[SweetCans928]

Decided to pull these out of a drawer and do a little (more)tip rolling, and found a lucky match almost immediately with the stock tips from Penon, the ones with the green core. I've had lots of IEMs with driver flex over the years, but never so bad that it rendered the IEM unusable like with the 800, so I'm pretty jazzed that I can use these again. If not for the driver flex, I'd be shouting from a mountaintop about just how good these are for 100 bucks. (but also, if not for the QC issues maybe they wouldn't have dropped to $100 in the first place)

 

[danimoca]

Hi all,

Anyone here ever purchased these from Aliexpress?

They seem so cheap, currently at under 50$.

Are they legit?

Thanks

 

[proedros]

Hi all,

Anyone here ever purchased these from Aliexpress?

They seem so cheap, currently at under 50$.

Are they legit?

Thanks

just buy them from the official store , still a great price and you get peace of mind

https://store.hifiman.com/index.php/re800-silver.html

 

[moskwiz]

Okay, so I bought these two tips to try out if either of them helps with the driver flex.
https://www.linsoul.com/products/tr...i+clarion&_ss=e&_v=1.0&variant=43616889405657
https://www.linsoul.com/products/tangzu-tang-sancai-wide-bore?_pos=6&_psq=tangzu&_ss=e&_v=1.0
Verdict: the TANGZUs help for sure. They're better than the stock ones (for me) and have noticeably less flex happening when I move the IEMs around for a better fit. The Clarions, however, don't help in this regard, which is weird, considering that the silicone earpieces are even further away from the monitors' body.
The TANGZUs are an all-around comfy fit, albeit they do seem to elevate higher lows a bit imo.
Also tried Spiral Dots and these make the flex just horrible..

 

[danimoca]

These IEM's are just pure sadness.

They sound absolutely epic. Big soundstage, huge controlled subbass like I've never heard on an IEM and very detailed. There's a small peak on the lower highs (I think...) but nothing too major.

Soundwise they're a bigger step up from the RE-600's than from RE-400's->RE-600's and absolutely destroy my Moondrop Aria.

These would be the bargain of the century at the price they currently run for on many places (50$), however... the driver flex on these is just mad. I can just about use them if I don't touch them after putting on my ears. But that's just not right.

I'm hearing people who have bought them directly from Hifiman with the same issue. Are they serious? This is borderline scamming.

Is there any way to relieve the driver pressure? Suposedly they have venting ports but maybe they are blocked? Any way to check that?

I would buy another pair at double or triple the price if they didn't have this issue.

 

[SweetCans928]

These IEM's are just pure sadness.

They sound absolutely epic. Big soundstage, huge controlled subbass like I've never heard on an IEM and very detailed. There's a small peak on the lower highs (I think...) but nothing too major.

Soundwise they're a bigger step up from the RE-600's than from RE-400's->RE-600's and absolutely destroy my Moondrop Aria.

These would be the bargain of the century at the price they currently run for on many places (50$), however... the driver flex on these is just mad. I can just about use them if I don't touch them after putting on my ears. But that's just not right.

I'm hearing people who have bought them directly from Hifiman with the same issue. Are they serious? This is borderline scamming.

Is there any way to relieve the driver pressure? Suposedly they have venting ports but maybe they are blocked? Any way to check that?

I would buy another pair at double or triple the price if they didn't have this issue.

You can try foam tips. Also, if you have any of those stock Penon tips with the green core, those have been great for me when it comes to minimizing the driver flex. I agree with everything you said though, it really is a shame. I returned my first two RE800s because of flex and my third had it too, but at that point I was too annoyed to deal with it any further. But the Penon tips have saved them.

 

[jlemaster1957]

You can try foam tips. Also, if you have any of those stock Penon tips with the green core, those have been great for me when it comes to minimizing the driver flex. I agree with everything you said though, it really is a shame. I returned my first two RE800s because of flex and my third had it too, but at that point I was too annoyed to deal with it any further. But the Penon tips have saved them.

