Ultimate Ears UE4000 Headphones

These headphones seem to have a large disparity in reviews with people saying they're either too bright or too dark. They're very different from the UE 6000 which to me were very very dark. At first they sounded muffled but with a good balanced sound. Eventually they opened up with the treble shining through, lots of detail, great mids. I went to some regular hiphop songs and I was surprised that the bass was toned down. These are either very well balanced or the treble is slightly forward hard to tell right now since I just came from a very bassy headphone(probably the former). I got these very cheap but their quality is very good probably on par with Momentum on ear -maybe even better(but with very different frequency signature). Definitely a steal if you can get them in the 20-30 dollar range, nothing else is going to beat them at that price. 
 
They're relatively small profile though. Very plastic-y looking but sturdy. I'm always surprised when I see an expensive headphone with 40mm drivers and they make the earpad opening small which really cripples the sound -most of the time (some designs pull it off but it's usually depends on the earpad material and design). You can tell these have a bigger sound to give but they cannot because of this design flaw. These would probably be on par with the Denon D340's if they made the earpad opening larger. As is they are still very good headphones with an unusually well balanced sound signature -I really expected a ton of bass. 
 
Update: After further listening these are very bass light. I admit I'm somewhat of a basshead but these are too forward in the mids and treble for me. There's nothing in the bass department. Bass is not just turned down it's impossible to tune to output crucial bass frequencies correctly. Unfortunate fatal flaw to a otherwise good quality headphone. 

*past owner of: Beyerdynamic T 51i, V-sonic VSD3, UE 500, Klipsch s4a
 
Aesthetic:
composition is a delicate balance of plastic and metal. headband slider adjustment is brushed metal. Ball-bearing type tilting mechanism for ear cups. The pleather earcups are acceptable quality and feel refined. The headband padding is of memory foam wrapped by a soft  rubber sheet. The earcups are marked Left and Right respectively on the headband. It features a very tough detachable blue cord, which has a mic, volume rocker, and a multi-function key, and ends in a 3.5 right angle jack.
 
Overall, a sleek contemporary design offered in black, white, blue, or purple. Something to note, both the black and white versions have blue sleeves that cover the earcup tilting mechanism, which lies between the earcup and the headband.
 
Problems that I see: ear cups cannot be replaced, headband padding adhesive wears out over time(~2 years), but does not detract from the affordability of this set.
 
Sound:
punchy bass, reasonably clear mids, relatively wide sound stage, rolled off upper treble + artificial treble. Being warm and bright, it embodies a fun signature. However, it is important to note that there is certainly an absence of sub-bass.
 
The sound signature of the UE 4000 results in a selective band of playable or acceptable musical genres. reason being, it becomes muddy as the track becomes more and more complicated(with instruments). As a result, the bass will tend to pour itself into the mids, and is a cluster ****. if you're into EDM for Metal, I'd say stay away from these headphones.
 
However, looking at the new price point of these headphones, ~$40 dollars, there are few headphones at this price point that can compete.
 
Make sure to equalize or use some kind of software to get the most bang for your buck.
 
Conclusion: These headphones are an excellent pair of entry-level headphones. These have that classic Ultimate Ears sound signature that I keep coming back to. The sound quality package is comprehensive for the price point that is now sits at; "Discontinued by Manufacturer". The physical design did not induce any fatigue(ymmv), but to tell the truth, these headphones are produced with the intention of replacement within 2-3 years. But what did you expect from a sub-50 dollars headphone? Overall, a very solid choice for those looking into a mid-range-focused entry-level audiophile phone.
 
 

Accessories: Includes a pouch and cable. Pouch is well-built, compact, and stylish. Soft, flexible cable has never tangled for me in my time with it. Right angled jack is durable and well-relieved. Remote is a little plasticky, but works well. 
 
Build Quality/Design: Absolutely fantastic at the price point. Mostly plastic build is sturdy enough for portable use and not brittle at all, though I wouldn't recommend transporting these in a bag outside of their case for extra assurance. Adjustable steel headband is solid, though the ratcheting mechanism can feel a little loose on my unit. I have not seen this problem in any other reviews, so I don't think it's a major issue. When shaken, they don't rattle at all. The high-gloss black finish is discrete but sleek, and the angled design on the earcups is a nice break from the flat or rounded back designs we so often see. The blue accents in the pivoting joints and on the cable provide nice contrast without being flashy at all. 
 
