This is a review of HiFiMAN RE300h headphones. http://www.head-direct.com/Products/?act=detail&id=230 , available on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/HIFIMAN-RE300h-Earphone-Audiophile-Earbud/dp/B00PI18QSE/
When I heard HiFiMAN introduced a new line of RE300 in-ear headphones (300i and 300a with corresponding iDevice and Android controls, and 300h with high quality audio only cable), I automatically assumed this is going to be a budget scaled down version of their popular RE400 IEM which I had a pleasure of testing and reviewing in the past, both a standalone RE400 and a balanced wired RE400B bundled with HM700 DAP. From the moment I got these in my hands and my ears, it became very clear to me - I'm dealing with a whole new pint-sized beast, re-designed from a ground up and offered at a very attractive price of under $50. Here is what I found.
Arrived in a small plastic box with a clear open display, it was a bit of a step back from an elegant design packaging I was spoiled by in the past, but I do have to be realistic this is a budget version and you have to make some compromises to keep the cost down. The back of the packaging had a clear description of the features and the spec. One thing I would like to note, you also find US customer support phone number next to their website address, and I have to tell you their support is bar none! Dr Fang Bian and his team behind HiFiMAN takes a lot of pride in their product and support of their customers. I'm not just saying that because I'm reviewing their headphones, but actually because I had to deal with a replacement under warranty and found it to be a very pleasant experience.
Out of the box, you will find RE300h along with a pair of double-flange tips, a pair of custom silicone tips, a shirt clip (which I appreciate they didn't attach by default), and 5-pairs of stick on filters. The filters are actually a little different in comparison to RE400 where these have a more clear mesh structure. But either way, it's always a nice bonus to have, and as a matter of fact I use RE400 filters with a number of my other IEMs either as a replacement or when I try to tame down sibilance
Btw, not sure about new filters yet, but original RE400 filters could be purchased separately from HiFiMAN. As you can see, the selection of accessories is also cut down where to keep the packaging (and probably cost) to a minimum you will not find a headphone case or a pouch and selection of eartips is very limited. At the same time, even so I always use the largest eartips for my fitment, I found the two included pairs to have a good universal fit.
And speaking of fitment, these are the smallest, the lightest, and the most comfortable pair of IEMs I have ever tested! The body of the shell is all plastic and molded in a tiny sculptured earplug shape. The ergonomics of the design makes it fit right inside of your inner-ear with a seal which provides a high level of passive noise isolation. Considering there is no air port opening on the back or anywhere around, there is no sound leakage coming in or out of these. But you also have to be very careful with tip rolling. I found UE900 medium size tips to provide the best balance of sound quality and ear-seal, but have experienced a bit of a driver flex stepping up to a large tips (which I typically use with all of my IEMs) because super tight ear-seal introduces a level of pressure going back into the nozzle. Each shell has a clear marked L/R identifier, so there is no confusion. The cable is attached with a sturdy strain relief which could be either glued or molded to the shell. Considering a small nature of their design which disappears in your ears, I would be very careful when pulling these out and would hold only by the shell rather than a cable. Also keep in mind, if anything breaks down the road - contact their support number for assistance with any problems.
The cable prior to y-slitter is round and thin, very flexible so it works great with over the ear fitment as well as wire down. If you need additional assistance with over the ear cable management, you can always use a chin slider (cable cinch) to bring wires closer together. Y-splitter is small and plastic with HIFIMAN printed on one side and RE-300h on the other side, and it doesn't have any strain relief so you have to be careful around that area. From y-splitter down to right angled gold plated 3.5mm plug the cable is thicker, but still easily manageable. The headphone plug comes with a good strain relief. Furthermore, RE300h version comes with OCC wires which have a higher purity than OFC, thus less signal degradation. Also, with a wire down fitment there was a little bit of microphonics which could be tamed down when using a shirt clip. Over the ear fitment also reduces microphonics significantly.
This brings me to a sound evaluation of 300h. I intentionally requested "h" version because of its audiophile quality description and wider frequency response range. HiFiMAN is well know for their audiophile quality hi-fi DAPs and Headphones, so I was expecting something in line with RE400 neutral signature with more revealing details, perhaps. If you were thinking the same, you will be in for a big surprise since these are actually L-shaped bass dominant IEMs. Nothing wrong with that, just a different signature intended for a modern audience who wants extra bass without going over the basshead borderline, and still likes to hear vocals loud and clear. Unfortunately, most of the popular bass heavy IEMs focus too much on the "boom" while delivering a veiled muddy sound with sub-par midrange performance. Perhaps that was the idea behind "audiophile" tuning of these bassy IEMs to show that you can have the best of both worlds.
