RHA CL2
One of the most innovative high-end in-ear headphones has emerged to the public from the enormous efforts of the British audio equipment manufacturer RHA.
During four years of engineering and intensive development, the RHA CL2 Planar with its planar magnetic driver has become the first wireless in-ear headphone housing 10 mm drivers which consist of a 16 micron thin membrane along with a planar coil between two powerful magnetic fields.
The premium packed and professionally engineered IEMs aren’t the most accessible earphones on the market and certainly not the best in the audio monitoring region, but they arrive with the greater reward of being extremely versatile for professional environments as well as for personal use, having top-notch sound isolation for traveling and Bluetooth connectivity for ease of use.
Overview
The RHA CL2 Planar forges its way into the audio engineering industry as an innovative In-ear monitor thoughtfully priced, equipped with planar drivers that also make as an excellent choice for most consumers due to its zestful and dynamic sound rendering.
Key Features
- Good and in my opinion very neutral sound
- Large frequency spectrum range
- Valuable processing
- Very good price / performance ratio
RHA CL2 Review
As an initial note: Some headphones from Audeze do take hold of impressive planar drivers too, very few of them are earphones but the gaming headphones with planar magnetic technology are much popular nowadays especially for the very dynamic experience they can provide.
The RHA CL2 is able to ensure a flawless sound precision which has an exceptional spatialization yielding an incredible amount of depth and width, just like most gaming headphones preferred in immersive situations, well-developed cinematics or movies.
One essential detail to take into account before you buy any new, innovative product such as the RHA CL2 earphones, is to bear in mind that only a few ambitious experiments ultimately succeed, likewise buying into them is as stepping into an uncharted area. And as much as CL2 has the appearance of a high-end, premium pair of earphones, the planar drivers do carry a few issues, one of them being the treble which isn’t eloquently detailed and well rendered, while another issue might constrain the small space inside of which the technology must be meticulously installed.
Details
Brand
RHA
Model
CL2
Specialization
Monitor, Casual listening
Package
3.5 mm MMCX cable , 2.5 mm MMCX, SecureFlex Bluetooth neckband: MMCX, Flight case, Carrying pouch, Stainless steel eartip holder, USB C cable, Flight adapter, 1 Set of silicone ear tips, 3 Pairs of Comply™ Foam Tsx400 ear tips, Sports clip
The sound leaves no expectation unfulfilled, achieving a natural timbre along with spacious soundstage. Furthermore, the CL2 Planar offers an inspiring, but energetic audio rendering with the sound reproduction and accuracy of a high-fidelity top-end wireless earphone, even matching the performance of planar magnetic technology found in standard headphones. However, what would have been indeed amazing, is the earphones to store both wireless technology and planar drivers inside two small earpieces, but with the Bluetooth neckband provided, the headphones lose a bit of the cutting-edge appearance and ease.
Advantages & Disadvantages of RHA CL2
As we open with high expectations the box, the most intriguing and impressive advantage of the RHA CL2 is the generous package which comes with a high array of ear tips, two top-grade detachable wired cables (MMCX standard), and an over-the-neck Bluetooth system. The whole bundle is impressive, especially since this package usually comes with pricier earphones.
The performance is very tight in both wired and Bluetooth standard, which is well expected as the difference of sound quality between the wired and wireless connectivity becomes less noticeable. The planar drivers produced by RHA does a fantastic job with the stereophony rendering in the first half of the spectrum, more than so the sound has an exciting feeling attached to it because planar-magnetic drivers are precise with the playback characteristics.
A small portion in the upper mids creates a slightly unfortunate asymmetry in sound, which sets the CL2 back from being a perfect high-fidelity IEM for audio monitoring. Aside from that inconvenience, which RHA plans to fine-tune, the in-ear headphones are well worth their price and provide by far one of the most impressive soundstage along with stereophony image.
- Balanced sound with a lot of details
- Excellent spatial sound reproduction
- Highly customizable, versatile earphones
- Slightly uneven mid-range frequencies
Conclusion
With plenty of ambition, the company has provided a thoroughly fantastic product whose drivers are floating inside the earphones and bequeaths with a full range of frequencies and decently balanced sound with exception to a slightly elevated area in the lower treble which also is less felt as it falls out into the upper range.
All in all, the RHA CL2 Planar is an outstanding in-ear monitor which won’t be grasped by everybody since its price tag is on the higher end of the range. Nonetheless, unlike any other headphone, the CL2’s most enthralling feature is for sure the energetic yet vibrant sound which has unreal dynamics and the excellent reaction, thus providing an impeccable stereo imaging. It has clarity, fulfilling spatialization with enough height, broad width, and depth never disappoint.
