Hifiman RE262 Initial Impressions

[honmashinsei]

Is an iPod Classic 6th generation 120GB powerful enough to drive the RE-262s? I don't have the money to also get a portable amp soon

 

[WNBC]

 
Found some threads that may shed some light.  At first glance it looks like you may have trouble with the 150 ohm 262's without a portable amp, at least if you want to listen at normal listening levels.  
 
For example, my Hifiman HM-601, which drives the 262 very well, has a max output of 30mW @ 32 ohm or 26mW @ 150ohms.  The Ipod Classic has a max output of 30mW @ 10ohms.
 
Maybe somebody can do a quick experiment for you.  I can't find the output specs for the jack on my Droid 2 but when playing music with the 262 attached it is flat and not so dynamic, not enough juice.
 
 
http://forums.ilounge.com/ipod-classic-ipod-5g-video/228034-headphone-impedence.html
 
http://www.mediaplayerinfo.com/content/Apple-iPod-Classic-80GB-MP3-Player-Review-534/Performance.htm
 
 

 

[lbj]

 
Quote:

Oh yes, I forgot to tell about ergonomics on RE262. They suck. Why is the cable so damn stiff? This only increases microphonics to unresonable levels and makes them such a pain to wear over the ears - the cable is always trying to slip from behind the ear and pulls the IEM out of the ear, loosening the seal. I don't understand the purpose of that bump on the IEM housing. Ok, it does help make the fit better when  wearing the IEM straight down, but with such a microphonic cable no person in their right mind would want to wear the IEM straight down while walking and god forbid if you try wearing it that way while jogging/running/in the gym.

 
Can anyone else comment on the cable being microphonic?  Not a good iem for running?

 
 

 

[shipsupt]

I found the cable to be quite microphonic, but it didn't cause me as much concern as it it did the poster you quoted.  At extremely low volumes and between songs it's quite noticable.  Using the shirt clip or going over the ears eliminates most of the effect, to the point where it became a non-issue for me.  I've used them walking, hanging straight down not over the ears, and the microphonics were never an issue for me.  When I am working out I typically have the volume bumped a bit, so I doubt I would notice it while running, but the 262's aren't my choice when I hit the gym so I can't actually give you a direct impression. 
 
If these are going to be used most of the time running and if you are sensative to microphonics you might have to take it into consideration for these IEM's.

 
Quote:

 
 
Can anyone else comment on the cable being microphonic?  Not a good iem for running?

 
 

 
 

 

[lbj]

^ ^ Thanks.
 

 

[BRCMRGN]

Just received the RE262s and I'm listening to them through a Fiio E7. Right out of the box they sound amazing. The midrange is silky smooth. These are the most musical IEMs I've heard. Unlike using some of the more analytical IEMs, I can't tell what brand of string Yo Yo Ma is using on his cello or how much rosin is on the bow, but I can feel the mood and emotion of the performance.

 

[ANDEROAN]

kowabunga dudes! these are to date the most amazing iems for me to have had the pleasure to use for a day and a half before my world came crashing down around me, and the right one went out on me, never in my life have I gone from being ssooo happy to being bummed the hell out in my life!
 
I picked up a pair of the freebies that came with the hf602's from a fellow Hi-Fier, and at first they sounded like crap, I couldn't see the what the hype was all about? they were very very thin sounding, no life at all, and no soundstage, he said that they had been burned in but never really used, so I attributed the bad sound too being a bad pairing with my rig, a silver DIY LOD, that connected a GS Voyager to a 7th gen ipod? so I switched the LOD to a silver copper one I had and that improved the body, and soundstage, but it still sounded thin not much life, others have said that it can take quite a few hours to burn in, so I did some burning in of my own as well, using acustical sounds, and fequency sweeps, along with pink and white noise,
 
and let me tell you what a difference it made, holy shimolies, these things went from being aweful sounding, thin with nnooo body or life to them at all! to having clarity, detail, soundstage, tight bass, and oh! the smoothness of the mids, NOW I know what everyones talking about on Head-Fi about these awesome beauties! I had found audio nirvana!
 
and then the unspeakable happened! the right one went out, eeeek! I read that others had some problems like that, but I hoped and prayed that it wouldn't happen to me, but alas here lies poor yorick, only made of flesh and blood, and after only a day and a half, god is cruel
 
so back out comes my now crapified TF 10's, lol, which now sound muddy and dull, compaired to the audio bliss, that I found in the 262's, why did god give me ears, if crimes like this can happen? oh the humanity! lol 
 
well it looks like I get to find out just how awesome Head-Direct's customer service is, they can expect a call from me sometime today, if anyone else has gone thru there process, any heads up on what I can expect,
 
much appreciated!
 
 

 

[WNBC]

Bummer, didn't know this was a problem among RE-262s.  Yeah, I've been pretty happy with the 262s.  From time to time I think about possible upgrades but I haven't pulled the trigger on anything else yet.  Making sure you get the good seal is key to these IEMs.  I've tried a lot of tips but for my ears the bi-flange tips work best.  Hopefully Head-direct can give you a discount on a new pair.
 
Quote:

kowabunga dudes! these are to date the most amazing iems for me to have had the pleasure to use for a day and a half before my world came crashing down around me, and the right one went out on me, never in my life have I gone from being ssooo happy to being bummed the hell out in my life!
 
