Gear Used: Dell PC > Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ / Objective2 > RE2000 Silver (stock bi-flange tips)
iBasso DX200 Amp1 > RE2000 Silver (stock bi-flange tips)
Tech Specs:
Frequency Response: 5Hz-20kHz
Impedance: 60Ohms
Sensitivity: 103dB
MSRP: $1500
http://store.hifiman.com/index.php/earphones.html
Packaging, Build Quality and Accessories:
Much like the RE800 Silver, the new RE2000 Silver comes in a slightly less luxurious box than its gold sibling. But to be honest the packaging is still great, with a hard card outer box with a picture and brief specs printed on it in silver. Lift off the top section and you‘ll find the carry case that holds the IEM‘s in place, along with 2 small boxes that house the accessories. Overall the packaging is sleek and looks great in my opinion.
Build quality feels great, the housings are metal and the silver finish is consistent and looks great. For the price they are not quite as polished feeling and looking as some other brands models, but they feel sturdy and should last a long time. The cable is pretty average, I wish they included a nice braided cable or similar, but the orientation of the 2-pin connectors is now normal and this means they‘ll work fine with aftermarket options. The cables conductors are probably fine, it just doesn‘t feel high-end, or special. The cable has good strain relief on the jack, and the 2-pin connectors have a small section of hard rubber to act as a strain relief. As I said, the cable is nothing special, but you can easily upgrade it.
Accessory wise they are the same as the gold RE2000, a metal carry tin along with some earhooks, a few pairs of tips (not as many as the RE800 silver unfortunately) and last of all a spare set of 2-pin connectors. I like the connectors, as it allows us DIY cable makers to easily make a cable for the RE2000. Overall not a bad selection of accessories, but more tips would not go amiss.
Comfort and Isolation:
The RE2000 Silver is the same shape as the RE2000, this means it fits in the same way. The housing is big and bulky, but I found the stock bi-flange to be grippy which allowed me to get a good seal without them falling out. They never feel like the most secure IEM‘s when in my ears, but the comfort is good for long listening and they don‘t fall out. The weight of the aluminium housing definitely makes a difference here.
Isolation is fairly average, this will be down to the relatively shallow fit along with the housing being vented to prevent driver flex. Overall fine for general day to day use, but not the best for noisy commuting.
Sound:
Split into the usual categories, with a conclusion at the end.
Lows: Much like the regular RE2000 these deliver a truly incredible bass response that is nimble and quick during faster tracks, yet deep and powerful for others. The RE2000 Silver is slightly more reserved in it‘s bass quantity when compared to the normal RE2000, but they are not lean. Single dynamic drivers like this can really deliver an impressive sound, the lows are never congested and they happily do whatever the recording tells them to. They are not bass oriented, but they are accurate and well extended reaching down into the sub-bass with ease. They have slight fullness to them, that gives the RE2000 an overall rich tone, without recessing the rest of the frequencies. These bring out the finest of details in well recorded music however they wouldn‘t be my first choice for bass oriented music. The tonality is spot on, and they just have a texture that many BA based models just can‘t quite get right.
Midrange: Perfectly place at the centre of the mix where they should be, the RE2000 Silver has a detailed and open presentation that is natural and overall just enjoyable. Listening to high quality recordings really does make a difference here, the new Biff Clyro - Unplugged album sounds so real on these, like you are sitting in the front row. Ever little detail is presented, but never pushed forward or forced, these just have an effortless quality to their sound. There‘s enough body from down low to prevent male vocals from sounding thin, yet they are not lacking in the upper midrange where female vocals are rendered with pitch perfect tonality without any harshness.
Highs: The RE2000 Silver never comes across as harsh or bright, they have a fullness to them that makes them so pleasing to listen to. However they are packed full of detail, they have an effortless quality to them that makes you want to keep listening for hours. Listen closely however and you will be rewarded with some of the best detail retrieval I have heard. The highs just sit where they should in the mix, they are not up front and do not fight for your attention. Just like the rest of the sound, there is a focus on making them sound real, and they really do.
The soundstage excellent for an IEM, with excellent height and width. The accuracy of the imaging is also incredible, it is so easy to pinpoint instruments in the soundstage, yet without affecting the coherency.
Conclusion: The RE2000 Silver is like it‘s sibling, it wants you to sit back and enjoy the music, displaying incredible technical prowess without shouting about it. They are not neutral, there is a slight fullness to the sound, but they don‘t sound overly coloured or biased towards any specific frequency band. These offer a truly audiophile experience, and really connect you with the music in an emotional way.
Sound Perfection Rating: 9.5/10 (The cable could still be better, but these are incredible and now at the lower price of $1500, make more sense than the gold version)
