[hippopotami]

Well, fast-forward a bit....I worked with the Altec Lansing UHP336 for a while, but the things just did not want to stay in my ears. I'd straightened the cord and swapped L->R so they ran straight down the front like most buds instead of up and over the ears (I wear glasses), and if I turned my head once or twice riding the subway they just worked their way out constantly...very frustrating. They came with a nice assortment of earbud tips, but I tried them all, apart from the foam ones, and they didn't hold the things in my ears no matter the size of the tips. Not wanting to gunk up the foam tips and replace them often, I just put the UHP336s back in the drawer and went back to my not-so-sound-blocking JVC marshmallows. It was worth a shot...