Panasonic ErgoFit RP-HJE120 Review

After 4 years of ownership, this is the Panasonic ErgoFit RP-HJE120 review, probably the best-selling earbuds in the world.

These are the perfect cheap earbuds that outshine many more expensive alternatives. Basic wired in-ear headphones that perform well at everything you throw at them.

If you’re looking for wired and dirt-cheap earbuds as your second pair and still want decent quality, these Panasonics are it.

After 4 years of owning them, they still work. The earbuds have gotten a bit greasy, and eartips are starting to chafe. But they fit equally well and sound better than most earphones at $10 price point ($15 for the mic version).

To get a great pair of wired earbuds for a low price, check the Panasonic ErgoFit RP-HJE120 or their microphone version.

You can find these in:

• Best cheap earbuds
• The most comfortable earbuds

What’s in the Box?

• Panasonic RP-HJE120 earbuds
• 3 pairs of silicone eartips (S, M, L)
• User manual

Comfort & Fit

4.5 Almost Perfect

Panasonic ErgoFit earphones are one of the comfiest in-ear headphones you’ll ever try. Thanks to their angled and lightweight design, they fit well, and you barely feel them wearing.

ErgoFit stands for ergonomic fit which is exactly what these offer.

The angled neck of the buds fits in the ear canal naturally, and due to a relatively small casing, you barely feel them.

They stick in the ears even if you pull on them though if you pull the cables sideways, you’ll lose the comfortable fit.

There’s only one way to wear them, so you always know which earbud goes into each ear, plus there are marks on each side for extra clarification (not on microphone version).

However, due to the low price, the eartips are the basic silicone ones that do fine, but if you replace them with memory-foam tips, you get enhanced sound quality.

Noise Isolation

3.0 Good

Passive noise isolation is typical for in-ear headphones. It’s more effective than average, but some ambient noise is still let through. Cable noise is more of a problem.

When you pick the right eartips that fill up your ear canal and turn on the music, you lose most of your audible awareness around you.

For even better isolation, use memory-foam eartips (you have to be them separately).

But they aren’t perfect in this category.

Cable noise is the issue. If you’re taking a walk and the cable brushes against your clothing, you hear it. It’s one thing that’s super annoying if you use them when moving.

The thin rubbery wires don’t offer a lot of isolation from friction.

On the other hand, wind noise isn’t a problem. Due to a small design that gets “lost” in your ears, strong winds don’t create any sounds.

Durability

3.0 Good

The Panasonic ErgoFit earbuds aren’t sweatproof, nor do they have substantial weak point reinforcement. But they surprisingly work longer then you’d expect for their pedigree.

They are as basic as they come. Fully plastic design, the wires are thin, and the ends are attached to the earphones without any reinforcement at all.

You get no water protection of any kind.

But the 3.5mm plug is L-shaped, which helps survivability.

After many years of use, I’ve tugged on them many times and put them into small pockets, yet they still work without issues.

The only thing that deteriorated is the eartips. They started to chafe, which looks ugly and worn, but you can easily replace them.

All in all, for the price you pay, you can’t expect better build quality.

Features

2.5 Average

What features? The ErgoFit RP-HJE120 don’t have a microphone or controls. But the $15 RP-TCM125 do have an in-line mic and 1-button module.

The microphone is average, which means you can make normal phone calls in a quiet environment, but becomes useless in a loud place.

Also, the remote control only has 1 button, but it’s compatible with iPhone and Android (phones that still have the 3.5mm socket).

There’s no volume control, but you can play/pause music, skip songs, and answer/reject calls.

But there’s one good “feature” which are many color options. You can pick a color that best suits your style.

Accessories

No extra accessories. You get 1 pair of earbuds and 3 pairs of ear tips, which are a necessity in a cheap-looking blister packaging.

Sound

3.5 Almost Great

Panasonic ErgoFit earphones sound better than most cheap earbuds. You get a slight emphasis on bass and rather clear highs.

For stronger lows, see best bass earbuds.

Now, the audio quality isn’t sensational or better than from $100 earbuds. But for the price you pay, it’s wonderful.

A keen ear will sense a small emphasis on bass tones with somewhat clear highs. It’s a good sound signature for most music genres.

Also, the soundstage is tiny and the vocals a little bit too forward.

You won’t be amazed, but you won’t mind listening to music with them either. And that’s pretty much the best you can ask from cheap earbuds.

Why Buy Panasonic ErgoFit Earbuds?

The reasons are quite obvious. You get a reliable pair of wired headphones that perform better than expected for a low price.

Panasonics sound outshines the competition, hold up over the years quite well, feel like heaven, and if you accidentally break them, you haven’t done a lot of damage.

True, they’re wired, which many modern smartphones don’t support anymore, but as secondary “I don’t care what happens to them” earbuds, they are the best choice for the price. Recommended.

Specifications

Matija Ferjan

Matija Ferjan is a seasoned audio enthusiast reviewing headphones since 2015. He has personally tested hundreds of headphones and earbuds. He’s an active member of the Headphone Audio community and a true nitpicker, always looking for the “best-value-for-money” headphones.