Customer Reviews

Altec UHP326NP Lansing Backbeat Titanium Noise Isolating Earphones

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(27)
3 star:		(16)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(12)

 

 

These are the headphones that the leading consumer's magazine recently rated above phones (full-sized and "in-ear" style) listing at 3-4 times the price. First of all, lest there be any confusion (though Amazon has apparently fixed the problem), these phones formerly were being listed on separate Amazon pages (and at different prices) as the Altec 326 and the Altec 326NP. The 326 claimed to use "Ultimate Ears" technology whereas no mention of that was made with the 326NP. ("Ultimate Ears" is the company that makes true audiophile IEM phones at ultra-high prices.) Some quick research yielded the conclusion that the two Altecs listed on different pages are the same headphones--from the cloth-mesh cable to the noise-isolation feature to the 8-piece fit kit and, above all, to the "Titanium-enhanced speakers." Altec's website confirms it: there's only one set of "Backbeat Titanium" earphones.

The Altec Titaniums are mid-priced, excellent-sounding earphones being sold at close to the price of entry-level models. The most frequent complaint--extra noise interference attributed to the cloth mesh covering--is exaggerated, in my opinion. Indeed, you become aware of a thicker, heavier cord as well as its different "feel" from that of other headphones, but I detect no unusual or conspicuous microphonics unless I rub the upper section where the cord branches off into right and left channels. But unwanted, extra-musical sounds are no problem for me, as I'm usually quite inactive while listening to music. Runners and mobile listeners are apt to notice it more than would be the case with a pair of phones using more conventional thin rubber wire. Despite this caveat, the Altec Titaniums excell in handling bass frequencies: the somewhat muddy and mushy tones I was occasionally conscious of with my Sennheiser 300's are clearly defined pitches on this Altec model, even during the accompaniment supplied by acoustic walking bass (and there's no "boominess"--that artificial spiking of the lower mid-range that appeals to some wearers). Listeners who would never dream of spending over a hundred on earphones probably shouldn't. J-Buds and Coby's will generally perform quite well on compressed audio source material (e.g. MP3 or AAC files at bit rates of 128kbps). Moreover, an active wearer can break one of the low-end phones without breaking the bank. But in testing a wide variety earphones on non-compressed, full-frequency source material, the cheap phones soon distinguish themselves from the ones designed and manufactured to the most exacting standards. The Altec Titaniums compare favorably with (and, in some cases, surpass) audiophile phones I've acquired or had the pleasure of using--by Klipsch, AKG, Shure, Sony, Sleek Audio, Phillips Woodees, Phillips SHE-9850. Moreover, as currently priced, a user could be forgiven for wearing them while running or doing manual work--should damage occur, it's not the end of the world. (It's not that unusual to snag a cable or to trample on a phone that suddenly pops loose.) One solution is to have a pair of "everyday phones" for the treadmill, etc., and a pair of "Sunday phones" for serious listening, which is when the Titaniums really shine.

[Later: I've had to raise my rating from 4 to 5 stars after breaking them in. In the case of the Altecs, I found that Comply Foam tips made a difference for the better. Without them, the bass was a bit over-emphasized while the mids lacked in natural presence and the highs didn't have the clean, ringing ride cymbal sound I like to hear. With the foam tips, everything is balanced and the fit especially secure. If the Titaniums are a tad larger than some earphones, they're richer-sounding because of it. They're slightly heavier in the ear and less sensitive than my light and bright CX300s (i.e. they require setting the gain higher for comparable loudness, shortening the life of batteries--a welcome trade-off for sound this good). But with the Altec Titaniums you don't merely hear the bass: you feel the acoustic instrument's soundboard and cabinetry, practically moving the ground beneath you (the Klipsch Image S4's came up woefully short; even the Sony MDR-EX700's, with a 16mm driver, couldn't muster the same might and muscle. Moreover, the fragile thin wire if my Sennheiser's already, to my dismay, shows signs of fraying--not a chance with the rugged cable of the Altecs. The worst I can say about them is that the "Left" and "Right" channel designations (black on black) are the least conspicuous I've ever seen on a pair of headphones--virtually invisible and useless.