As I mentioned above, the sound is leaning more toward L-shape warm and smooth sound signature due to a boost around sub-bass and mid-bass with some spillage into lower mids. Bass extends down to sub-bass level with a nice rumble and a rounded mid-bass punch (a bit less aggressive). Thickness of lower mids gives overall sound more body and extra warmth, but it's not as "bad" as DGS100. Upper mids are clear and well separated from the bass, but can be perceived as a little bit recessed due to bass/lower mids dominance. Vocal delivery is warm and smooth, with enough clarity and details. Treble doesn't extend too far and has some early roll-off. It's not peaky or sibilant which contributes to a great non-fatigue listening experience. The soundstage was definitely a surprise to me because I was expecting a below average performance due to a small "closed" design of these IEMs. To my very pleasant surprise, staging is definitely above average with a wide/deep sound (more wider than deeper) and, despite L-shaped sig, still having a good separation and layering.
For a quick comparison, I put 300h against some of my other IEMs, such as RE400, KC06A, T1E, VSD3, and IM50. One common trend in every comparison was 300h having a warmer and smoother sound, thicker lower mids, and less treble extension. Most of them have brighter upper mids and crispier treble, but sometime it comes at an expense of peaky performance, grainier sound, and in some cases less natural tonality. Another common trend with other IEMs was leaner lower mids which make them sound thinner, relatively speaking. When it comes to bass, RE400 is too lean in general, KC06A doesn't have as much sub-bass extension though faster mid-bass punch, T1E and VSD3 have a similar sub-bass extension while faster and more aggressive mid-bass punch, and IM50 has a deeper sub-bass rumble and more aggressive mid-bass punch. Soundstage was on par, though KC06A is more shallow. With fitment and ergonomics, RE300h clearly has an advantage, though fitment is purely subjective to your ear anatomy.
Overall, I was very pleased with RE300h from HiFiMAN, and probably more excited about its tiny size with an excellent over the ear fitment and great sound isolation. These in-ear headphones literally disappear inside of your ears and provide noise isolation perfect even for a busy subway commute. If you choose 300a or 300i version, you will also add in-line control and mic for your smartphone, though I have a feeling these versions will have a bit more bass in comparison to 300h. I also think their smooth and warm sound signature compliments really well a lot of my other brighter IEMs. These headphones strike a good balance between a weight of low end and clarity of upper mids without too much of upper frequency brightness. The sound is still clear and detailed, and for those who want to make it leaner - you can always use EQ to cut down lower mids. Maybe RE300h is not all around IEM for every music style since they lack in brightness and a bit bottom heavy, but for daily commuters or anybody who wants to tune out surrounding noise while submerging themselves into beats of EDM or current Top40 hits - these will be great!
Here are the pictures.
http://www.amazon.com/HIFIMAN-RE300h-Earphone-Audiophile-Earbud/dp/B00PI18QSE/
When I heard HiFiMAN introduced a new line of RE300 in-ear headphones (300i and 300a with corresponding iDevice and Android controls, and 300h with high quality audio only cable), I automatically assumed this is going to be a budget scaled down version of their popular RE400 IEM which I had a pleasure of testing and reviewing in the past, both a standalone RE400 and a balanced wired RE400B bundled with HM700 DAP. From the moment I got these in my hands and my ears, it became very clear to me - I'm dealing with a whole new pint-sized beast, re-designed from a ground up and offered at a very attractive price of under $50. Here is what I found.
Arrived in a small plastic box with a clear open display, it was a bit of a step back from an elegant design packaging I was spoiled by in the past, but I do have to be realistic this is a budget version and you have to make some compromises to keep the cost down. The back of the packaging had a clear description of the features and the spec. One thing I would like to note, you also find US customer support phone number next to their website address, and I have to tell you their support is bar none! Dr Fang Bian and his team behind HiFiMAN takes a lot of pride in their product and support of their customers. I'm not just saying that because I'm reviewing their headphones, but actually because I had to deal with a replacement under warranty and found it to be a very pleasant experience.
Out of the box, you will find RE300h along with a pair of double-flange tips, a pair of custom silicone tips, a shirt clip (which I appreciate they didn't attach by default), and 5-pairs of stick on filters. The filters are actually a little different in comparison to RE400 where these have a more clear mesh structure. But either way, it's always a nice bonus to have, and as a matter of fact I use RE400 filters with a number of my other IEMs either as a replacement or when I try to tame down sibilance
Btw, not sure about new filters yet, but original RE400 filters could be purchased separately from HiFiMAN. As you can see, the selection of accessories is also cut down where to keep the packaging (and probably cost) to a minimum you will not find a headphone case or a pouch and selection of eartips is very limited. At the same time, even so I always use the largest eartips for my fitment, I found the two included pairs to have a good universal fit.And speaking of fitment, these are the smallest, the lightest, and the most comfortable pair of IEMs I have ever tested! The body of the shell is all plastic and molded in a tiny sculptured earplug shape. The ergonomics of the design makes it fit right inside of your inner-ear with a seal which provides a high level of passive noise isolation. Considering there is no air port opening on the back or anywhere around, there is no sound leakage coming in or out of these. But you also have to be very careful with tip rolling. I found UE900 medium size tips to provide the best balance of sound quality and ear-seal, but have experienced a bit of a driver flex stepping up to a large tips (which I typically use with all of my IEMs) because super tight ear-seal introduces a level of pressure going back into the nozzle. Each shell has a clear marked L/R identifier, so there is no confusion. The cable is attached with a sturdy strain relief which could be either glued or molded to the shell. Considering a small nature of their design which disappears in your ears, I would be very careful when pulling these out and would hold only by the shell rather than a cable. Also keep in mind, if anything breaks down the road - contact their support number for assistance with any problems.
