[equalspeace]

Hello head-fi community!

I haven't seen the RBH HP2 talked about around the forum so I wanted to give them some love and share my impressions. First lets get the specs and contents of the packaging out of the way:

Model Name:
HP-2
Driver Size:
1.8" (45mm) Beryllium
Impedance:
32 Ohms
Sensitivity:
98dB
Frequency Range:
10Hz-45kHz
Weight:
8.82 oz. (250 grams)
Dimensions:
6.3" W x 7.6" H (160mm W x 193mm H)
Package Contents:
Includes 1 pair of HP-2 headphones, protective carrying case, user’s manual, 1/8-inch to 1/4-inch phono jack plug adapter, and two detachable cables: (1) 3.9-feet (1.2m) deluxe black cable with controller and microphone and (1) 3.9-feet (1.2m) High Resolution Cable.

So I've had them for about 2 months now and I think I have a good feel for what they are bringing to the table in terms of SQ. For one, these HPs have the best bass I've heard on a HP, full-stop. I have owned the HE 500, HD 650, HD 600, HE 400i and HD 598. None of these come close to the bass quality of the HP-2. The bass is perfect on these headphones. Every type of bass sounds exactly like it is supposed to, with clarity and tightness. Mid bass sounds like mid bass should and deep bass goes deep and hits clean and so on. The bass presentation of this headphone is it's strong suit. The mids here are excellent as well. There is plenty of texture, detail and meaty weight. Notes are presented in a life-like, clean manner, with texture. The midrange is just done right with this headphone. Highs are presented well also, but they aren't the lead singer in this ensemble. There is enough there so that fine details are not lost, also so there is a sense of space/air in the presentation. This HP is neither bright or piercing in the highs, which is perfect for me, as I hate fatiguing headphones.

The build is, I'll say solid. They creek when they are stretched to be put on, but not once they're on your head. The ear cushions that come with these headphones are made of synthetic leather and can get a little mushy, causing fatigue around the ears after about an hr or so. I recommend a pad change if you're brave enough to make the attempt. I'm currently using the HP-2 with Brainwaves lambskin angled pads. Using these pads with these headphones caused the SQ go up a level, with an increase in soundstage, as well as an improvement in SQ across the range, due to the increase in air and space, as well as the design of the cup. It's amazing what a simple pad change can do for a headphone. The cord that comes with these looks gorgeous and is good. This headphone also isolates noise really well.

Out of the above headphones I mentioned the ones I liked the best were the HE 500 and the HD 650. In terms of sound quality, IMO the HP-2 bests them both. You get better builds with the HE 500 and HD 650, but the HE 500 got sold off due to the incredible weight of it, and the HD 650 was also sold due to me just not having a need for a high impedance headphone when all I want to play music from is DAPs. The thing about the HP-2 that makes it stand out is the driver tech. Here's a bit about that from RBH's website:

The HP-2 utilizes our 45mm diameter driver diaphragm that incorporates a beryllium surface that has been applied using a technique called, “thermal physical vapor deposition.” This micro-thin layer of beryllium provides an extended frequency response (10Hz to 40,000 Hz) that is much more linear than conventional driver diaphragm materials. These high-performance beryllium drivers, exclusive to RBH Sound, enable you to experience all the detail of your favorite recordings with true to life soundstage, ambience and fidelity.

The drivers in the HP-2 are the real deal. This tech is the reason why these sound better than all of the headphones I've tried, several of which costed a lot more. Simply put the RBH HP2 is a fantastic bang for your buck item. It's light weight and portability and noise isolation make it a great choice for commutes, or long home listening sessions. It is my go to headphone. I hope others who have the HP-2 can share their impressions. I linked a review from Headphonics that convinced me to give the HP2 a try. Thanks for reading!

http://headfonics.com/2017/05/the-hp-2-by-rbh-sound/

 

[JediMa70]

They actually seem fantastic and at the moment they are for sale for 139 usd which seems a crazy deal

 

[trellus]

They actually seem fantastic and at the moment they are for sale for 139 usd which seems a crazy deal

Where??

