Introduction
First off, lot of thanks to mukulymn for loaning me his favorite IEM, RE-262 for an extended time, which made this review possible. For detailed impressions and comparisons, check out the thread here: http://www.techenclave.com/audio-zone/head-direct-re-262-impressions-comparisons-182787.html
Photos
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Specifications
Impedance: 150 Ω
Sensitivity: 95 ± 3 dB/mW
Rate Input: 10 mW
Maximum Input: 30 mW
Connector: 3.5mm right angle plug
Driver: 9mm dynamic driver
Build Quality
RE-262 is the current flagship IEM of Hifiman / Head-Direct. With the previous flagship, RE-252, I had plenty of issues with the design and fit of the IEM. Fortunately, better sense prevailed when designing RE-262.
Cables have been the bane of almost all Hifiman IEMs before, leading to many failures, RMAs and general discontent among it's customers. RE-262's cable is the thickest I've seen from Hifiman, far better than the thin and classless RE-252. I also find it much more sturdy for daily use. It's good to see them concentrate on build quality a bit more. At it's MSRP of $250, it still couldn't hold it's own against the better cables of e-Q5 (262 is thinner till Y-Split, slightly thicker from Y-Split to housing) or the costlier FX700 (similar thickness, but does not feel as good, but 262 has normal length and FX700 is very short) or the braided cable of SM3. RE-262's Cables have some memory effect.
The housing is provided with a good, long and thick strain relief. The strain reliefs also carry the Left and Right markings. As I use my IEMs generally in the dark, I prefer color coding like SM3 (coloring within the housing) or e-Q5 (at the entry points of the cable into the housing), but it's still better than RE-252 with it's slightly hidden marking under the tip.
The housing is shaped almost like the experimental disaster of RE-252, but thankfully lets go of the gummy material and replaces it with glossy plastic; it also loses the "extension of pain". The metal nozzle and replaceable filters make 262 make me feel that I'd have loved 252 in this housing. While it's better built, it does not come close to the build quality of the equally priced e-Q5's metal housing or the wooden FX700 housing. However, it feels better built than the SM3's "break me anytime" housing and IEMs like DBA-02.
The Y-Split and the L-plug are similar to those found in other Head-Direct IEMs. I am guessing that they forgot to order a slightly bigger chin slider without accounting for the slightly thicker cable or purposefully made it too tight and useless.
Other factors
Comfort: RE-262 is much more comfortable to wear than RE-252. It can be worn straight down or by running the cable over the ear. There's slight pressure in the outer ear after a long listening session, but I'd take it any day over the other heavier IEMs which leave my inner ear a bit aching after a long session (HJE900, e-Q5, FX700 etc.,)
Microphonics: The cable does have some microphonics when worn straight down. It is much better over the ear.
Isolation: As is the case with most IEMs which are meant to snugly fit in your outer ear, deeper insertion is not possible with RE-262. Hence the isolation is not as great. Due to the vent at the back, I do feel the wind when I was outside or even walking too fast.
Sound Signature
Barring RE1, against which I had severe reservations, I have always liked the Hifiman house sound. RE2 at the lower end (and their first IEM) had warmer mids than the rest of the line-up; RE0, RE-ZERO (which I haven't heard .. yet) and RE-252 more or less share variants of the same signature. I was expecting a more truthful successor to RE-252 sound when they announced RE-262. But, it's a pleasant departure from their house sound.
Let's begin with bass. Hifimans are typically known for their bass light signature. RE-262 departs from this practice and provides a textured, quick, rounded, quality bass. It does not extend as much to the lows enough to rumble nor does it have the punch and impact required for EDM / Trance. It is sufficient for most genres unless one is craving for a longer decay or more impact.
The treble is slightly recessed and laid back in RE-262. It does have some quiet sparkle now and then. RE-262's treble is the quietest treble I've come across in Hifimans barring the rolled off RE1 and RE2. The cymbals sound a little more bodied, a slight bit warm. But at times, it requires some effort to hear the details due to lack of bite. I don't mind the detailed, but laid back treble as it helps keep the focus on the midrange.