In sum, you can find plenty of appealing, highly acceptable earphones for under $50 (even $20), some of which you'll most likely initially prefer to the Altecs. But it's doubtful you'll find a more "expensive-sounding" or better-built pair of phones than the Altec Titaniums in this price range. They do require a bit more power than other phones, but an iPod Nano (practically at full volume) can handle them nicely Use them with a good player (an amp shouldn't be necessary), refrain from banging or rubbing the upper part of the cable, and they'll repay you with pure and pristine, interference-free audio, reproducing the full spectrum of the music--whether orchestral, jazz, or pop; whether spare, soft textures or loud, busy passages--with fidelity so accurate it's undistinguishable from high-quality, full-sized headphones.]

Pro: The sound on these is great. I work in an office in noisy manufacturing plant, and the noise canceling works good too. BUT...

Con: The wire is covered in a stiff weaved sheath. Any time I move and sheath drags on the collar of my shirt (or anything else) it transmits a LOT of noise directly to the ear buds. It is LOUD. I would not have bought these if I could have tested them before buying.

If you don't move around alot, they are great. If you are constantly turning you head they are not.

These are the best sounding earbuds I have ever owned. The noise passive noise cancellation is great, you can work in peace and quiet and not hear the people in the next cube, or the 9000 times the phone rings while they prance around the office.

The ONLY con is the sheath for the wires. They used a tough fabric to protect the wire, but the problem is the noise that is transmitted up the line to the earbuds can be a bit much.

(I wrote this same review for the regular UHP326 headphones, but I have owned both this UHP326NP version and the other one. Ordered my first pair from Electronics Expo. Couldn't tell you the difference between the two though. So if you get deja vu while reading this that's why.)

First off I'd like to start by saying that the sound was way more balanced and clear than the 4 other different earphones I've owned, you can't beat the sound quality for the price (especially if you get it in the $25-$35 price range.) Even at $50 it's a good deal for how great the sound is. The fact that it comes with a case and multiple sizes of earbuds for precision fitting makes it even more of a value. I've had a couple of Skullcandies and some Sony's that were less than stellar and distorted the sound/bass at higher volumes, so these were a welcome upgrade for me.

But that's pretty much where all the good things end. I've owned 2 pairs of these that both went bad within a few months. The sound started going in and out, changing in volume, and went completely out in one ear of the first pair I had. If a cat hadn't chewed up my first pair after it went out I would've probably tried to exchange it, but instead I tried 2 other earphones before breaking down and buying another pair of the UHP326s. It's now been a little over 4 months and this new pair has started giving out as well. Keep in mind that I've bought 6 earphones at this point so I've spent some money, so that means I was very careful with this pair in particular. I always stored it in it's pouch wrapped up carefully (I'm a dj so I've been wrapping wires for a long time, so no stress on the cords from that.) I even positioned my iPod a specific way when listening so that nothing obstructed or forced down the cord freeing that area of stress as well. That didn't matter, this pair didn't even last as long as my first.

The sound of the cord rubbing is very distracting too, it obviously didn't bother me enough to stop me from buying it again but I listen to music at very high volumes. It got very annoying during the quiet parts of everything I listened to, and it's hard to listen to music while trying not to move. In Altec Lansing's defense the customer service (so far) was pretty helpful and they offered to "upgrade" to the UHP606. I'm not holding my breath though, I haven't received the headphones quite yet and the reviews on the 606 aren't that much better either. I'll try and remember to give a review on the 606's when and if I get them so you can see how much "better" they are and how long my new pair lasts.

My advice is to go with something else, they might not sound as good but they'll last longer - and there really is no way to get high quality sound and durability without spending over $100. Believe me I've tried.