 

[JediMa70]

Where??

Just on the official website https://rbhsound.com/hp2.php

 

[daltonlanny]

Interesting headphones.
Going by the review, though, they sound like they would be too emphasized in the bass.
I would like to see an open version of this headphone with better build quality.
Also, please note that these are not pure beryllium drivers, according to their website, they are diaphragms that have had beryllium vapor deposited on them.

 

[tgx78]

Congested soundstage, creaking sound from hinge, bass way above neutral, peaky highs, grainy mids, small cramped pads.. these sums up what I hear and feel about them. Tried brainwavz pads and denon ah-d7200 pads + port (1) block mod. Slightly better but I have few modded earphones under $40 that I prefer over this.

As someone mentioned this vapour deposited beryllium drivers are nothing special. You can buy DIY drivers from ebay for like $10.

Now pure dome type beryllium or graphene driver headphones for $139 will get me excited.

 

[MementoMori99]

Tried brainwavz pads

Excuse my ignorance, but what specific brainwavz pads fit? Do they require any mods to fit? Lastly, how does one specifically go about removing the stock earpads?

 

[JediMa70]

I think that they are those kind of headphones that because of few compromises to keep low their price, they have a unique sound that is loved or hated. The original sin is in their price

 

[SHAMuuu]

Congested soundstage, creaking sound from hinge, bass way above neutral, peaky highs, grainy mids, small cramped pads.. these sums up what I hear and feel about them. Tried brainwavz pads and denon ah-d7200 pads + port (1) block mod. Slightly better but I have few modded earphones under $40 that I prefer over this.

As someone mentioned this vapour deposited beryllium drivers are nothing special. You can buy DIY drivers from ebay for like $10.

Now pure dome type beryllium or graphene driver headphones for $139 will get me excited.

Those are good points for those saying Focal overcharged for their drivers. IIRC, they use pure beryllium. The hype on this is at peak after Z Reviews. Just curious if they are bass heavy, like basshead, not so much audiophile level.

 

[nvfan]

Focal uses materion truextent beryllium foil, i.e., pure beryllium. This driver uses vapor deposition, which is lining a thin layer of beryllium over an existing diaphragm material (often aluminum), so the majority of the driver mass will be non-beryllium. Perhaps it'll be more accurate to call it an AlBe driver, or whatever alloy it technically is.

 

[chi2]

The shape of the diaphragm suggests that it is made of plastic not aluminum. A beryllium layer in the micrometer range would give a mass relation of well over 99.9% plastic to less than 0.1% be.

 

[Stratos24]

These headphones are simply outstanding and punch way above their price point. Excellent presentation box with magnetic flap, under a printed sleeve with a durable carrying case which is rare at headphones priced below $150. Comfortable headband, two well constructed cables and well-rounded sound spectrum with nicely accentuated bass but non-intrusive into the clear mid range section and non-sibulent treble. They are excellent for EDM tracks. Some detractions: the head clamp force is a bit much but it will probably lessen with more use or some stretching. Some folks complain that the detachable cable plugs into the Right cup (instead of the usual Left side) and the pads could use a lambskin upgrade but so could most other headphones. Only $139, free and fast shipping from the manufacturer's website. I'm well pleased with these cans. I especially enjoy these closed-back hps cruising around on my quad on dirt roads where I wouldn't dare take my expensive Fostex X00 purplehearts, dust magnet Philips X2's or the very delicate Sennheiser HD540's.

 

[bobbypete]

hey guys how long did you have these until they stopped working??

i was tempted to get some but i didnt have hte balls because the thought the build quality was gonna be bad.

 

[equalspeace]

I sold mine. But a friend of mine swears by his and they're still going strong after 7 mo as far as I know. He makes EDM so he uses them daily.

 

[bobbypete]

I sold mine. But a friend of mine swears by his and they're still going strong after 7 mo as far as I know. He makes EDM so he uses them daily.

thank you and i saw alot of bad reviews (or not enough reviews) on build quality which is why i am asking anyone who will answer here.