The Hifiman RE2000 - a high end dynamic IEM

[bonbace]

anybody know how is it with fiio x5k ? plus how is RE800 with x5k ?

 

[Brooko]

anybody know how is it with fiio x5k ? plus how is RE800 with x5k ?

Can you repeat question please - I'm not sure what the X5K is.

I have the X5, X5ii and X5iii - if one of those is what you are meaning.

 

[bonbace]

Can you repeat question please - I'm not sure what the X5K is.

I have the X5, X5ii and X5iii - if one of those is what you are meaning.

thank you so much for helping me ! I got from my retailer its another name is x5ii.

 

[Brooko]

Great stuff - thanks. I still love the X5ii - great feature set for a small price. Whats not to like

I haven't had a chance to test the RE800 with the X5ii yet - mostly concentrating on the RE2000 for now.

I tend to listen mostly on low gain, and at a normal listening volume of around 65-75 dB. With classical music, this requires a volume level of around 70/120 - but IMO sounds really good with the RE2000 - very dynamic. For more modern less dynamic music (eg Dire Straits Sultans of Swing), the same dB level is only around 50-55/120. Of course it will depend on your recording and how loud you listen, but for me the X5ii works really well, and does not need extra amplification.

Hope that is helpful.

 

[Currawong]

I'm overdue with impressions. I was catching public transport to work recently, but my iPhone to Mojo cable would only play music for a minute before the iPhone decided it was unsupported.

The Hugo 2 arrived, so I've been listening with that this evening. The bass is definitely one the RE2000's strong points, with good amount of quantity, without being overwhelming. This is one of the things I like most about good dynamic drivers, as well as the cohesiveness of a single driver. The mid-range is a bit on the dark side, making them somewhat mellow with vocals and instruments. The treble, while excellent, with the stock tips has a peak that gives me some sibilance with some modern music, but is just right for classical.

I liked the sound the most when I first listened with them, but I feel that the treble has become brighter since then, so I've switched to the Comply tips, which drop the treble down a notch, but I feel it loses some quality in the process, with percussion sounding unnatural. Annoyingly I couldn't get a seal with Spinfits.

 

[HiFiChris]

Interesting that you cannot get a seal with the SpinFits, Amos - since they have a long stem wherefore they fit and seal very well for me when I'm using them with the RE2000, however to my ears the treble response is mostly identical to the stock tips (grey double-flang/triple-flanges trimmed down to large single-flanges to seal well in my large ears with my wide ear canals while maintaining the same inner length as the stock grey tips), maybe with a touch more lower treble and a slightly reduced upper treble.

 

[twister6]

I'm overdue with impressions. I was catching public transport to work recently, but my iPhone to Mojo cable would only play music for a minute before the iPhone decided it was unsupported.

The Hugo 2 arrived, so I've been listening with that this evening. The bass is definitely one the RE2000's strong points, with good amount of quantity, without being overwhelming. This is one of the things I like most about good dynamic drivers, as well as the cohesiveness of a single driver. The mid-range is a bit on the dark side, making them somewhat mellow with vocals and instruments. The treble, while excellent, with the stock tips has a peak that gives me some sibilance with some modern music, but is just right for classical.

I liked the sound the most when I first listened with them, but I feel that the treble has become brighter since then, so I've switched to the Comply tips, which drop the treble down a notch, but I feel it loses some quality in the process, with percussion sounding unnatural. Annoyingly I couldn't get a seal with Spinfits.

I can relate to that, especially with tip rolling. Seems that silicone tips don't make a perfect seal for me with re2k, while Comply foamies bring up more bass and kill upper frequencies resolution (hearing some roll off). With Spinfits, the stem gets pinched a bit due to a sharp turn in my left earcanal. Yeah, I know, I'm a freak lol!!!! I need to do more listening to collect impressions, but recently got turned on to Symbio hybrid eartips. I guess it's similar to what sony and some others used to have, silicone cup with a foam underneath, but these eartips (sold only on ebay) use memory foam instead of spongie material, so it has a fit of silicone tip yet seal/compression similar to foam tips. Just got samples, these actually come in two variants, normal/taller (narrower bore opening, 3.8mm) and wide/shorter (wider bore opening, 4.5mm).

 

[Dobrescu George]

Great stuff - thanks. I still love the X5ii - great feature set for a small price. Whats not to like

I haven't had a chance to test the RE800 with the X5ii yet - mostly concentrating on the RE2000 for now.

I tend to listen mostly on low gain, and at a normal listening volume of around 65-75 dB. With classical music, this requires a volume level of around 70/120 - but IMO sounds really good with the RE2000 - very dynamic. For more modern less dynamic music (eg Dire Straits Sultans of Swing), the same dB level is only around 50-55/120. Of course it will depend on your recording and how loud you listen, but for me the X5ii works really well, and does not need extra amplification.

Hope that is helpful.

I love the X5ii + RE2000 combination as well. The sound is large, airy, there is a very good sense of soundstage in both depth and width and tonality is generally spot-on.

I can relate to that, especially with tip rolling. Seems that silicone tips don't make a perfect seal for me with re2k, while Comply foamies bring up more bass and kill upper frequencies resolution (hearing some roll off). With Spinfits, the stem gets pinched a bit due to a sharp turn in my left earcanal. Yeah, I know, I'm a freak lol!!!! I need to do more listening to collect impressions, but recently got turned on to Symbio hybrid eartips. I guess it's similar to what sony and some others used to have, silicone cup with a foam underneath, but these eartips (sold only on ebay) use memory foam instead of spongie material, so it has a fit of silicone tip yet seal/compression similar to foam tips. Just got samples, these actually come in two variants, normal/taller (narrower bore opening, 3.8mm) and wide/shorter (wider bore opening, 4.5mm).