To be clear for those who are not aware 1) driver flex does not hurt the drivers/IEMs 2) it does not put the listeners hearing at risk, ordinarily (someone with a damaged eardrum may have a different risk profile, but one wonders if such listeners are using deeply inserted IEMs such as these) 3) it occurs when the IEM is positioned or moved inside the canal due to air pressure between. There is generally no impact on SQ or FR during playback unless one repositions the IEM during playback. The sound is annoying to some. To others it is not annoying and does not impact their (TBH my) enjoyment of the IEMs. YMMV. It’s great to hear that Penon (or any tips) may help.

 

[hanskey]

Hi all,

Anyone here ever purchased these from Aliexpress?

They seem so cheap, currently at under 50$.

Are they legit?

Thanks

They seem to be legit. I bought a set and they match all the characteristics of RE800 perfectly. I recall reading on audiosciencereview that a user measured the cheaper ones from AliExpress against a set purchased from hifiman and they are either genuine or such a perfect counterfeit there's no difference. Having owned RE-0, RE-00, RE-ZERO, RE-400, I recognize the characteristic mids and highs from these dirt-cheap RE-800, which no other manufacturer I've tried quite matches. These are very much the hifiman signature, but with literally amazing bass.

These are the deal of the century at less than 1/12 original retail or less (got mine for less than $50), especially since they are surely horribly fragile like everything hifiman has ever made with zero strain relief and (likely) bad glue job to seal the two halves of the shell together.

Somehow these have the best sub-bass and bass I've ever heard in an pair of headphones, bar none, in terms of volume and quality, while retaining the beautiful accuracy and details in the mids and highs from the truly ancient RE-00 and RE-Zero.

These are my endgame, and it's unfortunate they are made by hifiman, because they will surely break within a few months.

 

[hanskey]

Mine have zero driver flex and I use the largest included triple flange tips.

 

[hanskey]

These are just absolutely stunning in my LG V60. Holy &$-$-@_

 

[hanskey]

I may not be experiencing driver flex because I lift the top of the ear when inserting, like you do with any sealed deep inserting iem or hearing protection earplugs. Then they easily slide into position and I release the ear and don't touch them again.

I learned this for getting a perfect seal with ancient forms of hifiman iems when I bought triple flange tips. This is also the standard Etymotic insertion procedure, btw.

If you just push them in without opening the ear canal, it can be painful, and rarely seals properly because the pressure between the ear-drum and the device will increase as they are inserted and the seal prevents pressure relief. That goes for all deep inserting triple flange ear tips that I've tried and all triple flange ear plugs for hearing protection. By opening the ear more with pulling up on the top of the ear, the pressure stays equalized because the air can escape around the outside of the ear-tip during insertion. This also results in superior bass performance, so that's the real reason I learned that.

You all might give that a try?

Edit: Sorry for multi-posting. Pretty excited about these. Did not expect what I got. *Way above expectations.*

I had to check to see if I had the EQ running, because the bass and sub-bass is so unreal. No EQ, yet subjectively perfect balance across the *entire* frequency spectrum. Just wow guys!

 

[proedros]

Hifiman re-ZERO was my first uiem here back in 2010 and it was a shock coming from crappy sony buds

For a little while all i bought were hifiman iems , re-zero then re-252 then re-262 then re-272

i also bought re-400 and re-600

i have moved on to higher end ciems , but i always rememeber those first months/years when a 100$ iem could make me so happy

 

[hanskey]

Hifiman re-ZERO was my first uiem here back in 2010 and it was a shock coming from crappy sony buds

For a little while all i bought were hifiman iems , re-zero then re-252 then re-262 then re-272

i also bought re-400 and re-600

i have moved on to higher end ciems , but i always rememeber those first months/years when a 100$ iem could make me so happy

Oh yeah!!

The first great thing I got from lurking this site were those RE-0, or maybe even RE-1 (so long ago now, I have trouble remembering the very first set)? Whichever was cheaper in 2008-2009. They revolutionized music for me, but boy are hifiman iems ever fragile, lol.

