Ultimate Ears UE6000 Portable Headphones and UE18 Custom In-Ear Monitors Review

Patricia Barber’s “Company” track from Modern Cool really showcased the deep bass extension. The bass was growling and the drums were slamming on this track. I could also hear the treble extension and the cymbals were not splashy. They sound pretty much what you would hear live. Barbers’ voice was reproduced clearly and without sibilance. I could hear the drums being hit with the sticks very distinctly and the foot pedal hitting the skin of the kick drum. The reproduction of inner detail was equal to the best I have heard in any reference headphone.

The drum cymbals were realistic and not tinny sounding. They sounded like cymbals I hear live. The trumpet work on the track was crystal clear and had air around it, I could easily hear all the different instruments in this track. The sound was very balanced and neutral.

“You and the Night and the Music” from the same album revealed more of the same. The drum work on this album is exceptional, as is the bass. The UE18 lets you hear all the notes plus the inner detail of the instrument. The bass on this track is exceptionally transparent. I could hear Michael Arnoplol’s hand moving up and down the instrument with the notes all coming through with exceptional clarity and transparency.. Barbers’ piano work is always exceptional. I could hear the keys of the piano and the pedal clearly. When I closed my eyes I visualized her in front of me. I was consumed in the music.

Mark Walker’s drum work and Dave Douglas’ trumpet work are outstanding and some of the very best I have heard recorded on any album. The UE18 delivered all of the music and really just drew me into the music without compromise. Modern Cool is one of the finest albums Patricia Barber has recorded and the UE18 did not disappoint in its reproduction. I was totally engulfed in the music.

Amber Rubarth’s “Sessions” from the 17 Ward is one of my favorite recordings to test soundstage and instrument separation. The exceptional binaural recording let me hear instrument separation with every instrument in an individual space. The sound stage was wall-to-wall, and wide and very deep. Her vocal was reproduced as well as I have heard it in any other reference headphone. The instruments were coming from left to right and layered in the back of the soundstage. The transparency and separation were amazing. The presentations were very natural and I could not identify any coloration. Music just sounded like it does live.

Pink Floyd’s Wish you Were Here SACD is a real treat to listen to. The UE18 brought Waters and Gilmore into my listening room. If you ever wanted to hear everything on this album the UE18 is the transducer to let you hear it all.

David Gilmore’s guitar work on “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” is pristine. I could hear the small instrument sounds in the album that I can’t hear with lesser headphones. The “Wish you Were Here” track let me hear the breathing in the left channel. The soft blowing into the left ear before the guitar comes in was very clear. The inner detail was all reproduced easily with the UE18.

Impressions by Chris Botti is another musically engaging album. Botti’s work on this album is terrific. The UE18 delivered the performance as if I were in the concert hall attending the show.

The tone coming from the UE18 on Botti’s trumpet was as good as it gets. The instrument sounded exceptional and very much like what I heard when I saw Botti live. The album is a treat and some of the best modern jazz recorded today. I found listening to this album very rewarding and extremely satisfying on the UE18. I felt as if nothing was missing or anything left unturned. The UE18 just nailed the recording and more importantly, the performance.

Conclusion

The UE6000 and UE18 are two very different listening experiences. The UE6000 is the entry-level noise-cancelling headphone for people who want an over-the-ear headphone that sounds very good for only $199. It is one of the very best portable headphones in its price range. It offers good sound and is a headphone that most people could afford. I like the warm presentation and the sound it provides at respectable entry-level price.

The UE18 is Ultimate Ears’ Flagship headphone designed for the music professional or the music enthusiast who wants the very best music reproduction. It really stepped up the sound, as it should for a flagship headphone. It is one of the very best if not the best headphone or portable in-ear monitor I have heard. It is a detail master that let me hear everything in the recording in a very musical presentation.

I felt there were no shortcomings, as it provides the closest I have heard to prefect music reproduction. The UE18 is the most musical and satisfying headphone I have reviewed to date.

Whether it was being played from an iPod or reference system, the UE18 always delivered, and it left no stone unturned. The UE18 is very balanced and neutral and is remarkable in what sound can be achieved with a miniature speaker system. I say speaker system because that is exactly what it is. It outperforms many very expensive speakers that I have owned and for detail retrieval is among the very best that I have heard at any price.

The UE 18 had me totally involved in the music. Every listening session was always very involving. The performance of the UE18 blew me away. It has to be considered a true reference product and a game changer for me personally. The performance of the UE18 puts it in the top tier and it can compete and in many instances outperform any headphone I own, or have heard at any price.

Ultimate Ears builds outstanding products and the service they provide is exceptional. I enjoyed my time listening to both of these portable transducers and both get my highest recommendation. Check them out and be prepared to be mesmerized

*[9/27/13 – Correction – Review originally stated this price did include a visit to the audiologist.]