HiFiMAN RE-272 Review - Page 7

I have somewhat said this before, but RE272 is perhaps the most transformed of any IEM I have right now when balanced amped, though that is a bit obvious since it is developed with balanced amp in mind (Stepdance does wonder too). While RE-ZERO also benefit from balanced amping, it doesn't transform quite as much. Those of you who have a balanced amp should really give it a go.

I must admit, when it comes to strictly vocals, I'm finding it very hard to look past the 262's. In fact, I've spent longer listening with them today than even my EX1000's.

Hello ClieOS

Can you please explain how the sound of the 272 is transformed? I'm interested in looking at getting a balanced amp for use with my 272s and Cowon J3, but only if its going to be a significant improvement.  Do you think it's worth the outlay?

Am I right in saying there's pretty much only the Ray Samuels SR71B and iBasso PB2 that are portable balanced amps?  How does the Stepdance work if its not stricly balanced?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ClieOS 

I have somewhat said this before, but RE272 is perhaps the most transformed of any IEM I have right now when balanced amped, though that is a bit obvious since it is developed with balanced amp in mind (Stepdance does wonder too). While RE-ZERO also benefit from balanced amping, it doesn't transform quite as much. Those of you who have a balanced amp should really give it a go.

I can't really get a coherent image of the sound of the RE272 from this thread, opinions seem a little scattered or fluctuating. The only person that has described them accurately so far is bennyboy. if he thought the CK10 was "rhythmically strangling a cat" and the RE272 is "an island full of naked women" then that is the only opinion that has really sold me thus far.

That Bennyboy speaks a whole heap of good sense

The 272 is certainly a lot brighter than the 262, but not in the sibilant ssssssenssssse of the CK10.  Rather, it has plenty of shimmer up top, which helps with the micro detailing that it reveals across the instrument spectrum.

Soundstaging is much more 'transparent' with the 272 than 262 - the latter's no slouch in scope and three dimensionality, but the 272 just puts the music around and in the head without any audible joins.  If you tinker with the Cowon J3's various settings, like I have been doing, you can get a downright scarily immersive thang going on - in that sense, its almost as holographic in projection as the SM3, and I'd even go so far as to say its actually much more coherent and invisible than the Earsonics..

Quote:

Originally Posted by kiteki 

 

I can't really get a coherent image of the sound of the RE272 from this thread, opinions seem a little scattered or fluctuating. The only person that has described them accurately so far is bennyboy. if he thought the CK10 was "rhythmically strangling a cat" and the RE272 is "an island full of naked women" then that is the only opinion that has really sold me thus far.

 

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doonewillya 

Hello ClieOS

 

Can you please explain how the sound of the 272 is transformed? I'm interested in looking at getting a balanced amp for use with my 272s and Cowon J3, but only if its going to be a significant improvement.  Do you think it's worth the outlay?

 

Am I right in saying there's pretty much only the Ray Samuels SR71B and iBasso PB2 that are portable balanced amps?  How does the Stepdance work if its not stricly balanced?

 

Hmmm, How do I put this into words... Well, it is like having an invisible wall removed from the background of the music, making it exceptionally transparent. It feels like the dynamic range of the IEM gets tuned-up a notch when going from single end to balanced amp. Where the single end RE272 is just a little focus on the upper vocal, the balanced RE272 just smooths and expends it out to being more neutral yet open.

Stepdance has active balanced ground. The ground channel is constantly balanced with the left and right signal together to create total sum of zero voltage across the cable and create a similar effect like being balanced. It is not true balanced, but from my observation comparing the balanced output on HifiMan HM801's balanced amp module and Stepdance, I'll say the end result is very similar. Stepdance might not be 100% like a real balanced output, but it is very close. Given that I don't have to recable most of my IEM to get effect of balanced amp'ed, I'll say it is well worth it.
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doonewillya 

That Bennyboy speaks a whole heap of good sense

 

The 272 is certainly a lot brighter than the 262, but not in the sibilant ssssssenssssse of the CK10.  Rather, it has plenty of shimmer up top, which helps with the micro detailing that it reveals across the instrument spectrum.

 

Soundstaging is much more 'transparent' with the 272 than 262 - the latter's no slouch in scope and three dimensionality, but the 272 just puts the music around and in the head without any audible joins.  If you tinker with the Cowon J3's various settings, like I have been doing, you can get a downright scarily immersive thang going on - in that sense, its almost as holographic in projection as the SM3, and I'd even go so far as to say its actually much more coherent and invisible than the Earsonics..

 

Thanks, have you tested any sharp and bright violin pieces? They are the best indicator for me if a 'phone is too bright or not and how it handles sibilance.

