Review: Hifiman RE2000 – Reference

Comfort & Isolation

Comfort-wise I’m not the biggest fan. One of the reasons why I love the RE800 so much is because it’s small and disappears in your ear. The RE2000 is the complete opposite of that. It’s rather large volume-wise and it fills up your entire ear and even sticks out of if somewhat. These monitors will be seen when you’re wearing them, but then again, maybe that’s exactly your goal. The RE2000’s body being bigger, always is pressing against your inner ear and that for me personally isn’t the most pleasant feel, certainly when I’m listening to it for longer periods. The RE2000 also has a very short nozzle so the comfort will very much depend on the tips used. Luckily Hifiman supplies a whole series of foam and double/triple flanged silicone tips to get the best fit possible. For me the foam tips are the most comfortable but that might be very different for you. Weight-wise you can’t complain about these as they only weigh a few grams.

Isolation wise I find these to block out less sound then the RE800 and that made using them on the go for me less fun. I fully recommend using these in quiet environments, at home or in the office where you can enjoy their performance to the fullest.

Specifications

Frequency Response : 5Hz-20kHz

Impedance : 60Ω

Sensitivity : 103dB

Topology Driver (insert)

Topology Diaphragm (insert)

9.2mm Dynamic driver

24K Gold plated

Silver coated, crystalline copper wire

Earphone Weight : 0.48oz (13.8g)

Cable Weight : 0.81oz (23g)

Price & Accessories                

The RE2000 is Hifiman’s reference universal IEM and lot of time and money were invested in the development of this unit. The RE2000 is also made out of brass and it has the electroplated 24K gold finish. All that results in a hefty $2000USD asking price but you get nothing but quality in return: the build quality, design and sound are all on a very high level.

The Hifiman RE2000 comes delivered in the same kind of box the RE800 comes in but the lay-out of the box is different on the inside. On the left side you’ll find a little box with the cable, in the middle the aluminum box where the monitors are in and on the right side the tips. Like I said in the RE800 review this is a nice but very basic presentation. A lot of people really like this kind of box and presentation but maybe Hifiman could have done something extra as this is a $2000USD reference model and the box is pretty basic.

Accessory-wise you get the following: a pair of earhook cable guides, 2 pairs of triple-flange tips, 2 pairs of double-flange tips, a pair of single-flange tips (medium size) and 2 pairs of Comply Foam tips (large and medium). You of course get the stock cable we talked about earlier but you do get a set of DIY 2-pin connectors extra in case you want to have your aftermarket cable built with the Hifiman plugs. Last but not least, there’s a nice Hifiman booklet, just like with the RE800

The round aluminum box in which the monitors are presented can also be used as the carrying box for on the go after taking out the foam inlay. Unfortunately I find this box impossible to open so I haven’t used it at all. (I’ve used a Pelican case instead).

Tuning

Hifiman is promoting their flagship model with slogans such as: “The perfect blend of acoustic drama and clarity” and “The Irrepressible Passion for Music”, and while that’s the marketing division talking I do have to agree with the fact that this IEM indeed is a very nice blend of technicality and musicality.

The RE2000 is a full bodied sounding IEM and both the bass and mids really have an impactful presentation. (The RE800’s presentation was much lighter). At the same time Hifiman has managed to make this a very clean sounding IEM with a nice black background, but it in my opinion doesn’t have the same clarity as the RE800 has.

The RE2000 sounds natural and it delivers to music to your ears in a very smooth and musical way. Its sound signature and presentation is very easy to like and love and for many this probably is an IEM they could listen to for the rest of their life, with all sorts of music and sources. At the same time the bass presence can be a little “too much” for the more neutral signature seeking music lovers. The RE2000 is not what I would call neutral and analytic, it’s smoother, warmer even but with great richness and precision.

The Hifiman RE2000 is a top-level IEM and that’s very noticeable all the way. It delivers an incredibly rich sound (lots of detail), with a nicely wide and deep sound stage. The RE2000 also has very good layering and combines that with a dynamic character and great separation. Hifiman managed to tune their latest with the perfect amount of air and space which make it come over as natural and realistic. If you’re looking for incredibly fast IEM than this one isn’t for you even though the RE2000 certainly is no slouch.

On Page 3 you’ll find even more on SOUND, after the click HERE or the jump below

On Page 3 you’ll find even more on SOUND, after the click HERE or the jump below