Mids are the meat of RE-262's presentation. It's smooth, lush, organic, forward and liquid. It's a bit too smooth for someone who likes a crisper and micro-detailed midrange. It's notes are also slightly hefty and hearty, but not to the point of being thick. Vocals in RE-262 take a step up ahead of the instruments in the presentation. They are hardly sibilant and even manages to smoothen most of the vocal sibilance in the recording.
Presentation:
With RE-262, the first thing I noticed was how clean and loud the IEM is. I am not an expert and won't go into how good the driver is. If interested, one can always refer to posts like this.
The dynamic range is very good and it manages to stay loud and clear from the quieter sound to the louder sound. It also portrays distance very well. As with most Hifiman IEMs, speed is very good for a dynamic IEM.
So how good is the RE-262? Western classical music is something a bit difficult to produce for IEMs accurately. They have waxing and waning sections, with sounds varying from very quiet note to a very loud note. In this case, let's take Gustav Holst's "Mars" from the Planets Suite, which is like a crescendo. Usually IEMs either produce all sections without much difference in loudness or muffle the quiet parts (i.e., not clearly audible). With RE-262, the notes are very clearly audible from beginning to the end. At the same time, you can still differentiate between quiet and loud parts. Similarly, the RE-262 is very good at presenting the difference between sounds that are 'distant' and those which are 'close'. The best thing about this driver is that it manages to do all this without sweat. Effortless is the only word that comes to my mind.
Sound Stage is non-existent on the RE-262. What it has is space and loads of it. This is one thing Head-Direct got very, very right. In comparison with other IEMs, some IEMs are almost equally wide (FX700, SM3), a few are as tall (e-Q5), a few are as deep (TF10), but none have all the three dimensions combined like the RE-262. If I call FX700 as "headphone like", I'd call RE-262 "speaker like". Sounds are not limited to the space of your head or ears as in other IEMs. Several times, RE-262 manages to sound 'out of the ear' and 'behind the head'. Even with this wide stage, RE-262 does not make it artificial sounding. RE1 too had a wide sound stage, but when I tried Diana Krall, it placed the instruments far wide off the centered Diana Krall. The imaging is very good on the RE-262. While separation never reaches the levels of SM3, it's still very good in it's own right. What I'd have liked is a bit more airiness. e-Q5 despite not having as much of a space sounds more airy.
When I wrote the initial impressions, I had to reduce the 5.5Khz range in Rockbox by 1.0 dB due to the bite. But, it's only at slightly louder volumes. Towards the end of my comparisons, I was using it without EQ, but at slightly reduced loudness through the iBasso T3.
Amplification:
Though it's a 150 Ohm IEM, RE-262 is actually more efficient than the equal impedance, but power hungry, volume hungry and still insatiable RE1. I can drive it to satisfactory volume levels straight out of Clip+ (RB-ed Clip+ Volume: -13 to -8 depending on the recording's level). It should be noted that my general listening levels run from -31 to -17 with various other IEMs. Rockboxed Clip+'s volume goes from -88 to +6. So that makes it approx 60-75% for other IEMs and 79-84% for RE-262. If your normal listening levels are more than mine, the following may not apply to you as you'll need an amp anyway.
With iBasso T3 introduced (No gain switches, Vol: 4-5.5), I did not notice changes in the sound stage, but there's a tightness and slight refinement in the sound. For me, the difference is not huge enough to recommend an amp. But, I will still suggest using an amp as RE-262 is a battery drainer. It nearly drained both my Clip+ within a day. With iBasso T3 surviving about 30 hrs+ and Clip+ going on for a few days, it's a much better situation even with the extra load of an amp.
Comparisons
vs RE-252
Full comparison - Comparison vs RE-252 - Post #32
RE-252 is lighter on bass quantity. But, I prefer the crispy, detailed, natural mids of RE-252 over RE-262. Treble of 252 is sparkling (though not to the extent of RE0). RE-252's handicap comes from it's slightly elliptical sound stage which lacks depth.
