High-end headphones can make me miss the ease of smaller, lighter gear. After trying the Philips 100th Anniversary SHP9500CY, nicknamed “The Freddie” after Freddie Mercury, I picked up another 100th Anniversary model. The wireless TAH2000 is “The Ringo,” named after Ringo Starr of The Beatles. Its retro appearance caught my eye; I wanted to know what it offered beyond a low price.
Unboxing and Accessories
The packaging is practical. Inside the paper box, you will find the unit and a manual. What stands out are the additional ear pads. Along with the default gray, you get grapefruit and lemon-colored pads, allowing you to customize the look based on your mood. Considering the price is in the 20,000 KRW range, I was impressed by the build quality and the thoughtful inclusions.
Design and Comfort
The minimal design has a Y2K feel that works as a fashion accessory. At about 80g, the headphones are exceptionally light. They sit on the ears, but the soft pads and gentle headband pressure kept them comfortable. I could wear them on a walk or through a long session without pain.
Core Sound Quality
The balance is clear and crisp, with vocals and treble taking the lead. Instruments have some shimmer, lyrics are easy to follow, and there isn’t the muddiness I often associate with budget audio. Bass is tight rather than deep or forceful. That may feel thin to bass lovers, but the clean presentation makes sense here. I’d happily pay another 3,000 KRW for LDAC, though.
Resolution, Soundstage, and Imaging
The on-ear structure places obvious limits on the scale of the presentation, but within those limits the separation between instrumental layers is respectable. Sounds don’t all collapse into one indistinct mass. There is enough direction and definition to give the arrangement a stable outline. It would be unreasonable to expect the expansive stage or the finest upper-frequency detail of high-end equipment, yet the basic performance is solid for the money. Simpler arrangements and everyday video watching make particularly good use of what is here. Those are the situations in which the practical value becomes clearest.
Real-World Usage
After a few days, I understood the emphasis on convenience. A dedicated app with adjustable EQ is an unusually useful feature at this price. The low weight initially made the headphones feel toy-like, but hours spent working and doing chores changed my view. For this kind of casual use, the freedom from heavy equipment matters more than the initial impression in the hand. Barely noticing the headphones is an advantage.
Bluetooth stability was better than I had expected, and multipoint made a particularly useful difference to everyday convenience. I could watch a video on the laptop and then take a call from my phone immediately, which suited a day spent moving between tasks. That experience is a different pleasure from assembling more elaborate audio equipment to examine every detail of a recording. Here, music can simply become part of the background of the day. The headphones make that easy, without their weight or the effort of managing them becoming the focus.
Pros
- Very light and comfortable
- A retro look that works as an accessory
- Affordable enough to make an appealing gift
- Up to 26 hours of battery life with 6 hours of playback from a 15-minute charge
Cons
- No noise cancellation, with ambient sound coming through the on-ear fit
- Limited appeal if LDAC or a very deep soundstage is a priority
Tips Before Buying
Install the Philips app if you’d like access to the EQ controls. My own preference is for the feel of the Dynamic Bass enhancement mode rather than focusing on EQ adjustments. There is also a new brown color to consider. It was added after the original release, which is why that version’s box is the one carrying the VGP 2025 SUMMER award logo.
Final Thoughts
This pair gives me a sense of the solid basics behind the Philips name. At around 20,000 KRW, it brings retro styling, enjoyable sound, and useful functions together without much weight on the head. It isn’t an overwhelming audio revelation, but it doesn’t need to be for this role. As an easy companion for everyday music, it does the job very well. Part of the pleasure is approaching it without large expectations and finding more to enjoy in the sound than the price had led me to anticipate.
