Performance

Head-Direct's newest in-ear is carrying on the tradition from its elder brethren in terms of sound signature. The RE252s do a lot of things better than the old RE(x) line, but ultimately they share the very same flaw as the RE0s (and the RE1s before that) namely the lackluster bass. In other regards the RE252s is light years ahead, particularly in the ergonomics department. When it comes to ergonomics they are way better than the previous models from Head-Direct and with the right tip rivaling even the most expensive in-ears around today.

As some of you may remember the previous in-ears from Head-Direct had a habit of being reasonably hard to drive, and some even required a good dedicated headphone amplifier to truly shine. It is in this aspect that the RE252s have improved immensely. With just a well performing DAP or PMP you can get them to perform very close to their limit. I tested these in-ears with my Cowon D2 PMP which has a quite powerful output stage and it was able to drive them brilliantly, the addition of a Ray Samuels Tomahawk IEM amplifier to the signal chain only heated up the sound signature, no changes to definition nor sound stage of any sort.

I would not call the RE252s easy to drive, in fact they are almost three times as power demanding compared to my other high-end balanced armature based IEMs, however, due to the fact that most portable players are designed to drive normal headphones they can easily power the RE252s to near perfection.

Sound stage wise the RE252s are about as good as the older RE0s, however, since the micro detailing in the midrange has improved the RE252s tend to sound airier. This is especially true in complex passages of music, the speed of the drivers is just in a league of its own. Steely Dan's Reelin' In The Years never sounded quite so tight as they do on the RE252s. The level of detail in the midrange is just mind blowing.

The HiFiMan RE252s feature a very clear and balanced midrange, some might argue that the midrange is stale or boring due to lack of coloration. You basically have to decide whether you want a fun or natural sound set of in-ears, the RE252s give you the latter like no other.

Since the midrange is not clouded by overblown lower mids these in-ears bring out every single detail in the midrange. For the detail oriented crowd these in-ears will set the benchmark for the time to come, however, they do not sound as musical as for example Westone 3s or Sennheiser IE8s.

The RE252s have a very authentic sounding note decay, and while it may be a small detail it just makes acoustic instruments sound so much more alive.

Treble wise the RE252s will not let you down. It is highly detailed and extends well. There is zero sibilance issues and it sounds quite natural no odd dips or bumps. It carries about the same amount of detail as that of the RE0s, but it seems that the treble has been toned down just a tad. The RE0s can be a bit too treble happy on some music, without sounding aggressive, with the RE252s less intense treble this problem becomes less apparent. Signature wise they are about the same, however, the RE252s have the treble dialed down a touch and the bass sharpened a bit. In short the RE252s are a set of midcentric in-ears with good extension both in the highs and lows.

Considering the price (which is $199 as I write) the RE252s seem immensely good. The only thing holding them back is the relatively weak bass. If you enjoy well recorded music and feel that the midrange is the most important thing in music, then RE252s are the in-ears for you.

Durability

Durability wise I have some concerns regarding the design of the RE252s. As true with many products that push the envelope the RE252s are on the limit with the soft shell. The silicone material might degrade over time and who knows how the bond between the silicon and hard inner core will react over time. Since there are many unknowns I have decided to list durability as a con, only time will tell whether the silicone shell is up to the job.