My opinion: Though I prefer the mids and treble of RE-252, it loses out in comfort, fit, sound stage, presentation and hence I'd choose RE-262 over 252 despite being hard to drive.
vs e-Q5
Full comparison - Comparison vs e-Q5 - Post #47
e-Q5 has similar characteristics on the bass front, but has slightly longer decay. With mids, the notes are a bit thinner. They are slightly warmer, have slightly better timbre and lushness, but stops short of being micro-detailed for my tastes. Treble on e-Q5 is in balance with the mids and displays some more sparkle. In terms of presentation, e-Q5 is airier and uses height of the sound stage more due to lack of depth.
My opinion: The choice is between the better build quality, airiness, treble, low volume listening of e-Q5 vs the sound stage, presentation, tighter bass and slightly smoother and engaging mids of RE-262. Too close to call, but RE-262 is a bit better.
vs Triple Fi 10
Full comparison - Comparison vs TF10 - Post #52
My opinion: Can't be compared. TF10 despite it's technical drawbacks and age is still a fun sounding, detailed BA with a quick and punchy low end and good highs to go with it. RE-262 caters to those who value mids and vocals, neither of which are strengths of TF10. I don't mind either.
vs DBA-02
Full comparison - Comparison vs DBA-02 - Post #61
My opinion: No comparison. One is a fast, analytical IEM which does not sound dry for a change. RE-262 is oriented towards those who prioritize engagement over technical flawlessness. I personally prefer DBA-02 for my tastes.
vs FX700
Full comparison - Comparison vs FX700 - Post #70
My opinion: No comparison. FX700 is an IEM which has slow decaying, heavy on quantity, good on impact bass, sparkling highs and very warm mids which are tuned up to sound in balance with the bumped extremes. It has excellent timbre, no isolation, values instruments more than vocals (though it does not ignore them) and is tuned for fun. I prefer FX700, though they sound nothing alike.
vs SM3
Full comparison - Comparison vs SM3 - Post #80
SM3 is very similar to RE-262 in smoothness. But unlike RE-262, it does not lack any part of the spectrum. The bass has better quantity and impact. The mids are thick, warm and even more forward. The vocalist is always in the dead front-center position i.e., above your head. Treble though similarly recessed and laid back is much more easier to pickup.
My opinion: Despite the thickness in the overall sound and slight difficulty in picking up details, SM3 sounds more engaging due to it's superior sense of separation. Though it's a bit artificially enveloping, SM3's eclectic mix of warmth, thickness, forwardness makes it that much easier to listen to any genre.
Conclusion
RE-262 with it's engaging and smooth presentation is definitely the best IEM to come out of Head-Direct / HiFiMan. For those who value midrange and vocals, there are very few choices that can claim to have the spacious, clean presentation of RE-262, mixed with it's liquid, engaging midrange.
Value for Money
VFM tag is usually reserved for IEMs which fall within the $100 price range. But, as my comparisons show, even among the top-tiers, it's really difficult to pick an IEM which sounds many times better than RE-262 at it's going price of $150-180. I mentioned in my RE-252 review that I'd be happy to pay around $125-150 for RE-252. Considering the improvements to build quality and presentation, I'd assign a VFM rating for RE-262 around the $150-180 mark.
Ranking in my list
While my ranking is purely based on my personal preference, it's sometimes useful to disclose this. It at least helps someone understand whether I've a similar taste to them (hopefully). My Top 3 currently is made of SM3, DBA-02 and FX700. RE-262 and TF10 are almost equals for my taste. I am putting RE-262 slightly ahead at #4 in my IEM ranking list.
Is it for ME?
I am a bass-head / I need plenty of bass impact / I need brighter presentation / I need plenty of sparkle / Analytical or I am out / I need sub-bass like Hippo VB / I need plenty of air / I like a very efficient IEM for listening at lower volumes / I hate carrying portable amps and like to charge my player once a week - Oops! Sorry!
