Koss KPH30i Retro Style On-Ear Headphones, Grey, Microphone, Wired

After reading positive reviews, including one by Cnet's Steve Guttenberg, I purchased these headphones to add to my collection of low-cost semi-open-back headphones (Koss Porta Pro, Koss KTX-PRO1, Superlux HD681 Evo, original Austrian-manufactured AKG K240). I'll focus on comparing this with the highly acclaimed Koss Porta Pro. Both headsets are new, so they haven't been "burned in" by having hours of music played through them, which many audio experts claim can open up the sound to be even better than when new. (Instead of my 20-year-old Porta Pro, I'm using a brand new Porta Pro Limited Edition, so that neither headset has benefited from burn in.) COMFORT: Initially the KPH30i is more comfortable than the Porta Pro. for 2 reasons: 1) its kidney-shaped earpieces are larger than the round earpieces of the Porta Pro, so the pressure is more distributed. 2) The KPH30i has a soft rubber suspension band that sits atop the head, while the Porta Pro has a narrow, unpadded metal band that sits atop the head. The clamping force is reasonable, just enough to keep the earpieces from slipping. I wore these headphones comfortable over my eyeglasses. It doesn't appear that the foam cushions are replaceable; they may be, but I don't want to risk pulling the cushions if they're glued on. The Porta Pro cushions are replaceable. SOUND: Excellent, especially at this price which is about $15-25 less than various versions of the Porta Pro. If you love the famous sound signature of the Porta Pros, you'll probably love the sound of the KPH30i, because the drivers are probably very similar, if not identical (both are rated at 60 ohms impedance, frequency response of 15-25,000 hertz, efficiency of 101 dB SPL. Both headsets produced the same ample loudness from my Samsung S8+ cellphone.) Both headsets being semi-open designs, they both offer a large "soundstage", which means that the voices and instruments don't sound entirely as if inside your head, but also sound as if the sound sources are around you, with broad stereo imaging. I played the same music on both headsets, and the KPH30i sounded nearly identical to my non-audiophile ears. Steve Guttenberg wrote that the Porta Pro is more transparent and clear, while with this KPH30i: "Treble detail is soft, the KPH30i isn't by any stretch a high-resolution headphone. There's a fuzziness to the sound to be sure, but it didn't intrude or detract from the music." He still loves the KPH30i, and I do, too. Like the Porta Pro, this KPH30i has a 4-foot, non-removable cord. The cord is thicker than the one on the Porta Pro. The KPH30i has a straight plug; I wish it were angled so that it wouldn't protrude 90 degrees coming out of the cellphone. A nice feature is that the plug has a spring-like coil that offers strain relief where the cord joins the plug. Overall, th KPH30i appears very well constructed and I'm guessing it will be durable if handled carefully. November 21st, 2018: I see that the Koss website sells replacement cushions for the KPH30i. Five dollars for 2 pairs, available in either gray or blue colors. The blue version is for the white KPH30i, but why not go crazy and place them on your gray KPH30i? ;-) March 10th, 2020 update: I improved the comfort and sound with 2 products available on Amazon: Yaxi earpads for Koss PortaPro (they also fit on these KPH30i) which bring more comfort and audio improvement, and HIDIZS S3 Portable Headphone Amp/USB C DAC/Audio Amplifier which plugs directly into the USB Type-C jack of my Samsung S9+ cellphone.

I mostly use headphones to protect my neighbors from hearing me practice piano. I am extremely picky about how the piano sounds. I would use my studio speakers all the time. if I could. because the sound of the room is an important element to getting the piano 'sound.' I shopped around and eventually zeroed in on open back headphones because they give a little more dimension to the sound. I tried many products, sone 5x the price of the KPH30. These headphones are my ' go to', offering clean, balanced reproduction, open sound, efficient, so comfortable and extremely light weight, and they stay in position. I don't use the volume control, the piano knob is best for me. I would pay what ever it takes to have a single cable coming from one side with a plug so I could replace the short one that is included. I bought a stereo extension cable which works well giving me the length I need.. I have only had the set for about 2 months, but they seem well built to me Update: I bought a second pair of KPH30 headphones because I would never want to be without them, and they are so affordable--the price was even dropped dramatically. My original pair are still perfect in every way despite hours of use every day. I have an extension cable that allows me to use them in the kitchen, wear them when I clean house, and even exercise with them. They are so comfortable, stay in place, and the cable that came attached to them has survived being stepped on and severely yanked(accidentally) many times. I know it sounds like my mother owns the company, but no, I found these browsing Amazon. Originally, I bought several different brands in a price range from $20 to $150 and these are the most comfortable, the most stable on my head, and the sound is tops too. So, this is my way of saying thanks to Koss, and hopefully creating some good karma sharing the good news with you, and others!

