Home > Consumer Reviews > Altec Lansing UHP326 Backbeat Series In Ear Headphone with Ultimate Ears technology

First off I am not one of those audiophiles crazy people..

The sound that I am getting out of these small earbud headphones is amazing. They produce a good range between the highs and lows. They do not completely block out noises from what is going around you but they are close to doing so.

I personally have not experienced the static other reviewers have had.

My only knock on these headphones is I am having problem keeping them in my ears when exercising. It may have more to do with the sweat but I wish they would stay in.

The headphones come with adddtional rubber earbuds, so they should fit most ears.

I do recommend these headphones

Just received these headphones in the mail yesterday and they are GARBAGE! They have none, in fact less than zero, bass response. It amazes me how cheap and tinny they sound and how ANYBODY could post a positive review on these. I had a pair of BOSE earbuds, and after about 1 1/2 years, the left earbud gave out. I contacted BOSE, told me if I sent my earbuds back along with $50 they would send me a new pair. Didn't think that was fair so I purchased these. WHAT A MISTAKE THAT WAS !! Compared to the soud of the BOSE , and also to a pair of KOSS PortAPro I own (which I swear are the greatest headphones money could buy, especiallu for $30) the Altec Lansings are HORRIBLE!! Do not waste your money on these like I did!

I'm not a earbud snob; I've been more than happy with my various pairs of Coby's (all under $10) over the last few years. I jumped at the chance of having the opportunity to try out a more expensive set of buds. I was pretty impressed with the sound difference between the two, these Altecs had just the right amount of bass that I like. The fit was perfect with the inserts that came already on the unit. Unfortunately the rubbing of the wires against my clothing and desk created an undesired "noise" which became extremely annoying. I use the buds exclusively at work and considering I'm always moving this way and that way, the cord is always on the move. If I were doing an activity that allowed me to remain still for the majority of the time, these buds would be perfect.

The price range on this pair of headphones is a step up from generic. I would even grant that the sound quality is a step up.... that is, while it works.

First and foremost, the cord design on these headphones is atrocious. They have covered the headphone wire with some sort of fabric-like material. It may seem cool, until the cord scrapes up against anything... and I mean anything at all... the scraping noise on the fabric is amplified through the cord and into your ears. It is loud, I kid you not. Working while you listen to music? I hope you don't mind the scraping noise of the cord whenever it brushes your shirt, arms, computer, or whatever it may be. It is incredibly annoying.

About two months later, after I finally got used to the annoyance of the brushing noise, I noticed the volume of the headphones was noticably quieter. This never recovered. Then about 3-4 months later, the cords in the wire must have come loose, as the volume would completely cut out until you fangled with the cord. I had to hold it in place just to hear music out of both ears. This continued to deteriorate until it was impossible to listen to anything for longer that 15 seconds without cutting out.

Mind you I take care of my possessions. I don't drop my mp3 player, I dont on pull headphone cords. I use my headphones in a very reasonable manner. The only explanation for why these would fall apart after very moderate use is that they were cheaply built. I will never buy a pair of these again, unless they are $10 which is about all they're worth.

Pros: incredibly durable, long lasting and high quality construction
Cons: disappointing bass response, not a good fit

Some reviewers of these 'phones tell you to ditch your iPod earphones when you crack open the package and use a third party supplier. I've actually always thought that the earphones that come with Apple's iPods are pretty good. But, darn it, they're flimsy and the cords do not appreciate being zippered up in a jacket, stepped on or lost for months in a jacket pocket!

I appreciate an eclectic collection of music as much as anyone else. I can easily listen to Gustav Holst's The Planets at 9am, crank up Dave Brubeck at lunch, then settle in for some Joe Bonamassa or old Rolling Stones hits in the late afternoon. But I don't spend more than $30 bucks for earphones. Ever. I love music but do not appreciate the difference in earphone quality while listening to 320 bit MP3 recordings. Maybe you do, so my review may not be meaningful to you.

So my overall score on these Altec BackBeat earphones is a C++. I like their construction, because I tend to beat up earphones quite a bit. But their overall sound quality to me is not very high. The bass response on most music - from classical to rock - is wimpy. I agree with another reviewer that their mid- and high tones is good, but the bass is not strong enough to sound balanced.
I can crank up the bass using the equalizer on my iPod, but even then, I have to jam the earphones into my ears to really appreciate a sufficient bass response.

The other issue I have with the Altecs is that they don't fit well. The earpieces that come with them are Goldilocks-style... there are three sets of earpieces to accommodate most small, medium and large ears. Unfortunately, none of them provide a comfortable or secure fit for me. The cords on these earphones are heavier than the flimsy cords on most other earphones, so the extra load causes the actual business end of these to come loose with the slightest motion. Even sitting still on an airplane means constant re-insertion of the plugs into my ears. After a half hour, it becomes really annoying.

So, while these earphones are well made and should last a long time, they don't work for me. Their sound is good for the highs and mid-tones, but the bass response is inadequate for most of the music I listen to. The fit on these isn't right for me and these two flaws make them just a backup set of earphones I tuck in my backpack.