Short answer: the HIFIMAN RE2000 Pro. Both are rated 3.1/5 for sound quality (#385 and #386 of 450 in-ear headphones), and the HIFIMAN RE2000 Pro costs $2,000 against $2,999 for the 64 Audio U18S, with sound quality a draw, the lower price decides it.
Why pick the 64 Audio U18S: Eighteen balanced armature drivers per side deliver a warm, relaxed tuning with bass about 1.6 dB above target and sub-bass within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz. The catch: Across seven hobbyist measurements on squig.link, the 3 to 6 kHz presence region sits about 6 dB below target with a 9 dB dip near 5.8 kHz, so vocals and guitars lose bite and fine detail sounds veiled.
The case for the HIFIMAN RE2000 Pro: A single dynamic driver in-ear with a preference score of 63 in crinacle’s measurement, close to the similarly priced 64 Audio U18S in rating. The tradeoff: Its response deviates about 2.9 dB from target on average, so its tuning is noticeably uneven for the money.
Buy the HIFIMAN RE2000 Pro. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $999 less than the 64 Audio U18S.
Still deciding? The full Headphones rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| 64 Audio U18S | HIFIMAN RE2000 Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2,999.00 | $2,000.00 |
| Ranked | #386 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones | #385 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Harman Preference Score | 63 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) | 63 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.78 dB standard deviation | 2.90 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.81 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.49 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Balanced armature | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 18 x balanced armature (1 tia high + 1 high-mid + 8 mid + 8 low) | - |
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 60 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 106 dB/mW | 103 dB |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 5Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | No |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-2.7 dB at 30 Hz) | - |
Related Headphone Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for HIFIMAN RE2000 Pro:
- 64 Audio A12t vs HIFIMAN RE2000 Pro
- SoftEars Cerberus vs HIFIMAN RE2000 Pro
- 64 Audio U12t vs HIFIMAN RE2000 Pro
- HIFIMAN RE2000 Pro vs 64 Audio Volur
- HIFIMAN RE2000 Pro vs Shure KSE1500
Prices on this page were last checked October 11, 2026 at 4:59 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Headphones In Full
64 Audio U18S: $2,999.00 64 Audio eBay
Pros: Eighteen balanced armature drivers per side deliver a warm, relaxed tuning with bass about 1.6 dB above target and sub-bass within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz. The upper treble near 10 kHz stays close to neutral, so the top end keeps some air without glare. At 106 dB/mW it plays comfortably loud from a phone. It rates above the 64 Audio Volur from the same maker.
Cons: Across seven hobbyist measurements on squig.link, the 3 to 6 kHz presence region sits about 6 dB below target with a 9 dB dip near 5.8 kHz, so vocals and guitars lose bite and fine detail sounds veiled. The 64 Audio U12t rates higher for about a third less money. Its 8 ohm impedance makes the tuning sensitive to sources with high output impedance.
Full 64 Audio U18S review and specifications →
| Released | Mar 2021 (5 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.78 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Balanced armature |
| Drivers | 18 x balanced armature (1 tia high + 1 high-mid + 8 mid + 8 low) |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 63 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 106 dB/mW |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-2.7 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.81 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.4 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | -0.2 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 3,810 Hz | +5.3 dB | 0.39 |
| Peak | 188 Hz | -2.5 dB | 0.55 |
| Peak | 1,693 Hz | -5.3 dB | 0.92 |
| Peak | 9,264 Hz | +3.3 dB | 2.44 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -4.7 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 6,104 Hz | +2.5 dB | 5.82 |
| Peak | 2,983 Hz | +1.3 dB | 4.04 |
| Peak | 5,102 Hz | -1.7 dB | 6.00 |
| Peak | 2,279 Hz | -1.0 dB | 5.11 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
HIFIMAN RE2000 Pro: $2,000.00 HIFIMAN eBay
Pros: A single dynamic driver in-ear with a preference score of 63 in crinacle’s measurement, close to the similarly priced 64 Audio U18S in rating. The closed design isolates well from outside noise.
Cons: Its response deviates about 2.9 dB from target on average, so its tuning is noticeably uneven for the money. The Sennheiser IE 900 earns the same rating at a lower price.
Full HIFIMAN RE2000 Pro review and specifications →
| Back | Closed |
|---|---|
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.90 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 63 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 60 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 103 dB |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.49 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -5.4 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | +1.5 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 167 Hz | -5.0 dB | 0.52 |
| Peak | 877 Hz | +5.7 dB | 1.19 |
| Peak | 5,770 Hz | +4.5 dB | 1.11 |
| Peak | 4,718 Hz | -7.7 dB | 3.53 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -3.7 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 9,705 Hz | +2.4 dB | 2.87 |
| Peak | 2,076 Hz | +1.4 dB | 3.20 |
| Peak | 1,366 Hz | -1.9 dB | 3.84 |
| Peak | 1,069 Hz | +1.2 dB | 4.83 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons