I'd hope it would be more, it would have been having an iems that is improving over the years. No need to upgrade anymore !
Hifiman RE262 Initial Impressions
- Thread starter paulypaul
- Start date
putente
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Nov 10, 2010
- Posts
- 2,045
- Likes
- 43
I'm really enjoy these with foam tips, specially with female vocals and acoustical music! Oh, and with my c421 amp bass boost on, they really output some serious quality bass!
lee730
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2011
- Posts
- 16,804
- Likes
- 455
What do the foam tips do for the sound? Does it bring more balance? Do foam tips come with these IEMs? After my bad experience with comply tips I'd rather not go that route ever again to be honest....
Jupiterknight
Headphoneus Supremus
Quote:
You won't receive any foam tips with the RE262. I really like the stock large biflangers and feel they due to their relatively wide bores sonically are a perfect match with the RE262, if they fit your ears. I also used the Head-direct biflangers with the EX600 and found them to work really well with these IEM's as well. But they won't fit all ears that's for sure.
You won't receive any foam tips with the RE262. I really like the stock large biflangers and feel they due to their relatively wide bores sonically are a perfect match with the RE262, if they fit your ears. I also used the Head-direct biflangers with the EX600 and found them to work really well with these IEM's as well. But they won't fit all ears that's for sure.
^^^
Yeah, gotta try a lot of different tips. For me, the bi-flange Hifiman tips worked best and the Comply foam tips were not a good fit for my ears. The best ever were the original Hifiman bi-flange from 2 years ago that came with my 262, the newer bi-flange tips work too but original worked the best. Now I know, find a tip you like and order as many as possible.
Yeah, gotta try a lot of different tips. For me, the bi-flange Hifiman tips worked best and the Comply foam tips were not a good fit for my ears. The best ever were the original Hifiman bi-flange from 2 years ago that came with my 262, the newer bi-flange tips work too but original worked the best. Now I know, find a tip you like and order as many as possible.
Jupiterknight
Headphoneus Supremus
Quote:
You're right. There are two versions of the biflanger tips. The original one, that is unmodified and a newer version where part of the top flanger has been cut. I received both versions and later on bought more from Head Direct. I have noticed that the RE262 lately only comes with the new modified biflanger
You're right. There are two versions of the biflanger tips. The original one, that is unmodified and a newer version where part of the top flanger has been cut. I received both versions and later on bought more from Head Direct. I have noticed that the RE262 lately only comes with the new modified biflanger
Yup, those are the ones. We should write Hifiman and ask if they can release any older version bi-flange tips in a special sale. I'd be willing to buy 10-20 pair
Quote:
Quote:
lee730
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2011
- Posts
- 16,804
- Likes
- 455
Quote:
Quote:
If that's the case then most likely my large single flange tips are gonna work the best as they work superbly on my IE80s and Tralucent 1Plus2s (all large nozzled IEMs). Whats more funny is I prefer my large single flange V-moda tips on my MDR-7550 over the stock LL Hyrbid tips. I find the Hyrbid tips to actually constrict the sound and cause artificial emphasis on the sound, while narrowing the sound stage. It doesn't sound right although its an interesting sound. Those tips were my favorite on my previous FX700s and happen to work great on the Sonys
. I ordered 8 pairs of the JVC tips so I think I'm pretty good for now 
. I may end up ordering another set since they are so cheap and worth stocking up on. My ear canals are rather large so I bet those double flanges may also fit .
Quote:
If that's the case then most likely my large single flange tips are gonna work the best as they work superbly on my IE80s and Tralucent 1Plus2s (all large nozzled IEMs). Whats more funny is I prefer my large single flange V-moda tips on my MDR-7550 over the stock LL Hyrbid tips. I find the Hyrbid tips to actually constrict the sound and cause artificial emphasis on the sound, while narrowing the sound stage. It doesn't sound right although its an interesting sound. Those tips were my favorite on my previous FX700s and happen to work great on the Sonys
. I ordered 8 pairs of the JVC tips so I think I'm pretty good for now . I may end up ordering another set since they are so cheap and worth stocking up on. My ear canals are rather large so I bet those double flanges may also fit .
