Polk Audio UltraFocus 8000  Headphones Review

Reviewed Feb 26, 2016 at 12:00am
Test bench update Nov 21, 2019 at 11:23am
Tested using Methodology v1.3.1 
Polk Audio UltraFocus 8000

Track

0.0
Mixed Usage 
0.0
Neutral Sound 
0.0
Commute/Travel 
0.0
Sports/Fitness 
0.0
Office 
0.0
Wireless Gaming 
0.0
Wired Gaming 
0.0
Phone Call 

Track

 0
The Polk Audio UltraFocus 8000 are a great-sounding, comfortable pair of headphones. They have some flaws in their build design and noise isolation performance but the flexible, flat audio profile is a pleasure to listen to and works well with most music genres.

Our Verdict

0.0
Mixed Usage 

The Polk Audio UltraFocus 8000 are average everyday headphones. They have a great sound and enough features to handle most use cases. However, they're a bit bulky and can't be used with out any batteries.

Pros
  • Comfortable.
  • Great audio reproduction.
  • Do not leak much sound.
Cons
  • Cumbersome button layout
  • Creaky headband.
  • Poor noise isolation.
0.0
Neutral Sound 

The UltraFocus 8000 are good headphones for neutral listening. They're comfortable and have well-balanced sound quality. The bass mid and treble response are almost flat and reproduce tracks well. Their closed-back design limits their soundstage, but their sound is good enough for long neutral listening sessions.

0.0
Commute/Travel 

Average for commuting. The noise cancelling is a little weak for loud noisy commutes.

0.0
Sports/Fitness 

Decent for sports use. Comfortable and moderately stable design. Slightly bulky and cumbersome.

0.0
Office 

Decent for office use. Decent leakage performance but weak noise isolation. The chatter of a busy office will seep into your audio

0.0
Wired Gaming 
0.0
Phone Call 
  • 0.0
    Mixed Usage
  • 0.0
    Neutral Sound
  • 0.0
    Commute/Travel
  • 0.0
    Sports/Fitness
  • 0.0
    Office
  • 0.0
    Wireless Gaming
  • 0.0
    Wired Gaming
  • 0.0
    Phone Call
  • Changelog

    1.  Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
    2.  Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
    3.  Updated Feb 16, 2018: Converted to Test Bench 1.2.
    4.  Updated Sep 28, 2017: The microphone has been tested with our new methodology, as explained here

    Check Price

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    How We Test Headphones: Over 800 And Counting!
    How We Test Headphones: Over 800 And Counting!

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    Test Results

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    RATINGS
    Category:
    All
    Design
    Style
    TypeLockedOver-ear
    EnclosureLockedClosed-Back
    WirelessLockedNo
    TransducerLockedDynamic

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    0.0
    Comfort
    WeightLockedLock lbs
    Clamping Force
    LockedLock lbs

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    0.0
    Controls
    OS Compatibility
    LockedLocked
    Ease Of UseLockedLocked
    FeedbackLockedLocked
    Call/Music ControlLockedLocked
    Volume ControlLockedLocked
    Microphone ControlLockedLocked
    Channel Mixing
    LockedN/A
    Noise Cancelling ControlLockedLocked
    Talk-Through
    LockedLocked
    Additional ButtonsLockedLocked

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    0.0
    Breathability
    Avg.Temp.DifferenceLockedLock °C
    0.0
    Portability
    LLockedLock"
    WLockedLock"
    HLockedLock"
    VolumeLockedLock in³
    Transmitter RequiredLockedN/A

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    0.0
    Case
    TypeLockedLocked
    LLockedLock"
    WLockedLock"
    HLockedLock"
    VolumeLockedLock in³

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    0.0
    Build Quality

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    0.0
    Stability

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    Headshots 1
    Headshots 2
    Top
    In The Box