These replace a worn pair of Senheisser Px100 from 2005 and a pair of Koss Porta Pros from a few years back. Outstanding sound for on the go adventures. I use primarily for morning walks, sitting on the back deck and travel. Super light weight, much more comfortable than Porta Pro and has great convenience of inline mic and remote control. Bass is not as rich as Porta Pro, however I thought Porta Pro bass was too much. Also thicker wires and sturdier than Porta Pro. My Porta Pros from a few years ago died when the headphone wire got rapped around the seat lever in my car. Getting out of the car, both headphone wires were severed. Update, the head band broke under the weight of a hard cover book in my backpack. They still work however, the thinner part of the head band that slide to adjust to head size can be fragile. Just handle with care. For the price, I bought a second pair. Should the drivers go bad, I have a spare set from the broken pair.

It's so stupid and crazy that this is probably one of the best quality-to-value headphones I've ever purchased. I have had dozens of headphones, my current round is a Shure 840A, Hifiman he400se, and the DT 990 pro (mostly for recording), and I've been stunned by how ridiculous good these KOSS headphones are compared to these 100 to 200 USD headphones. It's that ridiculous. I typically use a autoeq on my android phone or EQ on my desktop, but I still cannot say enough good things about this headphone. They're extremely comfortable, I've worn them for hours at a time. I've only adjusted the band ONE time, it fits perfectly and they do not fall of my head. I've used them for playing games on Playstation 4 via the controller's headphone plug in, I've cleaned my house with them on, I've plugged them into several USB DAC's without issue. I've never been so impressed by such a cheap pair of headphones. Tonality-wise, they compare with many IEM's, and I would prefer them over IEM's in most cases just because they're so simple to wear or use. IEM's hurt my ears so I'm unlucky in that respect, but these are a perfect alternative to those. If you can pay between 20 or 30 dollars to get a pair of headphones that punches this high? Just do it. They are that good for what you're paying. It must have something do with the design of the driver inside these headphone, because they look like they can't do anything when you first take them out of the package, but I've listened to loads of genres without issue. These sound warm, but it can handle bass on IDM or electronic music, the mid's are good, the treble is good, overall I really enjoy how versatile these are. They sort of remind me of those BLON B.L. 03's that came out in the IEM world years ago. Just a really fun pair of headphones. I bought my dad the KSC75 for father's day, but honestly I want a pair now too!

I admit, I purchased these purely because a couple YouTube audio reviewers I follow (Zeos and DMS) have raved about them and I was skeptical to say the least. A $30 headphone can't possibly sound that good I thought. Well, I thought wrong. When they showed up I eagerly unboxed them, carefully as I assumed I'd be returning, didn't even bother to open the accessory ear pads (see DMS's YouTube for the hack), plugged them into my Fiio K5 and proceeded to play some of my reference tunes through Apple Music lossless. The first tune I played was Pink Floyd's "High Hopes" from The Division Bell. From the opening bells and ambient sounds I was surprised. As I played on, the simple piano notes sounded so airy and spacious. David Gilmour's vocals sounded full, and Nick Mason's perfectly placed drums hit with resounding thump. The song continues to open up and build to Gilmour's amazingly emotive and impressively recorded and mastered guitar solo which closes it out. It was at this point that I decided it was time to install the pads. These pads do not come with the KPH30i as they are sold as replacements for Grado headphones. A quick slit with a hobby knife to allow room for the cables to exit and I slid the pads onto the Koss phones and back onto my ears for more. I replayed "High Hopes" just to see if there was a difference and there absolutely was. The pads seem to open the soundstage quite a bit, but also requires a bit more twist of the volume to compensate for the sound leakage. I also listened to a few tunes on my iPhone 12 Pro using the Apple lighting adapter and though they didn't play at deafening levels the volume was perfectly adequate and sound quality excellent. They do take a bit of fiddling to find the sweet spot on my ears as I don't usually prefer this kind of headphone/pad setup. I typically opt for an around-ear setup like my Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pros or Fostex TH-X00 Purplehearts. Now, to be clear, I'm not suggesting the KPH sounds better than the $200 Beyers or $450 Purplehearts. What I am suggesting is that these are an absolutely amazing value which, for $30 all in on Prime Day, I couldn't be more pleased. At this point I have less than about 2 hours of listening, including tracks from the aforementioned Pink Floyd, tracks from Tool's Fear Inoculum, Tom Petty's Wildflowers, Kevin Gates's Islah and anything else I can think of that I think they can't handle and so far they've handled everything with aplomb. Bass is solid, mids clear, highs sparkly without sounding harsh and everything has an openness I haven't heard from some headphones costing 3-4 times as much. Please please please, recommend these to any friends wanting a taste of the hifi headphone life on a shoestring budget or just buy a bunch of them and gift to anyone and everyone you think will appreciate an audio upgrade.

