Logitech and Ultimate Ear are both accomplished rockstars in the audio arena. Everyone has their own party-starting, Madison Square Garden-worthy line of products. But now they’ve joined forces to create a sort-of super band. The product of this deck-stacking matrimony is the UE Ultimate Ear line of audio products from Logitech. See how it stacks up against some of the best headphones on the market.
Christen brandished his shiniest parachute pants and ready-made cardboard with his UE Boombox review. But I suck at break dancing. So I have a more mobile-friendly UE offering for you. The UE 4000 is Logitech’s newest on-ear headphone set as part of the acquisition and collaboration with Ultimate Ear. They’re priced to sell and perform like they have something to prove, just like the Logitech UE 900 earphones do.
The UE 4000 unit shipped to us, is dressed in a glossy black-on-white motif. They also come in solid fuchsia-ish purple as well as black for a triplet of color options. The package includes a sharp blue detachable audio cable, 2-way sharing adapter, and soft sizeable travel pouch. The choice of blue, for the audio cable, is a keen one. It looks good and really makes the set stand out from the crowd of black and white cables. For another pair of cans that look really nice, read our review of the JBL Tempo on-ear headphones.
The outer headband features a few seemingly chiseled edges. It’s as if to suggest the unit had been cut from crystal or some precious stone. It shows style and adds to the unique flare. On the outer edge of the headband, the “UE” logo/lettering is modestly etched in silver. The packaging is conservative but the UE 4000 headphones are kinda hot!
Related: If you like these headphones, don’t miss out on our Logitech UE 9000 Wireless Headphones review.
They also hold steadfast under pressure, much as the Phiaton Bridge MS-500 on-ear headphones do. After hours at my desk, on bike rides and long walks… The Logitech UE 4000 on-ear headphones remain comfortable. They don’t pinch my ears like we felt with the Beats by Dre Mixr headphones and they don’t feel too heavy. The padding lining the band, is a bit deficient but the band is adjustable. Additionally, the poofy cushion earphones use memory foam padding. It definitely helps reduce perspiration and adds extra cushion to compensate for the lack of headband padding.
Ok! So the UE 4000 come out ahead in comfort, when pitted against the Mixr set. But what about performance? It’s kind of a mosh pit. The UE 4000 can’t touch the Beats by Dre. I mean it’s Dre right? But they get closer than I would have guessed. Simply put: Logitech has stunning performance in this $99 price range. Sure the Mixr’s feature richer sound at higher volumes while maintaining clarity across all ranges. But the UE 4000, within its price point, produces the cleanest, purest audio reproduction of any on-ear set, to which my ears have been pleased to experience.
Similar to the Incase Reflex headphones, the bass on the UE 4000 is full of weighted depth. Thankfully the speaker construction is up to snuff so rattling or other distortion is not an issue. Everything is very even and smooth. It can be shared too, with the included splitter. It’s a bit bulky and somewhat of a novelty. But it works and sharing your grooves is fun. Plus it makes showing off your new cans a two-person engagement. Note: The UE 4000 make use of a 40mm driver with the usual frequency spec of 20 hz – 20hz. Full specs found here.
Related: Also check out our LG Tone Platinum Bluetooth Headphone review.
I found that call quality was equally as strong…virtually. There were times when callers became just slightly muffled–discernible–but muffled. Then it would go away. The mic works as advertised and sports a 3-button in-line remote to control audio playback on iOS devices. You can pause, play and skip tracks. But you can also fast-forward and rewind. For calls, you can answer and hang up. Everything clicks and responds as it should. Nothing earth-shattering there.
But I reiterate. These suckers are fantastic for on-ear headphones. The price renders them no-brainers. While I prefer the black version, whatever your preference you won’t go wrong or waste a penny with the new Logitech UE 4000 on-ear headphones.
Editor Rating:
[Rating: 4.5/5]
Excellent
Bottom Line: You can’t go wrong with the Logitech UE 4000. They look sharp. Fit well. The audio quality is clean and crisp across and high and midranges. Plus depth of bass is contrasted nicely against that shallow cost of entry.
Pros
- Incredibly pleasant audio reproduction
- Lasting comfort
- Stylish
- Splitter adapter for shared listening
Cons
- Occasional muffle sound in some calls
You can buy the Logitech UE 4000 On-Ear Headphones at Logitech for $99.99.
