Koss KPH40 Utility On-Ear Headphones, Stealth Grey, Interchangeable Cord

I love the sound of the Koss KPH30. An unexpected treat given their low price, they're airy and have great treble balance and clarity. They're not very comfortable for my big head for more than an hour or so, though, due to pressure on my ears. I figured these would have a similar sound but be more comfortable. For the most part, I was right. They are more comfortable in that they rest lighter on my ears (you can almost forget that you're wearing them). I also like that they barely use any plastic.. I could see the '30s plastic getting brittle and cracking over the years (time will tell, though). These look more elegant, and weigh almost nothing. Not using as much plastic also heightens the impression of quality/luxury (not that these are going to be mistaken for $400 Mezes..). The interchangeable cable is appreciated, as my new phone unfortunately doesn't have a 3.5mm. I haven't purchased the C-cord yet, but it's a nice option to have. Sound-wise, the treble is slightly softer and more rolled-off than the '30s. Still plenty of detail, and they're less fatiguing (not that I'd call the '30s fatiguing.. just that these are even less so). Perhaps a smidge less bassy/punchy, but still good for the class. I'd say these are even more spacious-sounding, though. These are the kind of headphones that you close your eyes and throw your head back to be enveloped in sound. That's a marvel at this price point, and something that Koss probably does the best, which is why despite having significantly more expensive headphones from multiple boutique brands in my collection, I still consider Koss one of my favorite brands and keep coming back to them. You get so much quality sound for the money, they embarrass most brands costing 2-4x as much; and when you do find headphones that are truly better, you look at how the Koss are a mere fraction of the price, and you kind of laugh to yourself about the law of diminishing returns.. So ultimately, while I do miss the extra bite of the treble of the Koss KPH30s, the added comfort and even more spacious sound mean these are still the ones I use most. Even for those of you that have much more expensive sets, I still recommend buying these, even if just to use when you travel. I originally bought these/the KPH30s as a cheap travel set, but I like them so much they're pretty much all I use anymore. It's kinda funny--15+ years ago it was the Koss PortaPro that first captivated me and made me obsessed with sound. I wouldn't have guessed that I'd be back to midrange Koss sets all these years later, but here I am. These feel and sound like a contemporary analog to the PortaPros. In a way, it feels like home to me.

I wanted a lightweight & comfortable, affordable, yet great-sounding pair of on-hear headphones to sit at my desk (not travel) with. Fortunately, Koss came up in one of my many searches and I suddenly remembered my very first pair of headphones for my very first stereo back in the late 70's. They surprisingly blew away all the competition back then, even Pioneer, Panasonic and Sony headphones. Sounded like you were right in the concert hall! So I looked at all the latest offerings by Koss, and really appreciated the long review for this pair by the top reviewer 'Ender'—comparing different models of Koss & other headphones. (I don't have time to be an audiophile, I just want to enjoy my music collection in iTunes while sitting at the computer). I immediately ordered these headphones. I knew I would also want to extend the cable, but waited until after they arrived to see the size and types of plugs they were fitted with. (The Q&A for this product in regard to that was too technical & confusing to follow.) These headphone did not disappoint! They have that great Koss sound, with a comfortable lightweight band on my head, which gratefully doesn't get snagged in my thick curly hair. Don't let the appearance of the thin foam earpads fool you— they are comfy, secured well and transmit the audio clearly. (UPDATE: I had initially tried adding a pair of Yaxi pads as suggested by another helpful reviewer, but those would not stay on, and were so thick the sound was being muffled. Stick with the OEM earpads!) Next up was to find a longer extension cable that fit. Curious that Koss doesn't offer anything—even on their website. I first noted that the tip that plugs into the cable that is permanently attached to the headphones is 2.5mm (male) and the other plug that goes into your computer, music device, etc. is 3.5mm (thicker plug), also male. Then I had to learn the difference between TRRS (3 black rings on the tip of the plug) and TRS (2 black rings). So the search was on for a quality extension cable with a 2.5mm male TRRS plug and a 3.5mm male TRS plug—which is exactly what these headphones require. I found only one such cable on Amazon—ASIN: B08MX53T1T and took a chance despite the ridiculous product name. Turns out it is of solid build and does not diminish the sound quality of these Koss headphones. Total length of combined straight & coiled cord is 51 inches, not stretched. Minimal upgrade costs and these headphones are customized for my comfort & listening pleasure! I recommend all of these parts, but probably not as a mobile on-the-go setup—I'm not sure the headphones would hold up to that, they seem too fragile for traveling with. (The extension cable would certainly hold up, though.) Enjoy, and I hope this helped!