I enjoyed these Headphones! They had very nice high's and mids. The bass is there but not too boomy. They are great for easy-listening. The comfort on these is terrible though. The clamping force plus the big flat earcups hurt my ears quiet bad. There are some mods I mention below that helped considerable. Namely, the Grado Pad mod. I also hear you can heat up the plastic headband to reduce the clamping force. I didnt try that, just the pads helped considerably. Ultimately I chose the KPH40 as the best budget heaphone. More details below... --- MY HUNT FOR THE BEST BUDGET HEAPHONES: (I use my headphones for 80's Rock, 90's Alternative, Oldies, Classical, and plenty of TV and Movies) - SHORT VERSION...BUY THE KOSS KPH40'S AND SOME YAXI PADS! LONG VERSION... FIRST I HAD THE PX-100-i's for like 10 years. Loved them, but the connector broke a few years back. THEN I got the PX-100-ii's. I didn't like it as much as the first iteration. Way too much Bass! And the bass bled like crazy. They sounded super muddy. But everything else sounded like my old px-100's. Then a few months ago, THOSE broke at the connector (I'm nice to my headphones, they get plugged into my computer and stay there, there's really no reason for those connectors to go faulty, just bad manufacturing). Then I found out that Sennheiser was no longer making ANY PX-100's anymore, so I had some research to do... NEXT WERE THE KOSS PORTAPROS https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00001P4ZH/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1 - The sound is 'soft' for the mids and uppers, and a slightly boomy bass. Very easy-listening. The bass was a little too boomy for my taste, but it wasn't bad. The high's weren't sibilant, which I loved. I missed some clarity from my px-100's, but it was worth it. What I didn't like about it was that the bass bled into the mids, which made some things sound weird. Still, I liked them better than my original sennheiser PX-100-i's which is saying something. The PX-100-i's have highs that are harsh on my ears, too much sibilance. The Bass on the PX-100-i's can be a little to boomy also, but no bleeding. It had an accurate, clear sound I loved. But overall I considered the Portapro's a nice upgrade. For those of you who have trouble with it pulling your hair, my remedy was to wrap painters tape (blue to match the highlights on the headphones) around the middle section of the headband. It also keeps the headband the perfect length so I didn't have to constantly adjust it every time I took it off. This DOES make it less portable for pocket carry, but I never used that anyway. The temple pads were giving me migraines so I ripped them off. Then I replaced the foam earpads with the YAXI ones. Now they feel great! KOSS KPH30i https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075FBRYM1/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1 - I didn't like the bleeding bass of the Portapro's, so I kept hunting. I tried the Koss KPH30i's next. VERY nice. I consider them better than the Portapro's. Slightly more clarity in the highs and the bass didn't bleed. The high's were only a little more powerful than the Portapro's, pretty much had the same 'soft' sound quality I liked in the Portapro's. The bass was a little underwhelming. I could tell where the bass was meant to be, which was nice, but it wasn't boomy at all. Like HEARING the bass, but not FEELING it. At first I really appreciated that, especially for classical, but after a few days I kind of missed the bass punch of the Portapro's. The biggest problem with the KPH30i's were they were uncomfortable! The earpads are huge and they press on my ears hard. Its not just the compression strength causing it, its the flat earcups that press against the entire ear. I could only wear it for 10 min before taking them off. So I tried the Grado Ear Pad mod, put it around the earcups and it was MUCH better. Warning, do NOT remove the original foam of the headphones. They tear and you cant get them back on. I made that mistake and now my KPH30i's high's hurt my ears because there is nothing between my ear and the driver. I wished I would have kept the original foam on, and THEN put the Grado pads over them. Instead I had to use the paper towel mod and now the high's don't hurt my ears. The hole in the pad still make a tunnel effect and I feel like that creates a pressure chamber that hurts my ears over time. I DO love the silicone resting band on this set. With that and the Grado pads, these became a lot more comfy, but I still would have to take them off after a couple hours, from my ears over-heating and the firm pressure on the ears. That combined with the lack of bass punch, I decided to keep looking. KOSS KPH40 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09KZC94X1/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 - I had heard that the KPH40 was the sound 'sweet spot' between Portapro's and KPH30i's, and they were right! These are currently my favorite headphones, even more than my less-than-budget-friendly Sennheiser HD599's (see below). The KPH40's are my Goldilocks Headphones. The KPH40's sound profile are a LITTLE more V-shape than the Portapro's and the KPH30i's. A little more bass than the KPH30i's and a little more high's than the Portapro's. Perfect. The bass is just right, and very accurate. The mids are there, but not overpowering. The high's are clear but still have that 'soft', 'easy-listening' sound I enjoy from the Koss drivers. Honestly I don't think a lot of people will hear a difference between the 3 Koss headphones I tried, its very subtle. They all have the same basic sound. But the differences were enough for me to recommend the KPH40's over the others. The koss headphones I tried aren't as clear and accurate as my HD599's but I enjoy listening to music on them more. It's just more laid back while still being clear and accurate enough. It has a pleasant 'cloudiness' to the whole sound image. I think some people call this 'veiled'. That's a good description. It's just not as harsh on the ears, I could listen to them all day without pain or fatigue. I put the YAXI pads I bought for my Portapro's on them and they fit fine. Super comfy. It didn't really need it because Koss learned from the KPH30i's mistake and made these earcups small. They sit right on the ear where it needs to and it doesnt hurt. The headband is also metal instead of plastic, so you can adjust it to exactly the clamping force and shape that you want. At first, I found the metal headband too skinny, it felt like it was cutting into my scalp. It wasn't, It just felt that way. So I actually took the silicone band I loved from the KPH30i's and taped it to the inside of the metal head band. LOL, I'm not fancy. I bet you could tape some rolled up paper towel to the inside and get a similarly comfy effect. This mimics the all day comfort I always got from my PX-100's. I think any future iteration's should still keep the metal band, but maybe include the silicone comfort band from the KPH30i's, don't touch the drivers or earcups, they are great. I LOVE the ribbon style cable that doesn't tangle. I don't really need the "utility series" connector, especially when the utlity cables cost $45, so if removing that makes these headphones $30 instead of $40, please do so and make these headphones an even more ridiculous bargain! SENNHEISER HD599 https://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-599-Open-Headphone/dp/B01L1IICR2?