Firstly I would like to thank Mark at HiFiMAN for sending me this sample to review, they have had over 50hrs of burn-in before this review was written.
*disclaimer: This sample was provided for the purpose of writing a review, no incentive was given to write a favourable review. All opinions expressed are my own subjective findings.
Gear Used: Dell PC > Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ > RE800 Silver (stock bi-flange tips)
Audio Opus #2 > RE800 Silver (stock bi-flange tips)
Tech Specs:
Frequency Response – 5Hz – 20kHz
Impedance – 60Ohms
Sensitivity – 105dB
Packaging, Build Quality and Accessories:
The RE800 silver come in a slightly smaller box than the normal RE800, but it is a great looking box at that. Matte black with a picture of the IEM’s on the front with the name written in silver on it. On the back of the box you have the tech specs, slide the tops off the box and you’ll find the IEM’s held neatly in a foam insert. Next to them is the carry case which holds the accessories. The box feels and looks great in my opinion.
The build quality is very good overall, unlike the gold RE800, the silver version comes with a fixed cable. The jack is a standard affair with a silver metal housing and fairly rigid strain relief. The y-splitter is also silver with the model engraved into it. There is a silver chin slider and again lack of strain relief where the cable enters the housing. The cable feels fine, fairly rubbery and it should hold up fine over time but it would have been nice if they were detachable. The housing is metal and very well finished, no complaints here. Overall I don’t really have any issues with the build quality, but a detachable cable like the normal RE800 would have been nice.
Accessory wise you get a fairly standard clamshell case, something nicer could have been included, but what I do like is the selection of tips these come with. You get some standard bi-flange tips pre-installed which I really like both comfort and sound wise, but in the case you will find a bag with clear single and triple flange tips, along with black triple flange and bi-flange tips. Overall a really good range of tips, you also get some earhooks for the cable. I am glad they included more tips this time,
Comfort and Isolation:
The RE800 housing is really small, this means they should fit all ear shaped and sizes with no issues. The small housing that is rounded and lightweight means these are extremely comfortable once you get a good fit, and I can wear them for hours with no discomfort.
Isolation is good but not great, the housing is vented and this does compromise the isolation somewhat, but they are perfect for everyday general use. Only in the noisiest environments would this ever be an issue.
Sound:
Lows: The low end on the RE800 is really impressive, like a chameleon it changes with the tracks played. It comes out of a black background when called for and is very dynamic with incredible definition and control, yet it never comes out in such a way as to dominate the sound. There is extension, there is real punch, kicks don’t fall flat and yet they are just well balanced and merge effortlessly into the mix. They don’t suffer from a boosted mid-bass to create false thickness, and there is no bleed into the midrange, keeping everything detailed and clear.
Midrange: Here the vocals take centre stage with all outer instruments placed perfectly around them. There is excellent clarity across the board, female vocals have a slight edge in absolute clarity due to a slight lift in the upper midrange, but male vocals still sound superb here. Guitars are backed with excellent control and power. the thing the RE800 Silver does really well is to handle heavy rock with power and authority, yet they are equally good at bringing out the nuances in slower acoustic tracks and rendering acoustic guitars with perfect body. As I said there is still a slight peak in the upper midrange, but this does not bring with it any harshness to my ears.
Highs: The highs are well placed and not toned down, the real downfall of the original RE800 was a fairly sharp peak in the treble that brought out sparkle but could also be fatiguing. To me the RE800 Silver is still not a dark sounding IEM, but it sounds like the peaks have been smoothed out a little. There is still plenty of treble presence, and they extend effortlessly. Again here the separation is key, and you can easily distinguish each cymbal crash and tap with ease. The highs won’t flatter bright recordings, or poor recordings, they will reveal flaws, but then again if you feed them good quality material you will be rewarded.
The soundstage is wider than it is deep, but these do create a convincing stereo image that is wider than most IEM’s. The separation is excellent, even during complex tracks you can still easily separate the mix.
Conclusion:
The RE800 Silver are a very well done single dynamic driver IEM, just like the gold version are. I feel that the RE800 Silver are slightly less peaky in the treble, and have slightly more body to the sound when compared to the gold version. The RE800 Silver is well balanced, comfortable and enjoyable, what more could you ask for.
Sound Perfection Rating: 9/10 (Slightly less peaky, better value)
