Logitech|UE 4000 On-Ear Headphones


The Logitech|UE 4000s project music with impact and solidity. Bongos popped with body, as did tom-toms. Music emerged from dark, black backgrounds. Bass was humble but not absent. Everything was in control. The 4000s handle uncompressed and compressed recordings with equal consideration preferring midrange body and solid presentation to deep bass and presence.

“Those shirts are so dorky,” said every girl I've ever dated.

Admittedly, the Logitech|UE 4000s are equally unappealing as the short-sleeved, half-fancy excuses for fashion. In white, the 4000s looked like polar icecaps jutting awkwardly from my ears. The maroon and black colored versions are less obtrusive, but style-wise, the 4000s do not compare to the sleek and circular Beats, the too-cool-for-school Skullcandy Aviators and Navigators, or the elegant and reserved rectangles of the B&W P3s. But I don't care about fashion. I want ease of use.

In the trade-off for beauty and style, the 4000s offer outstanding ergonomics. Under the clunky ice caps are two soft memory-foam-filled octagonal-shaped earpads that perfectly matched the shape of my ears. The headband is flexible and fitted with a layer of comfortable squishy stuff. The 4000s lack moving parts, which meant I had no fear of throwing them in my backpack, and they are incredibly lightweight. The thick blue cable is detachable and includes mic and controls.

When the “tennis shirt” was invented, Lacoste ensured that its design would be aerodynamic and long-lasting. He used piqué weaving for enduring and breathable wear, and a soft collar for quick movement uninterrupted by the wind. The 4000s are no different. They are lightweight and sturdy, essential characteristics of a portable on-ear headphone.

Listening back and forth between the 4000s and other headphones revealed the strengths and weaknesses of the 4000s. The equally priced Skullcandy Navigators ($99.95; Footnote 1) had fuller bass with longer decay, but the midrange on the Logitech|UE 4000s was cleaner and more realized. Background vocals and guitars were all equally placed in the mix while the bass in the Navigators seemed to overwhelm these elements. Yet, the Navigators had a touch more presence giving the acoustic instruments a ‘live’ edge. By contrast, the 4000s recreated the body of acoustic instruments, gently rolling off that edge. Compared to the more expensive Skullcandy Aviators ($149.95), the 4000s exhibited less presence and weaker tonal definition in the bass but had a fuller midrange presentation. The Aviators were more relaxed and open. Listening to the much more expensive Logitech|UE 900 in-ear monitors ($399.95; Footnote 2), the 4000s obscured the mix and tonality of instruments. The 900s removed the veils, bringing me closer to the inner detail, instrumental tones, and three-dimensional shapes of the sounds.

The Logitech|UE 900s are a dependable and affordable headphone option. If you desire comfort and control, the 4000s make your choice simple.

Footnote 1: I look forward to spending a little more time with the Skullcandy Navigators and providing a full report.

Footnote 2: I do not feel comparing in-ears to on- or over-ears is a fair comparison. It’s like comparing floorstanding loudspeakers to compact—two very different entities engineered to do two very different things. Yet, in this comparison, I just wanted to hear “better” headphone sound as a reference point.

Share | |
dalethorn's picture

The UE4000 seemed like a good buy for $100. The highs are rolled off nearly 10 db by 10 khz compared to my least bright audiophile reference, the Shure 1840. Comparing to headphones like the Sennheiser HD800 or IE800, it would be much worse. I found the iPod treble boost would make up for half of that, so good enough for portable use.

While walking through the urban jungle with this and a couple other similar headphones, I would frequently remove the headphone when walking past people who were talking, or walking past lawn sprinklers, and other sources of noise with high frequency components, and would often be surprised how much treble there was in the environment (even with ordinary people's voices) compared to the rather dull sound of these headphones on even the best music. Someone who read my comment at the time remarked that "Treble in the environment is over-rated". They were making a little joke of course, but it still intrigues me how far from realistic sounding most of these urban headphones are.

Ariel Bitran's picture

I'm haven't had the time to listen to the headphones you list above, but after researching their list prices on Amazon (SRH1840 - $875, HD800 - $1500, IE800 - $1145), I'm not surprised that their high frequency extension is superior.

Enter your Stereophile.com username.
Enter the password that accompanies your username.