Plantronics BackBeat 906 Stereo Bluetooth Headphones Set Review

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(More customer reviews)I've used the Motorola S9s for over a year and was very close to buying the Jaybird JB-200i as a replacement. But I'm glad I held off and got the Altec Lansing 906 BackBeat Bluetooth stereo headset. Here's why:
Overall, I'm still happy with my Motorola S9s but my original set suffered the same fate as those who warned me about it - the buttons are so sensitive they stopped responding entirely. At the end, all I had left was one working button - track skip forward, which isn't much help for listening to music, taking calls or adjusting volume. The buttons failed within my 1 year warranty so I called Motorola and got a free replacement. Nice. However I began shopping around for a replacement since I knew eventually the buttons would stop working again, as has been widely reported. The headphones are great but they just don't seem to last. And I also wished the S9's didn't have that band with the Bluetooth receiver behind my neck because it prevents you from resting your head on a sofa or pillow and enjoying the music. A minor quibble but still an issue.
Okay, so enter the JayBird JB-200i. It seemed like a great replacement for the Motorola S9 and it had a wire going behind your neck instead of that band on the S9, so resting your head back is not a problem. Overall, the headset seemed ok but I've never heard of the JayBird company and was concerned about product quality and customer support. In reading reviews, it seems the JayBirds are buggy and the sound is only so-so, hence why I remained on the fence for months. I figured I'd just keep using my warranty replacement S9s until they broke too, and in the meantime, see if JayBird fixed the bugs and sound quality or if someone else released something better.
Enter the Altec Lansing 906 BackBeat!!!
The BackBeats are very similar in design to the JayBirds. So much so, I thought JayBird had released a better model. I was pleasantly surprised to see the BackBeats were actually Altec Lansing! I've been aware of the company for some time and they have a great reputation. The BackBeats have made improvements on both the JayBird and Motorola S9 design, such as:
Stereo Calls:
That's right! Hear callers in BOTH ears!!! At first, this might seem redundant. But this was a minor quibble I had with the S9. I kept feeling like one ear was plugged while listening to callers in only one ear. I know standard headsets are in one ear only, but if I'm already wearing a set of headphones in both ears, what's the big deal to let me hear the call in both ears too?!? The BackBeats solve this gripe and it's actually pretty cool to hear callers in both ears. Definitely cuts ambient noise and makes it easier to hear callers and I no longer feel like one of my ears is plugged up while talking!
Call Quality:
Friends I speak to regularly on my Motorola S9's have noticed a marked improvement in sound clarity now that I'm speaking to them on the 906 BackBeat. I credit this to the dual mics in the headset.
Dual Mics:
Here is yet another product featuring dual mics, and these are Plantronics quality no less! Dual mics seem to be an emerging feature on better quality products and I notice a marked improvement in performance, at least in the products I own. I liken it to the same as having two eyes and two ears - two mics offer better interpretation of sounds and the result is better audio quality when speaking to callers. It's a great feature that I'm continually impressed with.
Music Volume:
The 906 BackBeat is one of the louder headsets I recall owning. Certainly much louder than the Motorola S9 or any wired earbuds I've had in recent years! This is particularly useful in noisy environments like the gym, outdoors, near traffic and if ya just plain ol' like to listen to loud music! ;) In fact, I've even had to turn down the volume with certain loud speaking callers or music!
Bass Boost:
This headset features Bass Boost, which almost sounds comical in a headset so small. But the fact of the matter is, it works and sounds great! It defiantly improves the bass and dynamic range of both calls and music. And if you like Audio Books, Bass Boost helps with some softer spoken Audible books I like!
Audio Clarity:
For a tiny set of headphones I have to say the music quality is great. Better than my S9's for sure! I listen to music on my phone every day and don't own an MP3 player. So it's my only source of mobile music on the go. My music has never sounded better than it does with these BackBeats!
Bluetooth Range:
The range itself is no better or worse than my S9's, working flawlessly indoors with possibly slightly better range. Outdoors, you do get some static depending on environmental conditions. Sometimes I need to hold my phone in my hand as opposed to in my pocket while walking as all the jostling around does make the sound cut in and out. But I'm fine with that since I'm used to it with the S9's. Bluetooth isn't a perfect science. But I tell ya, once you get used to wireless headphones, there's no going back and you learn to live with some minor quirks. Beats having your head yanked whenever a corded set of earbuds gets pulled, or worse, the buds get yanked out of your ears entirely. No thanks!
Easy Buttons:
As mentioned, the buttons on my S9 burned out and it's a known issue with that headset. I did like that the buttons are ultra sensitive and light to the touch, but unfortunately, that's also what makes them burn out. Contrarily, the 906 BackBeats have sturdier buttons that click when pressed and seem more durable. But the S9 did skip through music tracks faster and you could initiate a call using the S9's call button. Unfortunately, the BackBeat does NOT support initiating a call via the headset call button. You can answer a call, yes, just not make a call. If you want to make a call you have to dial the number and press Send on your phone. A bit of a drag, but then, voice dialing often doesn't work well for me so initiating a call from the phone is something I had to do 50% of the time anyway, regardless of what headset I'm using.
Simple Paring:
Bluetooth pairing isn't the pain it used to be. Just put your phone in discovery mode and you'll be connected in less than a minute.
Compact Design - Comfort Fit:
It is a little tricky learning how to get the fit exactly the way you want but once I figured out the best configuration for my ears, the 906 BackBeat stays on nicely and are a good fit. Telescoping and pivoting earbud stems are easily adjustable and help get the custom fit. I'm pretty active and I can tell these aren't going anywhere and won't fall off. And they're very comfy too; I don't even know I'm wearing them. And I like the compact design. A pet peeve of mine is that most stereo Bluetooth headsets look like Princess Lea's famous hair; 2 huge disks on the sides of your head! No thanks!! Can't justify spending top dollar for compact phones and technology only to look like an idiot with huge headphones! That's a big reason why I selected the S9 to begin with and then was focused on the JayBirds -- most everyone else made hideous looking stereo headsets! And I was thrilled to find the 906 BackBeat was the latest addition to the genre, and for me, look best overall.
I'm very happy with the Altec Lansing 906 BackBeat stereo headset. Top quality music sound, great sounding calls, loud volume, good fit and a good upgrade from my aging Motorola S9. Go for it!!