Please share more info with us about how you feel with Mandarins!

 

[Dobrescu George]

Interesting that you cannot get a seal with the SpinFits, Amos - since they have a long stem wherefore they fit and seal very well for me when I'm using them with the RE2000, however to my ears the treble response is mostly identical to the stock tips (grey double-flang/triple-flanges trimmed down to large single-flanges to seal well in my large ears with my wide ear canals while maintaining the same inner length as the stock grey tips), maybe with a touch more lower treble and a slightly reduced upper treble.

That's interesting, I'm getting a perfect seal with Red SpinFits actually - but the signature is not as good as the stock double flanges. My ears don't work so well with double flanges so I have to find a single flange tip that will not affect the stock signature as it is quite awesome...

 

[ostewart]

I can relate to that, especially with tip rolling. Seems that silicone tips don't make a perfect seal for me with re2k, while Comply foamies bring up more bass and kill upper frequencies resolution (hearing some roll off). With Spinfits, the stem gets pinched a bit due to a sharp turn in my left earcanal. Yeah, I know, I'm a freak lol!!!! I need to do more listening to collect impressions, but recently got turned on to Symbio hybrid eartips. I guess it's similar to what sony and some others used to have, silicone cup with a foam underneath, but these eartips (sold only on ebay) use memory foam instead of spongie material, so it has a fit of silicone tip yet seal/compression similar to foam tips. Just got samples, these actually come in two variants, normal/taller (narrower bore opening, 3.8mm) and wide/shorter (wider bore opening, 4.5mm).

Lucky bugger I only got sent the wider bore. I find them to sound great with pretty much every IEM I've used them with (RE2k, RE800, KZ ZS5, Dunu DK3001) maintaining the stock sound signature and a tiny bit more bass due to the much better seal.

 

[twister6]

Lucky bugger I only got sent the wider bore. I find them to sound great with pretty much every IEM I've used them with (RE2k, RE800, KZ ZS5, Dunu DK3001) maintaining the stock sound signature and a tiny bit more bass due to the much better seal.

Exactly, Oscar. The wide bore is shorter and wider, so it just wraps around the nozzle of RE2000 without blocking the sound. Normal one is a little taller and narrower, so it extends pass the RE2000 nozzle tip and narrows down the opening a little bit, probably creating some subtle reflection of the sound waves. Wide bore tips also extend pass the nozzle length, but a little less.

Here is a close up of how Normal and Wide look side-by-side:

 

[Dobrescu George]

Exactly, Oscar. The wide bore is shorter and wider, so it just wraps around the nozzle of RE2000 without blocking the sound. Normal one is a little taller and narrower, so it extends pass the RE2000 nozzle tip and narrows down the opening a little bit, probably creating some subtle reflection of the sound waves. Wide bore tips also extend pass the nozzle length, but a little less.

Here is a close up of how Normal and Wide look side-by-side:

Woah, Mandarin looks nice! I think that we will be getting one for our RE-2000 test as well!

Seems like I am simply more and more stunned with the audio quality of RE-2000, at this moment it is pretty much the main IEM I listen to, easily overtook all other IEMs we have at Audiophile Heaven.

I am still learning about what HiFiMAN put inside them, but they are clearly the best IEM I've heard to date quality, detail and general sound wise

 

[audionewbi]

@jude lack of motivation is a bite concerning to me, hope to hear more from him if time permits him.

 

[canali]

I'm overdue with impressions. I was catching public transport to work recently, but my iPhone to Mojo cable would only play music for a minute before the iPhone decided it was unsupported.

The Hugo 2 arrived, so I've been listening with that this evening. The bass is definitely one the RE2000's strong points, with good amount of quantity, without being overwhelming. This is one of the things I like most about good dynamic drivers, as well as the cohesiveness of a single driver. The mid-range is a bit on the dark side, making them somewhat mellow with vocals and instruments. The treble, while excellent, with the stock tips has a peak that gives me some sibilance with some modern music, but is just right for classical.

I liked the sound the most when I first listened with them, but I feel that the treble has become brighter since then, so I've switched to the Comply tips, which drop the treble down a notch, but I feel it loses some quality in the process, with percussion sounding unnatural. Annoyingly I couldn't get a seal with Spinfits.

currawong; ALSO CHECK THE CCK CABLE... try a brand new one...i was also getting that result 'device not supported' but it was the cable and not the 10.3.1 or 2 update lockout.
slaphead suggested a new cable...and he was right (he's now knighted in my books)
i've been thru 2 cck cables now...seems it can only take so much bending/straightening before something inside breaks...i was often swapping out mine between the mojo and dragon red.
this issue (fragile cck) has been confirmed by another mojo/apple user: he also got a new cable and the connection issue was solved.
hope this works for you, too.

 

[bonbace]

Great stuff - thanks. I still love the X5ii - great feature set for a small price. Whats not to like

I haven't had a chance to test the RE800 with the X5ii yet - mostly concentrating on the RE2000 for now.

I tend to listen mostly on low gain, and at a normal listening volume of around 65-75 dB. With classical music, this requires a volume level of around 70/120 - but IMO sounds really good with the RE2000 - very dynamic. For more modern less dynamic music (eg Dire Straits Sultans of Swing), the same dB level is only around 50-55/120. Of course it will depend on your recording and how loud you listen, but for me the X5ii works really well, and does not need extra amplification.

Hope that is helpful.

thank you very much!x5ii is my forever love as well