RHA TrueConnect 2 Review

When RHA introduced the TrueConnect earbuds in 2018, it was a relief. The true wireless headphone market was still in its infancy, and there were many mediocre products on the market. However, the RHA True Connect blew us away with the best build quality we’ve experienced so far and excellent sound quality. Now :updated, and the true wireless earbuds market has exploded and matured. You can now get great, true wireless earbuds under $100 or $200 to get market-leading tops, like the Sony WF-1000XM3. This is our RHA TrueConnect 2 Review.

1. RHA TrueConnect 2 Review: Design

The TrueConnect and TrueConnect 2 look almost identical next to each other. Both are still one of the best built true wireless headphones on the market. The soft-touch finish and the matte black aluminum finish for the charging case are still here, and yes, it’s still a fingerprint magnet. The earplugs themselves are made of plastic and coated in the same soft-touch finish as the charging case, making them easy to grip, but they also pick up oil like a sponge.

You’ll want to bring a cleaning cloth if you don’t want your headphones to look like you dropped them in a bag of chips. The main design change is to remove the physical buttons. Instead, there are capacitive touch buttons, which work fine but show a slight delay from button press to action compared to the physical buttons of the original TrueConnect. This also means that users in colder climates need capacitive touch gloves to operate the earplugs.

An improvement is an IP55 classification, which means that you can train without worries with the TrueConnect 2. The charging case is still a striking appearance on the market due to its unique lid and aluminum construction quality. Although it is a bulky battery of 35 hours, the charging case feels like it can take a beating. Besides, it is equipped with USB-C charging and a battery indicator on the front.

RHA TrueConnect 2 Review: Features

The RHA TrueConnect 2 is a bit light when it comes to features – there is Siri/Google Assistant/Bixby support, but that’s about it. There is no active noise cancellation or an app to customize the listening experience. The advantage is that the headphones just work and don’t have to tinker to sound great out of the box, unlike the Jabra Elite 75t.

When it comes to controls, users will have to learn what each earpiece does, because you don’t have one button to access all the controls. With the left button, you can play/pause, select songs, voice wizard and pair, with the right button you can play/pause, increase/decrease volume, voice wizard and pair. This means that you can use both buds in single-bud mode, which is not always the case with true wireless headphones.

One notable feature we are missing is multipoint pairing, which allows the headphones to be paired with two devices at the same time. This means that you need to disable Bluetooth on one device, activate pairing mode with a press of 5 seconds, and then turn Bluetooth back on to your original device. Every time you want to switch between your phone and laptop, this becomes maddening. By 2020, multipoint pairing should be mandatory.

2. RHA TrueConnect 2 Review: Performance

RHA claims to have “refined” the sound quality of the TrueConnect, but it is difficult to pinpoint precisely what has changed. Both headphones have a slightly warm presentation, making them easy to listen to for hours. The mid-tones stand out in the tonal performance, making the vocals in the tracks stand out. The highlights have a suitable extension but lack the shine and detail of more expensive headphones such as the Sennheiser True Wireless 2. The bass is excellent, with tons of body, without being overconfident.

However, the biggest disappointment with the sound quality is the audible hissing when no music is played or played at low volume. This hissing was not present in the original TrueConnect, so it is disappointing to hear it with the latest generation of headphones. Although most users will not notice the hissing while playing music, more critical listeners will be frustrated.

The good news is that the original RHA TrueConnect had excellent call quality, and that is no different for TrueConnect 2. Friends and family reported excellent call quality. Just as necessary is the wireless strength – we were able to leave our phone in another room, and the sound was still played flawlessly without dropping out.

3. Conclusion

The original RHA TrueConnect was a simple recommendation in 2018 thanks to its excellent build and sound quality; the second-gen TrueConnect 2 is more difficult to recommend. The competition has improved enormously, and there are a few disappointments of TrueConnect 2, such as the audible hissing and the lack of multipoint pairing. However, the RHA TrueConnect 2 remains one of the best built, truly wireless headphones at any price, and the enormous improvement in battery life is incredible.

They’re not perfect, but if you want one of the best true wireless earbuds with a warm, pleasant sound, then this is the right choice.