Panasonic is a pioneer in audio equipment with a legendary track record over many decades. So it’s kind of funny that only now, they’ve decided to enter the wireless earbuds space. It’s about time!
Panasonic is debuting three wireless earphones. I’ve reviewed their high-end offering, the Technics EAH-AZ70W, and the mid-range version, the Panasonic RZ-S500W.
Today, I’ll be reviewing the Panasonic RZ-300W wireless earbuds. This is another mid-range earphone with long battery life, voice assistant compatibility, and excellent sound reproduction. These reviews should help you choose the right Panasonic earbuds for you.
Panasonic RZ-S300W notable specs:
- Bluetooth 5.0
- IPX4 water resistance
- 30 hours of battery life: 7.5 hours from the earbuds, 22.5 hours from the case
- Voice assistant compatibility
- Panasonic Audio Connect app compatibility
- Ambient Sound mode
Design of the Panasonic RZ-S300W
To appreciate any earbud design, you have to compare it to others. These earbuds are considerably smaller than the RZ-S500W and the Technics EAH-AZ70W. If you want small profile earbuds, the RZ-S300W is for you.
It comes in both black and white using matte plastic. I would characterize the overall design as modest. It’s not over-the-top, nor is it ugly. It’s simple and I think a lot of people will appreciate that.
The earbud features a silver ring around the back touch panel. Each one has three high-performance MEMS microphones designed to minimize environmental noise. They are incredibly light, weighing only 4 grams. Inside are 6 mm drivers which are smaller than the 8mm drivers in the RZ-S500W and the 10mm drivers in the Technics EAH-AZ70W.
The USB-C charging cradle is the same size as the RZ-S500W. It’s small enough to carry in a front pocket and has a bare-bones design. The earbuds magnetically connect inside the case. Above the lid are two pads that hold the earbuds in the case during travel.
Setting up the RZ-S300W
As I’ve stated many times before, wireless earbuds are notoriously unstable. With some pairs, I never know if I’m going to get both earbuds connected. Sometimes, it’s like flipping a coin, I kid you not.
The one common theme in all of these Panasonic wireless earbud reviews is a stable Bluetooth connection. Panasonic uses left-right independent signaling to provide a reliable connection. Basically, each earbud connects independently to a device, even if you see it as a single Bluetooth device. I can hear each earbud connect to my smartphone at slightly different times. Once connected, they are in sync and never lost connection.
Mark my words, this left-right independent signaling will soon become the industry standard. It works exactly as advertised.
Panasonic RZ-S300W sound quality
The 6mm drivers deliver a familiar sound that resembles the other Panasonic earbuds I’ve reviewed. Mid-range bass and high treble notes seem to be emphasized but low bass seems to be missing. This frequency sound signature will appeal to the majority of listeners out there. Bass-centric listeners might want to opt for the RZ-S500W. Being tiny earbuds, I was still impressed with the overall sound profile. Personally, I could just use a little more low-end the RZ-S500W and Technics EAH-AZ70W both provide.
The sound isolation is okay but not spectacular. If you’re looking for noise cancellation for travel or avoiding distractions, I recommend the RZ-S500W. It uses Dual Hybrid Noise Cancelling ANC and provides 50 levels of intensity to match your environment.
App compatibility
The RZ-S300W works with the free “Panasonic Audio Connect” app. Here you can make adjustments to suit your needs. Users can choose between sound presets for “bass optimization” and “clear speech intelligibility”. There’s also a sound mode with a five-band EQ.
Another great feature is the find function. It’s only a matter of time until you misplace these small earbuds. The find function sends beeps to help users locate their missing earbuds.
A couple things to note with the find function. First, the earbuds cannot be inside the charging case. They need to be connected to the phone. Otherwise, you’ll only be able to check the position of the earbuds the last time they were connected to a device. Second, the sound that it emits is not very loud. If you’re in a noisy environment, it might be hard to hear. Keep that in mind if you ever have to go looking for them.
The app also provides firmware updates to the earbuds. The update occurred automatically when I opened the app for the first time. This ensures users always have the latest firmware installed.
One difference I noticed between the other earbuds was Ambient Sound Control. With the RZ-S300W, it can only be turned on or off. With the RZ-S500W and the Technics EAH-AZ70W, the app allows for variable control. That’s an important thing to know if you’re choosing between the RZ-500W and the RZ-300W.
Final thoughts on the Panasonic RZ-S300W
When it comes to headphones, there are no shortages of choices from a multitude of brands. Panasonic is entering a competitive and crowded wireless earbud market. Their success ultimately depends on how they differentiate from the competition.
As a reviewer, it was a unique experience to listen to the same music on all three Panasonic earbuds. I heard subtle differences in noise cancellation, ambient modes, and frequency attenuation.
The sound profile in all three is impressive. Side-by-side, I heard the sonic differences 10, 8, and 6mm drivers provide. Naturally, the biggest difference was between the 6mm drivers in the RZ-S300W and the 10mm drivers in the Technics EAH-AZ70W.
After reviewing all three new earbuds from Panasonic, here’s my conclusion. The RZ-S300W is a good choice for someone looking for small headphones with long battery life and a great sound profile. You won’t experience any dropouts with these earbuds.
If you like more low-end music and want more customization like ANC, the RZ-S500W is a better fit. The sound between the two is close but differs in frequency attenuation.
If money isn’t the issue and you want the best quality, go with the Technics EAH-AZ70. It’s the premium version with all the bells and whistles. Perfect choice to listeners who identify themselves as audiophiles and treasure legendary audio equipment.
Either way, Panasonic has impressed me with its debut offerings. If you are looking for small budget-friendly wireless earbuds, give the Panasonic RZ-S300W or RZ-S500W a try.
After reading all about the different Panasonic earbuds, I believe the Panasonic RZ-S500W to be the perfect fit for me that enjoys Audio books and oldies music.
Technics EAH-AZ70. It’s the premium version with all the bells and whistles. I’d love to own a high end pair, I’d use them in the car, plane, and home for all of my music!
RZ300W. I would like among other things the long battery life
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