Hifiman HE-R9's Review - Smooth Criminal
General/Build/Comfort/Packaging
Hifiman is well known for doing headphones and some of their sources (DAC/AMP). I have tested their entry offering, namely the HE400SE, and even though it is a budget offering, i have to say, i’m really impressed by the performance, considering the price, and for those who are seeking to enter the planar headphone’s realm without breaking their bank, that is the one to look out for. Anyway, HE400SE is not that topic that we’re going to talk about today. I have the HE-R9 closed back dynamic headphone with me today. There really isn’t much to talk about with regards to the packaging, they share the same packaging style across the models and also similar cable, identical to the one found in HE400SE, and the inclusion of a headphone stand made out of foam, which in my opinion is very nice and i don’t have to spend extra for a headphone stand.
Build quality is quite similar to HE400SE, with the exception of, the earcups are not open backed as this is a closed back headphone, headband’s cushion is more or less similar as well. It is also very comfortable to listen to for a long period of time. I do hope that the earcup can be swivel though. The earcups finishing made the headphone looks very elegant, but at the same time, it is also prone to being a fingerprint magnet.
Gears used for this review
Earmen Angel Dac/Amp
Earmen ST-Amp
Earmen CH-Amp
Earmen Colibri
Hifiman HE-R9 stock cable and earpads
Foreword
My review is solely based on what I hear via my equipment and I never consider my reviews to be objective in any way rather a subjective approach. Do take into consideration that everyone’s ear anatomy is not the same, so the psychoacoustics perception might be different as well, but i believe it will not stray too far
Sound Impression
HE-R9 tonality is tilting towards the warmer end of the spectrum. Personally, I find it to pair very well with an amp that’s neutral and cool sounding for a more dynamic listening experience if you prefer. Timbre sounds very natural as with most dynamic drivers.
Bass
The mid bass is punchy and tight, quality kind of bass i would say
Sub bass however, does sounds a little bit rolled off to my ears, but it is still sufficient to enjoy EDM tracks
Mid bass doesn’t bleed into the mids
Bass has good texture overall and doesn’t sound thin
The speed is good enough to handle tracks like Metallica’s Lux Aeterna, and Slipknot’s People = Shit!, the speed drum doesn’t sound bloated/muddy and every hit can be heard clearly
Mids
The mids are not overly forward nor recessed,
Vocal for both male and females has good enough textures to them
Female vocal has a bit more energy compared to male
Upper mids are generally safe to my ears and not shouty
Treble
The treble here is very smooth and nowhere near energetic to my ears, perhaps a little too safe to my taste
Detail retrieval is alright but not the best in class
Not sibilant at all and never will be
Soundstage/Imaging
Soundstage is slightly out of your head, not exceptionally wide
Good height and width perception for the soundstage
Instruments can be picked up easily where it is coming from, but when the track gets a little busy, it does suffers a little
Good layering and separation for the asking price
Driveability
HE-R9 is not that hard to drive, but when fed with more power, it does perform at its best, in terms of slightly better dynamics, better bass in terms of control, a little bit more energy on the treble (depending on the amp that you are pairing it with)
A mid range/budget amp will do just fine
I have tested the R2R Module from Deva Pro (Bluemini), they sounded quite energetic and a little bit more air on the top end, a very good synergy i would say
Final Thoughts
The Hifiman HE-R9 is an interesting pair of closed back headphones from Hifiman. It scales with source as well as amp, I find it to be quite versatile overall and works well with my library. Of course it is not all rainbows and butterflies, the earcups are a little big and the clamping force is not as strong, hence it does move around quite a bit when I move my head. Other than that, The R9 is quite a good headphone to chill with, at the current asking price, i have no issues recommending it.
*The Hifiman HE-R9 was sent over by Hifiman for the purpose of this review, I received no monetary compensation nor was I influenced in any way to produce this review.
If you are interested in getting a pair, head over to their official store to grab one now! It is currently available for 199$ instead of the usual 369$, which is a steal in my opinion, the one with the wireless module will set you back at 439$
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