Techno Kid
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Feb 23, 2012
- Posts
- 2,029
- Likes
- 70
I'm using the smaller of the 2 bi-flange tips and they're working great. I tried some Comply tips (the pair I got with my e-Q5) but to me it took to much of the treble away and since they don't have the brightest highs that's a no go.
lee730
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2011
- Posts
- 16,804
- Likes
- 455
Quote:
Kinda figured. I had the same issue on my IE8s. Robbed treble detail, increased bass but also muddied up the mids due to this... Oh did I forget it also broke my IE8s when removing the damn tip!
Kinda figured. I had the same issue on my IE8s. Robbed treble detail, increased bass but also muddied up the mids due to this... Oh did I forget it also broke my IE8s when removing the damn tip!
putente
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Nov 10, 2010
- Posts
- 2,045
- Likes
- 43
Quote:
I use foam tips with all my IEMs! For me, they're the best option for fit, comfort and sound quality! I feel they slightly improve the bass performance too...
Oh, and I'm about to try some Comply Ts-400 with these, and I'll report back here about them!
I use foam tips with all my IEMs! For me, they're the best option for fit, comfort and sound quality! I feel they slightly improve the bass performance too...
Oh, and I'm about to try some Comply Ts-400 with these, and I'll report back here about them!
Jupiterknight
Headphoneus Supremus
Quote:
I believe that when you buy the RE biflanger & filter package they still come with the original large biflanger version http://head-direct.com/Products/?act=detail&id=33
Yup, those are the ones. We should write Hifiman and ask if they can release any older version bi-flange tips in a special sale. I'd be willing to buy 10-20 pair
I believe that when you buy the RE biflanger & filter package they still come with the original large biflanger version http://head-direct.com/Products/?act=detail&id=33
FieldingMellish
500+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Mar 13, 2012
- Posts
- 910
- Likes
- 45
Here is relevant tip information that I had copied and pasted into a text doc while reading 262 / 272 threads earlier this year. Both IEMs share the same build quality shell so there is some interrelation. What follows are other's findings; each paragraph was a separate statement/post someone made and they were taken from several threads. Not in any particular order.
_______________________________________________________
RE-262 tips posts:
I ended up doing a lot of flange testing on the 10+ hour flight. I wanted to be sure that I picked something comfortable with a good seal. Isolation was very good. The large olives fit me well but I found them a bit uncomfortable after any length of time. The larger bi-flange turned out to fit well, sealed easily, and was all day comfortable for me. The thing that surprised me was the major impact on sound that flange selection had. Flanges for my other IEM’s have been tools for getting a good seal and providing comfort. By design the drivers of the 262’s end up close to the end of the olives with essentially no cavity. This provided a very intimate sound with more low end impact. The bi-flanges end up offering a pretty large cavity. The result was a much more open and airy sound with less impact, especially from the lows. I’ll touch on this a bit more when commenting on sound quality. Isolation seemed slightly reduced with the bi-flanges.
If you want to maintain the impact of the lows from the 262’s I’d consider sticking with the olives. However, when I wanted to let the soundstage open up and to let the mids and highs start to sing the bi-flanges really shined. With the olives I felt that the mids and highs got a bit muddied. With the bi-flanges the sound was more balanced and refined. The trade off in loosing a bit of low end grunt was well worth it for me. With the bi-flanges details became clear, I could pick out and follow along with single instruments.
RE262 does not need a deep seal. Just airtight seal is enough. With RE262, deep seal adds excessive bass bleeding into midrange and shrinks soundstage. Unlike previous RExxx, RE262 has enough bass, body, warmth and visceral impact to sound nice with a shallow fit which is more comfortable. I like this and how the RE262 shape provides a stable fit, keeping it in place while you are moving. I consider RE262 as the most comfortable IEM I tried, except customs.
The monster super tips fit the re262 perfectly and it has better isolation than the stock bi-flange tips. I haven't done a in depth testing of all the tips but I personally prefer the comply monster super tips over the stock bi-flange and sony hybrid tips.
The only foam tips that will fit 262 without mod are the Comply T400 / S400 / TX400. Personally I will recommend T400 before the other two. Once you done with the first pair, keep the inner stem of the Comply and glue the foam of Shure olive over it and you get a pair of foam tip that will last a very long time and fit the 262.