I own a HifiMan IEM and you know the vocals? They are life-less / I hate aggressive treble / I don't like bass that pounds my head / I need good, lively mids / I own RE1 or RE2 and I can spend about $200 for an upgrade - Try RE-262
First off, lot of thanks to mukulymn for loaning me his favorite IEM, RE-262 for an extended time, which made this review possible. For detailed impressions and comparisons, check out the thread here: http://www.techenclave.com/audio-zone/head-direct-re-262-impressions-comparisons-182787.html
Photos
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Specifications
Impedance: 150 Ω
Sensitivity: 95 ± 3 dB/mW
Rate Input: 10 mW
Maximum Input: 30 mW
Connector: 3.5mm right angle plug
Driver: 9mm dynamic driver
Build Quality
RE-262 is the current flagship IEM of Hifiman / Head-Direct. With the previous flagship, RE-252, I had plenty of issues with the design and fit of the IEM. Fortunately, better sense prevailed when designing RE-262.
Cables have been the bane of almost all Hifiman IEMs before, leading to many failures, RMAs and general discontent among it's customers. RE-262's cable is the thickest I've seen from Hifiman, far better than the thin and classless RE-252. I also find it much more sturdy for daily use. It's good to see them concentrate on build quality a bit more. At it's MSRP of $250, it still couldn't hold it's own against the better cables of e-Q5 (262 is thinner till Y-Split, slightly thicker from Y-Split to housing) or the costlier FX700 (similar thickness, but does not feel as good, but 262 has normal length and FX700 is very short) or the braided cable of SM3. RE-262's Cables have some memory effect.
The housing is provided with a good, long and thick strain relief. The strain reliefs also carry the Left and Right markings. As I use my IEMs generally in the dark, I prefer color coding like SM3 (coloring within the housing) or e-Q5 (at the entry points of the cable into the housing), but it's still better than RE-252 with it's slightly hidden marking under the tip.
The housing is shaped almost like the experimental disaster of RE-252, but thankfully lets go of the gummy material and replaces it with glossy plastic; it also loses the "extension of pain". The metal nozzle and replaceable filters make 262 make me feel that I'd have loved 252 in this housing. While it's better built, it does not come close to the build quality of the equally priced e-Q5's metal housing or the wooden FX700 housing. However, it feels better built than the SM3's "break me anytime" housing and IEMs like DBA-02.
The Y-Split and the L-plug are similar to those found in other Head-Direct IEMs. I am guessing that they forgot to order a slightly bigger chin slider without accounting for the slightly thicker cable or purposefully made it too tight and useless.
Other factors
Comfort: RE-262 is much more comfortable to wear than RE-252. It can be worn straight down or by running the cable over the ear. There's slight pressure in the outer ear after a long listening session, but I'd take it any day over the other heavier IEMs which leave my inner ear a bit aching after a long session (HJE900, e-Q5, FX700 etc.,)
Microphonics: The cable does have some microphonics when worn straight down. It is much better over the ear.
Isolation: As is the case with most IEMs which are meant to snugly fit in your outer ear, deeper insertion is not possible with RE-262. Hence the isolation is not as great. Due to the vent at the back, I do feel the wind when I was outside or even walking too fast.
Sound Signature
Barring RE1, against which I had severe reservations, I have always liked the Hifiman house sound. RE2 at the lower end (and their first IEM) had warmer mids than the rest of the line-up; RE0, RE-ZERO (which I haven't heard .. yet) and RE-252 more or less share variants of the same signature. I was expecting a more truthful successor to RE-252 sound when they announced RE-262. But, it's a pleasant departure from their house sound.
Let's begin with bass. Hifimans are typically known for their bass light signature. RE-262 departs from this practice and provides a textured, quick, rounded, quality bass. It does not extend as much to the lows enough to rumble nor does it have the punch and impact required for EDM / Trance. It is sufficient for most genres unless one is craving for a longer decay or more impact.
The treble is slightly recessed and laid back in RE-262. It does have some quiet sparkle now and then. RE-262's treble is the quietest treble I've come across in Hifimans barring the rolled off RE1 and RE2. The cymbals sound a little more bodied, a slight bit warm. But at times, it requires some effort to hear the details due to lack of bite. I don't mind the detailed, but laid back treble as it helps keep the focus on the midrange.
