RE0 vs Hippo VB

[Olen]

Hello everyone, I have been looking at these two phones for awhile now. For background info, I listen to an extremely wide variety of music, but I do prefer warmer sound and seperation and clarity is a must.

So my question is this, would I be happier with Hippo VB's, or RE0's? I question because I hear people saying the qaulity and seperation in the RE0 is better then the Hippo, but not necassarily. also, one more question, I will be EQing, so would the RE0's with more EQ'ed bass be better, the same, or neglible compared to the Hippo's?

Thanks!

[dfkt]

The RE0 have little bass and a lot of treble - they're basically the opposite of "warm" sounding. RE0 have better clarity and detail than the VB - but the VB have all the warmth and tight punchy bass one could wish for. Stereo imaging is better on the VB as well.

Sure you might be able to EQ in some quality bass on the RE0 (depending on how good the EQ used is).

[IDvsEGO]

I havent heard the RE0 but all the reviews I have read make it sound like a very opposite set compared to the VB. I had a set of VBs back int he day and I really enjoyed them

[Machiventa]

I own both and didn't really enjoy the re0's due to me being such a basshead. Not sure why I even ordered them. With a decent EQ they sound much better to me but not good enough for daily use. Like dfkt said they're not that warm. Plus I'm not sure if they're still the same but the cord on mine are woven cloth which is the worst thing I've ever seen (or heard due to microphonics) on an IEM.

The Hippos are pretty damn awesome but the durability on my two pairs is not that great. First pair a driver went out within a month. Second pair the cord splitter is going out after hardly any use. And on top of that the housing is fairly heavy and they fall out or lose a seal quite easily even though I have great tips.

[Olen]

Well then it looks like the Hippo's are what I will be going for then. A few more questions, how is the overall comfort and fit of the Vb's? How well do they stay in your ears while walking/running etc... and how would you say they compare to another product such as the Westone UM1's?

[IDvsEGO]

they have a big body and are a bit heavy. if you are doing any physical activity I would recommend wearing them over the ear with some silicone ear guides like meelec or phonak sell.

[Olen]

Well then, If my M21's are almost constantly losing seal except when sitting still, will I have a problem with the Hippo's? I would prefer to use a set that I could pair up with some foam tips, but I don't know how possible that is going to be around the $100 price point I have.

[IDvsEGO]

there are tons of options at the $100 price point and you can use foam tips with just about any IEM. So many that the VB isnt talked about as much as it used to be. Still a great set, but now it has more competition. Heck, there are 2 other popular models that are direct clones with slight variances in sound sig and lower prices (xeport 5010 for $30 and Meelec SP for $45.) I personally had no issues with the fit of VB, but some did. I used them on my daily walks. I didn't exercise in them because I have a beater set for that (first the meelec M6, now the Philips SHE3580).

here...read this thread

http://anythingbutipod.com/forum/sho...t=hippo+thread

[Olen]

Hmmm... So then whats with the price differences? Is there really that big of a difference in sound between the $30 Xeport and the $80 Hippo? Because if the difference is negligible then I 'm thinkin' of picking up the Xeport with a pair of Comply foam tips. Unless the Hippo's are significantly better in sound, enough to justify the $50 price jump, then ill probably grab those and come comply. Hopefully fixing any issues with staying in-ear the weight of the product might produce.

[Olen]

Alright, so I have been thinkin' a bit more and I guess i realized I don't want huge bass, so much as a warm sound. I just want something that won't be harsh but warm, enclosing and detailed. Also, a good cable is very appealing, and so I was looking at the UE700 even though it seems that they may not be the right sound for me. Although I did really enjoy the styling, the size, and the cable of the UE700. As comfort is also extremely important. I am going to be doing some more searching around, but what would be some good phones that fit this newer criteria?

[IDvsEGO]

for a warm sound? there are two large threads on head-fi (link 1, link 2)plus the one stickied in this forum that review several IEMs to give you a peak into the range of items available to you. I hesitate to push any set too hard on someone because I EQ my IEMs frequently so a lot of my impressions may be different than someone using a flat EQ. What I found the most effective was to get a set of commonly known IEMs and form my own option, then compare it to the published opinions to see where my preferences and perspectives are in relation to others. And Occasionally I take a leap of faith and get a set like i did with the vPulse.

For comfort though, I have been pleased with my SoundMagic E10. The VB wasnt bad for me at all. as for your earlier question about comparisons betweent he other sets...from what I have read you are better off saving your money and getting one of the variants these days.

