Hörluchs HL4610

The idea is that musicians ought to be satisfied with this model, both in the studio and on stage. Unfortunately, in our practical test, these in-ears did not meet these requirements for me. Read on to find out why and for which other purposes these headphones are still well-suited.

Hörluchs HL4610 package

In addition to the headphones themselves, the Hörluchs HL4610 package also includes an exchangeable cable and a matching transport case, as well as a cloth bag. In addition, there are three pairs of silicone ear moulds and a further three pairs made of memory foam, each of these in different sizes. Fans of in-ears will also be pleased to find cerumen replacement filters, which are included with the headphones. They serve to protect the inside of the earpieces from foreign bodies. A mini-jack to 6.3mm stereo jack adapter and an anti-static cleaning cloth is also in the box. The package is completed with printed material in the form of a warranty card and printed user information. Compared to the competition in the same price range, the HL4610s have nothing to fear. However, some competitors offer a larger selection of different ear moulds, which makes them a little more flexible to use.

Hörluchs HL4610 – design and construction

The Hörluchs HL4610 have fully enclosed housings made of a light acrylic-like black polymer. The material is both robust and lightweight. Their ergonomics immediately demonstrate that the manufacturer has put a lot of development work and experience from numerous fittings into these earphones. The ear mould has a standardised length and is fitted with one ear mould each from among those in the package. The cerumen filters in the ear moulds are exchangeable. And as befits a high-priced work tool for professionals, the overall look of these button headphones is kept simple, classy and functional.

Technology and values of the Hörluchs HL4610

In the Hörluchs HL4610, there are two woofers per earpiece to work exclusively on bass reproduction. Two mid-range paths per each in-ear headphone are intended to guarantee detailed mid-range reproduction. And two tweeters on each side provide the treble. The dynamic drivers reproduce sound in the spectrum between 10 Hz and 38 kHz. This means that these headphones’ audio output extends well beyond the typical human hearing range. According to the manufacturer, these in-ears can output a maximum sound pressure level of a massive 128 dB/SPL without distortion. This certainly places them among the loudest performers of their kind. And thanks to their low impedance of 31.5 ohms, they don’t even need a headphone preamp that puts out a lot of voltage. It means that they are sufficiently loud even with weaker headphone outputs.

Hörluchs HL4610 handling

The two pins in the interchangeable cable can be removed with a hearty tug and easily re-inserted on each earpiece if necessary. When worn, the cable ends fit firmly and securely in the housings. Handling the HL4610 is very easy: just select a suitable pair of silicone or memory foam ear moulds, put them on, and you’re ready to go. But wait – the almost 1.65m long, twisted cable with a mini jack plug is divided into two leads at a splice. On the last section, there is a small transparent slider which means that the very last splice can be additionally adjusted. The ends of the cable at the earphones are fitted with a flexible wire. This allows them to be routed over the ear and relieves strain. This makes the handling of these in-ears as straightforward as it is helpful. Their ergonomic shape also ensures an exceptionally good fit.

Hörluchs HL4610 – sound

Described by the manufacturer as “bass-emphasised”, it was actually a different frequency range that first caught my ear in my practical test of the Hörluchs HL4610. The mid-range was so strongly represented that I had to turn down the playback volume within a few seconds to be on the safe side. The reproduction of the mids was supposed to be “musical” with a lot of depth. To my ears, however, this in-ear model does not live up to this advertising promise. The mids were so exuberant and “piercing” in the human voice presence range that the overall impression hardly allowed for the experience of tonal depth.

The bass range, similar to that of the Hörluchs HL4300 model, was well positioned with the support of an equaliser. These headphones reproduce audio down to the low bass. However, the mid-range was so present that I could only use these in-ears at low to moderate volumes if I didn’t want my hearing to tire within a few seconds. Another point that took some getting used to was the “capped” highs. I know that my test songs can deliver far more than the HL4610 was able to output, especially in the treble.

Due to the fact that I was forced to listen quietly with this headphone model, its dynamic behaviour could only be assessed to a limited extent. If you want to listen to audio quietly, you will find that the transients it emits will resound in your ears with sufficient precision. Due to their good fit, the attenuation of external noise was very good. And in combination with the closed design, this also provided first-class acoustic isolation from the outside. However, the fact that these in-ears simply could not be used at high volumes due to their sound profile also contributed to this. Therefore, their successful outward isolation did not matter that much to me in practice.