The cable prior to y-slitter is round and thin, very flexible so it works great with over the ear fitment as well as wire down. If you need additional assistance with over the ear cable management, you can always use a chin slider (cable cinch) to bring wires closer together. Y-splitter is small and plastic with HIFIMAN printed on one side and RE-300h on the other side, and it doesn't have any strain relief so you have to be careful around that area. From y-splitter down to right angled gold plated 3.5mm plug the cable is thicker, but still easily manageable. The headphone plug comes with a good strain relief. Furthermore, RE300h version comes with OCC wires which have a higher purity than OFC, thus less signal degradation. Also, with a wire down fitment there was a little bit of microphonics which could be tamed down when using a shirt clip. Over the ear fitment also reduces microphonics significantly.
This brings me to a sound evaluation of 300h. I intentionally requested "h" version because of its audiophile quality description and wider frequency response range. HiFiMAN is well know for their audiophile quality hi-fi DAPs and Headphones, so I was expecting something in line with RE400 neutral signature with more revealing details, perhaps. If you were thinking the same, you will be in for a big surprise since these are actually L-shaped bass dominant IEMs. Nothing wrong with that, just a different signature intended for a modern audience who wants extra bass without going over the basshead borderline, and still likes to hear vocals loud and clear. Unfortunately, most of the popular bass heavy IEMs focus too much on the "boom" while delivering a veiled muddy sound with sub-par midrange performance. Perhaps that was the idea behind "audiophile" tuning of these bassy IEMs to show that you can have the best of both worlds.
As I mentioned above, the sound is leaning more toward L-shape warm and smooth sound signature due to a boost around sub-bass and mid-bass with some spillage into lower mids. Bass extends down to sub-bass level with a nice rumble and a rounded mid-bass punch (a bit less aggressive). Thickness of lower mids gives overall sound more body and extra warmth, but it's not as "bad" as DGS100. Upper mids are clear and well separated from the bass, but can be perceived as a little bit recessed due to bass/lower mids dominance. Vocal delivery is warm and smooth, with enough clarity and details. Treble doesn't extend too far and has some early roll-off. It's not peaky or sibilant which contributes to a great non-fatigue listening experience. The soundstage was definitely a surprise to me because I was expecting a below average performance due to a small "closed" design of these IEMs. To my very pleasant surprise, staging is definitely above average with a wide/deep sound (more wider than deeper) and, despite L-shaped sig, still having a good separation and layering.
For a quick comparison, I put 300h against some of my other IEMs, such as RE400, KC06A, T1E, VSD3, and IM50. One common trend in every comparison was 300h having a warmer and smoother sound, thicker lower mids, and less treble extension. Most of them have brighter upper mids and crispier treble, but sometime it comes at an expense of peaky performance, grainier sound, and in some cases less natural tonality. Another common trend with other IEMs was leaner lower mids which make them sound thinner, relatively speaking. When it comes to bass, RE400 is too lean in general, KC06A doesn't have as much sub-bass extension though faster mid-bass punch, T1E and VSD3 have a similar sub-bass extension while faster and more aggressive mid-bass punch, and IM50 has a deeper sub-bass rumble and more aggressive mid-bass punch. Soundstage was on par, though KC06A is more shallow. With fitment and ergonomics, RE300h clearly has an advantage, though fitment is purely subjective to your ear anatomy.
Overall, I was very pleased with RE300h from HiFiMAN, and probably more excited about its tiny size with an excellent over the ear fitment and great sound isolation. These in-ear headphones literally disappear inside of your ears and provide noise isolation perfect even for a busy subway commute. If you choose 300a or 300i version, you will also add in-line control and mic for your smartphone, though I have a feeling these versions will have a bit more bass in comparison to 300h. I also think their smooth and warm sound signature compliments really well a lot of my other brighter IEMs. These headphones strike a good balance between a weight of low end and clarity of upper mids without too much of upper frequency brightness. The sound is still clear and detailed, and for those who want to make it leaner - you can always use EQ to cut down lower mids. Maybe RE300h is not all around IEM for every music style since they lack in brightness and a bit bottom heavy, but for daily commuters or anybody who wants to tune out surrounding noise while submerging themselves into beats of EDM or current Top40 hits - these will be great!
Here are the pictures.
