When I first got these earphones I did not think that highly of them. They look cheaper than the other in-ears in my inventory, but oh my was I in for a big surprise. These earphones deliver high end in-ear sound quality at an entry level price!
I think that most people will find the Head-Direct RE2s almost perfect for rock because of their sound signature. The ample bass and superb mids makes them my favorite can on the move for rock. The noise attenuation properties of the RE2s is a bit behind that of competitors, but for the price I do not think you can find a IEM that will do that much better.
The only real problem I had with the RE2s is the fit. With the stock tips I had some difficulties getting a proper seal, however, once this problem was overcome they were incredible. It is really insane that you can get this kind of audio performance in an IEM package for only $80. The sound quality of these earphones will definitely rival that from some rivals that cost twice as much. So in terms of price / performance ratio these are at the top, miles ahead of number two in my opinion. The only two things that I feel have been sacrificed are noise isolation and the design.