H20 Audio RIPT Ultra Headphones

Comfortable, durable, easy-to-use headphones.

Now that I have a roommate, I’ve been using H20 Audio’s RIPT Ultra Headphones every day: for my strength training sessions, while cleaning the bathroom, while working, during hour-long power walks, and for just about everything else. I rarely take them off! H20 Audio’s RIPT Ultra Headphones have been a dream to use. 

High Sound Quality

The headphones employ 45mm drivers, and I found the sound quality to be pretty great. I was afraid the sound would be kind of blunt and flat, but it’s surprisingly broad, deep, and vibrant. My music sounds strong and clear. The bass has a nice thump but doesn’t overwhelm. Trumpets sound crisp. I ran through a variety of songs from Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain,” to The Otis Redding’s “Try a Little Tenderness,” to the Who’s “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” then back to a sweet ditty by Belle & Sebastian on my first test, and the H20 Audio RIPT Ultra headphones handled every song with ease. Stereo sound, balanced, totally engaging. The only thing I noticed was that the sound had less range when I listened to bands that use lots of distortion. Still, I have been very happy with the headphones. It’s easy to get lost in my surround-sound tunes, which is exactly how it should be. 

Comfortable

I found the H20 Audio RIPT Ultra Headphones very comfortable and simple to use. I like the sleek design and the simple function buttons (three on the right side: one to raise the volume, one to lower the volume, one to turn the headphones on and off, and one on the left side to activate or stop the noise cancelling feature). I can feel with my thumb where the buttons are and quickly change the volume of turn on the headphones. 

The H20 Audio RIPT Ultra Headphones have just the right amount of padding around the ears (my adorable little ears fit perfectly inside the cushions) and along the bottom of the headband. The headband is adjustable, and the earpieces swivel from side to side, making it easy to find a perfect fit. The ends of the band also bend, allowing me to “fold” in the earpieces in toward the headband for storage. I wear them for two or three hours at a time sometimes and forget they’re on. The headphones come with sweat-proof ear cushions that can be removed and cleaned, as well as a “regular” set of ear cushions for use when I’m not sweaty. I wipe them off with a damp cloth after particularly sweaty workouts. After months of use they still look new. 

Super Battery

I’m a bit of a disaster about keeping chargers and cords organized, so I love that the H20 Audio RIPT Ultra Headphones hold a charge for 50 hours! I literally go a couple of weeks between charges, sometimes longer. I wear the headphones while exercising, then put them on later in the day when I’m working at my computer. I put them on again at night to watch a movie. I like the immersive sound experience, and it’s a great way to keep my sounds to myself when my roommate needs the house to be quiet. 

Since I use the H20 Audio RIPT Ultra Headphones exclusively to keep my noise to myself, I haven’t spent much time trying to understand the noise-cancelling feature. The few times I have used the noise-cancelling button it has a decent jog dampening ambient noises. I live near a highway, and I can definitely notice that the noise cancelling blocks that highway buzz. If I’m playing music or a movie on my laptop but want to block out the sound while I talk on the phone, the headphones do a decent job of reducing (but not eliminating) the the sound. I notice the noise-cancelling feature most when I’m in crowded places; it helps muffle the noises I don’t want to hear.

Versatile and Easy to Pair

The H20 Audio RIPT Ultra Headphones are super easy to pair with my laptop and iPad mini via Bluetooth 5.4. I have some trouble pairing the headphones with my iPhone, though. I think the problem is that my Apple Watch and iPhone compete for the signal, so I have to turn off Bluetooth on one device to connect the other. 

I’m old school enough to still use and love my old iPod Classic. So, I absolutely love that I can add a plug to my H20 Audio RIPT Ultra Headphones and use them with my iPod. That is where my music lives, and it’s nice to be able to play music even when there’s no wifi. It’s also nice to have headphones that work with all of my devices. 

Because I now take my headphones everywhere I go, I am grateful that H20 Audio packs them in a black, hard-shelled, zippered case. The headphones, both sets of ear cushions, and the charging cord fit into the compact case, which I can drop into my gym bag or day pack with peace of mind. It’s also helpful for keeping track of all the pieces! 

I like to test products for several days or weeks before reading the instructions, so I tested the H20 Audio RIPT Ultra Headphones for a couple of months before I realized I could make and receive phone calls! Embarrassing. But I was so happy with all of the other features that it never occurred to me that the headphones could do more. I lost the earbuds that I got with my phone a long time ago, so I had forgotten that I had the option. I don’t have to make any adjustments to the headphones to use for calls; I just turn off the music and call someone. It’s quite nice talking to people with the comfort of padded headphones and the clarity that a clear speaker provides. 

Bottom Line

I love my H20 Audio RIPT Ultra Headphones. The high quality sound makes my music sound amazing. I’m actually spending more time listening to music now, and that’s a huge positive. I love being able to swap out the ear cushions and have a pair designed for use while exercising. I’m impressed with how easy it is to pair the headphones to my devices when I want to watch a movie or binge on “Shrinking” and with how long the battery lasts between charges. I love the versatility with using the headphones via Bluetooth or analog plug-in. Finally, I appreciate the protective case that makes it easy to pack the headphones for trips. (Read our review of H20 Audio headphones for swimming.)

The H20 Audio RIPT Ultra Headphones make an ideal gift item for the music lover in your life. Or, for yourself. You deserve it. Available in black or grey. 

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