I absolutely love these headphones. I picked up the Koss KPH40 Utility On-Ear Headphones and they’ve completely won me over. I did upgrade them with the official Koss oversized replacement cushion ear pads, and that made a huge difference in comfort—highly recommend doing that. I mainly use them with Apple Music on my Mac Mini, while at my desk, and the sound quality is just fantastic for the price. They’re clear, detailed, and have a really enjoyable, natural tuning that makes everything from vocals to instruments shine. They don’t try too hard—they just sound right. They’re also incredibly lightweight, which makes them perfect for long listening sessions. With the upgraded pads, I can wear them for hours without any discomfort. What really surprised me is how much I keep reaching for these over more expensive headphones. There’s just something about the sound and simplicity that makes them so enjoyable. Koss really nailed it with these. Amazing value, great sound, and super comfortable (especially with the upgraded pads). Highly recommend!

So firstly, let’s start up with the build quality while the headphones seem simple on their exterior, they are actually quite comfortable to wear and are nearly the same weight as a pair of dirty buds. They fit perfectly well on my head and while the headphones do not swivel the thin metal band allows them to easily sit over the ears and conform to the head shape. The sound quality is quite good. The bass is nice and punchy and mid tones are very clear as well as highs being sharp and shimmering. For reference, I used both FLAC and AAC music files using my Sennheiser HD 600s for comparison, and while the sound of the HD 600s is bigger and more spaced out given their design, the KOSS KPH40s still deliver excellent sound that’s sounds only slightly tighter. The lack of noise canceling is nearly a non issue due to the headphones being able to pump out some serious dB. They can get quite loud but they don’t suffer much from noise distortion when cranked all the way up. These headphones will definitely be my daily driver for a long time and for the price point, you’re not going to find much better from competing brands.

When I first got these I got them out of the box and started listening to music, and music for these is pretty good for the price range. Not much sub-bass to speak of, but it's a small driver open back unit. The bass that is there is pretty strong. There's a little bit of bloat in the upper bass range that can be distracting for me right at first, but I find that as I listen longer my ears/brain adjust and it's not too much of a problem. Kick drums and floor toms have a lot of impact, but I don't hear much resonance in them like you might through better headphones. Mids and highs are smooth enough that I don't notice any distracting peaks in tone. Resolution gets better than what these offer, but again, they are 40 dollars. All in all, not a bad sounding unit at all and they are definitely good enough to just relax on the couch, drink a drink, turn your brain off and enjoy music. They are also great if you need to wear something while you are working, doing chores, running errands, or whatever because they aren't so detailed you start to get overly analytical with the music and get distracted. They are also crazy open in terms of sound isolation, so you won't miss out on anything happening in the real world. Sound leak is real though, so I would avoid wearing them anywhere where you might be bothering someone else if they could hear them (libraries, planes, etc.). The soundstage on these, though? *chef's kiss* I was listening to a song where the volume starts low and slowly increases over the first part of the track and I took them off for a second because I thought I had forgotten to switch my source from my living-room speakers to the headphones. It didn't sound like the music was being pumped straight into my ears, it sounded like the music was in the room with me. At full volume, this effect is less noticeable, but the soundstage and imaging are pretty great for headphones at this price range. I'm always hearing sounds that have me looking around the room. You really feel surrounded by what you are listening to. I don't know how many people are going to use these for watching movies, but they are crazy good. I like to use headphones to watch movies at night so I can turn them up loud without disturbing my duplex neighbor. I just watched Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City with these (first movie I've used them with), while running the headphones off of a Fiio BTR5 (bluetooth adapter) connected to my media computer. I took the headphones off probably 4 or 5 times during the movie thinking that I heard something in the room with me, or something happening outside my house. Little faint noises don't just sound quiet, they sound like they are actually around you spatially. The effect is honestly pretty striking. I have other gear that technically sounds better if I really want to get analytical with my listening session, but these really do deliver at this price point. If you're an audiophile you probably have gear better than this, but I would still recommend them just for the reminder that you don't have to spend a fortune to enjoy what you are listening to. For anyone else, or anyone new to the hobby, this is an awesome place to start. For 40 bucks, how can you lose?

It sounds great. The build is deceptive. It looks cheap but it's not. Comfortable and lightweight. I'm not sure how much better the yaxi ear pads make it sound but that seems to be a popular upgrade. Also, I'm kinda spoiled by balanced 4.4 mm connections, so I feel like anything without it is missing out. But overall these are very good headphones. I havent messed with the utility cable but it seems like it was a good option to include.

