Unbiased sound for neutral ears
Logitech has released a good number of noise-isolating
models in the market under the Ultimate Ears brand, such as the 400vi and its
configuration of single dynamic drivers. Their latest 600vi in-ear monitors, on
the other hand, are engineered a little differently with lone armatures doing
the job. It you do not require an inline microphone or controls which the 600vi
carries, there’s always the UE 600 variant for ten dollars less.
Apart from a protective hard case, the 600vi is
accompanied by a total of five silicon and two Comply foam tips. Expectedly,
the latter offers reasonably better noise isolation given the tighter seal
these compressed foam buds offer. For daily rough-and-tumble use, however, we’d
recommend the pliable silicon buds which are more sweat-resistant as well.
A closer look at the on-cord controls which
resides on the cable for the right earpiece
The 600vi has on-cord controls much like its 350vi and
400vi siblings. The top and bottom buttons are used for volume management,
while the middle button is mainly for answering calls or to play the desired
audio track. The 600vi can be worn straight down or over the ears. However,
since the microphone and remote are situated on the right earpiece’s cord, it’s
hard to view the controls when the earphones are worn in an over-ear fashion.
The cables are fairly resistive to creases, but
noticeably, any hard presses would cause them to bend nonetheless. So take
extra care when folding them. And given its inclination for so-called ‘cable
thumps’, it is best to avoid wearing the pair with the cable hanging straight
down.
For a quick sound check, we offered up our ears to
Semisonic’s Closing Time (ripped at 192kbps) and Lady Gaga’s Edge of Glory
{320kbps} on the iPhone 4S.
Given its single armature credentials, we were expecting
the 600vi to reproduce a clinical sound rather than the bass-heavy result from
dynamic drivers. And that was what the 600vi delivered. Honestly, our appetite
for acoustical precision was satiated by the IEM’s ability to present a clean
musical spectrum with minimal discoloration. Instruments and vocals were accurately
delivered, and even taps on the ride cymbals were crisply communicated. On the
other hand, bass-heads looking for a boom-boom reflex ought to look elsewhere.
Take note however, if you enjoy your music at high
volumes, as the 600vi is prone to mild distortion when throttled. We also
noticed that ambient noise is amplified by a quite fair bit during a phone
conversation. Despite these shortcomings, the 600vi is able to offer faithful
audio reproduction that not many headphones of its genre at similar price
points can match up to.
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At a glance
Transmission type: Wired
Sound coupling: In-ear
Impedance: 13 ohms
Noise isolation: -26 dB
Price: $139
Specifications
Transducer: Single
driver, Top-firing Armature
Frequency response: 20 –
20,000 Hz
Input sensitivity: 115
dB/mW
Cable length: 117 mm
Weight: 13.6
grams
Plug type: 3/5mm
mini stereo
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Verdict: 8.5
Physique: 8.5
Features: 8.5
User-friendliness: 8.5
Performance: 8.5
Value: 8.5
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