RHA TrueConnect 2 review: superb true wireless earbuds, straight outta Scotland

The RHA TrueConnect 2 review in a sentence: with decidedly Apple-esque looks, beefed up performance and a very attractive price, TrueConnect 2 is a bit like getting AirPod Pro for the price of a pair of AirPods.

Made by RHA – Scotland's leading, and possibly only, headphones brand – there wasn't anything terribly wrong with the original TrueConnect. In fact they were among the best true wireless buds under £150, but version 2 has been improved in every way. They now boast much better battery life, dust proofing as well as water/sweat resistance, dual mics for calls instead of a single one, longer Bluetooth range and touch controls. Oh, and they're even cheaper than the originals, too. Woop!

• Buy direct from RHA for £129.95

If you're on a budget, you might also want to consider the original TrueConnect, if they're going cheap…

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RHA TrueConnect 2: price and battery life

RHA TrueConnect 2 is on sale now priced £129.95. I don't have a US price yet but I would assume about $150.

Battery life is well up to scratch at 9 hours per charge – the same as Beats Powerbeats Pro – with, even more impressively, 35 hours of in-case recharging. That gives a total of, by my maths, 44 hours, which is great for true wireless. 

RHA TrueConnect 2: build quality and design

With their short stalks – which you stroke to change volume, and which contain mics for your calls and AI assistant triggering needs – TrueConnect 2 don't look a million miles removed from AirPods. Actually, with their deeper in-ear fit and much improved sound and noise isolation – no noise cancelling here, however – they are more like AirPods Pro. Yet they cost about the same as your standard AirPod buds.

Getting the TrueConnect 2 to fit is a bit of a struggle, for me at any rate. Which is odd considering they come with no fewer than seven pairs of different sized ear tips. 

I found the first pair of tips I tried filled my ear to such an extent that it was quite unpleasant – although there was undeniably a very good seal to keep noise out; almost like bing underwater. The next size down was comfortable but gave a rather insecure fit. Ultimately I resorted to using a Comply tip – not provided; I just happened to have some to hand – and that worked very well.

However, even then I found the wobbled about a bit too much during vigorous workouts and when running. To be fair, I do have a rather clodhopping running style.  With an IP55 rating for liquid and dust proofing, they are suitable for use as running headphones in terms of being sweat resistant.

As usual on true wireless buds, the touch controls here are not perfect and take some getting used to… but that's not rocket science and they do work alright. The battery case is pretty compact, particularly given that it has a big enough battery to charge the buds for a total of 35 hours.

Both the blue and black finishes are very attractive. Overall build quality and 'feel' punch well above their weight when compared to the price. £130 is very affordable for such great sounding true wireless headphones, but TrueConnect 2 definitely don't feel cheap.

RHA TrueConnect 2: sound quality

RHA says it's 'refined the sound signature' of the new version of TrueConnect 2. I don't really know what that means – perhaps there's a bit less bass and a bit more of everything else? Anyway, the original TrueConnect sounded superb, and so does TrueConnect 2, once you get the fit right. 

The audio is upfront and punchy but without being obtrusively 'coloured'. It's right up there with the likes of AirPods Pro, Sennheiser Momentum True and the Beats Powerbeats. Maybe they don't sound quite as good as that illustrious trio, or the Sony WF-1000XM3. For some reason, these don't seem to support AAC or aptX, which would have helped them sound even better. 

But then the TrueConnect 2 are significantly cheaper than all of the rivals I mentioned. And everything from light pop to spoken word to rock bombast and electronic thumping is handled with aplomb. These are really musical, strong-sounding earbuds.

Call quality is definitely improved over the original TrueConnect, and some people will value the increased Bluetooth range – it's now 15 metres instead of 10. 

RHA TrueConnect 2 review: verdict

Once you've got them in your ears right, you could be forgiven for thinking the TrueConnect 2 cost way more than RHA is asking. And they say Scots are stingy. 

In terms of build and audio quality, there's very little to criticise here. The touch controls work well enough and battery life is excellent by true wireless standards. Given the fact they're sweat resistant, it's a shame the fit means they're not ideal for runs and workouts. They aren't terrible but there are better options in that area. 

As a pair of everyday true wireless buds, however, the TrueConnect 2 is truly excellent. The price is great – way cheaper than a load of rivals that it sounds almost as good as, and only a little more than Cambridge Audio's Melomania, which it sounds and looks a bit better than. Maybe your next earbud purchase should come straight outta Scotland, then…

• Buy direct from RHA for £129.95