Introduction

Head-Direct is an online headphone store which sells just about everything you need in order to get a serious listening rig. Head-Direct carries a lot of interesting Asian brands. Head-Direct were until recently just a headphone reseller, but that has changed now. Not that long ago I reviewed an interesting new product from Head-Direct called the RE2, today I have the pleasure of listening to its bigger brother called the RE1. Despite the two sharing almost the same design their internals are radically different from each other. This should result in the RE1 performing better and being more neutral to listen to than the RE2s.

The biggest difference between the two is that fact that the RE1s are based around a different driver. The RE1s impedance rating is of a staggering 150 Ohms which is quite a lot. Most normal dynamic headphones have an impedance of around 30-65 Ohms except for a few audiophile grade headphones like for example the Sennheiser HD 650. Impedance is generally a measurement of how hard the headphones are to drive, and since the Head-Direct RE1s have an impedance of 150 Ohms they need a dedicated headphone amp to truly shine.

Being an IEM with a really high impedance rating is somewhat unusual because most in-ears are aimed at portable use. The Head-Direct RE1s can be used on the move, but in order to sound their best you would have to carry around a portable headphone amplifier.

The Package

The Head-Direct RE1s are still so new that the guys behind the brand have not figured out a package for them yet. The bundle is, however, final as of this moment. The Head-Direct RE1s will ship with three pairs of single flange tips and a long bi-flange tip. This bi-flange tip is extra long and wide so that people with a greater distance from their canal to outer ear will get a better fit. Just like the RE2s the new RE1s come with a normal length cable and an extension cable. I like this approach to the cable problem, this makes it easy for you to both enjoy them at home and on the move.

The only specification figure on the web right now is that they have an impedance of 150 Ohm which makes them the hard to drive compared to other high-end earphones. Because of this it is highly recommended that you use them in a system with a dedicated headphone amplifier since the internal amps in DAPs and such are far from capable of driving them to their true potential. The high impedance is unusual in the earphone market the only earphone that can match them impedance wise is the Yuin PK1s which are earbuds aimed a hardcore audiophiles, much like the RE1s.


The Head-Direct RE1s feature the exact same exterior design as its little brother the RE2. The only things that have been changed are some small details like for example the small faceplate on the earphones are now in gold whereas they are silver on the RE2s. The color of the Y-split reinforcement is also held in the same gold like color. The Head-Direct earphones are a bit larger than the average in-ear, but nothing horrible. The design is straight forward and without a lot of unessential details, apart from the silver or in this case gold parts.

Closer Examination

The Head-Direct RE1s are based on the same design as the RE2s. The finish is shiny black with a few gold colored details. Above you can see the RE1s with the brand new long dual flange tip mounted on. In my review of the Head-Direct RE2 I said that I was not able to get a good seal from the supplied tips due to the fact that my ear's shape would not allow a proper fit with the normal double flange tip. This has changed since then with the arrival of the longer and bigger dual flange. Now everybody is sure to be able to get a tight seal with the Head-Direct earphones. The Head-Direct RE1s are aimed at audiophiles that want the best possible sound from a portable solution. If you are considering the RE1s you should keep in mind that they need a proper portable amp in order to perform their best. Unlike other earphones that are almost too sensitive for DAPs this is actually too big a deal for some. I own a Cowon iAudio i7 which is considered to be one the better DAPs when it comes to the internal amp, but even it cannot keep up with the Head-Direct RE1s. So a good amp is a must for these earphones to be worth the pricetag.


With the new and improved bi-flange tip on the body, this in-ear does not look particularly big, but they are in comparison to most normal earphones. The cable exits the main part of the body through a long and bulky plastic rod. This was a problem for me in terms of fit before they introduced the bigger double flange. Since the new double flange tips are so long the insertion and fit is much better because the edge of the ear flap does not rub against the stem.


Looking at the RE1s from the back you can clearly see the gold face plate with some vents. The vents are there to improve upon the earphone's performance, because the RE1s rely on a dynamic driver. The earphones will still seal your ear canals tight because the diaphragm of the driver spans across it, if anything the amount of noise attenuation could be a bit worse because of that design. As with the RE2s the RE1s have a relatively big letter identifying left and right.

The Head-Direct RE1s are quite flashy because of the gold colored details. It is a bit special to look at, but ultimately it is a matter of preference. I think a lot of people will not mind the quite unusual color. With this kind of product I do not care about minor cosmetically differences. The RE1s are made to produce sound, not look good and in that sense the minimalistic design is rather suiting.


The large silicone tip is a lot thicker than most silicone tips which is nice. It is more solid while still being really soft to touch. The dimensions of this new tip made by Head-Direct fits perfectly in my ears, and with the other tips also included with the RE1s I think everybody will be able to get an adequate seal.


The bore of the new silicone tip is the same as the diameter of the sound tube of the RE1s. They slot on just like all the other tips included in this bundle.


The RE1s are essentially a Head-Direct RE2s with better drivers inside. Aimed at people wanting the ultimate audio experience in a small package the RE1s are made to suit a niche market where only a relatively small amount of people worldwide will be willing to sacrifice portability and money to get a good portable sound rig, however, the reward for those to do that is enormous. The tunnel part of the RE1s is quite large compared to the general size of the earphone's body. It is almost the same size as that on Ultimate Ears earphones, but with a slightly longer tunnel. You can even use the tips supplied with Ultimate Ears products on the RE1s and RE2s.


If you stare directly down into the tunnel of the RE1s you can see that there is some dampening material present. It is probably there to help shape the sonic characteristics of the earphones by reducing the amount of amplification at a certain frequency range. Most armature balanced in-ears also use these kinds of tweaks in their design, however, they are often shaped as small filters that are placed in the middle of the tunnel.


The new double flange tip is quite an upgrade coming from the old double flange. Not only is it bigger it is also made from a different type of silicone and actually increases the amount of bass and noise attenuation.


Head-Direct does their cables a bit differently than the majority of in-ear producing companies. Instead of making them with a medium long cable they only feature a short cable that connects to the earphones and then a longer extension cable. The cable is of a quite good quality, but it is a lot stiffer than most. This is not necessarily a bad thing when it comes to the sound quality, but it definitely increases the amount of microphonic noise being transmitted from the cable to the ear piece.


The Y-split on the RE1s are designed just like the one on the RE2s, but in a different color. There is a small ring that allows you to adjust the size of the split.


The RE1s use a normal mini jack connector. It looks a bit DIY like, in the good way. It is solid and sleek enough to fit into all players on the market today.


The tip selection of the RE1s is the same as the RE2s in their final incarnation. With each pair of RE1s or RE2s you get three different single flange tips and big bi-flange tips. The great thing about the RE1s and RE2s is that you can use a good amount of different tips. You can even get some Comply foam tips for them which are called the T400s.