(I was going to give this a 2, 2 & ½ stars but what good is decent sound at a value price if it doesn't last? Plus we all know everyone only reads the highest and lowest ratings. After reading these reviews and the ones for the "higher" 606 model it seems that this defective issue isn't a fluke, so it's better to get the word out in these 1 star reviews.)

Works better than expected, but a little uncomfortable. Definately eliminates noise around me, but the plugs are a little uncomfortable. Not bad enough that I won't use them, but I sure hope I can get use to it so I can use them even more often!

Good headphones that doesn't leak music. Not that loud but has great bass. However, with a six month warranty, my headphones just died on the 7th month... kinda sucks.

I ordered these headphones and when I first got them I absolutely loved the sound quality coming from the headphones. They sounded much better than my cheap Phillips and stock headphones shipped with my Zune HD. They provided a noticeable bass along with clear highs and mids. I was noticing parts of songs I had never noticed before and really loving them.

However, about one month of use the left ear went out, producing very little sound at full volume. I am currently impressed with the support that Altec Lansing is providing with the exception that I have to pay to ship the defective unit, which is clearly the fault of the manufacturer and not the consumer. (Read other reviews and you will see that it is a common issue)

I just ordered a pair of Sennheiser CX-400's to replace these and will make my replacement backbeats a backup headphone.

At first I was a little hesitant at picking up this pair of earphones primarily because of the wire cloth. Not anymore. I was blown away by the sound that was being delivered by this incredible headset. From power ballads to infused shake the paint off the wall numbers, this product delivered the music full throttle. To be perfectly honest, I just didn't think that Altec Lansing could pull it off.

Marked with left/right ear ID, the internal wiring is coated/insulated with something that I have not seen in quite some time. 46 inches of tangle free wire cloth. There is noise pickup from the coating, however it was not that big of a deal for me. I like the wire cloth over the usual tangled mess of comparable products.

My mp3 players and laptop all paired well with the UHP326NP headset without any issues. Noise isolation was on point. These guys bring it on with a pair of titanium enhanced micro speakers that do an above average job of balancing bass and treble. The enriched sound literally speaks volumes.

The UHP326NP headphones come packed with (8) ear tips in sizes S, M, & L that scored high on the comfort meter. A set of dual flange extra noise reduction tips also come attached to the unit. Altec added a nice, soft round zip case as part of the package as well. This headset carries the standard 2 year Altec Lansing/Plantronics warranty.

This model comes close to outclassing my high end and overpriced headset. Once a force in wall to wall sound, Altec Lansing is definitely on its way back. Even with the wire cloth coating, the UHP326NP headset is undoubtedly one of the sweetest surprises in electronics. As a musician and consumer this product goes the distance for me.

I purchased this earphones on amazon a couple days ago when it was on sale for $15. Not expecting much after reading the reviews, I decided to give it a try.
It came in mail two days ago, and after listening to it for two days, I can say without a doubt, this is the best earphones under $20 that I have ever purchased.
The noise isolation works very well at 26db. The bass are excellent for my drum n' bass music. I noticed details in the music that I've never heard before.

I do have to agree with other reviews that mentioned how this earphones makes sound when you move due to its thick wire chord. It was quite annoying at first, but it's not very noticeable once you listen to music.

I do not have any problem with the sheathed cable. I do not hear a lot of noise from it, even when moving about. But... Having tried all the tips (plus some foam ones from a different source), the earbuds will not seat deeply and securely in my ears, so I can't hear any bass! I know it's there, because if I put a gentle pressure inward (into my head) on the buds, I can hear bass reasonably well. I tried a stocking cap over them, for a little inward pressure, but no go. Maybe a headband? Admittedly, I've been using Ultimate Ears SuperFi5 Pro, which cost over $200, for 4 years so I'm spoiled. With the Pros, the wire which loops up and over one's ear, when curved a little, provides enough gentle pressure to keep them seated and keep the bass in the picture. I won't say these are useless, because the treble is there, along with a bit of midrange, but there is no bass.