Based out of Korea, earphone manufacturer UCOTECH has been working to break into the international market with new, innovative designs. They’ve made a number of models since their first earphone in 2007, specializing in dynamic driver based IEMs. Their latest line-up, including the RE-1 Pro, RE-2, and IL1000 features excellent build quality, sound, and performance at a surprisingly low price.
RE-1 Pro
RE-1 Pro at first sounds like it’s providing listeners with a detailed, reference tuning, but then the bass kicks in and it becomes clear that they packed a little bit of extra fun into the package. The driver is 10mm with a Carbon Nanotube (CNT) diaphragm, and it gives RE-1 Pro the sort of natural timbre and physical impact you’d expect from a single DD IEM.
The IEM itself has an outer brass housing, with a solid, premium feel. The brass housing gives it a surprising weight for its small size, and it’s pretty easy to get a tight fit and good seal with the provided tips. The cable is a basic silver-plated copper, with a 3.5mm termination. It also includes a small hardshell, cloth-trimmed travel case.
From the sound, to the build quality and the included case and cable, RE-1 Pro is very impressive, and feels competitive against IEMs that are several times its price. Even at the bottom of their line-up, UCOTECH impresses with great bang-for-your-buck.
RE-2
For RE-2, UCOTECH goes all-out with the neutral, reference sound, offering a more detail focused, highly resolving alternative to the more fun sound of the RE-1 Pro. RE-2 utilizes a beryllium coated 10mm dynamic driver providing a blend of powerful, accurate bass, and more extended, resolving treble.
RE-2 uses the same basic shape and design as RE-1 Pro, with the same same style, feel, and fit, with just the color differentiating the two. The case is also the same, but the cable is a pretty big upgrade with a better material quality along with a more premium look and feel. Like RE-1 Pro, RE-2 provides tons of value at its price. For $109, you get a great build and design, with a really solid package and a fantastic cable.
IL1000
IL1000 aims for flagship style tuning in a $199 package. Using their Independent Dynamic in Pocket (IDP) system, UCOTECH delivers extended lows, clear mids, and airy highs from a single dynamic driver. A big part of IL1000’s sound comes from the innovations in the acoustic properties of the interior of the IEM. The end result is balanced, versatile tuning, with a touch of a v-shaped contour, and imaging and soundstage characteristics that stand out in its class.
IL1000’s exterior is built from die-cast zinc using a stereolithography 3D printer. The faceplate is decorated using water transfer printing to create the dreamy, night-sky design on the front. The end result is an IEM that delivers the sort of style you’d associate with custom or resin shell designs, but with the better structural integrity of a metal shell.
Price |
Driver |
Cable |
Sound Signature |
|
---|---|---|---|---|
$89 |
10mm CNT Dynamic |
MMCX, 3.5mm Silver-plated 4N OCC |
Bass-boosted neutral |
|
$109 |
10mm Beryllium Coated Dynamic |
MMCX, 3.5mm Silver-plated 6N OCC |
Neutral |
|
$199 |
8mm IDP Dynamic |
2-Pin, 4.4mm Balanced Silver-plated 6N OCC Copper w/3.5mm adapter |
Mild V-Shape |