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1 - At $150, I almost didn't want to mention these as budget headphones, but for those looking to become Audiophiles, I think they are the cheapest Audiophile-quality option. Some recommend the Grado SR60's or SR80's, but I don't. They have zero bass, ear canal piercing highs, and are VERY uncomfortable to wear. The earcups are flat, high compression, and unyielding. I couldn't wear them for more than 3 minutes. The sound profile of those Grado's might be good for monitoring high's and mids, but not bass, so what's the point of them? Vocals and violins only? No thanks. The HD599's, on the other hand, have a very neutral profile with a SLIGHTLY elevated bass, perfect for monitoring, IMO. The bass is present, a little punchy, but not muddy or boomy at all. While the headphones were comfy on my ears, I found that it created weird air pressure differences in my ear canal. This became very fatiguing after an hour, even at the lowest possible volume to hear the music. Probably because of the bigger, more powerful drivers. I think they started to damage my ears. After a few weeks I couldnt wear them for more than 10 minutes without my ears hurting again. The only time any budget Koss driver did that was when I had the tunnel effect going on with the Grado Cushion Mod, and even then it was at a much lesser degree. --- A NOTE ON AUDIOPHILIA... - But mostly I just recommend people don't become Audiophiles. It sucks. What a music-lover like me didn't understand was that Audiophiles don't listen to music, they monitor it. They don't absorb the entire composition, they nit-pick specific parts of it. This robs the listener of any enjoyment of the music. It kind of bother's me that they have stolen the title of "Audiophile". I think that belongs to music-lovers and music-makers. What we call "Audiophilia" should actually be called "Audiomonitoring". Calling it Audiophilia compels music-lovers like me to spend massive amounts of money on "better" headphones and audio setups to rob of us of any listening enjoyment we previously had with our $40 budget headphones, and rob our wallet while they are at it. I don't mean to insult or begrudge Audiophiles for a hobby they enjoy, I just don't like it when they are propped up as experts of the best sounding equipment. They aren't. They are experts for the best MONITORING equipment for sound engineers. If you enjoy music, I recommend you get a "consumer" headphone. I recommend you get the Koss KPH40. I like my KPH40's the best for listening to Music, TV, and Movies. Even over my Sennheiser HD599's. Its true that the HD599's have better clarity, but I enjoy music more with my KPH40's because I'm not hearing harshness or noises that the sound engineers never meant people to hear. Sometimes I felt like I was hearing TOO MUCH accuracy on the HD599's, like things the orchestra didn't want us to hear. I couldn't ENJOY my music because I was MONITORING it too much. I heard too much noise, not enough music. And I didn't have a CHOICE to enjoy the music, I HAD to monitor it. Audiophiles are nit-picky sound analysts, so take their hard-earned advice with that in mind. OK, A short message on Amp/DAC's. Don't bother. I have a Dragonfly Cobalt Amp/DAC. It costs $330. While it DOES make all my headphones sound better, it's practically negligable. MAYBE a 3-5% improvement in sound. Not really worth spending any kind of money on. The DAC on my computer is fine, same with my iphone. Especially with the Koss budget headphones. It's recommended that you have an amp for heaphones that have an impedance of 50 ohms or higher. If its higher than 50 ohms you might want an amp just so the drivers are poperly driven, or it will sound real quiet. But test it first at full volume, you might not need it. If you do, there are Amp/DAC's in the $60 range that should do just fine. You definately don't need it with the KPH40's. So unless you can get it for free like I did (VERY nice friend), then I wouldn't bother with it. What about special cables? Not needed with the KPH40's alone. I had trouble with distortion running headphones from my amp using a cheap amazon 3.5mm extension cable, so I just got a USB extension cable instead and ran the headphones driectly from the amp. Problem solved. If your still having problems with distortion, there's guides online on how to make quality cables on the cheap. But you shouldn't need them. Please don't spend more than $20, the cost-to-sound improvement ratio is the worst here. OK, rant against the heaphone consumer industry over...and thank heaven for Koss! --- THE BOTTOM LINE - So for normal people (99.9% of the population), I recommend you forget the expensive monitor stuff and get the KPH-40's for the $40. :D Other than the modifications I mentioned, you can also use the Kramer Mod to further fine tune the sound profile, but I don't think it's necessary with the KPH40's. Guides for the Kramer Mod can be found online. LINKS TO STUFF I MENTIONED - Here's the YAXI pads I used on the Portapro's and the KPH40's https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MQVHX84/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1 Here's the Grado Pads I used on the KPH30i's https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00TGCDHL2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Here's some painters tape for the Portapro's. It doesn't leave residue if you change your mind later, and it matches the blue in the headphones nicely! :D https://www.amazon.com/Duck-Painters-1-5-Inch-1-41-Inch-240194/dp/B0025KUSW8?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1 A cheaper $7 3.5mm-to-lightning adapter so you don't have to buy the $45 one from Koss, (COUGH!) https://www.amazon.com/Apple-Lightning-Headphone-Jack-Adapter/dp/B01LXJFMGF?ref_=ast_sto_dp A popular budget Amp/DAC you don't need. https://www.amazon.com/Fosi-Audio-Headphone-Digital-Analog/dp/B07VDQQY95?ref_=ast_sto_dp If you made it to the end, thanks for listening, and enjoy those heaphones! **UPDATE 8/9/2023 I have to add a note here. Since this review I have noticed that the Koss KPH40 headphones do tend to "bloom" in the upper-mid Bass range. What does that mean? There is a mildly loud reverberation when the Bass hits a certain frequency, and ONLY that frequency. As the sound gets lower the bloom goes away. For this reason I have gone back to my repaired Sennheiser PX-100 (originals) as my main headphone. But I still love these headphones!

