[TommyNavara]

Hisound Audio E-212 Review!

 
Ok first of all I want to thank all the Hisound audio staff for the opportunity to start reviewing, and reviewing such a solid product, this one my first review and I hope it will be a good starting work for some others to come.
So let's go and get started.
 

 
 
 

Factory specifications:

Type : Dynamic Driver
Size of the driver : Φ9.2 mm
Impedance : 16Ω
Sensitivity : 100dB
Maximum SPL : 125db (1khz 1 Vrms)
Frequency response : 20HZ-20KHZ
Type of the jack : 3.5 mm Angled
Cable length : 124cm
 
 

Packaging and accessories:

The box is outside cardboard and inside plastic, you can clearly see the two earphones and the little fish-cable storing thing. The overall looking is good and I like the color palette as long as the position of the objects inside the box.
And you got:
A little cable winder:
It's something cheap but as a plus is always a pleasure to see more stuff inside, like it or not, I think it's good to have one of those.
The clamshell case:
A straightforward case with the Hi logo and some Chinese instruction manual inside; I like it, it doesn't feel so cheap, and there's room enough for other things like a set of additional tips: we got 3 set in total. No foam, no fancy things, but it's easy to add yours if you don't like those.
The pouch has an elastic inside also, but the design isn't for small object it seems. It's a semi-hard shell case and should protect your gear enough.
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

Build quality and design:

 
 
Let's start from the cable:
The cable on the E212 is great.  Is  light, very supple, little memory and, well, it looks nice. It's actually reminiscent of higher end IEM cables;  with a slightly reflective layer over it. There's no slider above the Y split.
The Y split and the overall cable are long enough for every purpose I guess, even if you want to put them around the ear etc; if the Y split is too narrow you can't do that and can be annoying. 
Microphonic is average. The plug end is at 45 degree angle. Overall I like a lot the cable on this earphones.
The nozzle material is kinda different from the other parts of the body and I think that this improves the overall grip to the ear.
Personally I got a decent seal and they fit comfortably, but not if I run. In some conditions they are prone to slip off the ear with the stock tips.
Overall build quality is really good, compared to other earbuds on the same price range.
The driver shell is not cheap, I mean, still plasticky but it feels very solid and with average level of craftsmanship on it.
One thing that I think is related to the build architecture is the killer driver flex.
Beware of driver flex because it hurts on this one.
One other thing that I like the weight. They are light and balanced to the ear.
As a plus, they are quite small and they look decent on the ear.
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

Sound Quality:

 
 

Test equipment:

Flacs >> PC >> FiiO e07k >> E212
Flacs >> Rockboxed Ipod classic 5 >> E212
Flacs >> Rockboxed Ipod classic 5 >> FiiO LOD >> e07k >> E212
All kind of music.
 

Bass and lowrange:

This earphones are bass heavy out of the box. The bass are very pronounced, and they even got good textures. A bit dark for me but I think it's just a matter of taste. Overall I find the bass very punchy and clean, I bet it's a good choice for bass lovers.
 

Midrange:

The thing I can say about this earbuds on midrange is that they are not brilliant but they are there when it's needed. Some good vocals can get a little muddy and dark but I don't feel like they are rubbish. Again there is a matter of taste on it, the overall v-shaped sound reflects is beauty and the other side of the medal.
 

Treble/Highs:

Highs are a bit recessed. Sometimes you feel that you need that little extra from some tracks: especially some ambient tracks and some treble/oriented music that needs that edge of crispness on the highs that you are not going to find here out of the box. On the other side, I've found no sibilance or whatsoever, and it's still a good thing.
Imaging and soundstage:
The soundstage is really good, I mean, better than my expectations. Imaging is good also, you can place instruments very well and you don't struggle to find a spot for everyone singer included on vocal soundtracks.
You got a good balance between price and resolution on a tiny package and that means a lot.
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 

Conclusion and final thoughts:

The first thing that comes in mind reviewing this little beauty is that they are jolly good earbuds for the money. If you like bassy, v-shaped, affordable, dynamic IEMs they are definitely a must buy for you. Nothing else to search for.
Again the Highs are a bit recessed and the resolution is not top tier but you always need to look at the price you are paying for. Also, there is the option to go ahead and try some Eq schemes, and I think the result can be impressive.
So again lot of potential, solid build quality for a jolly good product from a fast growing company.
You can find this around 50USD bucks on eBay and it's a great deal.