Highs are just right to me, when using big stock bi-flanges cables down. And yes, highs are softer when using deeper seal and tips with narrow tube. Those who complain of RE262 highs should try big bi-flanges. Or any other tips with shallow fit and wide tube. Thankfully, RE262 will not have CK10 highs, which are unbearable to me.
I actually find the stock silicon double-flanges to be the best.
Everything changed dramatically when i stumbled across Sony single-flanges from cheap Sony in-ears, they fit nicely. Soundstage is nice too and they are spectacular with every genre of music i throw at them.
I would NOT suggest hybrids with these. The midrange loses it's magic. You need a tip as wide as the nozzle. Something that's been mentioned (on the e-Q5 thread) re: the hybrids is to cut off approx. half of the tip's rubber stem (the hybrid's green/blue/orange/yellow sleeve (depending on size) that slides on the nozzle of the IEM). When you install the tips onto the IEM, you'll notice the hybrid tip's bore is as wide as the IEM nozzle's bore. Worked on the e-Q5.. should work on the RE262. It's irreversible since you're chopping up a small part of your tips but definitely worth a shot, IME.
I generally don't like Comply tips, but I found some black regular length Complys with a wide diameter hole. They fit the 262 perfectly, but I don't know where they came from. Anyway, it is like putting a HD lens on the 262 even more. Great black space and enhanced separation of the instruments. Drums are just sounding ridiculous with these Complys, and bass is nicely enhanced....Mids are still great sounding, just more intensified....
But I have, however, discovered that there is a silicon double-flange that I like better on the RE262 than its already great double-flange silicon. Shotgun and FlySweep (and cute) try the Meel M11 long silicon double flanges. I find that it gives me more bass and brings the treble out a little bit more too in RE262. Loving it!!
So, I really didn't like the RE262 silicon double-flanges on the 7550 (I have a set of stiffer silicon single flanges that look like the Jays that I like better - courtesy of cute...thanks again sir).
want to note that I achieved the best seal I had ever gotten with these with Monster triflanges. The bass finally has shown it's body and the whole sound is more coherent. I thought I had it down but it actually wasn't the case and the triflanges finally did it for me. It does look very silly though as I have to make that stem parallel to the floor and makes the cable stick out a little. The channel switch adapter will sure come in handy....
Preferred tips: Large stock bi-flange, Meelec ‘balanced’ bi-flange (|Joker| suggestion in his review)
The only foam tips that will fit 262 without mod are the Comply T400 / S400 / TX400. Personally I will recommend T400 before the other two. Once you done with the first pair, keep the inner stem of the Comply and glue the foam of Shure olive over it and you get a pair of foam tip that will last a very long time and fit the 262.
______________________________________________________________
RE-272 TIPS POSTS:
Ts400 are purely gold. RE272 have almost enough bass there to need no boost. I'd estimate 3-6 dB more at lowest end. Actually, it's only -1.5 dB at 70 Hz vs 500 Hz reference. (-18 dB at 20 Hz) Talk about a great fit improving bass!
The resonant peak at 4k is also moved lower and I think lesser in magnitude. (Edit: sounds only 1 dB quieter and some 100 Hz lower.)
I am using the stock bi-flanges. With the 2SD, RE-272 in a psuedo-balanced mode, the bass quantity and texture are enough for me not to bother with EQ. Of course, it does not make RE272 a bass monster, but fills the low-end just enough that I am no longer distracted by it.
I am using Ts400 Comply tips, best I've heard on the RE272....amazing IEM after 300hrs they really open up!
I have changed the tips on my RE272, and have a significant increase in the lower end, bass/sub bass. I purchased the TF 10 on Black Friday, and using the large UE TF 10 stock tips on the TF 10, I got the best bass response. I have been testing the TF 10 large stock tips on my RE272, with my test tracks, and they fill out the lower end without sacrificing the mids ore treble. These are now my goto tips for the RE272.
Now I'm also using Ts400 with RE272, simply awesome. (Note: getting these tips required an overseas order - they're almost impossible to get!) I haven't yet derived the precise eq curve for those - it's similar to the Comply S400 one, but with less bass boost and steeper and higher frequency highs boost (far less high cut). Slightly moved the resonant "notch" lower as well I think, making it yet more pleasant.
