[Audio WannaBe]

  Firstly, I would like to thank Miss T. from Head-Direct for sending me the RE-242’s and giving me the opportunity to review the RE-242’s.
 [size=22.0pt]HifiMAN Express RE-242 {REVIEW}[/size]
 
[size=14.0pt]What’s In The Package (That I Got)?[/size]

1. 1 HifiMAN Express RE-242

1. Earwax filter (set of 12)

1. 5 pairs of silicone eartips (Single flange: small, medium, large, Extra Extra large.

                                            Double flange:large)
 
NOTE: This RE-242 is a working sample, so packaging is simple and it came in a little plastic box, transparent, and wrapped in plastic, which was also transparent, and not the fancy packaging you will usually get. Also, what I got may not be what you will be getting when the RE-242’s hit the markets. You may get more, or you may get fewer added frills.
 
 
[size=14.0pt]How’s The Build Quality?[/size]
 
1. The RE-242 earphone housings have a really simple design with a really alluring chrome-like finish. The RE-242’s have a one-piece metal body with plastic, colored caps at the back. Which type of metal? I am not sure.  Also, they are minute. Not just small. Minute!

These are really SMALL, probably the same size as the q-jays by Jays?
 
 
2. As you can see, there is a red and a blue colored cap. These are indicators to which is which side. The one with the Red cap is for the Right ear, and the bLue cap is for the Left ear. The color-coded indicator is the same with the Monster Turbine Pro Coppers where the earpiece with the Red ring is for the Right ear, and the earpiece with the bLue ring is for the Left ear. The plastic caps also act as strain relief for the housings and it does not really look like it can take too much strain or downward force.


 
3. The splitter is made of super solid plastic-like piece that has the word “HifiMAN” on the front, and the model, which is “RE-242” both in silver on the back of the splitter.
 
4. The slider needs a little effort to move it. Which may pose an inconvenience to some, when your hands are full and you want to move the slider. The boon is that the slider will not move out of position easily, which is a plus!
 
5. The cable above the splitter is thicker than normal iBuds, and has about the same thickness as my Klipsch Image S4. Below the splitter, the cable is even thicker than the cable above the splitter. This means that the cable is more tangle-resistant and will be less of a problem when you take them out after coiling them up.
 
6. The jack is a 45-degree angled 3.5mm gold jack. The strain relief for the jack is MASSIVE for an IEM. It is really sturdy and thick. Not something you would expect from an IEM. That means I can dangle them in mid-air many more times before the jack snaps from the rest of the wire. Just kidding.

  Introducing the mammoth sized strain relief would definitely help clumsy people like me from snapping the cable because of too many phone-slips-out-of-hand-causing-it-to-dangle-in-mid-air-and-putting-strain-on-the-cable instances.
 
 
[size=14.0pt]How’s The Comfort and Isolation?[/size]
  The RE-242’s although have metal housings feel extremely light. When I listen to them, I do not feel them resting in my ears. That is how light they are! Currently, I use the double flange tip, so it goes in my ear canal further than the normal single flanges. However, I do not feel as if the deeper insertion of the double flanges in my ears is intruding, thus they are really comfortable to my ears. This bodes well for longer listening time as you are less likely to stop listening due to the discomfort.
 
Due to the fact that the RE-242’s are minute, your ears and long sideburns conceal them when you put them on. Some of you may have experienced falling asleep with your IEMs still on, and when you toss and turn while asleep, your IEMs may snap in between your head and your bed. With the RE-242’s, you can practically sleep with them in your ears as they are so minute and do not jut out of your ears.
 
[size=6.0pt]NOTE: I DO NOT CONDEMN NOR DO I RECOMMEND OR ENCOURAGE YOU TO SLEEP WITH THE RE-242’S IN YOUR EARS. DO AT YOUR OWN RISK, WHETHER ON PURPOSE OR ACCIDENTAL. THE USER (YOU) WOULD BE LIABLE FOR THE DAMAGE OR INJURIES CAUSED TO THE IEM OR THE USER. [/size]
 
  The single flange and double flange eartips offer passive isolation. With the isolation you get with these IEMs, you could listen to them with a rowdy background and still hear your RE-242’s clearly, without turning the volume up too high. However, I feel that the single flanges isolate a tad bit better than the double flange. Maybe it is because the double flange is sort of thinner and softer than the single flanges, although people say that it is usually the stiffer eartips that cause the drop in the isolation.
 
