HifiMan RE3 Canalphones Review
Jul 13, 2009 at 8:02 PM Post #46 of 64
Quote:

Originally Posted by tstarn06 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Maybe he should just rename them all, something like RE Bunny, RE Antelope, RE Jaguar and RE Tiger.


I LIKE THAT! considering the Re2 is Phoenix, Re1 is Dragon, and the RE0 is the Kylin (Kirin). I like the Antelope. Can we have a RE Piggy and Re Turtle too?
 
Jul 13, 2009 at 8:33 PM Post #48 of 64
Quote:

Originally Posted by tstarn06 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Sure, but they will need more phones in the lineup first.


Yes they would...
 
Jul 13, 2009 at 9:18 PM Post #49 of 64
Just had a breakthrough with these phones. In my review, I noted a small pain problem with the prong that goes into the upper part of your ear, ostensibly to hold them in place. The pressure from it caused soreness. Well, I executed the crudest mod in headphone history by hacking off 3mm of the rubber prong and presto chango, no more pain. And the phones are just as secure as before. Wonder if they will give me a design credit when they release the real deal?
 
Jul 17, 2009 at 2:39 PM Post #51 of 64
Update on the initial review. Maybe it is burn-in, not sure, but I am enjoying the RE3s more now than a week ago even. Very, very detailed, but I do need to EQ them just a bit to scale back the mids and bring up the bass. No matter, they sound excellent. Also, after my first mod, they still hurt a bit (the rubber extension in the ear problem), so I really took them down to the nub, and guess what? They fit fine and no pain. I hope the mod the final versions and just round off the small appendage at the end. The photo is with the Sony hybrid tips. I am thinking about using a dremel or other tool to round it off, cause it looks funky now.

Update, depending on the DAP, I find I needed to boost the EQ a bit with the RE3s, taking the bass up to +2 on Clear bass (sony) and +6 on the Fuze. I also had to take the mids down 1-2 clicks on both, and then I boosted the highs one click on both. Now, these babies really are what I wanted. I know, EQ sucks and all of that. But I am not one who won't use EQ, so no matter to me, I like them this way.
 
Jul 26, 2009 at 6:37 AM Post #53 of 64
Quote:

Originally Posted by tstarn06 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Update on the initial review. Maybe it is burn-in, not sure, but I am enjoying the RE3s more now than a week ago even. Very, very detailed, but I do need to EQ them just a bit to scale back the mids and bring up the bass. No matter, they sound excellent. Also, after my first mod, they still hurt a bit (the rubber extension in the ear problem), so I really took them down to the nub, and guess what? They fit fine and no pain. I hope the mod the final versions and just round off the small appendage at the end. The photo is with the Sony hybrid tips. I am thinking about using a dremel or other took to round it off, cause it looks funky now.


Sounds like it could be a good one. A dremel would be good, and I really like the look of those cables, how tangle-proof are they?
 
Jul 26, 2009 at 10:26 AM Post #54 of 64
Much better than the Altec iM716 at not tangling. (sorry, it's my only mean of comparison right now)

I am on holiday but I'll have the RE3 brought to me in a few days. I will do more burn in to them, as Tom suggested above, to see if the canaphone will start evolving again and even down the upper midrange.
 
Jul 26, 2009 at 2:54 PM Post #55 of 64
Quote:

Originally Posted by antonyfirst /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I am on holiday but I'll have the RE3 brought to me in a few days.



Mental image in my mind:

* snap *

* snap *

antonyfirst: "Garson, bring me my RE3!"

Butler: But sir, it is at the other house.

antonyfirst: Well, go get it!

Butler: Yes sir, I will be back in a few days.

wink.gif
 
Aug 3, 2009 at 5:47 PM Post #57 of 64
Ok, I have a fair bit of material to "patch" the initial review (which underwent many updates already), and I'll do so when I get my hands onto a proper computer rather than a smarthphone and its limitations.

In short:
-if you want to figure the frequency range that's bumped, just think of the sound that crickets do. The range is much wider, but you get the picture.
-the bump has become milder and I consider every song to be "listenable", in that it doesn't spoil anything to death. Still, there is a tilt on certain vocals (or even electronic samples) that would make for an excited listening and make certain passages "snarly", giving them more rage and strength than otherwise.
-the bump is also responsible of a high sense of speed and details, many in the "crickets" region. The feeling is quite pleasing since it makes for a non-steely presence of details. Some sounds' attacking edges, if belonging to the 1-3 kHz range, come out with high definition contributing to this feeling.
-the sense of space is extremely high and pleasant, and superior to Etymotic, Altec and others.
-I call the upper midrange bump a coloration, and a noticeable one, which by definition doesn't make me happy. This doesn't prevent me to enjoy the earphone for what it is, a portable headphone that doesn't have to be my main playback tool, and that manages to impress me with its qualities when I am around.
-I am reaching for the RE3 more than the Altec during the last days. This might not say much by looking at the price of the iM716, but the latter is an earphone I consider a sort of FOTM-killer, if not a giant killer, and its value is not represented by its low price.
 
Aug 31, 2009 at 3:07 PM Post #59 of 64
Quick news: looks like the RE3 is extremely picky on fit and tips, not only as far as comfort goes, but especially on sound. First, I noticed an increase with bass extensionwhen switching from the normal biflanges to the big ones. Today, almost randomly, I jammed the big biflanges deeply inside my ear canals and the bass improved massively. The sound is much warmer and impactful, the tone much righter. All the speed, imaging and separation characteristics stand still, with a much fuller tonality. Fit is very fiddly and I still have problems with my right ear (weird ear canal shape that gives me problem with almost any silicon tips around), but once it is got right, things improve massively.
 
Aug 31, 2009 at 3:12 PM Post #60 of 64
Antony's heads-up on this led me to try the jumbo bi-flanges as well, and he's on the money. I can't believe these are the same phones as I heard with the smaller silicones and the Sony hybrids. All of those sounded very thin to me on the bass front, but right now, listening to some bass-heavy tracks, and it's there!

Wow, what a difference.

Now, the only problem is these bi-flanges are huge, and while the are not uncomfy, they are the only ones that work this way, so that could cause a problem for someone with a) really small ear canals, or b) someone who loses these tips.

Would recommend Fang include at least two pair of these with the RE3s.

Fuller tonality is on the money. I can't believe they are the same phones. Details all still there, but the bass is now a real part of the mix, which it wasn't before, not like this. Thanks Antony. Not sure why I never tried it. Fang did say to try biflanges, but never had any idea to use the giant ones. Excellent.
 

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