Seriously, while stock biflanges are usable, I'd recommend using marshmellow tips / mushroom tips or Comply T400 or Ts400 (any size that fits, perhaps trimmed). RE272 seem to work best with non-resonating tips - most normal silicones do resonate or reflect sound.
_______________________________________________________
RE-262 tips posts:
I ended up doing a lot of flange testing on the 10+ hour flight. I wanted to be sure that I picked something comfortable with a good seal. Isolation was very good. The large olives fit me well but I found them a bit uncomfortable after any length of time. The larger bi-flange turned out to fit well, sealed easily, and was all day comfortable for me. The thing that surprised me was the major impact on sound that flange selection had. Flanges for my other IEM’s have been tools for getting a good seal and providing comfort. By design the drivers of the 262’s end up close to the end of the olives with essentially no cavity. This provided a very intimate sound with more low end impact. The bi-flanges end up offering a pretty large cavity. The result was a much more open and airy sound with less impact, especially from the lows. I’ll touch on this a bit more when commenting on sound quality. Isolation seemed slightly reduced with the bi-flanges.
If you want to maintain the impact of the lows from the 262’s I’d consider sticking with the olives. However, when I wanted to let the soundstage open up and to let the mids and highs start to sing the bi-flanges really shined. With the olives I felt that the mids and highs got a bit muddied. With the bi-flanges the sound was more balanced and refined. The trade off in loosing a bit of low end grunt was well worth it for me. With the bi-flanges details became clear, I could pick out and follow along with single instruments.
RE262 does not need a deep seal. Just airtight seal is enough. With RE262, deep seal adds excessive bass bleeding into midrange and shrinks soundstage. Unlike previous RExxx, RE262 has enough bass, body, warmth and visceral impact to sound nice with a shallow fit which is more comfortable. I like this and how the RE262 shape provides a stable fit, keeping it in place while you are moving. I consider RE262 as the most comfortable IEM I tried, except customs.
The monster super tips fit the re262 perfectly and it has better isolation than the stock bi-flange tips. I haven't done a in depth testing of all the tips but I personally prefer the comply monster super tips over the stock bi-flange and sony hybrid tips.
The only foam tips that will fit 262 without mod are the Comply T400 / S400 / TX400. Personally I will recommend T400 before the other two. Once you done with the first pair, keep the inner stem of the Comply and glue the foam of Shure olive over it and you get a pair of foam tip that will last a very long time and fit the 262.
Highs are just right to me, when using big stock bi-flanges cables down. And yes, highs are softer when using deeper seal and tips with narrow tube. Those who complain of RE262 highs should try big bi-flanges. Or any other tips with shallow fit and wide tube. Thankfully, RE262 will not have CK10 highs, which are unbearable to me.
I actually find the stock silicon double-flanges to be the best.
Everything changed dramatically when i stumbled across Sony single-flanges from cheap Sony in-ears, they fit nicely. Soundstage is nice too and they are spectacular with every genre of music i throw at them.
I would NOT suggest hybrids with these. The midrange loses it's magic. You need a tip as wide as the nozzle. Something that's been mentioned (on the e-Q5 thread) re: the hybrids is to cut off approx. half of the tip's rubber stem (the hybrid's green/blue/orange/yellow sleeve (depending on size) that slides on the nozzle of the IEM). When you install the tips onto the IEM, you'll notice the hybrid tip's bore is as wide as the IEM nozzle's bore. Worked on the e-Q5.. should work on the RE262. It's irreversible since you're chopping up a small part of your tips but definitely worth a shot, IME.
I generally don't like Comply tips, but I found some black regular length Complys with a wide diameter hole. They fit the 262 perfectly, but I don't know where they came from. Anyway, it is like putting a HD lens on the 262 even more. Great black space and enhanced separation of the instruments. Drums are just sounding ridiculous with these Complys, and bass is nicely enhanced....Mids are still great sounding, just more intensified....
But I have, however, discovered that there is a silicon double-flange that I like better on the RE262 than its already great double-flange silicon. Shotgun and FlySweep (and cute) try the Meel M11 long silicon double flanges. I find that it gives me more bass and brings the treble out a little bit more too in RE262. Loving it!!