Mids are the meat of RE-262's presentation. It's smooth, lush, organic, forward and liquid. It's a bit too smooth for someone who likes a crisper and micro-detailed midrange. It's notes are also slightly hefty and hearty, but not to the point of being thick. Vocals in RE-262 take a step up ahead of the instruments in the presentation. They are hardly sibilant and even manages to smoothen most of the vocal sibilance in the recording.
Presentation:
With RE-262, the first thing I noticed was how clean and loud the IEM is. I am not an expert and won't go into how good the driver is. If interested, one can always refer to posts like this.
The dynamic range is very good and it manages to stay loud and clear from the quieter sound to the louder sound. It also portrays distance very well. As with most Hifiman IEMs, speed is very good for a dynamic IEM.
So how good is the RE-262? Western classical music is something a bit difficult to produce for IEMs accurately. They have waxing and waning sections, with sounds varying from very quiet note to a very loud note. In this case, let's take Gustav Holst's "Mars" from the Planets Suite, which is like a crescendo. Usually IEMs either produce all sections without much difference in loudness or muffle the quiet parts (i.e., not clearly audible). With RE-262, the notes are very clearly audible from beginning to the end. At the same time, you can still differentiate between quiet and loud parts. Similarly, the RE-262 is very good at presenting the difference between sounds that are 'distant' and those which are 'close'. The best thing about this driver is that it manages to do all this without sweat. Effortless is the only word that comes to my mind.
Sound Stage is non-existent on the RE-262. What it has is space and loads of it. This is one thing Head-Direct got very, very right. In comparison with other IEMs, some IEMs are almost equally wide (FX700, SM3), a few are as tall (e-Q5), a few are as deep (TF10), but none have all the three dimensions combined like the RE-262. If I call FX700 as "headphone like", I'd call RE-262 "speaker like". Sounds are not limited to the space of your head or ears as in other IEMs. Several times, RE-262 manages to sound 'out of the ear' and 'behind the head'. Even with this wide stage, RE-262 does not make it artificial sounding. RE1 too had a wide sound stage, but when I tried Diana Krall, it placed the instruments far wide off the centered Diana Krall. The imaging is very good on the RE-262. While separation never reaches the levels of SM3, it's still very good in it's own right. What I'd have liked is a bit more airiness. e-Q5 despite not having as much of a space sounds more airy.
When I wrote the initial impressions, I had to reduce the 5.5Khz range in Rockbox by 1.0 dB due to the bite. But, it's only at slightly louder volumes. Towards the end of my comparisons, I was using it without EQ, but at slightly reduced loudness through the iBasso T3.
Amplification:
Though it's a 150 Ohm IEM, RE-262 is actually more efficient than the equal impedance, but power hungry, volume hungry and still insatiable RE1. I can drive it to satisfactory volume levels straight out of Clip+ (RB-ed Clip+ Volume: -13 to -8 depending on the recording's level). It should be noted that my general listening levels run from -31 to -17 with various other IEMs. Rockboxed Clip+'s volume goes from -88 to +6. So that makes it approx 60-75% for other IEMs and 79-84% for RE-262. If your normal listening levels are more than mine, the following may not apply to you as you'll need an amp anyway.
With iBasso T3 introduced (No gain switches, Vol: 4-5.5), I did not notice changes in the sound stage, but there's a tightness and slight refinement in the sound. For me, the difference is not huge enough to recommend an amp. But, I will still suggest using an amp as RE-262 is a battery drainer. It nearly drained both my Clip+ within a day. With iBasso T3 surviving about 30 hrs+ and Clip+ going on for a few days, it's a much better situation even with the extra load of an amp.
Comparisons
vs RE-252
Full comparison - Comparison vs RE-252 - Post #32
RE-252 is lighter on bass quantity. But, I prefer the crispy, detailed, natural mids of RE-252 over RE-262. Treble of 252 is sparkling (though not to the extent of RE0). RE-252's handicap comes from it's slightly elliptical sound stage which lacks depth.
