This article is for beginners who can understand the difference between the sound through different types of speakers. One of our readers read our article Does Portable DAC Make Smartphone an Audiophile-Grade Device and requested us to recommend an affordable earphone/IEM which can be said to be of audiophile grade.
Presently HiFiMan RE-400 Waterline costs just $20 in the US and 2000 rupees in India. 10 years back, the price tag was $100, later it fell to $79. Essentially it is around $100 per device now but because of mass sales and advances in technologies, the price has dropped. You will get a lot of old reviews of HiFiMan RE-400 Waterline.
Because you are a beginner, we would recommend you use at least this hardware-software combination with this earphone/IEM:
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- Samsung S series smartphone, such as S22 Ultra, S23 Ultra or any older S series smartphone. You can use any smartphone but the sound processing may vary without a DAC.
- Paid version of PowerAmp. This is mandatory.
- Samsung Type C to 3.5mm cable. It is a DAC.
You can later use any external USB DAC, Amp, Pre-amp etc. to understand the difference. It doesn’t sound great on the basic player but improves as your source and amplification improve.
Who is HiFiMan?
HiFiMan designs and manufactures headphones and portable audio products for the audiophiles. It is a Chinese brand. Also, they have a renowned blog cum forum cum web store named Head-Fi. The website is quite informative and not inclined towards HiFiMan.
How We Will Describe HiFiMan RE 400
In a $20 to $100 budget, you’ll get a lot of IEM with odd bass with a pathetic mid-range. They are suitable for listening to DJ-modified 128 kbps MP3 tracks. HiFiMan RE 400 is not like them. It delivers a sound which sounds like the costlier speakers.
HiFiMan RE 400 is an accuracy-oriented dynamic-driver earphone with a near-neutral sound signature. It delivers an almost flat V-shaped sound. It is not exactly V-shaped but becomes V if you increase the pre-amp. Sennheiser Momentum In-Ear provides more bass and makes it V-shaped (it is an astonishing sound from Sennheiser). Also, listening to it for more than 72 hours makes it superior. The treble is smooth. The vocals sound just excellent.
PowerAmp App will help you to finely adjust. Please read this article for proper settings of your PowerAmp app Get Audiophile-Grade Music on Your Smartphone. HiFiMan RE 400 can take a lot of bass (obviously not like the bass heads) if you add. Too much bass is not good for your ears anyway.
It is a great tool for comparing and benchmarking. It is most suitable for analytical sound and even today there are not many options under $300 for this purpose. You can perform similar work with the Sennheiser HD800. It is obvious that with one driver and non-detachable cable, it can not compete with a $1000 IEM with 6 drivers. Probably there is nothing to beat the Sennheiser HD800 but think about the price and form factor. Sennheiser HD800 is 10 times costlier.
The IEM is packed in a hard plastic casing. The set will include paper filters and a fairly large set of tips. The headphones themselves are small and do not have a detachable cable (that is why they cost less). Its lower part is a braided cable with an angled 3.5mm plug. The closer to earpiece wires are not braided. The total offering provides excellent isolation and fit.
If you have never purchased any audiophile-grade IEM/earphones, you have to research a little bit to get the maximum from this device.
RE-400 uses a dynamic driver. It is an advanced 8.5mm unit with a titanium driver. It uses a neodymium magnet and 50-inch-long OFC Copper cabling. Impedance is rated at 32 ohms, max power 30mW. These specifications are of audiophile grade. However, a powerful amp will not be ideal for it.
But the difference becomes minimal with proper DAC and amp. HiFiMan RE 400 could easily be priced at $200 with a detachable cable.
Image credit: droidhorizon.com
How We Use Paper Filter and Tips?
A tip with a better seal will provide more bass. Adding, removing, and altering the paper filter will affect the bass and mid-bass. Clean your ears properly before using any good IEM.
Conclusion
You will get a lot of detailed reviews on HiFiMan RE-400 Waterline all over the internet. It is what our white friends say with a big smile “bang for the buck”.
