Nearly 3 years ago, I had the pleasure of reviewing the T20i earphones from RHA. The short version is that I loved those earphones so much, I used them until the ear hangers wore out (and those were very rugged earphones). If they’d had what the new T20 Wireless earphones have, I might still be using them.
Let me explain. No, let me sum up.
What RHA has done is take their already-amazing T20 dual-driver earbuds with changeable filters that allow users to customize their sonic preferences, and add a wireless neckband that delivers enough power to properly deliver (almost) the same quality of sound. I’ll explain the “almost” in a moment, but first let me comment on what’s truly amazing about this product.
Effectively they are two sets of earphones in one. Because while they come as wireless earphones, the driver housings have MMCX connections, and RHA includes the cable so you can swap the neckband out for a wired 3.5mm connection, and get the absolute best sound out of them if you’re able to use them that way. So, for the same price as the original T20s, you get both a wireless and wired version of that great set of earphones.
From my original review:
The T20i earphones are crisp, clear, and energetic. Notes are distinct, and tracks can be heard on top of each other. Nothing gets blown out, and with the right equalization, bass thumps into your head without putting a blanket over the rest of the song. These are earphones that don’t need a DAC or additional amplification to deliver simply excellent reference-quality sound.
Nothing much has changed, sound-wise. The T20s will take what you put into them from a laptop or portable device, and push it into your ears with a quality of sound that is rare for in-ear headphones. For folks with the audiophile affliction, using the additional compression that Bluetooth adds may be anathema, but the convenience is hard to pass up, and the quality of reproduction that the T20 Wireless offers may be the middle ground you’ve been looking for. I will note that I’ve seen these earphones dinged in other reviews because they use the slightly older Bluetooth 4.1 standard. However, my research on the subject tells me this shouldn’t be an issue. While Bluetooth 5.0 improves data transfer rates, range, and power management, none of that has affected the codecs being used for audio, so there should be no difference in sound quality.
In the end, these are still an expensive – $250 retail (you can find them for $205 on Amazon), but the value is there. You get both a wired and wireless solution with amazing in-ear sound, and a level of customization that no other product I’ve seen in this category offer. You can choose between three filters that give you higher bass, treble, or reference sound. The set comes with 10 different sets of ear tips so you can find the right fit that achieves the best noise isolation, and the best listening experience. And it includes the USC-C cable required for charging, plus, there’s a soft zippered carrying case for the whole kit. These are going to be my daily-use earphones for the foreseeable future. [Note: RHA sent me a pair for the purpose of this review; opinions are my own.]
