you want to test the in-ears effectively during a long bike ride, remember to fully charge them before you leave. A charged battery, always handy, right?

Full of confidence on the road with the Panasonic RZ-S500W in-ears

For me personally, ‘the feeling’ when you have the in-ears with you is extremely important. If you are standing at the train station and the case is in your pocket, you don’t want to worry about the ‘strength’. At first sight I would dare to take the RZ-S500W model everywhere: on the train, on the plane, on the bike, in the car, …

I am not someone who really travels a lot, but someone who sports regularly. Cycling and walking play the leading role in this, music is always a nice extra.

After doing various activities, the RZ-S500W in-ears don’t get bored. Due to the good fit, they remain firmly in place, especially when walking this was an important requirement. In combination with the noise canceling, this provides real added value. Partly because the in-ears on their own already ‘seal’ well and thus reduce unwanted ambient noise.

Flexibility guaranteed thanks to the Panasonic Audio Connect app

Never before had I had the opportunity to experiment with in-ears or headphones that can be controlled with an app. What we certainly cannot complain about are the extensive control options. Below an overview.

• Ambient Sound Control
  • Noise Canceling
  • Ambient Sound

• Sound Enhancement
  • Bass Enhancer
  • Clear Voice
  • Equalizer

My two personal favorites are undoubtedly the Bass Enhancer and Equalizer functionality. The first mainly because then there is just a little more dynamism in the played songs and the second because you are given the opportunity to fully tailor the listening experience to your personal preferences. Good job Panasonic!

Hey Google, where can I cycle to?

Alexa built-in, Siri, Google Assistant, … we can bring them all home under the ‘voice assistants’ of the Panasonic RZ-S500W in-ears. Thanks to these ears I gradually understand what these handy ‘tools’ can mean for you in your daily life.

In a professional environment you can use them, for example, to call customers. While in your private environment, you can use it to dim the lights, turn off the shutters, … and much more. The possibilities are endless.

The controls: made simple

In most cases you will find physical buttons on your amplifier, DAC, Tuner, over-ear headphones, … Because the surface at in-ears is rather limited, the designers opted for touch-sensitive operation and with success. Because after several tests they never let me down, even if I wanted to operate them while exercising with sweaty hands.

You can pause by pressing the left or right earpiece. You can fast forward to the next song by touching the right surface twice in quick succession. You can then rewind by touching the right in-ear three times.

Fortunately, you don’t have to take out your smartphone to adjust the volume. If you press the left in-ear twice, the volume will decrease. If you press three times, the volume will increase. Handy, right?

 Panasonic RZ-S500W Earbud in-ears headphone – Conclusion

The Panasonic RZ-S500W in-ears, recommended? We think so, we are completely convinced. For the price you pay in the store, which we can call reasonable at 180 euros, you get a solid device that is equipped with a number of interesting functionalities.

Panasonic RZ-S500W in-ears guarantee endless musical enjoyment packed in a light and comfortable design. Whether you have to trade in your current in-ears for this model? There is no clear answer for that. That, as we told you before, depends mainly on what you want. Finding a healthy balance between specifications, options, price and quality is crucial. So be sure to test them and judge for yourself!