I got tired of the in-ear earbuds as I could never find a comfortable pair. These headphones are exactly what they say they are. Super light, extremely comfortable (no discomfort over the band or the actual ear pads even after a few hours of use). The sound is also amazing, you won't find better sounding earbuds at this price point and would be hard pressed to find better sounding headphones as well (if you're music app has an equalizer they can sound even better). Added bonus is the cable on them is actually really nice, doesn't get tangled, and I love the retro look.

TLDR: How does a product at such a low price point sound THIS good?!?! Quality: These, out of the box, look like $5 headphones from the early 2000's. But do not let looks decieve you. They are the best value in hifi. The build is reassuringly solid with the Teflon coated steel headband and the linguine cable. No complaints at the price at all. Comfort: Out of the box, they are a bit tight on my ears, but with a bit of bending of the headband they fit just fine. I would highly recommend modifying these with a few things I will mention later. Stock they are comfortable enough and I'd say you could wear them for an hour or two. Sound: Out of the box, the sound is very good. To the point that I was more surprised than I expected to be, even after reading many reviews. They have this open characteristic and sound depth that you don't expect from something that looks like this. If I were to describe the stock sound I'd say, slightly warm with a bit of bass bloat and a bit of sibalance. Great for the price for sure. Modified Sound: Now let's talk about replacing the earpads. Get Yaxi pads... just do it... I've switched back to stock a couple times to test. But man, do they really MAKE these headphones. They lose a little bit of the low-end and a bit of the highs. But the overall sound is worth it. What you get is a warm sound that you can listen to for hours without fatigue. I reach for these any time I want to just lay back and listen. Both male and female vocals just sound right with these pads. If you like electronic music, you may be missing something, but for pretty much anything else, you'll love these with Yaxi pads. Modifications: If you're like me, you'll love these for the ability to tinker. I've added a Hundo headband and I'm considering replacing the cable with a balanced mmcx one as well. There is such an aftermarket for these that you will never get bored. The headband makes them even more comfortable. I am also really considering building another set with KSC75 drivers to see what the extra treble does (I'm a beyerdynamic fan so I'm not afraid of the extra brightness). Overall: If you just want a good headphone, get these. If you like to tinker, get these. If you have $1k+ headphones, get these. JUST GET THESE! I cannot stress enough how much I like these headphones and how much they punch above their price. And if you like the sound, get into modding them. Yaxi pads will make these into something you'll reach for over WAY more expensive sets, trust me...

I feel like I cheated Koss - genuinely. Price to performance comparison just doesn’t tally. Backstory to my purchase decision: My last DAP was well over two decades ago, I’ve been streaming music since then and cycled through most of the music streaming platforms pairing with popular comfort bluetooth headphones and earbuds. It was recently I thought I’d break the cycle of music subscription and actually own my music once again (and forever) and I invested in a DAP for that purpose. Since audiophile headphones brings out the best in Hi-Res DAPs, I wanted to ease myself in and use a reference headphone first instead of outrightly purchasing a headphone like the Sennheiser HD 490 Pro. I read reviews about this particular headphone and thought I’d give it a go. I’m no audiophile with technical sonic knowledge but like a lot of people, I enjoy decent music and strive to hear every single detail as they were recorded in the studio and intended to be heard. Wow! This small, unassuming weightless thing weighs a lot in raw output. it’s not perfect, neither is it in the same rank as a higher end audiophile headphones but at £41.99 price point? If the exact drivers in this headphones were to be in a premium housing and there’s a £150 - 200 price tag on it, I’d still think it’s a decent buy. Vocals are clear and crisp, detail retrieval is decent and sound stage is wide. In some live recordings, it actually feels like I’m in the midst of the performance. There’s no way I won’t own more than one of this unit. They’re passive as passive can get - no DAC, amp or DSP and will retain its value for a very long time for this reason. I’d even gift them to friends and family. The only niggle is - cable is short but for me personally? that's negligible and won't receive a star less because of that. You may forget this thing is on your head, it's that light in weight. You can do other activities, work-out etc with this on as it clamps on your head without compromising on comfort. Something to bear in mind is - it's an open-back headphone which means it relies on air for sound to travel freely, that means sounds from your surroundings will bleed into your music and people around you will hear your music, so it's not the type to use on public transport, on a plane or on a busy street. Finally, if you’re on the fence, just pick one up! Your ears will be happy and your wallet will approve.

I had insanely high expectations for these and they surpassed them 10 fold. At such a low cost you literally have nothing to lose

Pessime, sono arrivate con la scatola rovinata è un miracolo che funzionino. Spedizione terribile per delle cuffie così fragili.

So good are these, and for travelling they are just perfect

Soy muy aficionado a koss desde hace muchos, años. Mis primeros auriculares fueron Koss. Me gusta su sonido y que son ligeros, aunque son demasiado caros. Bajando el precio venderan mas.