[Olen]

So how do would you say the Atrio MG5's compare to the UE700 and similar? Or is the $100 difference between the MG5 and the M5 worth it?

[IDvsEGO]

I havent heard any of the 3, all I could do would be to go off of the reviews linked above and search for threads from owners.

[dfkt]

Originally Posted by Olen

So how do would you say the Atrio MG5's compare to the UE700 and similar? Or is the $100 difference between the MG5 and the M5 worth it?

That's an even more gigantic difference than comparing RE0 to VB.

The UE700 use the infamous Knowles TWFK dual armature - almost no bass, and piercing, ultra-forward treble. If you want that sound, I would recommend the Brainwavz B2 or the q-Jays - both use the same TWFK armature, and sound better than the UE700 (or the CK10).

The Atrio are basshead dynamic drivers, comparable to the VB. I only had the older Atrio, never heard the new MG5 - but the difference shouldn't be that big from all I read, besides improved treble on the MG5.

[meanwhile]

Originally Posted by Olen

Alright, so I have been thinkin' a bit more and I guess i realized I don't want huge bass, so much as a warm sound. I just want something that won't be harsh but warm, enclosing and detailed.

This is why people shouldn't use bs terms like "warm" when they mean "bassy". Warm conjures up an appealing, comfortable image - who wouldn't want warm?

You need to decide: do you want bassy, neutral, or biased towards treble? Because there really are no other options.

As for "enclosed": they're earpieces. One goes in each ear. Sound comes out. That's it. If you want to be less enclosed, pull one out. If you want to be more enclosed, then put a bag over your head. The only purpose of this wine critic-like babble that people pick up from reviews in magazines is to confuse people into spending more money.

[mbamg]

Originally Posted by meanwhile

This is why people shouldn't use bs terms like "warm" when they mean "bassy". Warm conjures up an appealing, comfortable image - who wouldn't want warm?

You need to decide: do you want bassy, neutral, or biased towards treble? Because there really are no other options.

As for "enclosed": they're earpieces. One goes in each ear. Sound comes out. That's it. If you want to be less enclosed, pull one out. If you want to be more enclosed, then put a bag over your head. The only purpose of this wine critic-like babble that people pick up from reviews in magazines is to confuse people into spending more money.

There's also mid-centric. I think what he means is immersive, like a concert hall.

[Hologram]

not sure if this is off topic as well, but my RE0 right side has no sound coming out, I been in contact with Hifiman customer service through email and was told for $20 I can get a new pair of RE0 even after my warranty has expired!

Just thought Id throw that out there, not sure what the warranty is for the Hippo but I am surprised cause I paid $80 for my RE0 and to only pay $20 for brand new ones is awesome!

Not sure if that will sway your decision as well, but the RE0 imo have very good clarity, like someone else posted they do have higher treble, and not so much bass but I found the bass to be rather ok, but if your music style has more bass like hip hop or electronic then i might suggest something that would suit that style more?

[Olen]

So I have been doing some more thinking and I just can't come to a decision. I have been doing a bit more reading and I'm thinkin' about pulling the trigger on the RE0's as they are only about $75 and even though they may not have BOOMing bass, they have quality bass. I guess what I meant by the term "warm" was just something that wasn't harsh. Example, sometimes I'll throw on a metal song and instead of the nice fullness and separation I want to hear, Ill hear the sibilance from the cymbals and the piercing highs of the guitar.

I have looked at everything from the RE0, RE-ZERO, Atrio MG5, Klipsch S4, X10, Hippo VB's, A151's, etc... etc... and I still just can't decide. I just want something with a great soundstage, quality bass, impactfull bass, and clarity in the mids and highs. I just don't know. The only IEM's I have really owned have been some cheep one's bought from grocery stores and the only quality IEM i have is the MEE M21's. Which I hate the cord, and they never stay in my ears correctly.

Oh, and comfort is another huge thing. Im looking for something small with big sound, and something that I could preferably maybe put some foam tips on. As I do like to listen to music while I sleep. Sorry to be a bother, I'm just trying to make up my mind.

[Machiventa]

^ The RE0's are really comfy and are small enough for sleeping but you really need to add a lot of bass on the EQ to make them sound good IMO. But one thing I mentioned earlier is the cord is woven material which would be a deal breaker for me if I was choosing my next IEM. They just have too much microphonics for a portable setting. If you're solely using them for sitting then they are a great phone. And I'm not sure if it's just me but the comply foam tips sucked balls and leaked major amounts of bass when I tried them, but I'm obviously in the minority on that one.

What kind of player do you have?