My initial impressions of the RE0 were it had a very well placed treble, on a fine line between clarity and sibilance, then when I started testing some violin tracks I was wincing. =/

Edit: I never found the CK10 that sibilant, it had a 10kHz sibilance which I find almost always quite listenable, same as SA-5000, ER-4PT and A2000X, and various other headphones with a peak at 10kHz.

It's the peakiness somewhere below that that I find truly sibilant, I'm not sure where but obviously not 6kHz since lots of IEM's seem to have focus in that region, including customs.

Well, I've tested tracks with violins throughout, yes, and although they tend to the bright side, they don't sound like nails down blackboards.   I think my issues with the CK10 were exaccerbated by the lack of a good fit - they virtually sliced my earlugs into ribbons of bloody, screaming pain. I had to restrain myself from stamping on them repeatedly in anguish.

I'm definitely not a treble head and definitely find the 272s to walk that borderline you mention. But so far I'd say they err on the right side on the tolerable threshold.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kiteki 

 

Thanks, have you tested any sharp and bright violin pieces? They are the best indicator for me if a 'phone is too bright or not and how it handles sibilance.

 

My initial impressions of the RE0 were it had a very well placed treble, on a fine line between clarity and sibilance, then when I started testing some violin tracks I was wincing. =/

 

Edit: I never found the CK10 that sibilant, it had a 10kHz sibilance which I find almost always quite listenable, same as SA-5000, ER-4PT and A2000X, and various other headphones with a peak at 10kHz.

 

It's the peakiness somewhere below that that I find truly sibilant, I'm not sure where but obviously not 6kHz since lots of IEM's seem to have focus in that region, including customs.

 

Well, my ears are picking up a rather annoying emphasis around 1.5 - 2 kHz. The region from 8-14 khz is also very bright.

I've been running my RE-272s for 24 hours continuously now and feel they should be reasonably burned-in. I'm sorry to say that they're really not to my tastes at all. They sound far too lean and fatiguing to my ears from all of my sources (J3, Clip+, iPhone 4 and HM-601). The clarity is decent and they certainly have extended treble but I find them really lacking in body and drive. Mid bass is non existent - even EQ'ing can't help. I've tried all manner of tips including large Sony Hybrids.They remind of those awful Focal Utopia loudspeakers when partnered with Naim amps - hard and earsplitting.

Needless to say that these are going back to Amp City first thing tomorrow morning on their 30 day moneyback guarantee. I've never sent anything back before, but these are really poor IMO. Buy with caution - these may suit acoustic listeners but they're not an all-rounder IME. Not a patch on the e-Q7s or FX700s. I haven't tried the 262s - they've offered to send me a pair.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hi-fi Wigwammer 
 I haven't tried the 262s - they've offered to send me a pair.

Well if you prefers the other end of RE272 sound signature, then RE262 will likely to better suit your ears.

Not tried the FX700s (where did you buy those from in UK?), but I'd say the 272s beat the E-Q7s hands down.  Like I said, I'm not a treblehead, but the rolled off treble fo the Ortofons really stood out when I moved on from them to other iems.

But each to their own.

If you haven't sent the 272s back yet, try the following custom eq on the J3 and see if that helps tame the highs:

80hz - wide - level 2

300hz - wide - 0

780hz - wide - 0

4.1khz - wide - 0

13khz - wide - 0

MP Enhance on

Stereo Enhance 3

All other settings off
 

Works beautifully for me.
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hi-fi Wigwammer 

I've been running my RE-272s for 24 hours continuously now and feel they should be reasonably burned-in. I'm sorry to say that they're really not to my tastes at all. They sound far too lean and fatiguing to my ears from all of my sources (J3, Clip+, iPhone 4 and HM-601). The clarity is decent and they certainly have extended treble but I find them really lacking in body and drive. Mid bass is non existent - even EQ'ing can't help. I've tried all manner of tips including large Sony Hybrids.They remind of those awful Focal Utopia loudspeakers when partnered with Naim amps - hard and earsplitting.

 

Needless to say that these are going back to Amp City first thing tomorrow morning on their 30 day moneyback guarantee. I've never sent anything back before, but these are really poor IMO. Buy with caution - these may suit acoustic listeners but they're not an all-rounder IME. Not a patch on the e-Q7s or FX700s. I haven't tried the 262s - they've offered to send me a pair.

Thanks for the EQ suggestion i'll give that a try on my J3.

Re the FX700s I imported them directly from PriceJapan.

Well, a great headphone shouldn't need EQ. Maybe RE272 just needs to be balanced and run out of a great source to sound right.

It certainly shouldn't need major EQ'ing. These things are a painful listen with rock ie Foo Fighters or Radiohead (even out of the HM-601 - which ought to be a perfect match).

The last IEM I owned that needed a fair bit of tweaking was the UM3X, to lift the treble.