These retain everything we loved about the old-school hifimans iems, but with incredible bass and sub-bass which actual sounds perfectly balanced at reasonable listening volumes, because of the Fletcher–Munson curve and other volume equalized curves.

Especially at less than $50/set. These annihilate everything in that price bracket and well beyond, at least for all the sets I've listened to myself.

I'm going to baby the hell out of these and now that I actually have them I'm getting at least one more pair.

Edit: I will say hifiman has dug their own grave in having to price these so low due to QC. Over 16 years they *never* increased the durability of their iem products, with simple solutions, like replaceable cables, reasonably thick internal wires, better quality and more durable solder and solder points, strain relief everywhere it's needed, better glue and QC for keeping the shells together. Most of my pairs literally fell apart and very commonly I lost the right or left driver, because the solder somehow gave up the ghost.

Their QC is bottom of the barrel, despite top notch SQ and always has been, so despite the incredible SQ, these are probably only now priced correctly.



I'd be *very, very* surprised if better SQ iems exist anywhere near this price, so I can't help but recommend giving them a go to anyone on the fence, just don't expect them to last a year, so if anyone takes the plunge and likes them, maybe buy a few sets? We're talking about the cost of a few CD's or less than two brand new vinyl albums ... SMH

 

[jlemaster1957]

Oh yeah!!

The first great thing I got from lurking this site were those RE-0, or maybe even RE-1 (so long ago now, I have trouble remembering the very first set)? Whichever was cheaper in 2008-2009. They revolutionized music for me, but boy are hifiman iems ever fragile, lol.

These retain everything we loved about the old-school hifimans iems, but with incredible bass and sub-bass which actual sounds perfectly balanced at reasonable listening volumes, because of the Fletcher–Munson curve and other volume equalized curves.

Especially at less than $50/set. These annihilate everything in that price bracket and well beyond, at least for all the sets I've listened to myself.

I'm going to baby the hell out of these and now that I actually have them I'm getting at least one more pair.

Edit: I will say hifiman has dug their own grave in having to price these so low due to QC. Over 16 years they *never* increased the durability of their iem products, with simple solutions, like replaceable cables, reasonably thick internal wires, better quality and more durable solder and solder points, strain relief everywhere it's needed, better glue and QC for keeping the shells together. Most of my pairs literally fell apart and very commonly I lost the right or left driver, because the solder somehow gave up the ghost.

Their QC is bottom of the barrel, despite top notch SQ and always has been, so despite the incredible SQ, these are probably only now priced correctly.



I'd be *very, very* surprised if better SQ iems exist anywhere near this price, so I can't help but recommend giving them a go to anyone on the fence, just don't expect them to last a year, so if anyone takes the plunge and likes them, maybe buy a few sets? We're talking about the cost of a few CD's or less than two brand new vinyl albums ... SMH

Have had mine for 2 years without anything falling apart; HOWEVER, one time I had them on the plane and one of the stock tips (not flanged) which I love and are so easy on the ear canals fell down between the seat bracket and the sub-flooring to which the seat was attached. I had to nearly stand on my head to extract it, and the other passengers around me thought I was loony (which considering the extent audiophiles go for gear was not too far off). Needless to say nowadays I avoid using IEMs on a plane if I have any other option.

 

[hanskey]

Thanks for sharing your story!

I'm really glad to read about your positive experience! Hopefully these last longer than my other hifiman iems, given their previous flagship status! It would be great if they'd invest a little of the audio R&D into making much more stable and durable engineering and manufacturing decisions. I'd find their more expensive gear much more appealing if I could trust the build-quality. No way I'm blowing real money on hifiman products, given my experience though. Lol

I've owned 8-10 hifiman iems over the last 15+ years and none of them lasted anywhere near that long. Sure, I was in the lowest-cost tier because I didn't feel I could trust that the extra cash wouldn't be wasted, but still - *not one set made it a year*.