[proedros]

  The RE600 came in today.  I had forgotten how tiny the housings were on the 400/600.  Using the same HiFiman bi-flanges, I have to say I prefer the fit of the 600 more just due to the tiny size.  I still find the 262 very comfortable but they are tubby in comparison and longer listening session comfort will benefit from the size of the 600.  I also prefer the modular placement on the cable of the 600; it's much further down.  I'm going to have an RSA balanced adapter cable made to run on the Duet.
 
Signature wise they really aren't too far apart.  The 262 is a slightly thinner overall note and I actually prefer that, it really lets the 262 bass shine.  The 600 is a bit thicker and richer with a bit fuller bass.  I'm sure most would prefer the 600 here but in direct contrast the 262 sounds more delicate in bass, which sounds fantastic to me.
 
The midranges are pretty similar as well, with the 262 having slightly more upper mid around 2k.  So again it sounds less weighty and perhaps a hair more transparent than the 600 but the 600 has a nice lush vocal that's very appealing.  The biggest difference is in treble.  The 262 has more sparkle and brightness but is also more peaky.  The 600 is darker but much smoother with similar detail levels.
 
So IMO one isn't clearly better than the other; there are plus and minuses on both but I'm going to keep the 600 for the better cable, even better fit and smoother treble.  I wish I could have a frankenstein HiFiman that is a combination of both signatures.  I'll be putting my 262 up in the classifieds shortly.

 
another stellar review shane

reading your review , you make me happy as i see the sonic differences between the 262 and the 600 don't justify , imho , shelling out an extra 350$ (i managed to get a used 262 for 60$) for the RE600

i find the treble on the 262 not peaky at all (but i compare it with the 272 treble) so i guess i am fine with it - i will be trying in a couple of weeks the RE600 , but your review makes me feel OK if i decide to stay with the 262/272 combo and not buy the re600

perhaps you should keep the 262 and sell the (much pricier) 600 ? an iem that does the job so well for just 100$ is an iem we should not sell that easily...?

again thank you for another insightful and to-the-point review / comparison

 

 

[Jupiterknight]

   
another stellar review shane

reading your review , you make me happy as i see the sonic differences between the 262 and the 600 don't justify , imho , shelling out an extra 350$ (i managed to get a used 262 for 60$) for the RE600

i find the treble on the 262 not peaky at all (but i compare it with the 272 treble) so i guess i am fine with it - i will be trying in a couple of weeks the RE600 , but your review makes me feel OK if i decide to stay with the 262/272 combo and not buy the re600

perhaps you should keep the 262 and sell the (much pricier) 600 ? an iem that does the job so well for just 100$ is an iem we should not sell that easily...?

again thank you for another insightful and to-the-point review / comparison

 

No, no.. he can't keep the RE262 because I have just bought it from him...

 Actually, the third time that I have bought a pair of RE262 but I will sell it again if I have to.. I just needed to hear it again and combine with something else.. and maybe help me pass the last Phillips frequency test to finally have Golden Ears. I know I'm out of context..

 

[shotgunshane]

Tonight I tried Rin's tape mod on the 600- basically put a small piece of tape over the vent on the housing at the base of the stress relief and puncture it with a pinhole. I used electrical tape and made the pinhole prior to applying it.

The mod gives me a leaner, tighter note with a little sub bass kick to it, and perhaps a bump around 2k. Now my 600 sounds even more similar to the 262. The leaner note helps bring the perception of treble out as well. This along with using ortofon single flange tips for a deeper fit are making the 600 a much more enjoyable experience. Now to get my balanced adapter...

 

[proedros]

i love this little bugger - you can't ask for a better iem for 50-60$ (that's how much i got mine)

when amped with my arrow amp, these perform in the 200$+ league

well done Hifiman

 

[shotgunshane]

After living with the re600 for a bit, I've come to the conclusion they are not necessarily better than the re262 and for the most part are on par.

Basically I think the re262 bass is better, mids are a toss up with the re600 being more refined and a bit thicker but not really better, and the treble has pros and cons both ways. The re262 is a bit brighter, more sparkle but less even with more noticeable peaks. The re600 sounds more extended and even but is shelved down and darker affecting timbre of instruments like piano.

So I decided to pick up a balanced re400b and a used re0 on the classifieds...

 

[proedros]

After living with the re600 for a bit, I've come to the conclusion they are not necessarily better than the re262 and for the most part are on par.

