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HiFiMAN RE-Zero Review
First Impressions: Oooooh, who’d have thought being in gunmetal would make these look so different to the RE-0. Damn these look so much nicer. The box/case thing is still ugly but that’s not really why one would pick a set of these.
I’m not going to do an acoustic first impression of these as there is no point. Everyone and their dog knows the old RE-0 is stunning so what’s the point on saying these are too, we know they are going to be excellent the question is how excellent and what’s different from the 0. If I’m honest my first impressions weren’t stellar anyway, for some reason I expected to be wowed but the 0 is so stunning there isn’t that much to improve on.
Source 5G iPod Video line out through a Practical Devices XM5 with LM6171 opp amps
Lows: Is this a bass monster? No. Is the bass of the highest quality? Yes. Will the average chap find it bass light? Yes. HiFiMAN has clearly stuck to their name and opted for something that largely values accuracy over catering to the masses with their love of overblown bass; this is in no way IE8 competition. However I don’t really feel the need to add in more bass. I can hit that button and it really makes a difference. These may not be tuned for bass but they, like the 0 can dish it out if you ask them too nicely. The thing is I don’t feel there is all that much different to the 0 in bass quantity going on here. It feels like a 0 with a tiny bit EQ’ing and not enough to make someone satisfied if they found the 0 significantly lacking. The difference is there but it’s small. I realise I’m sounding quite negative but this is only that I expected there to be more. What is there is pretty stunning. The quality of the low end is amazingly good and obliterates all before it just like its near identical twin. It feels so linear and extended. The low end orchestral richness of cellos and Double Basses are fantastic. Everything is fantastic on these, the Flobots “Handlebars” and its deep bass guitar lows are easily sustained. At the other end fast, punchy lows are likewise effortless for the lightning speed of the RE-ZERO.
What you really are more likely to be interested in is the quantity and as I said above these are no bass monsters. They clearly have borrowed much from its siblings and whilst these may have a hint of a low end boost its nothing more than that. The majority of products out there have great gargantuan dollops of boosting in the low end. That’s what so many are used to and these are not going to fit into the level of IE8, W3 Turbine Pro’s etc level of bass. These still fit much more towards the lower quantity end.
Mids: Well, the mids are stunning. Pretty much identical to the RE-0 as best as I can tell. I feel like I ought to be able to say so much about the mids but there just isn’t. They are pretty even in quantity and in dryness/liquidity. Slap bang right in the middle of everything. Neither forward nor recessed. No harshness to speak of. Vocals sound just as you expect them to when the singer sung them.
Accoustic guitars (like everything else acoustic) sound just stunning on the ZERO’s. These can and will express every tiny detail as the player moves their fingers over the strings.
Highs: Here is where I think there is the most noticeable difference between the ZERO and the 0. The treble here is notably toned down. That’s not to say these don’t have an abundance of treble or that it’s not hyper detailed. It’s just that here it’s not quite so dominant. In quality it’s like its twin, stunningly good. It’s the quantity that it differs, being that bit tamed, that bit sanded at the edges. Where the RE-0 took the treble of the Etymotic ER4 and toned the brutality and edge down likewise the ZERO does the same to the 0. The spectacular clarity is still there but much less in your face about it. On paper I really ought to love this but the ZERO never seems to feel quite so open and shimmery as the 0 does. I can’t argue one as being better that the other, just different. I do think some would miss the 0’s treble and its hint of aggression. At this level personal preference is king.
Soundstage: These are moderate at best here I feel. The air pressure issue here makes them feel more closed in than they ought to.
Comfort: No problems at all. Their shape is great and can be worn happily up or down.
Fit: I must confess I had a little trouble here. For some reason I cont fathom these seemed to be more sealed than the 0 and kept a pressure seal on my ear that refused to equalise easily. I accept that my hay fever issues contributed to this but it’s not an issue I have with the 0. I tried a variety of tips but the issue remained.
Cable: Nothing note worthy here. It didn’t bother me or cause any problems but neither did it wow me.
Microphonics: I wore these up and I had no issues at all, if you wear then down it may be but you get a shirt clip so I can’t imagine it’s a prob.
Amped/Unamped: Like it’s near twin it likes having more power thrown at it. Given it’s designed to be balanced I’d wager it will love being powered by a balanced amp even more. However I like pretty much everyone else on earth don’t have one. The thing is the sorts of people who will buy this are exactly the sort of people that will be buying amps. Since this is a limited product I’m sure it will have run out of stock before the amps and players abound that can really show them off. They do still sound amazing ampless so don’t feel they demand one.
Isolation: On the better side of things for a dynamic but obviously no Ety challengers. Perfectly suitable for everyday activities but as always with dynamics not really something for the tube or on a plane.
Build quality: Lovely. The things are metal and ooze substance.
