Koss KSC75 Portable Stereophone Headphones
by Koss
|
List Price: Our Price: $10.48 You Save: $9.51 (48%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: CE See more product details |
|---|
Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Koss KSC75 Portable Stereophone Headphones
Customer Review: Pretty Good Earphones for Working Out
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought these earphones for working out only, so most of this review is based on my experience with them working out. Naturally i understand there are some really great earphones on the market that can make you think that your in the same room at the musician. Those earphones are not going to be the ones that your going to work out with. There are some people out there that pay a hundred dollars for earphones just to work out in! But why when you can spend less then 15$ on these nice little Koss earphones. For most people who dont have money to burn i recommend these little guys. Like i said they are less than 15$ and they have very impressive sound quality for such a good less expensive earphone. They are also comfortable as well with a nice semi soft rubber sleeve on the plastic loop that goes around the top of you ear. The earphones do a really good job of staying right were you put them no matter what you do as well. So comfort, sound quality, and price are the main focal point of these earphones. But there are some draw backs that are not deal breakers in any way but must be mentioned. First the earpads are your typical foam cushions. Those do get sweaty especially if you sweat alot. Ive seen some out in the market that are a type of really soft rubber that helps with the sweat but i dont know how weird that would feel having wet rubber on your ears. At the same time i know how wet foam feels on the ears and it feels a little wierd too. I guess i would rather have the foam though because it adds the comfort that is important to me and koss makes 3 packs of foam ear replacements for only about 3$ so its no big deal. I just worry that one day the sweat may ruin one of the earphones, but thats why 15$ is a better investment in earphones when you work out. Next, this is me kind of nit picking but sony has a 40$ pair of new earphones for working out that has what they call an extension for the earphones. In other words if you have you mp3 player in an armband and you put these earphones on...you can disconnect the extension which is in the middle of the cord connected to the earphones and you'll have another 3.5mm plug there that can go into your armband. While at the same time the cord is very short and perfect for working out with an armband. If these Koss had that i would never buy another pair for working out. But they do not and i have to wrap the cord about the mp3 player. If your really big on looks then i dont know how you will like these koss. They are not really stream line so when you put them on your ears they do come out a little. Looks like the top of a hamburger bun on the side of your ear just not as big. Dont get me wrong they are light so you wont feel them and really who is going to care what they look like when they are covered in sweat. One last thing...Koss offers a lifetime warranty on these little babies but i think that is standard on all there equipment. Just a little perk i wanted to add. So overall i really like these earphones after using now for about three weeks. So dont be worried about getting these, they will be great for everyday casual use and working out if that is what your looking for. But if you feel that you need the Best looking, sounding, smallest, and most expensive earphones on the market to work out in...then your not hitting the gym hard enough cupcake. Go back to your starbucks and enjoy!Customer Review: Incredible sound, amazing value
Summary: 5 Stars
Before ordering the Koss KSC75's, I'd looked on and off for months for something I was convinced didn't exist: a reasonably-priced pair of lightweight headphones that were comfortable to wear, and had a better range of frequency response than the cheapo, zero-bass earbuds I'd been using at work for a few years. I'd almost given up hope, and was ready to drop FAR more than I'd hoped to on a much pricier pair.
I'm glad I waited just a little bit longer.
Reason being, eventually my research led me to this pair of earphones. And they're everything everyone else says they are, and a FAMILY-SIZED bag of chips.
To begin with, they're comfortable. I had been reluctant to give up the hook-style earbuds I'd been using, because I was sure I'd be unable to find a pair that were as easy to wear for several hours working at my desk. But as soon as I put these on, my fears disappeared. They weigh almost nothing, and the contoured clips hold them safely and securely in the correct position without pinching or slipping. It's actually very easy to forget you have them on.
Next up, the cord is plenty long enough to give me room to move around behind my desk without pulling, or pulling out.
But the real story is the sound. And man...I gotta be honest. I wasn't prepared for it. The reason I'd sought to replace my hook-style earbuds was because, although comfortable, the sound left a lot to be desired, with not just an extremely weak dynamic level, but also a thin frequency response. Not so with these. Immediately, the increased volume level was apparent. When plugged into the headphone jack of my computer, I get more sound out of the KSC75's at a one-third volume level then I got out of the old buds turned up all the way, AND with zero clipping or distortion.
