[REVIEW] HifiMan RE400 ‘Waterline’ – The New Reference

[Feilong4]

A bit late but how do these compare to the Etymotic HF5 if you have tried them? Thanks!

 

[angadkumar]

I don't know if this is a right place to ask this question. But still.
I have owned a Hifiman RE262 since 2 years ($150). And it was working fine for an year and half but then it developed an issue in one of its head. The sound from the left head or ear piece sometimes vanishes. I'm assuming a wiring connection gone lose internally.
Now I had contacted the Hifiman customer care support and they say that the RE262 have been discontinued & also the warranty is available for an year. And they are offering me a replacement of RE400 for $50.
All of this is fine.
But what I can't decide on is :
1.) The Sound Quality generated by the RE400. Will it be at par with RE262. I used to like the sound of RE262. Not love it but still adore it. I loved its wide sound stage the decent distinction between the instruments.
I did not like its laid back bass. The bass was sometimes an issue in certain kinda music but in rest I felt the bass was decently natural if not laid back. And yes that it did not have any issue in high note e.g. Female voice hitting high notes, or guitar high notes.
Produced pretty nice sound at higher volumes with any cracking of the sound.
 
2.) Maybe I'm a bit too naive but I feel that paying $50 for replacement to an RE400 doesn't seem wise in a monetary sense.
As it just seems only a $50 off.
 
Please give advices regarding this. Is there any other option.

 

[proedros]

bold 1 - i just had the same problem with my 272 , hopefully it is still under warranty so i guess they will either give me a 272 or a 600

bold 2 - i had the re400 and didn't like it at all , i have the 262 and love it for its quality especially when amped - imho no contest whatsoever between 400/262

bold 3 - buy a used 262 from here for 100$ , you won't have a warranty but still in my mind there is no question whether i would choose a used 262 over the 400
 
 
Quote:

  I don't know if this is a right place to ask this question. But still.
I have owned a Hifiman RE262 since 2 years ($150). And it was working fine for an year and half but then it developed an issue in one of its head. The sound from the left head or ear piece sometimes vanishes. I'm assuming a wiring connection gone lose internally.
Now I had contacted the Hifiman customer care support and they say that the RE262 have been discontinued & also the warranty is available for an year. And they are offering me a replacement of RE400 for $50.
All of this is fine.
But what I can't decide on is :
1.) The Sound Quality generated by the RE400. Will it be at par with RE262. I used to like the sound of RE262. Not love it but still adore it. I loved its wide sound stage the decent distinction between the instruments.
I did not like its laid back bass. The bass was sometimes an issue in certain kinda music but in rest I felt the bass was decently natural if not laid back. And yes that it did not have any issue in high note e.g. Female voice hitting high notes, or guitar high notes.
Produced pretty nice sound at higher volumes with any cracking of the sound.
 
2.) Maybe I'm a bit too naive but I feel that paying $50 for replacement to an RE400 doesn't seem wise in a monetary sense.
As it just seems only a $50 off.
 
Please give advices regarding this. Is there any other option.

 

[modulor]

  I don't know if this is a right place to ask this question. But still.
I have owned a Hifiman RE262 since 2 years ($150). And it was working fine for an year and half but then it developed an issue in one of its head. The sound from the left head or ear piece sometimes vanishes. I'm assuming a wiring connection gone lose internally.
Now I had contacted the Hifiman customer care support and they say that the RE262 have been discontinued & also the warranty is available for an year. And they are offering me a replacement of RE400 for $50.
All of this is fine.
But what I can't decide on is :
1.) The Sound Quality generated by the RE400. Will it be at par with RE262. I used to like the sound of RE262. Not love it but still adore it. I loved its wide sound stage the decent distinction between the instruments.
I did not like its laid back bass. The bass was sometimes an issue in certain kinda music but in rest I felt the bass was decently natural if not laid back. And yes that it did not have any issue in high note e.g. Female voice hitting high notes, or guitar high notes.
Produced pretty nice sound at higher volumes with any cracking of the sound.
 
2.) Maybe I'm a bit too naive but I feel that paying $50 for replacement to an RE400 doesn't seem wise in a monetary sense.
As it just seems only a $50 off.
 
Please give advices regarding this. Is there any other option.

If you really like the RE262 sound (I've personally not heard it yet) you may want to consider sending them to someone who could repair/re-cable them.  It sounds like it may be a cabling issue if the sound goes out intermittently.  For that, I'd recommend Vesper Audio - they've done a few RE-series re-cables already: http://vesperaudio.com/view-gallery/28/fixed-cable-recables
 
I can't really comment on how they compare to the RE-400 though as I've not heard the RE-262 myself...yet 

 

[egosumlux]

What about cable durability I've seen many complains at amazon reviews stating the RE400 does not last long due to a seemingly frail cable. Is there any revision of the cable with a better quality kevlar reinforced version?

 

[Baroninkjet]

  What about cable durability I've seen many complains at amazon reviews stating the RE400 does not last long due to a seemingly frail cable. Is there any revision of the cable with a better quality kevlar reinforced version?

My left cable protector pulled out of earpiece after 3-4 months. Still works though. I returned my RE0's three times in a year.
 
I would love to find something (reasonably priced) with comparable clarity, a little more bass and a lot more reliability.

 

[kahaluu]

Maybe the Doppios might be for you. More bass, clarity and they seem to be well made.

 

[Baroninkjet]

Does anyone know if HFM will replace them under warranty for the cable protectors coming loose? Now after 8 mo., BOTH of mine have pulled out. You have to spin them around to figure out L and R, pretty annoying.

 

[tinyman392]

  Does anyone know if HFM will replace them under warranty for the cable protectors coming loose? Now after 8 mo., BOTH of mine have pulled out. You have to spin them around to figure out L and R, pretty annoying.

Email them, they may replace them under warranty  

 

[Baroninkjet]

 
Email them, they may replace them under warranty  

 
I did and they were very helpful, agreeing to replace under warranty since they are only six mo old. Thanks.

 

[JuleZ3C]

I got a pair last Friday and was burning them in nicely, but yesterday (4 days later) after something like 20hours of burn/use (never nomad) the right monitor lost some sound level !! (while listening, a quite severe drop)
Not the same problem as some here re frail cable, but still alarming quality-wise...
I'm exchanging them, hoping the next ones will fare better.

 

[adrift02]

Hi all, 
 
I saw some talk about recabling these -- anyone have any luck with that? My connector/plug is going out (very hard to keep full sound) and I'd love to be able to easily replace the connector to get them going again without worrying about sending them in for repair (which sounds like it will cost the same as buying a new pair).
 
Thanks!

 

[KraziEarss]

I've been reading pages and pages and don't see anything, but has anybody use these with a e11k? If so, how do you feel about the sound quality? Do they sound much better amped?

 

[adrift02]

I've been reading pages and pages and don't see anything, but has anybody use these with a e11k? If so, how do you feel about the sound quality? Do they sound much better amped?

Not sure if the e11k, but I thought they paired well with a FiiO E11. It made them a bit fuller and added just the right amount of low end boost for certain genres.

 

[KraziEarss]

Not sure if the e11k, but I thought they paired well with a FiiO E11. It made them a bit fuller and added just the right amount of low end boost for certain genres.

Ok, I think they will pair well with the fiio X1, but wanted a bit more driving power as well but to also improve the quality of an already outstanding iem. Anybody have other amp recommendations for portable use to pair with x1 for these iems?