santiclaws
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Oct 5, 2007
- Posts
- 193
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- 10
A not-so-short Introduction.
The EA RP-21's get much love on this forum, but while some people have posted their impressions of the RP-22x, I have not seen a full-blown review, so here is my attempt at one. I do not claim to possess golden ears and I do not have 500 models of cans I currently own or have owned in the past - my "high-end" collection consists of KOSS KSC-75's and SportaPro's which I've owned for a few years. My frame of reference is rather limited, so bear that in mind if you intend to keep reading. I am hoping other RP-22X owners who have a lot more experience with cans than I do will chime in here or, better yet, be shamed into doing a full review themselves.
Recently, I've been listening to my KSC-75's out of necessity, so I decided that I wanted new headphones which were a significant step up from the KSC's (which I do like quite a bit; I think I got them as a result of a reading this forum several years ago). After re-discovering this forum and much reading, I almost bought the Grado-SR60's, but at the last minute changed my mind because the SR60 is not reputed to be much of a gaming phone, and I do play some FPS games. I finally saw a great deal on a pair of new RP-22X's, which generally have received favorable blurbs from several Head-Fi members, and could not resist.
First Impressions
I received these at the office, so I did not get a chance to listen to them for several hours until I got home. Of course, this being a new toy, I had to fondle them a bit. You know all those electronic and audio gadgets which sell themselves to you with their sexy packaging and come-hither looks? The RP-22x's are not them. These are the audio version of sensible shoes. A utilitarian cardboard box, with cardboard packaging inside. On the plus side, the box does not require an advanced degree in physics and a team of demolition experts to open. The cans themselves don't look futuristic or retro. They are solid but not flashy. No one is going to think you paid $1,000 for these. Construction is all plastic, but sturdy plastic which should stand up to years of abuse.
First Listen
After finally getting home, I plug these babies into my Panny SA-XR50 and prepare myself for audio nirvana. I can see that after the weightless KSC-75's, these cans will take some getting used to. Someone described theRP-21's as a head vise and two plungers, and the description is apt here. But what is a little pain compared to the sweet, life-altering sounds I am about to be immersed in? I turn on my receiver and... am not impressed. While the bottom end sound good and thumps authoritatively, the upper ranges of the base frequencies sound boomy; the bass on Louis Armstrong's "Mack the Knife" obscures the other instruments. The mids and treble, while detailed, sound like they are being played behind thick velvet drapes, as contradictory as that may sound. I am not happy. Lower lip quivering, I plot revenge against the miserable bastards who have purposely tricked me into buying this crap.
The Mod
I may be new around here, but that doesn't mean I have not learned anything. Let the modding begin! Having read about the mod on the RP-21 performed by simply pulling off the foam pad covering the driver, I decide to see if a similar trick can be performed with the RP-22X. It turns out to be quite easy. The RP-22X pads are a bit of an unusual, two-part design - the standard pad covering the outside of the headphone and just a bit inside, and a smaller inner pad which is simply inserted behind the outer pad. I pull out the inner pad, yank the foam off the drivers, which appears to be attached with two-sided tape and put the inner pad back. I give it another shot, "modded." Aha! The velvet curtains have parted and the mids and treble have brightened considerably. The boominess of the higher lows has lessened. The cans are now quite listenable. The person Head-Fi'ers are safe - for now.
A Week of Co-Habitation Later
I feel much love for the wise and kind forum members who steered me towards this purchase. I don't know whether the "burn-in" affected the equipment on my ears or the equipment between my ears, but these things are much, much better. The mids and highs are clear and sharp, the boominess of the high bass is gone. When Louis warbles "Mack the Knife" into my ear, the bass is complementary, not overwhelming. I still think these may a bit "warm" sounding for some, but I find the sound to be much to my liking. Blues and jazz sound fantastic. Classical violins soar. Rap and metal rattle my brain like they should. In games, explosions have a very satisfying rumble and the high-pitched whine of bullets buzzing past my head is convincing. I really appreciate games where a great deal of attention has been paid to the sound. It is easy to discern which direction sounds are coming from.
I keep trying to do an A/B comparison between these and my KSC-75, but I find that I often simply do not want to take the RP-22X's off. I started to set aside time listen to my music collection again. I look longingly at my cans from across the room when I'm doing something else. On the downside, the comfort is not up to the level of my KSC-75, which I simply do not notice wearing, but I can now sit for hours with the RP's on.
Conclusion
As I mentioned earlier, I do not have a lot of listening experience with different headphones, but I can tell you that the RP-22x are a significant step up from my SportaPro and KSC-75. There is a lot more detail in the music, and no comparison when it comes to the lower frequencies; these babies can provide some very deep, tight thumping when called upon. They are not as comfortable as I would like them to be, but they've improved significantly in that department over the week that I've owned them and I hope they will improve more. If not, it is modding time again!
These are certainly not the ultimate headphones; I have no doubt that better headphones can be had. However, I also think the improvements will be relatively subtle as I do not hear any glaring weaknesses in the RP-22X. These cans do everything well, although they may not be outstanding in any one category. If you are looking for a good all-around headphone in the $100 - $120 price range, the Equation Audio RP-22X are worth a good long listen.
