Youd be forgiven for not having heard of Hifiman before.
The product Im writing about today leans towards the latter.
One would hope so, given the price.
At launch, it came in a gold-plated brass design and retailed for $2,000.
40% off TNW Conference!
Among other top-of-the-line, endgame-level IEMs, thats quite a steal.
Its a pity they dont quite like look their price.
The same goes for the detachable cable.
Its fine, but it doesnt give off the indestructible and tangle-free quality seen with other headphones.
Im conflicted about the RE2000s form factor.
Those block out enough noise for commuting but are uncomfortable for extended use.
Id recommend buying some extra tips Spiral Dot,Spinfit,SymbioandComplytips are some audiophile standards.
These headphones sound glorious.
Hifimans founder, Dr. Fang Bian, says the RE2000 took three years of research to create.
In fact, you could say it goes back further.
This is particularly notable because very few IEMs in this price and performance bracket use a singledynamic driverper ear.
The company makes a good case for itself.
The first thing that hits you about the RE2000s sound is its grandeur, its flat-out bigness.
Instruments get space to breathe thats rare for IEMs.
This is all aided by Hifimans highly-agreeable tuning.
Its a slight V-shape, meaning theres a small emphasis on the bass and highs over the mids.
Im happy to see more high-end headphones dismissing the trope that flat or bright tuning is necessarily more realistic.
Different strokes for different folks.
The bass is a highlight, hitting like a truck when called for without the slightest hint of boominess.
Its not the deepest Ive heard, but plenty to shake your noggin.
The midrange is surprisingly refined, given the V tuning.
Still, the RE2000 are overall fairly forgiving headphones.
To be clear, the RE2000 isnt the most technically proficient headphone Ive heard.
RHAs CL2 resolves more minutiae to my ears, as do some flagship full-size headphones.
No part of the frequency range is the very best Ive heard.
Its the kind of headphone that sounds fantastic with virtually every genre you throw at it.
Theyre less detailed than the Focal Utopia, but its wild they exhibit a similar sense of space.
But sound-wise, this is endgame-level stuff.
Fewer people bat an eye when someone spends that much cash on fancy full-size headphones or speakers.
Heck, people spend thousands on fancy watches, jewelry, clothing, vehicle upgrades, and whatnot.
But to me, a great IEM like the RE2000 gives you more for your money.
Whether youre willing to pay for that is totally up to you.
That I can carry such world-class sound within my pocket is nothing but a small wonder.