I picked up a pair of the freebies that came with the hf602's from a fellow Hi-Fier, and at first they sounded like crap, I couldn't see the what the hype was all about? they were very very thin sounding, no life at all, and no soundstage, he said that they had been burned in but never really used, so I attributed the bad sound too being a bad pairing with my rig, a silver DIY LOD, that connected a GS Voyager to a 7th gen ipod? so I switched the LOD to a silver copper one I had and that improved the body, and soundstage, but it still sounded thin not much life, others have said that it can take quite a few hours to burn in, so I did some burning in of my own as well, using acustical sounds, and fequency sweeps, along with pink and white noise,
 
and let me tell you what a difference it made, holy shimolies, these things went from being aweful sounding, thin with nnooo body or life to them at all! to having clarity, detail, soundstage, tight bass, and oh! the smoothness of the mids, NOW I know what everyones talking about on Head-Fi about these awesome beauties! I had found audio nirvana!
 
and then the unspeakable happened! the right one went out, eeeek! I read that others had some problems like that, but I hoped and prayed that it wouldn't happen to me, but alas here lies poor yorick, only made of flesh and blood, and after only a day and a half, god is cruel
 
so back out comes my now crapified TF 10's, lol, which now sound muddy and dull, compaired to the audio bliss, that I found in the 262's, why did god give me ears, if crimes like this can happen? oh the humanity! lol 
 
well it looks like I get to find out just how awesome Head-Direct's customer service is, they can expect a call from me sometime today, if anyone else has gone thru there process, any heads up on what I can expect,
 
much appreciated!
 
 

 

 

[shipsupt]

There are some folks who needed to send back HE5-LE's and they reported excellent customer service... I hope you are treated to the same!

 

[ANDEROAN]

let me update, YES!!!! Head-Direct has awesome customer service Ms. T. is the one who took my call and responded to all of my e-mails, and she is one super sweet lady!! super helpful,
 
I sent them in with what info I could gather, being purchased from a fellow Head-Fier, all I had was his sales thread, the PM's we exchanged, and my PayPal payment, they got there over Memorial Day weekend; they went ahead and replaced them with the newer version, and with only a 1 week turn around, many many thanks to all the folks at Head-Direct, very top notch wonderful people, doing Gods work by changing the world with what they all do!!!
 
burning them in using my GS Voyager, sweet sweet sweetness! the darkness of the Voyager really pairs nicely with the 262's, booming bass, crisp and punchy, bigger soundstage, 100x's better than my crappy ol' TF 10's, lol, well the TF's sure won't ever sound great to me again, compared to the 262's, best upgrade so far, I'M LOVING THESE 262's!!!!

 

[Mephistopheles]

Quote:

let me update, YES!!!! Head-Direct has awesome customer service Ms. T. is the one who took my call and responded to all of my e-mails, and she is one super sweet lady!! super helpful,
 
I sent them in with what info I could gather, being purchased from a fellow Head-Fier, all I had was his sales thread, the PM's we exchanged, and my PayPal payment, they got there over Memorial Day weekend; they went ahead and replaced them with the newer version, and with only a 1 week turn around, many many thanks to all the folks at Head-Direct, very top notch wonderful people, doing Gods work by changing the world with what they all do!!!
 
burning them in using my GS Voyager, sweet sweet sweetness! the darkness of the Voyager really pairs nicely with the 262's, booming bass, crisp and punchy, bigger soundstage, 100x's better than my crappy ol' TF 10's, lol, well the TF's sure won't ever sound great to me again, compared to the 262's, best upgrade so far, I'M LOVING THESE 262's!!!!

Did you get the new version of the RE262 as a replacement with the balanced TRRS plug?
Did they provide you with any adapter?
 
 

 

[ANDEROAN]

well I think they are the updated version, the ones I sent in had the 90 degree right angled plug, and the ones they sent back to me are with the 70 degree angled plug, but no extras? no TRRS plugs or adapters? they did have a set of lrg. dbl. flange tips on them though, fortunately for me I'm only using them straight up or down, and not over the ear
 
But let me say that I did wind up doing the ear tip mod on the lrg. dbl. flanged tips, and let me just say KA-SWEET, boy oh boy does it ever help, fit wise and very much improved bass!!! I trimmed off 2 mm from the inner flange and completely removed the outer one all together, and what a difference it made, the smaller bdl. flange tips fit better but didn't sound better than the larger ones, but the larger ones were very hard to get a good seal and placement with the outer flange attached, so with them trimmed down, they are now a perfect fit, removing the outer flange allows me to move the IEMs around for perfect positioning and trimming down the inner flange alows them to go in super easy and they now get a perfect seal ta boot, I LUVS my RE262s,
 
100 time better than my old crappy TF10's anyone one to buy a good used set of TF 10's, chris_himself made me a sweet custom silver cable, that I just got also? oh well into their box they go!

 

[Neosk]

Congrats!
I use the normal biflange tips they provided and those seal well for me. 
 
For me, after using the RE262s for a month I can safely say that I freaking love these IEMs.
I am so happy with them and have been listening to my music like 10 hours a day, no joke.  
My only concern is the build quality and I hope they last for a while. I am going to be pretty damn sad without them. 
 
I feel bad for my m50s which are just abandoned in my closet. 

 

[ANDEROAN]

Thanks Neosk
 
ain't that the truth, isn't it just AWESOME!!! I wear them everywear i go, and get funny looks cuz of the rig I have,
 
and I'm always terrified that I'll loose my precious 262's to some horrible disaster, or like before, the build quality? i hope my newer version replacements are better? I just get to falling in love with them and then one day ka-pow no sound in one of them, but my terror will subside and years from now I'll still be in love with my 262's, eeeeekk!! yea my once awesome TF 10's have been dethroned by the victorious 262's, ye ha! lol, let the better ear candy win!

 

[CommonerCoffee]

Hey guys! Interested in these pair of IEMs since they're so mindboggling cheap right now. 
 
However, I need them within a week because I'm about to leave for vacation. Does anyone know what the shipping time is approximately like?
 
I live in NYC, if it helps.