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RHA TrueConnect
What we like
What we don't like
RHA TrueConnect
It’s more common every day to round a street corner and see a pair of true wireless dangling from a stranger’s ears especially since the earbuds are more affordable than ever. Do the RHA TrueConnect hold up against cheaper alternatives? Let’s dig in and see if these earbuds have held up through 2020 thusfar.
Read the in-depth RHA TrueConnect review at SoundGuys
What is the RHA TrueConnect like?
Like other RHA products, the TrueConnect boasts a sophisticated design contrary to the earbuds’ plastic builds. The metal-reinforced charging case is gorgeous and can fast charge the earbuds to 50 percent after just 15 minutes. When the case itself runs out of juice, listeners can connect via the included USB Type-C cable.
Although the RHA TrueConnect mimics the AirPods’ stems, RHA’s earbuds include something that Apple’s don’t: angled nozzles. By engineering the earbuds to actually fit in the ear — unlike the AirPods — a cogent seal is created, isolating the listener from external noise. This improves clarity and bass response, and means you’re less likely to crank up the volume and inadvertently damage your hearing.
For those who equate audio purchases to investments, the RHA TrueConnect operates on Bluetooth 5.0, future-proofing them for the foreseeable future. What’s more, the IPX5 water resistance served me well during several runs and workouts, just make sure they air out before placing them in the case.
Related: Don’t use AirPods with Android
Sound quality
The earbuds’ bass frequencies are emphasized but not to a gross, unbearable extent. This lends itself well to environments like exercising and commuting but makes it difficult to discern harmonic detail like resonant frequencies from a guitar.
The effective isolation improves audio quality and bass response, beating out the AirPods.
Unfortunately, these earbuds don’t support AAC or any of the aptX variants, though chances are your ears are too damaged to notice a discernible difference. For a full rundown of isolation and frequency test results, read the full RHA TrueConnect review over at SoundGuys.
How do the RHA TrueConnect compare to the competition?
The RHA TrueConnect remains one of the best looking true wireless packages available, save for the more recent Master & Dynamic MW07 Go and MW07 Plus earbuds, the latter of which includes noise-cancelling. Appearances aside, though, and the TrueConnect earbuds have a hard time stacking up against cheaper alternatives. The lack of high-quality Bluetooth codec support isn’t doing the headset any favors, and we’ve yet to see them take a long-term price cut.
Related: Mobvoi TicPods 2 Pro review
Android users looking for a stem-like alternative may want to save nearly $100 by getting the Anker Soundcore Liberty Air. These earbuds have a comparable standalone battery life and support AAC for high-quality, consistent streaming stability on iPhones. Another option: the Mobvoi TicPods Free, which are also stemmed and filter out ambient noise.
If you’re an iPhone user, your dollar goes a lot further with the Apple AirPods Pro than with the RHA TrueConnect. The AirPods Pro have great noise cancellation a comfortable fit and longer battery life. Plus, they’re packed to the gills with sensor technology which enables automatic ear detection and voice isolation when speaking through the microphones.
Should you buy the RHA TrueConnect?
Seeing how the RHA TrueConnect earphones now fluctuate between $100 and $120, they’re a good deal for listeners who value design and build quality. The seal is effective, and the earbuds are water-resistant which is great news for us althetes. These earbuds gave the AirPods a run for their money back in 2018, but don’t hold up quite as well in 2020. If you want to stretch your dollar a bit further, there exist a plethora of high-quality true wireless earbuds under $100, some of which even support multiple Bluetooth codecs.