iPhonefreak

Altec Lansing was kind enough to send iPhonefreak two of their latest earphone sets made especially for the iPhone. The UHS306 and UHS301 products are from Altec Lansing’s Upgrader Series released earlier this year. Besides having all the features of the original earbuds bundled with the iPhone, Altec Lansing’s earphones have a handy in-line volume control.

What’s so special about these products? Well, the Upgrader Series earphones have been designed and classified based on activities and wearing style. Activities include gaming, airplane, running, exercise, walking, relaxation and work.

In a sense, this is enough to make the Upgrader Series a special product line. There are so many types of earphones and headphones on the market today, that creating this classifying system simplifies your buying decision, and as I said, just for that, the Upgrader series is a great product line.

Design: The Upgrader Series’ packaging is very attractive as well as
all the product components. If you’re traveling with more than one set
of earphones, the cute little pouch bundled with the product could be
very useful.

Construction quality: Both products tested are made of a robust and
flexible nylon cord. The gold plated connectors are also extremely
solid. Obviously, these products are made to last.

Sound quality: Honestly, none of the products tested have the best
sound quality possible. The in-ear product does have a decent sound
quality and bass response, but remember to choose the right silicone
tip size. Otherwise, you won’t hear any bass coming out of the
earphones. But this is the case with all in-ear canal earphones and not specific to Altec Lansing earphones. You
need to create a seal in order to hear the bass and then benefit from
the passive noise reduction capability of this product.  Speaking of
noise reduction, the UHS306 does a great job in public cafes but I
haven’t tried them on an airplane yet.

Without being a complete disaster, the sound quality of the UHS 301 is
really not amazing. I would say that it’s about the same level of
quality you would get from the original iPhone earphones. Not more, not less. I guess that
comfort has a price and the bass response is that price. The silicon
pads add a gap between the earbud and the ear and this is where the loss seems to be the most noticeable. This is also why this product
is great when you are walking. You can still listen to music and ear
the ambient sound around you.

On the other hand, using the earphones with the silicon pads is fantastic. I’ve used them for  hours in a row and I must say that every time I forgot I was having something hanging on my ears.

Conclusion: Even though I was a bit disappointed with the sound quality of
the UHS301, I recommend both product if they fit your main activities.
The construction quality of the products is a great advantage over
other fragile products on the market.

Price? $50 for the UHS301 and $90 for the UHS306.