But by far, the frequency range is what impressed me the most. Having grown reluctantly used to the anemic frequency response of the old buds (which I had to press hard into my ears with my fingertips to get even a LITTLE bass out of), I almost couldn't believe how much better these sounded. The KSC75's blew the old pair so far out of the water, there wasn't even any debris left.
And, while the highs and mids are several degrees more clearly-defined than the old pair...it was the bottom end on these that really grabbed me. The bass...good lord, THE BASS. It's not only THERE, it's AWESOME. I almost forgot what hearing lower frequencies felt like! But now I remember. Because the KSC75's have got it. The bass in this set is round and punchy, but without being overwhelming. It blends beautifully with the rest of the sound spectrum, while still remaining distinct and full. In short, I've simply never heard a pair of compact headphones with as smooth a bottom tone as these. Hell, I've heard supposedly pro-grade studio cans that didn't have as rich of a low end as these!
Overall, I just don't think you're going to find a more comfortable, or better-sounding pair of headphones than these, even if you spend far upwards of three decimal places for the "prestige" brands. If they exist, I didn't find them. And I looked what felt like ages before I decided on these. So if you need full, rich sound on a budget, stop reading, and start ordering!
Customer Review: Highly Recommended
Summary: 5 Stars
I've had these for quite awhile and they are my favorites. Price was right and sound is incredible. I've become somewhat of a headphone junkie and tried Philips, Panasonic, Sony, about 12 different models. I've ended up returning ALL of them due to either no bass, no treble, distortion problems, or they just felt uncomfortable. Koss seems to have arrived precisely at the right amount of bass, mid-range, and treble, without wrongly coloring the music like other brands do! With these I distinctly hear everything and never touch my equalizer! Many headphones seem to add too much of one thing, thus dropping another thing so severly that no amount of adjustment can bring it back-in at a level that's acceptable. This is the only under $20 pair I've found so far that doesn't.
Examples: I've tried like 3 different Panasonic under-$30 XBS series headphones and all add way too much bass, killing off the entire treble, and no level of EQ can bring back an acceptable range of treble. The symbols and hi-hats couldn't be recovered AT ALL on several heavy rock and heavy metal CD's. Next, the Sony MDR's (tried about 3) seem to have no bass, and no amount of adjustment can bring an acceptable amount! Philips, tried a couple, and they either hurt my ears, the music was actually distorted and distant. Their HN100 $60 Noise Cancelling pair had horrible distorted sound. Gave them one-more-shot today and picked up the Philips Turbo Bass (HS405), and like many bass heavy headphones it has no treble, and no adjustment brings it back in at an acceptable level. Also tried here the Creative Labs HN-505 $30 Noise Cancelling headphones and returned them, found them to be horrible buzzing-and-distorting garbage that shouldn't even be sold!
Couple of more things about these gems, the music seems incredibly close, its like the band is playing in your living room and not down-the-street. Alot of under $20 phones can't do that, and faithfully reproduce all ranges of music. At first I was hesitant buying these due to the earclips. I've tried other brands that either rest on top of the ears (sports/neck bands), or clip to the ears, these are the most comfortable. I truly forget at times, after the music has stopped, that I still have them on.
As you've seen from above, I've tried numerous headphones from the $10-$60 range, and these were the ABSOLUTE BEST out of all of them! Are they worth $20? As good as they sound if Koss/Amazon charged $40-$60 I'd pay it and not blink, after all the time I've spent trying and returning the garbage other manufacturers produce! These could very well be for most people the ONLY pair of portable headhphones they need! And don't forget most Koss' have a lifetime warranty! Should something happen to them Koss can count on me buying another pair!