  Most importantly, make sure you get a good seal. Try ALL the eartips till you find one that gives you the best seal and comfort. If not, you will experience horrible sound. Not only for the RE-242’s but also for all IEMs alike.
[size=14.0pt] [/size]
 
 
[size=14.0pt]How DO The RE-242’s Sound?[/size]
These are the specs for the RE-242:
· DIMENSIONS: 6mm diameter
· FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 20Hz – 20KHz
· INPUT CONNECTIONS: 3.5mm
· NOISE ISOLATION: -20dB
· NOMINAL IMPEDANCE: 16-ohm
· SENSITIVITY: 103db SPL/mW
· TOTAL HARMONIC DISTORTION: 0.3%
· WEIGHT: approx. 11 - 13 grams
 
  Finally, we are moving on to the much-awaited main course. So… How do the RE-242’s sound? When I first received the RE-242’s and popped them on, frankly, I was rather disappointed. They sounded muffled and hollow. If you have never heard the sound of emptiness before, get the RE-242 and listen to them straight out of the box when they hit the markets. I rated them a step lower than the iBuds.
 
  After about 60 hours of burn-in, I was speechless. The RE-242’s took a 180-degree turn, and it kept getting better as I clocked in more listening time with the RE-242. I guess when I first heard them, they were still raw and needed some form of aggravation, for the drivers to loosen up and sound better. The emptiness caused by the hollow sounding RE-242 was still present, but overall the sound quality of the RE-242’s was taken up a notch, and seemed to respond to burn-in more effectively than my S4’s.
 
  Now, the RE-242’s sound fun, warm and relaxed. They do sound more detailed but not analytical. A little more detail would have been perfect. Sure it still does sound airy, but EQ-ing will make them less aerated. Bass is present, but not impactful, and it does not really extend into the lower frequencies. A cheap option is to get a FiiO E5 to increase the impact of the bass? This is just my opinion. However, I heard that the E5 would distort the sound quality. But it is still worth the try if you want.
 
  With the warm mids and that wee bit of bass extension, the RE-242’s do not congested at all. They sound quite translucent, which is not what I expected from a sub $50 IEM. The treble is decent but not bright. So it does not stand out. The soundstage is very vacant (?) and spacious, but does not give you that ambience when you are listening to a recording piece. Lastly, the RE-242 are not the most sensitive IEMs out there, so it may be a ‘+’ or ‘-‘ for some of you who want to get your hands on the RE-242 when they are out.

 
 
[size=14.0pt]What’s My Verdict?[/size]
My Ratings:
Accessories – 7.5/10 (5 pairs of silicone buds, earwax filters. So many frills! Now they just have to throw in a case or a pouch to the finished product, then it would be perfect)
 
Build Quality – 7.1/10 (really sturdy construction for a sub $50 IEM. Looks like it will last for very long, even with a little abuse)
 
Comfort – 7.2/10 (the earpieces themselves were very light, and the comfort provided by the silicone eartips were a + too)
 
Sound Quality – 6.8/10 (fun sounding and relaxed, sound signature would appeal to many people just starting out their head-fi craves or need a value for money IEM)
 
Value – 7/10 [$20 - $40] (the price is not yet confirmed, but for $20 - $40, they are quite worth it. I am not sure if there is any warranty for these too.)
 
Overall – 7.12/10 ( A brilliant effort by HifiMAN in their inaugural entry-level IEM and definitely a good one at that)
 
[size=14.0pt]In Conclusion?[/size]
[size=14.0pt] [/size][size=14pt] [/size]If you love IEMs that are all FUN! FUN! FUN! The RE-242, are just for you. You will not die of fatigue listening to these. The highs are bright for a sub $50 IEM but not edgy. The aerated soundstage may appeal to some? Or…. Maybe not… There is definition in these IEMs but not enough to my liking. Also, if you would like something in the low-end, I would suggest getting these, because they are really value for money, not only in terms of accessories, but also in terms of the comfort and sound you get out of the RE-242.
 
  I hope you enjoyed this review and benefited from it. Please leave you comments below on how I can improve on my reviews. Thank you!

 

[i2ehan]

Sure is quite in here. Any word on their official release?

 

[IMAWolf]

Look's like Hifiman's turning their attention to FUN! The whole burn-in thing makes me wonder about how they respond to amping. Great review!

 

[Audio WannaBe]

Thanks for the compliment IMAWolf! As for i2ehan's question: Sadly the last time i asked, Ms. T. from head-direct said that there was no official news on when the RE-242s would be released. Maybe i'll try asking again.