Price: $100. Warranty: Limited, two years parts and labor.
Connections: Knock for headphone cord; threaded terminal for antenna.
Manufacturer: Matsushita Electrical Industrial Co., Japan. U.S. Distributor: Panasonic Co., One Panasonic Way, Secaucus, N.J. 07094.
One-piece radio-headphones are a tangle-free alternative to typical portable designs. Although the added weight of the radio may not appeal to joggers, anyone who's ever snagged a doorknob or lassoed the arm of a chair with a portable stereo's head phone cord will surely be pleased by its absence. The Panasonic RF-HX7 offers an even bigger advantage: It can be used as a full-range headphone set when connected to other music sources.
The RF-HX7 weighs 5.3 ounces without the two AAA cells (not sup plied) that power its built-in stereo FM tuner. It comes with a seven-foot headphone cord (with a full-size adapter plug for the business end) and a 28-inch antenna wire, both detachable. (Unlike a conventional portable, the RF-HX7 does not use the headphone cord as an antenna.) The weight of the two ear piece/radio assemblies is balanced: The left earpiece holds the batteries and contains the power switch (with an LED indicator) and the input for the headphone cord (labeled INPUT/CD); the right one contains the FM section with tuning dial, mono/stereo switch, volume control, and antenna input. FM station frequencies show through a small porthole on the outside of the tuner.
Before we get to audio performance, we should note that the RF-HX7 is very comfortable and uncommonly well built. The headband is not adjustable; in stead, the 2 1/2-inch-diameter earpieces swivel along a curved path, an arrangement we found very effective for getting a good fit. The spongy cushions on the earpieces yield to the shape of your ears, rather than enveloping or simply resting against them. The knurled tuning dial turns with just the right resistance, and the power and mono/stereo switches click reassuringly into place. Even the battery compartment opens with ease.
Most important, though, the layout of the controls makes it easy to operate the unit by feel: Volume is "up" or "down," and tuning is "forward" or "back." An other nice touch is that the headphone cord connects to only one earpiece, reducing the possibility of getting into a choke-hold if you roll over on the couch.However, we would have preferred a longer cord.
Since the headphones are designed for use with external sources, we expect ed them to sound better than other radio headphones-and they certainly did not disappoint us. Panasonic's literature suggests that the RF-HX7 be used with a portable Compact Disc player, which would be especially practical if your model doesn't have a built-in tuner.
Sound quality compares well with that o similarly priced conventional head phones, although it falls a bit shy in rich ness of bass and has a hint of steeliness in the treble.
Although we couldn't measure the tuner, we could compare it directly with a good home receiver by tuning both t the same stations and switching between radio and headphone on the RF-HX7.
The Panasonic was able to pull in a wide range of stations; on strong signals, we could discern hardly any difference i sound quality between it and the receiver, which attests to the prowess of both the model's tuner and its amplifier. Of course, when you move around and re orient the dangling antenna (which can be tied into a shorter length but is nevertheless a bit awkward), reception will vary even on strong stations. The mono setting is quite effective in reducing noise on distant stations. Incidentally, the station display on the RF-HX7, which i marked in 4-MHz increments (88, 92, etc.), is remarkably accurate.
In contrast to most two-piece portable stereos, listening to the RF-HX7's FM radio-while you read, ride an exercise bike, iron your shirt, or cast a line into the lake-is like being plugged into a good home system. And when you do plug it in, you'll find that the presence of a radio does not detract from its comfort or sound quality. Whether you're after a portable FM radio or a nice set of head phones, the Panasonic RF-HX7 is certainly worth considering.
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