Review: Panasonic RZ-S500W ANC True Wireless Earbuds

Panasonic currently has two models of true wireless earbuds, and today we’ll be looking at its Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) variant – RZ-S500W. The RZ-S500W’s ANC technology is slightly special as it has what Panasonic calls dual hybrid noise cancellation. The RZ-S500W retails for S$299.

Unboxing

Inside the box, you will find the following items:

• Panasonic RZ-S500W ANC earbuds
• Charging case
• Ear tips x5 (XS to XL)
• USB-C to USB-A cable
• User manual

Tech specs

Design, build quality and features

The case is made from a matte plastic that doesn’t exactly scream premium but the build quality is good. The hinge closes with a good snap and the earbuds do not rattle in the case when I shake it. The overall design is rather plain and simple, with the “Panasonic” branding embossed at the top. The case is about 3cm thick, which makes it somewhat slim enough to chuck it in your jeans pocket.

As for the earbuds, they are round and have a grippy rubberised texture. The earbuds look really well constructed and you see the microphones are housed along the metal strip around the surface of the earbud. The design is also pretty simple with a subtle “Panasonic” branding lettered on bottom of the earbud. The Panasonic RZ-S500W is rated at IPX4 water-resistance rating so you should be able to use this during your workouts.

Controls

Panasonic RZ-S500W uses touch controls which allow all the media playback and phone controls. The touch controls are responsive even when on tricky touches like a triple tap. However, I did find the touch sensor to a bit too sensitive for my liking. Every time when I am putting the earbuds in my ear, I will accidentally toggle a media control.

Transparency mode

I tested the transparency mode at the highest setting in the app. At the highest settings, wind and and high pitched sounds seems over amplified. When using it in a mall, instead of being able to hear the crowd chatter, I can only hear a high-pitch airy sound like wind is being amplified and channel into the earbuds. Thankfully, the level of transparency can be adjusted in the app. I found that setting the level to about half makes it sound a little less over-processed and more natural.

Audio Connect App

Panasonic also developed an accompanying app for the RZ-S500W earbuds. The app UI is quite simple to navigate and it offers decent features to amplify your audio experience. You can connect the Panasonic RZ-S500W to Amazon Alexa if you use it.

You can adjust the level of noise cancellation but I found the increments and decrements to be very subtle. There is also a “find headphones” which should be handy if you misplace them. Lastly, you have an EQ which you can adjust, or simply select different presets. The changes are noticeable but d0n’t expect the level of tuning you can do with the Jaybird Vista or the Harman Kardon FLY TWS.

Battery life

Panasonic RZ-S500W is rated to last 6.5 hours per full charge with ANC turned on, which is quite long for an ANC capable earbuds. You can get an additional 13 more hours in the charging case, bringing the total to 19 hours. Panasonic RZ-S500W also has a quick charge feature that gives you additional 70 mins of play time from just 15 minutes of charging.

The charging case is charged via USB-C which is great but unfortunately it does not support wireless charging, which could be a considered a large omission considering its S$299 price.

Fit

Panasonic RZ-S500W has a similar design to the Harman Kardon FLY TWS, where it features a round shape with an angled nozzle. The nozzle of the Panasonic RZ-S500W is not long, so it does not go too deep into your ear canal. Thankfully, the provided silicon ear tips is enough to provide a good seal and the overall fit feels light, and rests really well in my ear. The earbuds are quite chunky so they may stick out of your ears if your ears are small.

If you want a softer and comfier fit, I found that the Comply TrueGrip foam ear tips fit well on the Panasonic RZ-S500W.

Sound quality

Panasonic RZ-S500W is tuned with emphasis towards the upper mid frequencies, with a natural sounding bass. Bass is punchy, clean and controlled. It hits hard and can get deep enough if it is needed and doesn’t linger if the song does not require it. The sub-bass department could use a little more boost to give the bass more reverb for a fuller low end.

As for midrange, they are detailed and clear, with vocals taking the center stage. There is also good separation between vocals and instruments. Chester Bennington’s vocals still stands center amongst the bass guitar and cymbals in ‘Given Up by Linkin Park’. Treble is forward, bright and powerful but hardly sounding sibilant or airy. Soundstage on the Panasonic RZ-S500W is also wide and expansive.

Panasonic RZ-S500W vs Harman Kardon FLY TWS

Panasonic RZ-S500W delivers punchier bass but lacks the sub-bass boom that the Harman Kardon FLY TWS has. Mids are slightly more forward on the Panasonic RZ-S500W, and also have have better separation on tracks that are a little more bass heavy in the background. As for treble, the Harman Kardon is brighter and more transparent compared to the Panasonic RZ-S500W.

ANC performance

The ANC on the Panasonic RZ-S500W is rather impressive. Its dual hybrid noise cancellation technology is definitely showing off its strength here. Low frequencies noises such as rumbling in buses are cancelled out almost completely. Higher frequencies noises like train whooshes and traffic are negated to a noticeable extent. While the ANC is impressive, I find that it can be a tad sensitive to wind and my footsteps, causing some stuttering in the overall audio output. The ANC does alter the EQ slightly, causing the bass to sound tighter and less expansive. I did not feel any vacuum effect or hissing noise with the ANC turned on.

Microphone quality

The microphone is able to pickup my voice clearly with a good amount of definition in my speech being heard when I was testing it in a quiet room. In noisy environments, the microphone is still able to isolate my voice well and clear, but you can hear the background noises at the back. If it is too noisy, I find then my voice will start to blend in together with the background noise. Overall, I still find the Panasonic RZ-S500W is a reliable microphone for calls.

Pairing, connectivity, and latency

Panasonic RZ-S500W is equipped with Bluetooth 5.0 and connection is stable, and I did not experience any dropouts during my testing. If you want to use a single earbud, you can use either the left or right earbud. Also, there is zero latency or lag from watching YouTube videos from the YouTube app on my iPhone 11.

Conclusion

Panasonic RZ-S500W has done a great job with its first ever ANC capable true wireless earbuds. It boasts superb noise cancellation and offers a bright and enjoyable sound that plays well with many genres. Though its charging case is compact, it does not charge wirelessly which is a little disappointing at this price point of S$299. But if ANC and sound quality are your biggest considerations, the Panasonic RZ-S500W won’t disappoint.

The price of the Panasonic RZ-S500W has since fallen, and you can actually get it on Qoo10 for just S$249 which makes it a really good deal for what this earbuds has to offer.