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    Sound
    Sound Profile
    Bass Amount
    LockedLock dB
    Treble Amount
    LockedLock dB
    0.0
    Frequency Response Consistency
    Avg. Std. Deviation
    LockedLock dB
    Raw Frequency Response
    0.0
    Bass Accuracy
    Std. Err.
    LockedLock dB
    Low-Frequency Extension
    LockedLock Hz
    Low-Bass
    LockedLock dB
    Mid-Bass
    LockedLock dB
    High-Bass
    LockedLock dB
    0.0
    Mid Accuracy
    Std. Err.
    LockedLock dB
    Low-Mid
    LockedLock dB
    Mid-Mid
    LockedLock dB
    High-Mid
    LockedLock dB
    0.0
    Treble Accuracy
    Std. Err.
    LockedLock dB
    Low-Treble
    LockedLock dB
    Mid-Treble
    LockedLock dB
    High-Treble
    LockedLock dB
    0.0
    Peaks/Dips
    Peaks
    LockedLock dB
    Dips
    LockedLock dB
    0.0
    Imaging
    Weighted Group Delay
    LockedLock
    Weighted Amplitude Mismatch
    LockedLock
    Weighted Frequency Mismatch
    LockedLock
    Weighted Phase Mismatch
    LockedLock
    0.0
    Soundstage
    PRTF Accuracy (Std. Dev.)
    LockedLock dB
    PRTF Size (Avg.)
    LockedLock dB
    PRTF Distance
    LockedLock dB
    Openness
    Locked
    0.0
    Acoustic Space Excitation
    Locked
    0.0
    0.0
    Weighted Harmonic Distortion
    WHD @ 90
    LockedLock
    WHD @ 100
    LockedLock
    Isolation
    0.0
    Noise Isolation
    Isolation Audio
    JOIN NOWto hear audio samples
    Overall Attenuation
    LockedLock dB
    Noise CancellingLockedYes
    Bass
    LockedLock dB
    Mid
    LockedLock dB
    Treble
    LockedLock dB

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    0.0
    Leakage
    Leakage Audio
    JOIN NOWto hear audio samples
    Overall Leakage @ 1ft
    LockedLock dB

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    Microphone
    Microphone Style
    Integrated
    LockedLocked
    In-line
    LockedLocked
    Boom
    LockedLocked
    Detachable Boom
    LockedN/A
    MicLockedYes
    0.0
    Recording Quality
    Recorded Speech
    JOIN NOWto hear audio samples
    LFE
    LockedLock Hz
    FR Std. Dev.
    LockedLock dB
    HFE
    LockedLock Hz
    Weighted THD
    LockedLock
    Gain
    LockedLock dB
    0.0
    Noise Handling
    Speech + Pink Noise
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    Speech + Subway Noise
    JOIN NOWto hear audio samples
    SpNR
    LockedLock dB
    Active Features
    0.0
    Battery
    Battery Type
    LockedLocked
    Continuous Battery Life
    LockedLock hrs
    Additional Charges
    LockedN/A
    Total Battery Life
    LockedLock hrs
    Charge Time
    LockedN/A
    Power Saving Feature
    LockedLocked
    Audio While Charging
    LockedN/A
    Passive Playback
    LockedLocked
    Charging PortLockedN/A

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    0.0
    App Support
    App NameLockedN/A
    iOSLockedN/A
    AndroidLockedN/A
    macOSLockedN/A
    WindowsLockedN/A
    Equalizer
    LockedN/A
    ANC Control
    LockedN/A
    Mic ControlLockedN/A
    Room effects
    LockedN/A
    Playback Control
    LockedN/A
    Button MappingLockedN/A
    Surround SoundLockedN/A

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    Connectivity
    0.0
    Bluetooth
    Bluetooth Version
    LockedN/A
    Multi-Device Pairing
    LockedN/A
    NFC Pairing
    LockedN/A
    Line of Sight Range
    LockedN/A
    Default Latency
    LockedN/A
    aptX Latency
    LockedN/A
    aptX(LL) Latency
    LockedN/A
    0.0
    Non-Bluetooth Wireless
    Non-BT Line of Sight Range
    LockedN/A
    Non-BT Latency
    LockedN/A
    0.0
    Wired
    Analog Audio
    LockedLocked
    USB Audio
    LockedLocked
    DetachableLockedLocked
    LengthLockedLock ft
    ConnectionLockedLocked
    Wired Latency
    LockedLock ms
    PC / PS4 Compatibility
    PC / PS4 Analog
    LockedLocked
    PC / PS4 Wired USB
    LockedLocked
    PC / PS4 Non-BT Wireless
    LockedLocked
    Xbox One Compatibility
    Xbox One Analog
    LockedLocked
    Xbox One Wired USB
    LockedLocked
    Xbox One Wireless
    LockedLocked
    0.0
    Base/Dock
    Type
    LockedN/A
    USB Input
    LockedN/A
    Line In
    LockedN/A
    Line Out
    LockedN/A
    Optical Input
    LockedN/A
    RCA Input
    LockedN/A
    Dock Charging
    LockedN/A
    Power Supply
    LockedN/A