Koss KPH40 Utility On-Ear Headphones, Detachable Interchangeable Cord System, Retro Style, Ultra Lightweight Design (Stealth Black)

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.

Looks can be deceiving, but your ears will be believing. Great sound quality and arguably out perform many top recommended sets costing much, much more. Questionable build quality only minus

Superb sounding portable open backs.I have a pair of Sennheiser 599s which are not high end but are very good. The KPH40s are just as pleasurable to listen to.4.5 stars because the cable sucks.

I had a pair my late grandad and Mum got me Koss headphones similar to these when I was very little for my portable cassette player. But over the years they went missing. But buying this has been the best decision I've made, they sound fantastic and even better than I remember, the bass is punchy and mids and highs are clear but not overpowering, simply better than any other headphones I've used in a long time. Comparing to my very expensive Sony's I very much improve the sound quality on these. You won't regret your purchase and if you want them wireless, get something similar to the FIIP BTR5's.

I was dubious about paying £40 for a cheap looking pair of headphones, but they're the best headphones I've tried to date, even compared to much more expensive ones from big brands. I have the Koss KSC75 and while the sound was good the comfort wasn't there. These are light, comfortable and have the perfect amount of pressure against the ear for me. They also don't trap heat and get sweaty like over ear headphones do. I'm not the best at describing sound but they're punchy and have surprisingly good bass.

I have had several Koss headphones, including Porta Pros...which I always thought were incredible. But these KPH40 Headphones are even better They make you want to listen to all your favourite music again just to hear what you have been missing. They look very minimal.......you don't know you are even wearing them.... but their performance is breathtaking. If you want to hear sounds as they were meant to be heard...treat yourself to a pair of these and prepare to be blown away.

Not sure if I just had unfortunate QC with my unit, but it seemed like the cable connection to the left driver was slightly loose, meaning whenever I moved it, it produced an audible click sound (like tapping the cable with your nail)

Expensive but great headphones - with replacement foam. Surprisingly good.

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

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!

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

Doskonałe słuchawki dla ludzi, którzy słuchawek a uszach specjalnie nie lubią.Nie przeszkadzają, nie uwierają, a grają doskonale. Lepsze od Porta Pro. I ładniejsze. Jedne z najlepszych słuchawek jakich słuchałem i w stosunku do tej jakości rewelacyjnie tanie. Choć widzę, że już powoli drożeją, a dodatkowe wymienne kable (np. usb-c) są koszmarnie drogie.

bought this to replace my short lived kph40 that was bought a year ago. This time bought 2 pairs just incase if tariff hike changes again.