Comfort/Isolation/Leakage: Because these are on-ears and I had mostly worn in-ears to this point, it took me a while to get used to the different form factor. However, after warming up to that, they are very comfortable. The earpads are soft but firm enough that your outer ear cannot feel any part of the earcup itself. They do rest on your ears, so if these are your first pair of on-ears make sure to stretch out the headband over a few nights. This can be done for this pair by putting them over their box. Clamping force is there but not as strong as something like the Beats Mixr. Padding on the headband could be a little thicker, but what's there is enough to be comfortable. Isolation is good but not the best due to the form factor. The more expensive UE 6000 has better passive isolation due to its over-ear design. Leakage is minimal at normal listening volumes. 
 
Sound Quality: I'll be splitting this into four parts: bass, mids, treble, and soundstage. 
 
Bass - Sub-bass has good impact, but could be more present. It is definitely not invisible and adds a good body to the sound. Bass drum hits are prominent when necessary but never overshadow the sound. Daft Punk's "Lose Yourself to Dance" has a correctly thunderous bass line, while the synth kick drum hits at the beginning of U2's "Beautiful Day" are well-restrained and appropriately subtle in comparison to the bass guitar line. Slight mid-bass boost adds warmth but not bloat. Natural-sounding bass overall with both real and synth sounds. Not the tightest bass ever, but not boomy either. Emphasized, yes, but not Beats. Overall, fantastic and somewhat atypical bass for the price point in that it is well-controlled and has accurate dynamics. 
 
Mids - Very rich due to the slight mid-bass boost. Vocals, both male and female, are well-portrayed and full. Katy Perry sounds fantastic on the chorus of "Roar," with her unique timbre accurately portrayed. Jon Foreman's varied timbres on various songs by Switchfoot are accurate as well, with his growls and falsetto contrasting quite well. Pharrell's falsetto on "Lose Yourself to Dance" is appropriately airy but not entirely so because of the added body. Instruments are portrayed as backing up the vocalists and never overshadow. Acoustic guitars are warm but not very sparkly, emphasizing body resonance over string. The Edge's chimey electric guitar on U2's album The Joshua Tree are airy and bright, while songs like "Vertigo" have a nice girth to the overdriven guitars. Harder bands like Skillet sound quite forward and aggressive compared to softer fare. Pianos have a good top end and a pleasing tone, if occasionally warmer. Overall, very accurate mids in relation to the other frequency ranges, but warmer than neutral, which I greatly prefer. 
 
Treble - This is where the flaws come in. Highs are recessed to avoid any sibilance, giving the headphones a relaxed sound. The roll-off stops at around 10kHz, giving those extremely high frequencies a very slight boost to enhance clarity. This works really well, as all the other frequency ranges sound a little crisper than they would without that slight boost. I prefer relaxed highs to sibilant highs; however, these are not as crisp as even I would prefer sometimes. I do have an iTunes equalizer preset that is slightly V-shaped for these headphones, boosting 1k on up to add a little extra air. They do respond to equalization well, never sounding artificial. Overall, the highs are rolled-off, but because there is no sibilance I don't fault them too much. 
 
Soundstage - Adequate width and height, surprisingly deep. Portrays intimacy well, as Bastille's "Pompeii" pushes the lead vocals in front of everything without ever being in-the-head while the drums and bass are well-placed behind the vocals. The treble roll-off makes them lack slightly in air, so as previously mentioned I do boost them. However, because the roll-off is mainly focused on reducing sibilance, most instruments and vocals don't sound dark, being very adaptable to what the recording calls for. Overall, solid soundstage for price, but higher-end products sound larger. 
 