Customer Review: Incredible bargain...sound better than my old $40 Sonys
Summary: 5 Stars
I've had these for about a month and I am very happy. I was specifically looking for a pair of "clip-on" phones that don't have a horizontal bar connecting them in the back, like many "street-style" phones which were pioneered by Sony. I loved my old pair of MDR-G72s, but I decided I couldn't deal with the bar in back for two reasons: (1) if I laid my head back on a bus/train/airplane seat, the bar would get squished and would force the phones off my ear, and (2) it was virtually impossible to wear them under a tight-fitting winter hat, which I wear about 5 months of the year up here in Boston.
I hesitated on the Koss KSC75s because the brand name has always said "2nd fiddle" or "poor man's Sony" to me. But I figured the worst that could happen was that I waste 14 bucks. After all the positive reviews I went for it. So glad I did! After doing side-by-side comparisons between these and the $40 Sony's I used to use, I actually prefer the Koss phones. The soundstage feels wider, and WAY clearer in the midrange and high-end. I am able to pick up nuances and ambient details that get totally muffled with the Sonys. The only area the Sony's excel in is slightly (but noticeably) better bass. But honestly, I think too much bass is annoying and gives me a headache.
Some reviewers have pointed out that they think these are difficult to put on and become unclipped too easily...I can see why they would feel that way, but I think you just need to take your time and not just cram them on your ears with reckless abandon. I have short hair and these are a peice of cake to get on and off. They stay in place so well that after a few minutes I can't even feel them, I just hear the great sounds.
So, to sum up, you need to know what product you are buying - basic clip-on phones. If that's what you want, these are the best value I have ever seen. Best $14 I ever spent. Thinking about buying a 2nd pair just in case. BUT if you expect these to have ANY noise-cancelling qualities, you are looking in the wrong category. These phones will NOT suit you well if you plan to wear them on a loud commute with cars and people flying by...you would have to crank the volume so loud you'll damage your ears. And the flipside to the lack of noise-cancelling properties means other people will hear your music if you're in a quiet place like a library or waiting room. But for $14, I can live with those minor and temporary inconveniences.
Oh yeah, and if you plan to wear these under that tight-fitting winter hat like me, that's when you get the best sound possible. Your hat will keep the phones pressed to your ears, giving you way better bass response than when they are "floating" slightly off your ears when in the usual position.
Customer Review: Won Over
Summary: 5 Stars
I have to admit: I've never given Koss products more than a passing glance before conducting some research on lightweight, portable and, most importantly, cheap headphones that sound better than the sum of their parts.
Every indication seemed to point to the KSC75 as the headphones I'd want, but I remained skeptical. Koss just didn't seem high-end enough compared to the likes of Sennheiser or other prestigious brands. I kept looking into other options from other highly regarded manufacturers but couldn't commit. I had an itch I knew I had to scratch, and one day the opportunity presented itself when I found these gems for under $13 shipped. At that price, I figured I had little to lose.
For the record, these share the same drivers as Koss's legendary PortaPro, but there's a slight difference in the sound. The PortaPro's headband tension causes its earpieces to clamp onto the ears more so than the KSC75's earclips, which results in somewhat muddier bass compared to the more relaxed and open soundstage of the KSC75.
What this means is that this is effectively a more open-sounding, cost-effective version of the PortaPro, and I highly doubt there's another product out there that can match its sound quality at its MSRP, much less for under $13. The bass is tight, the highs are detailed without being overly bright and the mids are nicely balanced in between. On pure performance alone I'd recommend these without hesitation.
Some sticking points, though, include less-than-desirable aesthetics and questionable build quality. I haven't had any issues at all with my pair so far, but the earclips snap off given moderate force (losing an earclip isn't out of the question) and I can't but help feel a little self-conscious when running around with these in public. The wires that form the earclips protrude at right angles from the head and defy any resemblance to elegant design.
However, these are minor quibbles compared to the value and performance these headphones offer compared to, say, the Philips SHS5200, which are comparable in price and look better. They're even built better and rated slightly higher to boot, but the sound quality is inferior (I also own a pair of these); the KSC75 outclasses it to the point where listening to them again actually makes music less enjoyable.
If you're looking for a fantastic sounding pair of headphones and performance matters more to you than style or superb build quality (not that the KSC75 is held together by duct tape), do yourself a favor and give these a shot. I doubt you'll be disappointed and you might even end up looking at Koss in a whole new light.