Altec Lansing BackBeat 903 user reviews

3.0 stars

"Do the job but not designed to fliter ambient noise" on May 29, 2009 by Techie_Jr

Pros: Durable design
Designed to look like a regular pair of headphones instead of ones to be uses w/ a phone
Stay put on your ears, even when active
Sound is very clear & can go very loud
Call quality is good

Cons: Would be nice if they came w/ a case
Hard to get used to putting them on
Can be a bit uncomfortable if not adjusted properly
Do not block outside noise

Summary: Been using these headphones for a couple weeks now. I like them but wanted to make sure the world knows they AREN'T designed to block out ambient noise.

Design: Very durable construction. The way they hook over your ears means they will definitely stay in place while running or working out. I used them while jogging and had no problems. The telescoping design of the ear buds can be hard to get used to. They pretty much lock in place after you set them but if you adjust them too close to your ears they'll make them sore. They also can be a bit ackward to put on... especially when first using them. Controls are easy to get used to w/ a rocker that allows you to adjust volume/skip tracks, one button dedicated to play/pause and another for answering calls. If you press the button to pause the music the mic turns on to enhance ambient noise. A feature I kinda like but kinda don't because if you forget you did it and take the headphones off, it drains the battery.

Sound: Sound quality is very clear, both when listening to music and receiving calls. Though there is no boom for a mic, I have received no complaints regarding being able to hear me or that the wind is loud in the speaker on a breezy day. There are approximately 12 steps for the volume, with the headset making a chime that matches the level you're on: higher pitched chimes for louder volume, lower pitched for softer. As I mentioned before, these headphones don't filter out ambient noise so they are best used for people who appreciate that feature: People who jog on the streets or do things where they need an idea of what's going on around them (i.e. if you're at work). The only real way to filter out ambient noise is by increasing the volume really high, which isn't good for your ears. The range for the headsets is average.

Overall: I'd recommend the headphones as the sound is very clear and you hear calls through both ears. As long as you don't expect them to block outside noise, you'll be please with the product.

2.5 stars

"My voice sounds "tinny" over headset" on July 11, 2009 by boilerman7

Pros: It is comfortable, and when listening to phone calls or to music it has great sound. It also has long battery life.

Cons: My voice sounds like I am talking from a tin can

Summary: Due to a complaint from a friend of mine about the sound of my voice over the headset, I put the Altec Lansing 903 headset "through the paces".

I listened to music from my Blackberry 8330 over the headset. While the music was not loud, the sounds was pretty good. I did notice about a half to 1 second delay from the time that I hit the pause button on the headset, and the time that it took for the music to actually start or stop.

I also placed calls out over the headset. I noticed that even though the bluetooth link was established between the 903 and the Blackberry, if I pressed the button on the phone to place a call, the call was not directed to the headset, but kept at the phone. Only when I pressed the button on the headset did the calls go to/from the headset. I never ran into this issue with a Jawbone.

The most disconcerting thing about the headset is the sound of my voice over the headset. To determine the true sound quality out of the headset, I called my answering service and sent an extended voice mail to myself while driving my car with the air conditioner at full blast. I drove at speeds from 0-60+ MPH. My voice was distorted and "tinny".

While I love the long talk / music time on the headset, I am bothered by how I sound to others since I need to be able to "present" myself well to others as a part of my business.

Updated on Jul 11, 2009

I did one more test with the headset, I established a link between the 903, and my computer, so that I would be using my bluetooth headset for chat. As it turns out, the headset is just FINE. The problem is that the Blackberry 8330 has "issues" with the headset.

1.0 stars

"Do NOT sweat on these headphones!" on September 10, 2009 by KMcLachlan1

Pros: Form
Features (except for iPod track skip - Apple's fault not Altec)
Weight
Ease of set-up

Cons: Will basically stop working if you sweat on them
Any music with bass will result in major distortion

Summary: I would not recommend buying these headphones if you plan to use them running or biking. Mine worked fine for about 3 sessions and then just stopped altogether. I returned them to Altec (who was very accomodating) and received a replacement. The same exact thing happened with the replacement set.

If not for this issue I would give them very high marks - especially considering the limited competition in this space.

4.0 stars

"Two great brands team up to make a great product." on May 3, 2010 by rabaemma

Pros: Very lightweight, cheap (compared to other bluetooth headsets), great sound quality, great headset functionality

Cons: The battery only lasts about 5 hours on a full charge. There are no options for alternative earbud tips.

Summary: I previously owned the Motorola S9 HD. They broke when the fell off the back of my head onto a carpeted floor. Wow.

I ordered the Altec Lansing/Plantronics Backbeat 903/906 that same day (the 906 comes with a 3.5mm bluetooth dongle). The sound quality is far better than that of the S9 HD. Also, the bluetooth connection was a lot more stable, even outdoors. The S9 HD was a pretty discrete model, and the Backbeat 903/906 improves on that being lighter and more flexible, especially the part that goes behind your neck.

Besides the kind of short battery life on a single charge, the volume switch feels a little flimsy. Also, as with the S9 HD, it is a little uncomfortable to lay down with these on.

Taking price, sound quality, and mobility into consideratin, I'd say the Altec Lansing/Plantronics Backbeat 903/906 is the best option available.