First of all I would like to thank HiFiMAN for running the valentines giveaway where I was fortunate enough to win these IEMs.
Overall, I think for $49 these fit the bill quite nicely. Definitely not the best sounding nor far from the worst but fair for the MSRP.
At first, I could not get the IEMs to seal properly and I felt that the bass was lacking and contrary to what everyone reported. However, I changed the tips to some Sony ones and it made a huge difference. The sound signature changed dramatically. I will report my findings down below and a short comparison to the SE215's. Please keep in mind I've only auditioned these for a couple of hours but I think I can make a good first impressions judgement oh the RE300h.
What first took me by surprise was the amount of bass these 8mm drivers push out. Having briefly heard the RE400s previously, this is a completely different IEM. Where the RE400 was neutral and borderline dry to listen to (for me) these sounded more dynamic and livelier. I can't really mention about detail as I do not really recall the accuracy of the RE400s but from what I remember it was quite good. The bass on the RE300h feel like deep extended bass. Very abundant and present. Quick and punchy is a great way to describe these but for me the bass lacks body and roundness to it. It is not as deep as some other IEM's I've heard (but those cost much much more) but we have to keep in mind that these are sub $50 IEMs. It does bleed into the midrange but definitely not as much as the SE215's. The bass on the SE215s are definitely more rolled off in the lower regions and have a stronger presence in the mid-bass region which can blanket the higher frequencies.
The midrange is where I found the RE300h to be its biggest weak point. Although the midrange is still not bad, it just doesn't have the texture or forwardness of an SE215. Male and Female vocals sound slightly grainy and artificial while the SE215s are forward, smooth, and textured. That is not to say that the SE215 has a very good midrange, just a better and more detailed midrange than the RE300s.
The treble response on the RE300h's are not bad. But definitely leaves me to desire a more well-bodied and fuller high notes. Cymbal crashes are present but just not really engaging. They sound quite thin at times and don't have that overall refinement as some other IEMs do (of course, higher priced). However, I am happy to say that the treble on the RE300s are a substantial improvement over the SE215's. Where on many rock tracks that the SE215 just completely falls short of reproducing any decent amount of treble, the RE300s have that extra shimmer which makes rock songs and faster tracks seem more fun to listen to.
In general, I would recommend the SE215's for acoustics, vocals, and slower songs. Jazz works better with the SE215's imo. However, if you are looking for that extra bit of detail and a faster driver, the RE300s would be the one for you. With that said, the RE300's drivers are the more technically superior ones but there are genres in which the SE215 outshines the RE300.
Going from my SE215s to my RE300s, they felt like a toy. I can't give much credit to HiFiMAN for their build quality as they really feel like cheap dollar store earbuds. However, at the price, I'm sure that HiFiMAN has spent the majority of their capital towards R&D of sound rather than build. But it would definitely be nice to see an improvement in build quality, especially in their higher end IEMs such as the RE600s. I would be furious if my $200 IEMs broke within days of normal use.
All in all, the RE300s are a decent sounding IEM for under $50. I've heard a lot of earbuds under $50 lots of random sony and phillip ones and I can easily say that these RE300s are probably the best at the under $50 range. I would recommend them to anyone who is looking for a budget friendly solution to entering the audio world. I would recommend an amp as well as it just tightens everything up. Especially the bass.
Tested with: iPhone 4S > FiiO E07k > Tidal HIFI Streaming
Tracks used:
Five for Fighting - 100 Years
Matchbox Twenty - Bent
Beverley Knight - Everytime You See Me Smile
Simon Webbe - Lay Your Hands
Lemar - What About Love
Savage Garden - California
MAKJ - Encore