I bought these about 6 months ago as an alternative to heavier over/on ear devices which were starting to give me neck pain. For that purpose they were fantastically light weight. 2nd, with home meetings and such, they were wonderful for not "sealing" my ears so I could still be aware of what was going on inside the house. 3rd, the sound quality was excellent. it was clear, loud enough, for the price they were wonderful, to the point I did not miss the higher end monitors I had. The only problem was the plastic they are designed with is somewhat brittle. To be fair I was putting these on and off many times per hour, so I think the plastic fatigued over time. I saw the initial crack, then the full split, then the opposite side just completely split in one go as I went to put it on my head (which is on the average to smaller size. The other thing I noticed was a whitish film that seemed to be coming off the silicone head piece. At first I thought it was just from my hair product, but it is a little tacky and is on both sides of the band (even the side against the plastic band). It only started when the weather got colder and I am wondering if it is something along the lines of a plasticizer that separates from the base material when the weather gets cold. Overall they are great headphones. If your usage is less frequent on and off like mine, they are probably a great choice for a lightweight set of headphones. If you do expect to take them on and off frequently, then maybe invest in one with a heavier duty band.

Let's get to it then, shall we. I am an audiophile. Audiophile: a HiFi enthusiast. With that out of the way let's discuss these little gems. I can't stand (personally) the description of if a thing is good for it's price. Price may not be subjective but what a thing is worth in relation to how it sounds is subjective on a good day. Instead truthfully if a thing is good it's good, if it's worth it it's worth it. These my friend are good and worth it. At just a tick beneath the price of the Koss Porta Pro you get the KPH30 and it delivers. So let's look at what you get and what you should expect. 1. Koss' Limited Lifetime Warranty. It's broke, they fix it. Pretty straight forward and admirable considering the intended use of these guys. I'm pretty gentle on my stuff but one trip through Amazon reviews for earbuds and you'll quickly find out the number one reason most people go for a new set is 1. damage like one side no longer playing music and 2. people love to loose thier stuff. Nothing Koss' can do about number 2 but they've got you covered on number 1 so there's that. 2. A lightweight highly comfortable headphone in nice, clean, modern colors. None of that "hey, come steal me" appeal you get from some pricier fashion cans. If you let people listen to them then yeah, expect friends, family members and co-workers living that earbud life to totally swipe them. They're really quite good. 3. Practical usage. No, these aren't really for exercise or blasting music (at a desk anyway) as there will be sound leak. You can't use them to hide from your kids or ignore your spouse. But if you're jamming out to James Brown, Daft Punk or whatever your jam is snapping fingers and doing your step they do not fall off. I have a very large head. I honestly have never been to a Lids or New Era or Belk or something and found hats in store in my size. I always have to order. That being said, larger ears and all they stay on my head with no pressure, heat or discomfort. No "headband" markes on my head or hotspots. All day comfort. 4. Yeah I mean, they're plastic. So's your cars bumper so that doesn't mean it's cheap'o. The point is they're cheap but don't feel built to a price. The adjustment is easy and holds it's place. They don't squeak or creak or otherwise flop around or do things that ".99" dollar store headphones due, contrary to another person's review. 5. SOUND. All caps because that's the number one for most people. If like me, you've listened to lots of headphones, earbuds and in ear monitors you will understand that jumping from one particular sound to another can be jarring. These sound better than the Apple Earbud if that's your concern, the OG ones that end in 3.5, the lightning ones don't sound as good or the same as the old ones. These sound about like Sennheiser HD558's but with better bass presence. The highs are present, sounding more recessed than rolled off. It's not quite like they took away the highs but more like the pulled them back to be non-fatiguing. Bass is solid but not boomy. There's no mid-bass bloat. As a matter of fact the mids are very well positioned not quiet forward but the music, bass and vocals are equally the star in these. The details are there but not the focus, wich makes them well suited for jamming out or long listening sessions more so than critical listening They're warm. Bass is tight and with weight. The bass goes deep but not hi end sub-bass tremble sort of deep. I could keep spitting out descriptions off the top of my head but suffice to say, it's like the Sennheiser HD558, but more involved. It's a warm sound with highs tamed as to not be aggressive and fatiguing, still has detail, bass is good and solid enough to satisfy for rap, dub and edm but controlled enough and restrained enough to not interfere with the mids, male vocals or jazz. To me these are on point for jamming out at louder volumes, relaxed listening while reading, while working, loosing yourself in the music, and phone calls. No one could tell I was on a headset vs my phone without me specifically mentioning it. They're $30 and a hell of a lot better than your stock earbuds or some cheap $10 or $15 one over all. If you want more treble energy and a more in your face sound the Porta Pros are the better buy. But don't over think it like these are some super dark sounding phones. There's still more treble energy than V Modas or the HD598cs. Not comparing them, just saying if you want every box ticked from comfort to function to sound to being able to listen to them all day. These ARE outstanding. I bought these to have something that still sounds good to use with my LG V30 other than my in ear monitors. I wanted to be able to take calls and hear things around me. I also wanted to have an open air sound like earbuds (not in ears) and open back headphones give you. But in a tidy, easy to travel or store package. For when I'm cooking or washing dishes or cleaning or just reading my Kindle. I didn't want in your face great sound that's hard to deal with after an hour. I didn't want a saong and dance requirement to manage the cables or put them on and take them off. I didn't want to always have to hot pause to speak to someone. They met everyone of my desires with aplomb. Best of luck and I hope this was at least somewhat helpful in your purchase decision.