Basically I think the re262 bass is better, mids are a toss up with the re600 being more refined and a bit thicker but not really better, and the treble has pros and cons both ways. The re262 is a bit brighter, more sparkle but less even with more noticeable peaks. The re600 sounds more extended and even but is shelved down and darker affecting timbre of instruments like piano.

So I decided to pick up a balanced re400b and a used re0 on the classifieds...

 
 
shane do you wish you hadn't sold your 262 ?
 
i am about to try out the re-600 myself as i am a big Hifiman fan, for the moment both pairs of 262 keep me happy and satisfied , especially when putting into consideration the money i spent for them (50 and 60 dollars)
 
sure , they ain't perfect and they have some (minor) flaws but i rotate them with 272 and eq5 and these will not be sold in the near future

according to sweden who just tried the re600 and used to own re-262, when i aksed him if re600 justifies the price difference he said the following
 
To cut it short it's not worth the 300 dollar premium at all. The RE-262 was a bit of a disappointment with it's too midscentric sound with not the best soundstage and the RE-600 hardly sound much better than the RE-400. I still like the sound of the 600 better than the 262 and I like the ergonomics and the fact you don't get any vacuum suction with the RE-600 using stock double flange tips.
I guess you will have to listen for yourself

 

[shotgunshane]

Maybe a little bit. No guarantees I'd still have kept it long term though. As my ear has become better trained, I've become very sensitive to problem areas in treble. Those can often be unusually small but with time become aggravating/annoying.

The only major improvements on the re600 that are truly upgrades to the re262 are all physical- smaller, better built housing, better cable, better placed modular extension, better fit, etc.

The re0 had my favorite Hifiman treble, so I'm looking forward to hear if I still think that way.

 

[proedros]

Maybe a little bit. No guarantees I'd still have kept it long term though. As my ear has become better trained, I've become very sensitive to problem areas in treble. Those can often be unusually small but with time become aggravating/annoying.

The re0 had my favorite Hifiman treble, so I'm looking forward to hear if I still think that way.

 
 
you should get the re-272 then , fantastic treble quality i have a pair these last 2.5 years.....272 is the treble king

 

[shotgunshane]

I had the re272 for some time a while back. I thought it technically very good but just didn't gel with me for some reason. And I would say it is still the technically best Hifiman to date.

 

[proedros]

I had the re272 for some time a while back. I thought it technically very good but just didn't gel with me for some reason. And I would say it is still the technically best Hifiman to date.

 
i haven't heard the 600 , but from the zero/252/262/400 , it is the best technically
 
i think that the significant flaw of the 262 , is that it's not suitable for 'fast' music - maybe because of the rich/lush mids

i just put BSSM by RHCP , and the 272 completely 'liberates' it compared to the 262
 
i think 262 and 272 complement each other - where the 272 shines the 262 doesn't - and vice versa.

i prefer both though over the EQ-5

 

[shotgunshane]

The balanced re400 is here. My balanced adapters won't be here until tomorrow but I can listen single ended.

I'm really surprised- they sound pretty darn good. I don't remember the first single ended pair I had, when it first came out, ever being close to this good. This re400 has much better tonal balance than the re600. It gives up some refinement to the re600 but I'd choose the re400 any day of the week over it. Really looking forward to the balanced adapters tomorrow.

 

[Jupiterknight]

The balanced re400 is here. My balanced adapters won't be here until tomorrow but I can listen single ended.

I'm really surprised- they sound pretty darn good. I don't remember the first single ended pair I had, when it first came out, ever being close to this good. This re400 has much better tonal balance than the re600. It gives up some refinement to the re600 but I'd choose the re400 any day of the week over it. Really looking forward to the balanced adapters tomorrow.

 
I can't say I'm truly surprised with your finding or preference. Albeit, it is of course very personal and as always others will kindly disagree  I'm perfectly fine with my ER4-S/ RE262 combo gives me a fairly linear sound and it suits the base of my musical preferences/sources etc. and how I like to hear/enjoy it. I think in the end that is all that really matters.
 
 I still have the RE400, although taken over by my better half since she deserved it but certainly doesn't mean that I'm denied access to it or anything else.. and I will take advantage of this possibility...

 
Now, a balanced option sounds very interesting and I look forward to hear your experience with this "threesome"  I mean it is like having two instead of a single 

..