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Enjoy full-spectrum stereo music and take your calls wirelessly with the Plantronics BackBeat 906 Bluetooth headphones set, which includes the Plantronics 903/R US Bluetooth headphones plus a Bluetooth adapter.With the included Bluetooth adapter, these ultra-comfortable wireless headphones let you stream rich stereo music from your iPod, iPhone or other music device, while smart dual-mic AudioIQ voice technology offers exceptional clarity for your cell calls. And with a quick tap of the headphone's OpenMic button, you can immediately hear what's going on around you without removing the headphones.
Wireless Freedom to Listen to Music and Talk on the Phone Whether you are working or playing, walking or running, the BackBeat 906 lets you take your calls and stream and control your music via a convenient wireless Bluetooth connection. It connects to your stereo Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones and MP3 players to give you a rich, clear wireless music and cell phone experience. For music players like the iPod that don't have built-in Bluetooth, simply connect the included Bluetooth adapter into the 3.5 mm jack to experience the same exceptional sound wirelessly.

(If you plan to use the headphones exclusively with Bluetooth-enabled devices and don't need the Bluetooth adapter, check out the BackBeat 903, which offers all the great features of the BackBeat 906 but doesn't include the adapter.)

Outstanding Audio and Call Quality Thanks to the Altec Lansing sound technology, dual 14 mm speakers and bass-boost feature, you can enjoy your music in full-spectrum stereo for a rich audio experience. And when it's time to make or take a call, the headphones feature dual-mic AudioIQ, an advanced digital signal processing technology that dramatically improves the audio levels on both ends of your call, giving you superb call clarity and performance. So whether you're listening to your tunes or taking an important call, the BackBeat 906 has you covered.

Control Your Music Remotely The headphones feature an easy-to-access set of dedicated controls that give you full control of your music and call functions, including play/pause, bass boost, call mute, and volume and track control (for devices supporting the AVRCP Bluetooth profile).



Adjustable Design for All-Day Comfort Designed for comfortable, all-day wear, the BackBeat 906 features contoured earbuds that are made of flexible material that comfortably conform to the shape of your ear. The headphones weigh just 1.2 ounces and offer telescoping and swiveling adjustments for a personalized and secure fit. And for further convenience, the soft neckband folds for easy storage in a pocket, purse, or bag.

Rechargeable Battery Offers Long Listening and Talk Time The rechargeable battery delivers up to seven hours of talk/music playback time and has a standby time of up to eight days. It takes just three hours to fully charge the headphones.

Keep an Ear Open to the World Around You The BackBeat 906 is also equipped with OpenMic technology, an ingenious feature that lets you hear all the happenings around you without taking off your headphones. By simply pressing a button, the microphone will pick up outside sound and feed it through the speakers, so you can fully engage in a conversation or simply listen to your surroundings.The Plantronics BackBeat 906 is backed by a one-year limited warranty.

What's in the Box Bluetooth headphones, 3.5mm Bluetooth adaptor, AC charger.

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