[ackers07]

My replacement re2 arrived yesterday after being a few months without them. For 2 months I've been using just my ie8 and thought the sound sig was really good: natural sound, great soundstage etc. Then when I got my new replacement re2, the sound actually surprised me - in a good way. Coming from the ie8 back to the re2, I've realised I'm not really the basshead that I though I was. The lack of bass on the re2 was actually quite a joy to my ears, it's not exactly great in the low-end department but it's a nice change from the thumping ie8 bass. The mids on the re2 are the best thing about them to me, silky smooth, and the treble was just fine. After listening to my re2 with several albums I tried my ie8 again and I couldn't believe how dark the ie8 sounded in comparison! And I found the bass was overwhelming and felt almost like the ie8 was shouting at me, where as the re2 was lovely and musical - laid back you could say. Curiously, I find my re2 sound better paired with my Clip than my S9, but only just. Even more curiously, I actually prefer the re2 without the e5 amp, when before my re2 broke I swore by the e5 amp! I just love it's neutral, balanced mid-centric sound without amping.

So all in all I've found based on my preferences:

ie8: good mids, excellent treble, well pronounced but over-powering bass, excellent soundstage, slightly coloured sound, very dark sound, further away presenation - not close enough for my liking, hiss present on s9 - not so much on clip

re2: silky smooth/warm mids, good treble, weak but pronounced bass, ok soundstage, clean/neutral albeit tinny/thin sound, closer presentation - not too close but not too far back like ie8, no hiss at all even at highest volume

That said, what would be a better choice for my next IEM endeavour?

 

[LeonWho]

Try the Etymotic ER4s.

 

[Pianist]

@OP: If you really like RE2s, sell the IE8 and get RE252. Should be a great upgrade for you. Or you can try RE0 first, since they are only $79. Also a big upgrade over RE2, but the sound character is a bit different which you may or may not like.

 

[rawrster]

Well first I would wait before buying something new. You just got the RE2 back so it may just be that they are so different than the IE8 that you like them unless of course you know for sure that the sound signature of the IE8 is not for you.