Looking to upgrade from a Logitech UE6000, $300 budget

[Eric Caldwell]

Greetings,
 
The Logitech UE6000 has served me well over the years but they seemed to have lost some clarity, and overall I've not been able to enjoy my music like I once had. I am looking to get something new, and better, but in the same general direction that the UE 6000 provided when they were at their best.
 
Budget: 300usd. Preferable 200-250, but can go above for a good deal.
 
Would like to remain closed end, and over ear. Prefer detachable cord, but can deal without being able to. Do not have an amp, and while some headroom for getting one later would be nice would like the headphones to do well without on my pc. Good noise cancellation is a plus, or at least to where the UE6000 was at, would be enough for me.
 
Type of music: Will admit I am into pop music, and some hip hop. David Guetta and Jason Derulo is a good reference point for me. For instance I quite enjoy Nicki Minaj's Starship and Super Bass but don't enjoy her other songs. I like to relax into my music, be overtaken a bit as a whole but not drowned by one aspect over all others. UE6000 worked well for this, at least to me it did. I also listen to some old country music, 80's, and rock as well. The only genre that I do not listen to is heavy metal and rap , I guess.
 
Small mention: I love bass. Like I said the UE6000 provided enough for me and it felt superb and not over the top. Long as it does not destroy the rest to do it, I am open/agreeable to more bass. I did use the Active NC/bass boost on the UE6000 quite a bit, but not on everything as it did seem to at times interfere with the listening experience for certain songs. These headphones will be on a PC only, and while I doubt the onboard headphone amp helps, figure I'd mention.
 
I had researched and checked out several that seem to somewhat fit the bill, but I am unsure and could always use the personal opinions that I hope I can garner here.
 
Yamaha HPH-MT220
 
NAD - VISO HP50
 
Sony MDR7520
 
Also just been reluctant, but reserved to just ordering a new UE6000 from Amazon if worse comes to shove.
 
 
 
Would greatly appreciate any help. Thank you.

 

[buke9]

Greetings,

The Logitech UE6000 has served me well over the years but they seemed to have lost some clarity, and overall I've not been able to enjoy my music like I once had. I am looking to get something new, and better, but in the same general direction that the UE 6000 provided when they were at their best.

Budget: 300usd. Preferable 200-250, but can go above for a good deal.

Would like to remain closed end, and over ear. Prefer detachable cord, but can deal without being able to. Do not have an amp, and while some headroom for getting one later would be nice would like the headphones to do well without on my pc. Good noise cancellation is a plus, or at least to where the UE6000 was at, would be enough for me.

Type of music: Will admit I am into pop music, and some hip hop. David Guetta and Jason Derulo is a good reference point for me. For instance I quite enjoy Nicki Minaj's Starship and Super Bass but don't enjoy her other songs. I like to relax into my music, be overtaken a bit as a whole but not drowned by one aspect over all others. UE6000 worked well for this, at least to me it did. I also listen to some old country music, 80's, and rock as well. The only genre that I do not listen to is heavy metal and rap , I guess.

Small mention: I love bass. Like I said the UE6000 provided enough for me and it felt superb and not over the top. Long as it does not destroy the rest to do it, I am open/agreeable to more bass. I did use the Active NC/bass boost on the UE6000 quite a bit, but not on everything as it did seem to at times interfere with the listening experience for certain songs. These headphones will be on a PC only, and while I doubt the onboard headphone amp helps, figure I'd mention.

I had researched and checked out several that seem to somewhat fit the bill, but I am unsure and could always use the personal opinions that I hope I can garner here.

Yamaha HPH-MT220

NAD - VISO HP50

Sony MDR7520

Also just been reluctant, but reserved to just ordering a new UE6000 from Amazon if worse comes to shove.



Would greatly appreciate any help. Thank you.

I have not heard your phones so I can't say others will do for you. Of the ones you mentioned I owned the NAD's but they did not fit me well enough to keep them . They were really good headphones and loved the sound but if they don't fit then what is the point . Not many have the problem so it must be my head. The others I have not heard so I can't say but if you like the ones you have why not get another pair? I'm not a Basshead so I can't tell you what to look for but there is a Basshead thread here on head-fi that might be able to point you in the direction you want.

 

[Eric Caldwell]

I have not heard your phones so I can't say others will do for you. Of the ones you mentioned I owned the NAD's but they did not fit me well enough to keep them . They were really good headphones and loved the sound but if they don't fit then what is the point . Not many have the problem so it must be my head. The others I have not heard so I can't say but if you like the ones you have why not get another pair? I'm not a Basshead so I can't tell you what to look for but there is a Basshead thread here on head-fi that might be able to point you in the direction you want.

 
I appreciate the reply. I'm not sure i would qualify for being a basshead. I just enjoy them being prominent. I live in a small town in ohio and years ago the closest store to even try anything as far as headphones was a bestbuy. They had the UE6000, and after trying all of them it was what struck me the best, all around. It had a song by Jason Derulo, Without You, that the chimes in the beginning just sounded so good. Everything else they had sounded flat, muddled, or just unimpressive. I guess I just want something that will emphasis the bass when it's intended for a intended experience, but not something that pushes it so much that mids and highs suffer. I enjoy the blend, if you will.
 
I guess the active noise cancellation on the UE6000 put the bass at the height i would want it, but wouldn't mind something that could handle the mids and highs a little better with that bass. Perhaps i am being too picky, and wish i had a place to try out all these headsets.

