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the reviews where talking of "wonderful vocals (king of voice), life-like", which i personally can't find here (i even got the opposite).
although from the start, i had wrong expectations (in-you-face vocals, deep bass, crystal clear instruments....), which lead to even more disappointment. But for me the detail is not overwhelming and mids not very forward.
But anyway, what tips do you recommend?
I thought of the Comply T400
Yes, expectations are almost never met. You sort of have to look at a product at face value without any personal bias, and that's hard to do because we all have preferences. Having owned a lot of high end earphones personally, I can at least define a basic scale of things and how the RE262 stacks up within that scale. I can say that something like dynamic range is top notch for the RE262. Few other earphones really have the limitless breadth of volume and range of volume that the RE262 has. There are a few other very dynamic earphones out there but the list is small. Another thing the RE262 does really very well is the very high level of clarity and detail. It does show through a lot more subtle bits of information than most earphones, even fast BA based earphones have a hard time competing. The actual level of detail and how much the RE262 shows isn't impressive on its own though. It's more so appreciated when compared to a slew of other very good earphones that just can't match the amount of details shown through. It's also hard to appreciate without critical listening. A casual listener may not care as much, and that's ok. There are certain things that people automatically expect many times, certain things that the RE262 does not do well. This is mainly the bass and treble. People often want strong bass, thick, powerful, really driving. the RE262 simply does not do that. People often want crisp, clear, and shimmering highs, and again the RE262 does not do that. People are often used to a thick, luscious note, and again the RE262 does not do that.
The RE262 earphone, like numerous others, is more about the subtleties than wow factor. There are earphones out there that will simply wow you right from the start. They come out with monstrous bass, super high clarity, aggressive speed, or something that makes you take serious notice right away. These kinds of products get a lot of initial praise, and can often become the flavor of the month. On a grand scale, they may not even be all that good, but they just have a unique sound, a certain pizzazz to them that makes you take notice. Meanwhile, other earphones take a more solitary road. They simply perform really well but aren't particularly flashy. These kinds of earphones often come across good but don't amaze. They are often more appreciated when compared against other products. Compare it against one, two, ten other great products, and little details show through that define how good or how poor an earphone really is in various ways. The RE262 is one that you do not really appreciate without comparison. Another is the Triple.Fi 10. What the RE262 offers is not blatant. As well, what it is short on is stuff that people tend to look for which does hinder the initial taking of the product. I am with many people in that the RE262 could be better. I think the coloration that it does have is likeable but a shortcoming for the masses who are used to and seek something very different. It suits people who seek the sound signature and will put off those who don't, and that is unfortunate. A product like the RE252 is more balanced and will suit a broader spectrum of people than the RE262, although I do feel that the actual driver used in the RE262 is superior to the already very good RE252 driver. It's just that the RE252 driver is implemented better, as in a more balanced and even way.
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@mvw2: How do I decore the Shure tips? The inner plastic tube just isnt coming off.
A knife works. Really the foam is glued to the plastic nozzle. You basically scrap it away from the plastic. You can use a knife, finger nail, whatever works for you. You don't have to be terribly gentle as the foam is actually quite durable (versus Comply for example) and is closer to a rubber than a foam in toughness.