So, I admit it, I went down the Koss rabbit hole. Read the reviews, watched the videos, changed my mind a dozen times, then bought the KPH30i. I have used Flare and Sony in-ear phones for ages but my ears never felt happy...they shifted, were uncomfortable (I have small ears) or the sound just wasn't warm enough for me...or it was too harsh. I have decent over ear headphones that are lush but I wanted something small and lightweight to just throw on and not worry about. Hense the Koss. I chose the 30i because reviews suggested they were comfortable and had a good 'warm' sound without being too base heavy but without muddying the mids. Plus they weren't so expensive that I would be gutted if they weren't all that good. In fact they are fabulous! They are a 'warm' sound so don't expect sparkly high tones, but they sound cosy and intimate and don't hurt my ears with high notes. I did use EQ to balance the highs and mids a bit more which made the difference, and added yaxi pads for extra comfort but you don't really need to (I liked the colour!). Overall I've found they are very easy to wear and you forget you've got them on half the time. I have a smaller head and find they fit perfectly with no pinching or overt pressure on my ears. I can wear them for hours with no affect at all. They are on-ear with an open back so they don't isolate noise, but after in-ear phones where you can't hear anything else, it's quite nice to do things without having to take headphones off or in-ear phones out when going into a shop etc. You can hear the world around you, though that means that the person sitting next to you on the bus or train can also hear what your listening to. I have checked it though, and honestly it's not that noticeable. I love these things! My only fear is that I now want more Koss headphones to try... maybe the porta pros next.