 

[buke9]

I appreciate the reply. I'm not sure i would qualify for being a basshead. I just enjoy them being prominent. I live in a small town in ohio and years ago the closest store to even try anything as far as headphones was a bestbuy. They had the UE6000, and after trying all of them it was what struck me the best, all around. It had a song by Jason Derulo, Without You, that the chimes in the beginning just sounded so good. Everything else they had sounded flat, muddled, or just unimpressive. I guess I just want something that will emphasis the bass when it's intended for a intended experience, but not something that pushes it so much that mids and highs suffer. I enjoy the blend, if you will.

I guess the active noise cancellation on the UE6000 put the bass at the height i would want it, but wouldn't mind something that could handle the mids and highs a little better with that bass. Perhaps i am being too picky, and wish i had a place to try out all these headsets.

I am not a fan of active noise cancellation . If you are a frecuent flier I can see using them but at home it makes no sense to me unless your live next to a train yard . They cancell out sound from the source also . If you get new cans give them at least a week before you decide if you like them or not . Your brain is used to hearing what you have and will take awhile to adjust to the other sound signature .

 

[cel4145]

HP50 are definitely worth considering. Been awhile since I listened to UE6000, but I'd say that they are somewhat similar in frequency response to them without ANC turned on, only a better class of headphone.

 

[PL4Y3R 0N3]

Shoot me here and now if you want but I'll suggest it: beats studio wireless. Can't say I've owned many headphones, and I'm no audiophile, but it has all on your list and Bluetooth on top of tat. The new beats studio sounds completely different from old and I enjoy every minute with them on my head.

*edit* did not read the PC only part. The normal studio would be good for that. But if you did want to use them anywhere like the gym the wireless is the way to go.

 

[Malfunkt]

Well, I have a UE6000 coming in that I've ordered for a friend. I'll be able to compare it to my 7520s hopefully this week. I liked the UE6000 when I heard them years back, and remember their bass was perhaps a bit bloomy, but from memory I'd say that the 7520 has less quantity of bass, but is tighter and punchier. 
 
All the cans you are looking at are more neutralish studio types. The UE6000 was a little bit more coloured but I'm looking forward to hearing them again..

 

[eargasam]

Has anyone mentioned vmoda m100s yet?

 

[Malfunkt]

Well I have the UE6000s on my head and the 7520s in front of me. 

I purchased the UE6000s for about $65 CAD shipped! That is like, what a can of beans in the US? Definitely a great deal. 
 
Recently, I let a coworker listen to my 7520s , and immediately he was like "ugh, I don't like that its really hollow'. Then he went on to praise the music app on my Iphone saying he has never heard music so clear.  I just looked at him and smiled wryly, trying to explain there was little difference in the music app, what he really was hearing was the upper harmonic detail of the 7520s that is just rolled off on so many consumer devices. The thing is we all get so used to our preferences. 
 
Sound Comparison.
My quick assessment of the UE6000, oh my, these are not neutral at all, yet still clear. The bass is definitely dominant and loose. The high end is also rolled off. Again, clarity or the perception of clarity  is there, but information is missing. The result is pretty warm phone. 
 
Overall, the 7520 is a massive upgrade over the UE6000 as far as balance, clarity, bass solidity, mid-range presentation. I put its dynamic driver technicalities up there with the HD650, maybe a bit higher. 
 
Also, I don't think the amp or NC on the UE6000 has any real benefit. It does bring more excitement to the higher-end and the low-end. Can be fun for a bit on some genres. It's not as overblown as say something like the MDR-XB950BT.
 
Passively, the UE6000 is nowhere near the efficiency of the 7520. You have to crank it a fair bit.
 
The UE6000 has plenty of rumble though, and its pretty fun. The 7520 will still go very low, pay no attention to some graph measurements that show it rolled off on the bass, that is the Z1000, the 7520 has plenty of bass. The UE6000 sounds tubby in comparison. Drum 'n' bass, dubstep that is well-produced just tears it up on the 7520.
 
Frankly, really surprised that a number of reviewers have said the UE6000 is flat or neutral. I mean in a way it is, it is just  a downward ski slope. 
 
If it sounds like I'm completely dumping on the UE6000 I'm not entirely. It is more of a 'fun' headphone. You can even listen to acoustic music and I've thrown on some classical pieces, but its still like listening with cotton balls in your ears. 7520, vocals, and a whole range of instrumentation come alive. If the UE6000 is your reference, it may be a bit of shock going to the 7520 or another monitoring can. They are more forward than both my LCD2 and HD650 but still sound natural and organic. Somehow the highend of the 7520 is never piercing, but it also is not as smooth as the 650.
 
Hope my friend like these 

 was hoping for a bit more tonal neutrality. 
 
Comfort:
From memory I thought the dimensions of the ear pads were bigger, hoping these would be comfier than my 7520s. Surprisingly, while the 7520 is not as plush, it has more space to fit your ears. Still the UE6000 is soft enough that even being on top of your ears, it sits well. The 7520 seals very well and stays on your head. 
 
Build quality:
Well the UE6000 has some loose plastic bits, and is a little clattery. The 7520 has magnesium cups and a solid simple metal band. The 7520s flaw is that the cup holders are plastic and their housings can be downright squeaky. You can easily open it up and lube these components if its an issue. Otherwise, the 7520 is an awesome portable.
 
Isolation: I think the UE6000 is pretty good, and might isolate a bit more than the 7520.
 
The UE6000 is still a good headphone. The bass has a very good quality. I'm listening to it right now and you can kinda sink into them. They are pretty easy listen. 
 
BTW - I can EQ the UE6000 and it responds very well. Enough to push them into a much higher quality. The 7520 just start out that way without any adjustment needed.
 
Edit: and the UE6000 leak quite a bit more than the 7520. Which is weird as it seems like the isolate a bit more. weird but confirmed by girlfriend sitting nearby.