My opinion: Though I prefer the mids and treble of RE-252, it loses out in comfort, fit, sound stage, presentation and hence I'd choose RE-262 over 252 despite being hard to drive.
vs e-Q5
Full comparison - Comparison vs e-Q5 - Post #47
e-Q5 has similar characteristics on the bass front, but has slightly longer decay. With mids, the notes are a bit thinner. They are slightly warmer, have slightly better timbre and lushness, but stops short of being micro-detailed for my tastes. Treble on e-Q5 is in balance with the mids and displays some more sparkle. In terms of presentation, e-Q5 is airier and uses height of the sound stage more due to lack of depth.
My opinion: The choice is between the better build quality, airiness, treble, low volume listening of e-Q5 vs the sound stage, presentation, tighter bass and slightly smoother and engaging mids of RE-262. Too close to call, but RE-262 is a bit better.
vs Triple Fi 10
Full comparison - Comparison vs TF10 - Post #52
My opinion: Can't be compared. TF10 despite it's technical drawbacks and age is still a fun sounding, detailed BA with a quick and punchy low end and good highs to go with it. RE-262 caters to those who value mids and vocals, neither of which are strengths of TF10. I don't mind either.
vs DBA-02
Full comparison - Comparison vs DBA-02 - Post #61
My opinion: No comparison. One is a fast, analytical IEM which does not sound dry for a change. RE-262 is oriented towards those who prioritize engagement over technical flawlessness. I personally prefer DBA-02 for my tastes.
vs FX700
Full comparison - Comparison vs FX700 - Post #70
My opinion: No comparison. FX700 is an IEM which has slow decaying, heavy on quantity, good on impact bass, sparkling highs and very warm mids which are tuned up to sound in balance with the bumped extremes. It has excellent timbre, no isolation, values instruments more than vocals (though it does not ignore them) and is tuned for fun. I prefer FX700, though they sound nothing alike.
vs SM3
Full comparison - Comparison vs SM3 - Post #80
SM3 is very similar to RE-262 in smoothness. But unlike RE-262, it does not lack any part of the spectrum. The bass has better quantity and impact. The mids are thick, warm and even more forward. The vocalist is always in the dead front-center position i.e., above your head. Treble though similarly recessed and laid back is much more easier to pickup.
My opinion: Despite the thickness in the overall sound and slight difficulty in picking up details, SM3 sounds more engaging due to it's superior sense of separation. Though it's a bit artificially enveloping, SM3's eclectic mix of warmth, thickness, forwardness makes it that much easier to listen to any genre.
Conclusion
RE-262 with it's engaging and smooth presentation is definitely the best IEM to come out of Head-Direct / HiFiMan. For those who value midrange and vocals, there are very few choices that can claim to have the spacious, clean presentation of RE-262, mixed with it's liquid, engaging midrange.
Value for Money
VFM tag is usually reserved for IEMs which fall within the $100 price range. But, as my comparisons show, even among the top-tiers, it's really difficult to pick an IEM which sounds many times better than RE-262 at it's going price of $150-180. I mentioned in my RE-252 review that I'd be happy to pay around $125-150 for RE-252. Considering the improvements to build quality and presentation, I'd assign a VFM rating for RE-262 around the $150-180 mark.
Ranking in my list
While my ranking is purely based on my personal preference, it's sometimes useful to disclose this. It at least helps someone understand whether I've a similar taste to them (hopefully). My Top 3 currently is made of SM3, DBA-02 and FX700. RE-262 and TF10 are almost equals for my taste. I am putting RE-262 slightly ahead at #4 in my IEM ranking list.
Is it for ME?
I am a bass-head / I need plenty of bass impact / I need brighter presentation / I need plenty of sparkle / Analytical or I am out / I need sub-bass like Hippo VB / I need plenty of air / I like a very efficient IEM for listening at lower volumes / I hate carrying portable amps and like to charge my player once a week - Oops! Sorry!
I own a HifiMan IEM and you know the vocals? They are life-less / I hate aggressive treble / I don't like bass that pounds my head / I need good, lively mids / I own RE1 or RE2 and I can spend about $200 for an upgrade - Try RE-262