Conclusion: I can't recommend these enough for everyone that is looking for on-ears on a budget. Their build and comfort is solid and works well on-the-go, while the sound is fun but not overly aggressive. They are not audiophile grade, but would satisfy those that want slightly stronger bass, warm and full mids, or non-fatiguing highs. These are my favorite pair of headphones, and their current price point makes them an absolute steal. Get them while you can, as they have been discontinued by Logitech. 

i've had these for a while and use them pretty much exclusively when commuting. i'll occasionally have them on while working if i forget my better headphones but they get painful fast so it never lasts long. if it's not the rock-hard headband digging into my skull, it's usually the stiff pads pinching my ears, and if all else fails the exaggerated highs will give me a migraine. their only redeeming quality is the detachable cable. it's shielding is silicon or something and keeps it from bending too much or tangling. its inline controls are also really comfortable and tactile.
on the whole i'd avoid them but if they're a gift definitely keep them, they can perform just fine in isolated scenarios.

These days, for $40, there's just not too many good choices out there.
 
I feel the UE4000 should be a role-model for all the companies wanting to win this market.
 
First of all, this headphone has an amazing set of features for $40 which includes a detachable cable (super rare), not fully plastic (metal sliders, good foam for the headband), a carrying pouch, a high-quality splitter! With all of the features, I instantly see Logitech won over the crowd. 
 
However, one of the draw back to this headphone is that it is NOT MEANT FOR AUDIOPHILES. This headphone has overwhelming bass which seems to be essential these days in the under-$100 category of headphones and furthermore, it does lack some detail, clarity and soundstage. Therefore, for indoor use, I found the sound quality to be rather muddy.
 
Interestingly, these problems are solved when you go outdoor where detail, clarity and soundstage is not essential. Furthermore, thanks to the overwhelming bass, what was once muddy, has turned into a huge powerful sounding headphone in noisy environments that is very energetic and fun sounding. If this was not enough, a combination of a portable form factor, good isolation, slim profile headband and the fact that it is lightweight makes the UE4000 ideal for outdoor use. I should make a note here that, the isolation is good enough for most shopping malls and libraries, but they will not drown out lower frequencies such as engine noise.
 
Lastly, I should note that these are not the most comfortable headphone, due to the nature of an on-ear design headphone.
 
For a more detailed review, please see my video review located here:
 

Along with the summary below, I have posted a Youtube video review of the UE4000. If you like the video, check out my channel for more reviews
 

 
Summary
 
BUILD
 
The UE4000, like all the new Logitech UE headphones, has some really nice build quality for the price. Solid feeling headband with metal parts, supple synthetic leather earpads. The detachable cable with iPhone remote is a great touch because it terminates in a 3.5mm jack and can be replaced with any off-the-shelf cable. The earcups pivot in all directions which makes getting a good fit easy. Unfortunately the ear pads are not replaceable and the UE 4000 does not fold up into a more compact shape.
 
SOUND
 
The UE 4000 has a bassy, rich sound, but they have quite rolled off highs. They don't completely lack energy in vocals but overall the sound is quite congested and separation / layering really suffers. This kind of signature is good for a noisy commute (you don't have to turn up the volume as high to get a decent sound) but is just not a great balance otherwise. The UE 4000 is less balanced than the UE 6000 (which I liked).
 
OVERALL
 
These would make a good headphone for people on frequent noisy commutes, or a nice little package for someone for whom sound quality is not the top priority. They aren't terrible sounding, but the congested signature really isn't my thing.

Without any introduction, here I will start:

Comfort: I wear glasses & I have no problem wearing these! It does get warm after sometime. Clamping force are not too strong.

Isolation: Isolates plenty of outside noise.

Build quality: Mostly plastic.

Sound: HEH HEH! Best on-ear headphone I ever tried. Lows are punchy & well controlled. Better control than HD439 at the same price. Satisfy basshead but it is not as strong as UE6000. Mids are very detailed & smooth sounding. Never did I aspect such excellent details from it. Mids are it's strong point. Really good. Upper mids & highs are however it's downside. Specially for treble/vocals fans as it sound artifical but that's the one and only weak point in sound. Details are excellent. Soundstage are good for a closed pair of on-ear headphones.

I would say, these are one of the best on-ear headphone. It is great for Electronics music or any songs without vocals as I find it somewhat annoying on these. Just my 2cents

FYI, I dislike too much bass(IMO, I find HD518 has too much), smooth & detailed mids & clear highs. Great soundstage & details type of headphones. Just so you know what I mean by "detailed" "smooth" etc in this review