What Hi-Fi? Verdict
Best speaker dock £200-£350, Awards 2012. Logitech’s AirPlay-toting speaker dock sounds the business.
Pros
- +
Easy set-up
- +
AirPlay equipped
- +
powerful, entertaining sound
- +
precise, taut bass
Cons
- -
Looks plain from the front
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Logitech has established itself as manufacturer of some excellent, affordable desktop audio systems. Its iPod-friendly products such as the Pure-Fi Anywhere 2 (£80) and the S715i (£100) have won Awards.
The Logitech UE (‘Ultimate Ears’) is its first AirPlay speaker dock, and its most expensive speaker dock to date.
Simple connection to AirPlay
Before you can get cracking with AirPlay, you need to get hooked up to your network. The easiest way is via Logitech’s UE Air App. Download it free from iTunes and once you’ve docked your iDevice on the 30-pin connector, open the app and you’ll be given an option to rename the dock and be prompted for your network password. Tap it in and you’re AirPlay enabled.
Two drivers sit either side of the dock. They’re spaced in such a way that when an iDevice (including iPad) is docked and charging, the sound isn’t obstructed.
Logitech UE: Sound quality
And the Logitech UE produces a rhythm-driven, entertaining sound. There’s a sense of agility and craft to low frequencies which leads to enthusiastic foot-tapping.
The bassline to Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean sounds taut and distinct, with an impressive level of attention paid to the song’s dynamics. Highs sound snappy but not splashy or thin.
Engage AirPlay and the same track displays a hint of coarseness, and sacrifices a little in the way of refinement, but that’s no different from other AirPlay-enabled devices. The UE Air App allows you to alter bass and treble settings, but it performs just fine out of the box and there’s no need to tweak unless you’re a glutton for bass.
Verdict
Logitech has taken a gamble moving into a more expensive pricepoint, but we’re pleased to say it’s paid off. The UE is a superb AirPlay speaker dock and a great option for wireless music.
MORE: End of Logitech – rebrands as Ultimate Ears, launches UE Boom
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