Accessories: I can’t say it’s a stellar package but all the necessities are there. Shirt clip, gaggle of assorted tips, plastic box/case to store them, what more do you really need? The other obvious addition is an oddity, since these have a balanced jack on them they come with a little adapter to make them work on non balanced sockets. It adds some bulk so be warned if you’re the sort of person that uses a tiny player. If you are this product is not really aimed at you anyway.
Value: Stunning. I could get really picky and argue whether these are worth the US$20 more than their twins and I can easily see reasons to say no. For most out there the whole balanced thing is pointless and will just cause bulk or issues. Do they sound suitably better, no not really. At best they may be more to your tastes. However they are stunning value, the sound these can produce is spectacular for their cost.
Conclusion: Anyone who has heard of these knew before reading this review that the RE-ZERO are stunningly good. The rampant praise the RE-0 has had on head-fi even before its price slashed down to current levels is well known. The thing was so very few had heard them and people needed a reason to buy the unknown brand over western rivals. The price cut that took place propelled the 0 into stupid bargain territory. The ZERO is in so many ways so close to its near twin that really they are each other’s competition and everything else pales into insignificance.
As I sit here and think what justification is there to spend us$20 more getting the ZERO over the 0 the best I can come up with is that they look prettier, believe me a whole lot prettier too. Is a nicer colour worth it? Not really. When I ask myself why someone should save us$20 and get the 0 over the Zero I can’t help but think Nooooooooooooooooo, are you mad? The price difference is insignificant to the level of awesomeness both of these produce. The simple fact that their awesome spectacularness will inspire you to spend money getting that balanced amp or balanced HiFiMAN player someday. Buying the 0 isn’t going to save you from desiring a better source and amp. So what if the ZERO gets even more super spectacular being balanced? Is that really a risk you want to take with a measly us$20? If you have the chance to buy these how can you say no? What sort of compelling cheapness can there be that force you to save us$20 now and maybe miss out on so much. It’s just no way worth the risk.
So while I cannot say these sound better than the 0 because I honestly believe they don’t. Just a little different and arguably it is a more agreeable sound. If their sound signature were a seesaw the 0 is tilted upwards slightly to the high end. The ZERO has been nudged down to a more even setting. It’s like the RE-0 that has been retuned to be more like the gentler RE-252. If that difference really really does it for you then by all means buy it for that. For me the difference is just not that great and I can’t really say I prefer one over the other. Both produce such a technically brilliant sound that in this price range they obliterate everything. I can only wonder what sort of improvements can be had using a balanced source to drive these. It is for that reason alone I can say these will fly out the door when these go on sale.
First Impressions: Oooooh, who’d have thought being in gunmetal would make these look so different to the RE-0. Damn these look so much nicer. The box/case thing is still ugly but that’s not really why one would pick a set of these.
I’m not going to do an acoustic first impression of these as there is no point. Everyone and their dog knows the old RE-0 is stunning so what’s the point on saying these are too, we know they are going to be excellent the question is how excellent and what’s different from the 0. If I’m honest my first impressions weren’t stellar anyway, for some reason I expected to be wowed but the 0 is so stunning there isn’t that much to improve on.
Source 5G iPod Video line out through a Practical Devices XM5 with LM6171 opp amps
Lows: Is this a bass monster? No. Is the bass of the highest quality? Yes. Will the average chap find it bass light? Yes. HiFiMAN has clearly stuck to their name and opted for something that largely values accuracy over catering to the masses with their love of overblown bass; this is in no way IE8 competition. However I don’t really feel the need to add in more bass. I can hit that button and it really makes a difference. These may not be tuned for bass but they, like the 0 can dish it out if you ask them too nicely. The thing is I don’t feel there is all that much different to the 0 in bass quantity going on here. It feels like a 0 with a tiny bit EQ’ing and not enough to make someone satisfied if they found the 0 significantly lacking. The difference is there but it’s small. I realise I’m sounding quite negative but this is only that I expected there to be more. What is there is pretty stunning. The quality of the low end is amazingly good and obliterates all before it just like its near identical twin. It feels so linear and extended. The low end orchestral richness of cellos and Double Basses are fantastic. Everything is fantastic on these, the Flobots “Handlebars” and its deep bass guitar lows are easily sustained. At the other end fast, punchy lows are likewise effortless for the lightning speed of the RE-ZERO.
What you really are more likely to be interested in is the quantity and as I said above these are no bass monsters. They clearly have borrowed much from its siblings and whilst these may have a hint of a low end boost its nothing more than that. The majority of products out there have great gargantuan dollops of boosting in the low end. That’s what so many are used to and these are not going to fit into the level of IE8, W3 Turbine Pro’s etc level of bass. These still fit much more towards the lower quantity end.
Mids: Well, the mids are stunning. Pretty much identical to the RE-0 as best as I can tell. I feel like I ought to be able to say so much about the mids but there just isn’t. They are pretty even in quantity and in dryness/liquidity. Slap bang right in the middle of everything. Neither forward nor recessed. No harshness to speak of. Vocals sound just as you expect them to when the singer sung them.