So, I really didn't like the RE262 silicon double-flanges on the 7550 (I have a set of stiffer silicon single flanges that look like the Jays that I like better - courtesy of cute...thanks again sir).
want to note that I achieved the best seal I had ever gotten with these with Monster triflanges. The bass finally has shown it's body and the whole sound is more coherent. I thought I had it down but it actually wasn't the case and the triflanges finally did it for me. It does look very silly though as I have to make that stem parallel to the floor and makes the cable stick out a little. The channel switch adapter will sure come in handy....
Preferred tips: Large stock bi-flange, Meelec ‘balanced’ bi-flange (|Joker| suggestion in his review)
The only foam tips that will fit 262 without mod are the Comply T400 / S400 / TX400. Personally I will recommend T400 before the other two. Once you done with the first pair, keep the inner stem of the Comply and glue the foam of Shure olive over it and you get a pair of foam tip that will last a very long time and fit the 262.
______________________________________________________________
RE-272 TIPS POSTS:
Ts400 are purely gold. RE272 have almost enough bass there to need no boost. I'd estimate 3-6 dB more at lowest end. Actually, it's only -1.5 dB at 70 Hz vs 500 Hz reference. (-18 dB at 20 Hz) Talk about a great fit improving bass!
The resonant peak at 4k is also moved lower and I think lesser in magnitude. (Edit: sounds only 1 dB quieter and some 100 Hz lower.)
I am using the stock bi-flanges. With the 2SD, RE-272 in a psuedo-balanced mode, the bass quantity and texture are enough for me not to bother with EQ. Of course, it does not make RE272 a bass monster, but fills the low-end just enough that I am no longer distracted by it.
I am using Ts400 Comply tips, best I've heard on the RE272....amazing IEM after 300hrs they really open up!
I have changed the tips on my RE272, and have a significant increase in the lower end, bass/sub bass. I purchased the TF 10 on Black Friday, and using the large UE TF 10 stock tips on the TF 10, I got the best bass response. I have been testing the TF 10 large stock tips on my RE272, with my test tracks, and they fill out the lower end without sacrificing the mids ore treble. These are now my goto tips for the RE272.
Now I'm also using Ts400 with RE272, simply awesome. (Note: getting these tips required an overseas order - they're almost impossible to get!) I haven't yet derived the precise eq curve for those - it's similar to the Comply S400 one, but with less bass boost and steeper and higher frequency highs boost (far less high cut). Slightly moved the resonant "notch" lower as well I think, making it yet more pleasant.
Seriously, while stock biflanges are usable, I'd recommend using marshmellow tips / mushroom tips or Comply T400 or Ts400 (any size that fits, perhaps trimmed). RE272 seem to work best with non-resonating tips - most normal silicones do resonate or reflect sound.
davisxu
BANNED
aka PolarBear123
gradofan1
- Joined
- Sep 22, 2012
- Posts
- 161
- Likes
- 9
These are obscure, but darn good. The soundstage is exceptional for IEM's. Feels more like a near-field speaker than a close IEM
Techno Kid
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Feb 23, 2012
- Posts
- 2,029
- Likes
- 70
I totally know what you mean by them sounding obscure. The way they've color'd these is unlike any other IEM I've heard but its really starting to grow on me in the short amount of time I've had them. I'm listening to much more vocal music because of just how nice they sound yet its not a natural presentation, the vocals on my e-Q5 sound more natural than the RE262 but that's not a bad thing in this case.
Its also strange to hear vocals that are forward like this with a soundstage that's so open and airy, that's something that always stood out with me on the e-Q7 though the soundstage of the e-Q7 wasn't as airy plus I like the way it all works on the RE262.
I still have them going on my computer and I think I'm going to leave them on all day to see what that does to them, after only 6 or 7 hours I noticed a big change in the sound which is still crazy to me because I wasn't a burn-in believer until now.
Its also strange to hear vocals that are forward like this with a soundstage that's so open and airy, that's something that always stood out with me on the e-Q7 though the soundstage of the e-Q7 wasn't as airy plus I like the way it all works on the RE262.
I still have them going on my computer and I think I'm going to leave them on all day to see what that does to them, after only 6 or 7 hours I noticed a big change in the sound which is still crazy to me because I wasn't a burn-in believer until now.
Users who are viewing this thread