These sound stunning. They punch WAY above their price bracket in terms of clarity, technicality, tonal colour. The soundstaging is pretty eh.. they are open backs so I would not wear them on transport but they are SO light and they feel like nothing. They are on ear headphones so for me at least, after a while the clamping becomes quite unbearable especially because it pushes the ear onto my head and my it starts to hurt. I modded mine with the KOSS foam pads and I removed the foam from infront of the speaker unit and from inside the headphone and it improved clarity so much. it also helped just a little bit with soundstaging but not a lot. Overall an amazing headphone. The build quality is a bit budget but in my book thats actually a really good thing. It's light and when you fiddle around or try to mod it, you dont feel stressed you might break something. you can see where things are clipped and attached therefore you can see how you can open it up. New and premium headphones love to hide and glue and seal the seams and it just makes modding or repairing so much harder. These remind me of the days when music players were a dedicated device and the fact that they still sound so amazing is so nice.

Tout d'abord, je mets fin au suspense: ce casque est bien meilleur que le Porta Pro: scène sonore plus ample, grave profond, aigu doux et précis, bon rendement, moins de distorsion, il va plus loin que son illustre ancêtre et fatigue beaucoup moins. Il est neutre et musical! Le confort est excellent et il tient parfaitement sur la tête (je l'écoute beaucoup en marchant). De plus, il intègre le micro pour les appels vocaux. Beau look vintage (certes pas aussi beau que le porta Pro). Seul bémol, l'arceau est fragile sur les côtés (j'en ai cassé plusieurs).

Casque léger avec télécommande son, ajustable. C'est celui que je préfère et que je trouve le plus pratique. Le fil est bien épais et de ce fait semble être le plus solide. Le son est toujours très bon.

Bardzo dobre słuchawki lekko cieplutki dźwięk. Wygodne Tata mega zadowolony 👍