Our Verdict
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.
- Comfortable.
- Great audio reproduction.
- Do not leak much sound.
- Cumbersome button layout
- Creaky headband.
- Poor noise isolation.
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.
Average for commuting. The noise cancelling is a little weak for loud noisy commutes.
Decent for sports use. Comfortable and moderately stable design. Slightly bulky and cumbersome.
Decent for office use. Decent leakage performance but weak noise isolation. The chatter of a busy office will seep into your audio
Changelog
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
- Updated Feb 16, 2018: Converted to Test Bench 1.2.
- Updated Sep 28, 2017: The microphone has been tested with our new methodology, as explained here
Check Price
We've upgraded our Headphones Test Bench to 2.0! This update brings several key changes to our tests and usages, making it easier than ever to interpret our sound results based on your personal preferences. You'll also find a brand-new interactive graph tool featuring multiple targets (including our own!) for you to explore and compare.
For a full breakdown, check out our changelog, which includes detailed commentary from our test designer explaining the rationale behind our update.
We'd also love to hear your thoughts: your feedback helps us keep improving, so join us in the comments!
Test Results
The Polk Audio UltraFocus 8000 look good and give off a high-end vibe that is esthetically pleasing. The all-black design is accentuated by the silver finish of the metal frame and subtle branding. The headband and earcups have a unique design that looks good but might not be for everyone. They are also a little on the bulky side but luckily are stylish enough to wear in public.
The Polk Audio Ultra Focus 8000 are comfortable. The soft, well-padded earcups and headband don't apply too much pressure on the head, even if they are a little heavy. The circular and confusing left and right earcup orientation may take a little time to get used to but is nothing to be worried about.
The button layout on the Polk Audio Ultrafocus 8000 was inconsistent. Some of the buttons responded by just clicking on the icon but the others required a firm press of the outer-rim. Therefore, the outer-rim is the default control mechanism, which is a very narrow band that's difficult to operate with large fingers or gloves. They are functional but not the most efficient or comfortable to use.
Similarly to the DT 770, the Polk Audio UltraFocus 8000 are on the larger side for over ear headphones. The have large earcups that lay flat to take up less space making these headphones somewhat portable. Unfortunately, they don't fold up into a more compact format and will occupy a decent amount of space in a backpack. They won't comfortably fit in a handbag and are far too big to fit in a pocket, even larger jacket pockets.
Comes with a hard case that will protect the headphones from scratches and falls. It will also shield them from minor water damage however it adds quite a bit of bulk to the headphones, making them less portable.
Build quality for the Polk Audio Ultra Focus 8000 is good but not great. Good materials were used for the build, which is noticeable with the plush, padded ear cups, the padded and stylish headband and the metal frame that connects the joints. Unfortunately, they just don't feel as solid as higher-end models, the aforementioned metal frame being thin and a little creaky when extended.
The Polk Audio UltraFocus 8000 are moderately stable headphones. They stay in place during casual listening sessions and have a detachable audio cable that will disconnect if it gets hooked on something. However, these headphones are not designed for sports and will quickly fall off your head while running or jumping.
- Polk Audio UltraFocus 8000 Headphones
- 1/8" to 1/4" Adapter
- AAA Battery (x2)
- Skype Adapter
- Nokia Connection Adapter
- External Attenuator
- Audio cable
- Carrying Case
- Manual
Poor isolation performance overall. The passive isolation performance is average and typical. It starts at around 400Hz and reaches -30dB at around 3KHz. The active noise-cancellation doesn't add much. It gently starts at 50Hz and reaches -18dB at 700Hz.
Excellent leakage performance. These headphones are performing on-par with in-ear headphones.
The Polk Audio UltraFocus 8000 can last up to 47 hours of continuous playtime at average volumes. This means you won't have to change the triple AAA batteries throughout the day, which is great for long flights or road trips. Unfortunately, they do not have any battery saving features like an auto-off timer and can't be used passively to continue playing audio when the battery is completely drained.
No compatible app.