Accoustic guitars (like everything else acoustic) sound just stunning on the ZERO’s. These can and will express every tiny detail as the player moves their fingers over the strings.
Highs: Here is where I think there is the most noticeable difference between the ZERO and the 0. The treble here is notably toned down. That’s not to say these don’t have an abundance of treble or that it’s not hyper detailed. It’s just that here it’s not quite so dominant. In quality it’s like its twin, stunningly good. It’s the quantity that it differs, being that bit tamed, that bit sanded at the edges. Where the RE-0 took the treble of the Etymotic ER4 and toned the brutality and edge down likewise the ZERO does the same to the 0. The spectacular clarity is still there but much less in your face about it. On paper I really ought to love this but the ZERO never seems to feel quite so open and shimmery as the 0 does. I can’t argue one as being better that the other, just different. I do think some would miss the 0’s treble and its hint of aggression. At this level personal preference is king.
Soundstage: These are moderate at best here I feel. The air pressure issue here makes them feel more closed in than they ought to.
Comfort: No problems at all. Their shape is great and can be worn happily up or down.
Fit: I must confess I had a little trouble here. For some reason I cont fathom these seemed to be more sealed than the 0 and kept a pressure seal on my ear that refused to equalise easily. I accept that my hay fever issues contributed to this but it’s not an issue I have with the 0. I tried a variety of tips but the issue remained.
Cable: Nothing note worthy here. It didn’t bother me or cause any problems but neither did it wow me.
Microphonics: I wore these up and I had no issues at all, if you wear then down it may be but you get a shirt clip so I can’t imagine it’s a prob.
Amped/Unamped: Like it’s near twin it likes having more power thrown at it. Given it’s designed to be balanced I’d wager it will love being powered by a balanced amp even more. However I like pretty much everyone else on earth don’t have one. The thing is the sorts of people who will buy this are exactly the sort of people that will be buying amps. Since this is a limited product I’m sure it will have run out of stock before the amps and players abound that can really show them off. They do still sound amazing ampless so don’t feel they demand one.
Isolation: On the better side of things for a dynamic but obviously no Ety challengers. Perfectly suitable for everyday activities but as always with dynamics not really something for the tube or on a plane.
Build quality: Lovely. The things are metal and ooze substance.
Accessories: I can’t say it’s a stellar package but all the necessities are there. Shirt clip, gaggle of assorted tips, plastic box/case to store them, what more do you really need? The other obvious addition is an oddity, since these have a balanced jack on them they come with a little adapter to make them work on non balanced sockets. It adds some bulk so be warned if you’re the sort of person that uses a tiny player. If you are this product is not really aimed at you anyway.
Value: Stunning. I could get really picky and argue whether these are worth the US$20 more than their twins and I can easily see reasons to say no. For most out there the whole balanced thing is pointless and will just cause bulk or issues. Do they sound suitably better, no not really. At best they may be more to your tastes. However they are stunning value, the sound these can produce is spectacular for their cost.
Conclusion: Anyone who has heard of these knew before reading this review that the RE-ZERO are stunningly good. The rampant praise the RE-0 has had on head-fi even before its price slashed down to current levels is well known. The thing was so very few had heard them and people needed a reason to buy the unknown brand over western rivals. The price cut that took place propelled the 0 into stupid bargain territory. The ZERO is in so many ways so close to its near twin that really they are each other’s competition and everything else pales into insignificance.
As I sit here and think what justification is there to spend us$20 more getting the ZERO over the 0 the best I can come up with is that they look prettier, believe me a whole lot prettier too. Is a nicer colour worth it? Not really. When I ask myself why someone should save us$20 and get the 0 over the Zero I can’t help but think Nooooooooooooooooo, are you mad? The price difference is insignificant to the level of awesomeness both of these produce. The simple fact that their awesome spectacularness will inspire you to spend money getting that balanced amp or balanced HiFiMAN player someday. Buying the 0 isn’t going to save you from desiring a better source and amp. So what if the ZERO gets even more super spectacular being balanced? Is that really a risk you want to take with a measly us$20? If you have the chance to buy these how can you say no? What sort of compelling cheapness can there be that force you to save us$20 now and maybe miss out on so much. It’s just no way worth the risk.
So while I cannot say these sound better than the 0 because I honestly believe they don’t. Just a little different and arguably it is a more agreeable sound. If their sound signature were a seesaw the 0 is tilted upwards slightly to the high end. The ZERO has been nudged down to a more even setting. It’s like the RE-0 that has been retuned to be more like the gentler RE-252. If that difference really really does it for you then by all means buy it for that. For me the difference is just not that great and I can’t really say I prefer one over the other. Both produce such a technically brilliant sound that in this price range they obliterate everything. I can only wonder what sort of improvements can be had using a balanced source to drive these. It is for that reason alone I can say these will fly out the door when these go on sale.
