HifiMan RE00 – Massdrops Hidden Gem?

HifiMan Massdrop RE00

$34.99

8.1

Sound Signature

7.5/10

Build Quality

7.0/10

Value

9.8/10

Pros

• Detailed Resolution, Precise Clarity with Airiness of Treble Linearity
• Performance in the $100s
• Very good value

Cons

• Lack of inline mic, chin strap and shirt clip. No frills accessories
• Only available on Massdrop so hard to get
• Bass light more detail focused

Build

The first surprise – the RE00 earphones are not made of plastic. They have metal driver shells, that was entirely unexpected for the price.

They have a significant weight for their tiny size and feel like they are robust enough to take a drop or 2 and last for as long as you want them to. The drivers are a barrel shape. They are short enough and slim enough to fit into the entrance of the eardrum and brace themselves against the inside of the earlobe. For out and about use the fit may not be quite tight enough to stop too much wind noise and traffic sounds from intruding. The fixed cable is cord from the Y connector down and a much more flexible plastic sheaf from the Y up to the shells. Microphonics are low on the RE00. Vibration from cable noise into the ear drum has been efficiently reduced through the cord cable. The IE800, at £600, has 10x the microphonics these produce. I have found the cables to remain tangle free. The cable falls into a natural shape by virtue of the denseness of the cord. No inline mic is attached, either a statement of intent from HifiMan or a cost saver. No chin slider has been incorporated. This would have helped keep the stiffness of the lower cord cable under control and helped keep the drivers into the optimal point in the eardrum without the need for occasional adjustment. The terminations are plastic moulded and extremely robustly constructed. The right angled 3.5mm connector will further mitigate wear on the mini jack, prone to failure as one of the main parts of an earphone which has force exerted on it regularly.

The cosmetic appearance of the IEMs is a no frills affair. The driver shells have an understated studded black finish. This assists in grabbing hold of the IEMs to twist them out of the ears and will probably add to their longevity. Only time will tell. The drivers are a stubby bullet shape. This is by no means perfect for a good fit. The contours of the ear are roughly an oval shape. Many people still prefer tiny iems, they are not so noticeable as something which fits all the way around the ear. An oval type for takes up much more of the ear, therefore isolation is likely to be improved. Wind noise shouldn’t get in so easily. Because the mass of the driver shell is spread across the whole of the ear rather than 30% of it, the fit will be more comfortable to wear. Particularly over periods lasting hours long. The more % of driver that fits into the ear the easier it will stay put. Readjusting IEMs can be a real pain. The shape of the driver does not win any plus points for me.

These are high impedance earphones; 64 Ohms. Sensitivity is much more in the expected area: 100 dB at 1 mW. They can play through a phone but will rise to the occasion if tired with amplification or powerful DAPs.

Sound Quality

With such a high impedance the RE00s drivers take some moving. The sound signature is much more linear than your average IEM at this price level. In the spirit of the Etymotic ER4, these are distinctly bass light. A great deal of attention has been paid in getting these IEMs to sound clear and vivid without having that cheap harshness. This has been at the expense of hard hitting sub bass warmth and mid bass punch. There is bass there. The bass guitar and kickdrum can be distinguished easily. There is at least no muddiness in the bass. An audiophile expecting a bass cannon a la subwoofer levels will be disappointed. HifiMan have definitely aimed these at the audiophile market. Those who are seeking a more sophisticated mature sound signature will not be disappointed. The bass lays no curtain over the mid range and highs. Guitars, voice, echo, depth, studio effects are all laid out for those who wish to search beyond what is happening in the rhythm section.

Being a child of the 80s I have a love of Synth Pop. The first electronic duo of them all in the UK at least was Yazoo. They made some catchy numbers back then using spartan backgrounds and a very powerful voice. Vince Clark went on to work with Andy Bell for a number of very successful years when he formed Erasure. I had a listen to Mr Blue by Yazoo. I have a pair of Klipsch X11is – they have a relatively high impedance of 50 Ohms and a remarkable 110 dB sensitivity. Alison Moyet (Alf) has a powerful voice which bears similarities to Adele. She roars this song out. The synth drums and keyboards are pushing themselves hard to stay part of the mix. The X11is make the song sound harsh and strained and force the volume to be turned down. Not so with the RE00s. They have the upper mids and treble turned just to my liking. The track is very enjoyable to listen to. Some of the deficiencies and bloatedness of the synth bass had been nicely smoothed over by the HiFiMan.