Koss KSC75 Portable Stereophone Headphones
by Koss
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List Price: Our Price: $10.40 You Save: $9.59 (48%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: CE See more product details |
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Koss KSC75 Portable Stereophone Headphones
Customer Review: Great Sound for the cost but not well-designed for the long haul
Summary: 3 Stars
The Koss KSC75 are a comfortable and versatile set of portable supra-aural (on the ear) headphones (or "cans" as audiophiles call them). They use the same transceivers, have the same Ohm impedence level and some of the other features that the Koss PortaPro offers but they are lighter weight and seem to be designed for the "on the go" lifestyle. (I have reviewed the PortaPro cans; you might want to check out my review of them as I gave them five stars. They are still going strong.) At first listen, the KSC75 sound as good as their five star cousins, the PortaPros BUT BEWARE. I have two sets now that I have to send back to Koss for replacement. Thankfully Koss does offer a lifetime warranty on these headphones but you must submit payment for shipping the replacements back to you from Koss as well as writing them a letter detailing problems, all to be included with the defective product, which you ship at your own expense.
It should be noted that I do not listen to bass heavy music but rather my primary musical choices are what I call the "three C's and one B," which is Christian, Classical, Country and audioBooks. I do not use loud volumes or sub-par products with whatever set of cans I use. But with both sets of the Koss KSC75, at least one transceiver (Left on both sets and Right on one set) began to produce distortions such as warbling, reverb and echo within a week! It would seem that using the superior quality transceivers of the PortaPro model in a set of clip-ons with a lot of plastic is not a well-thought out design.
I've noticed that these headphones have decreased in price since I purchased them. I believe people are starting to catch on to their draw backs. If you have found yourself in the sad position of getting a defective set as I did and can return it for a full refund, I encourage you strongly to do so. If you liked the sound quality (and I do), I would suggest purchasing the Koss PortaPro model. They are compact, fit in a small pouch (included) and you can literally fall asleep in them. They don't slip off during workouts either. Both sets are "Open" which simply means that if the volume is up to high, there will be sound leakage. But the PortaPro actually leaks significantly less than some other portable cans I use but are sturdy, reliable and comfortable. If you have a pair of the Koss KSC75 headphones and there hasn't been a defect, I honestly can say that you are a lucky one! I like the feel, the sound and that I can even wear these with my glasses though the ear pieces are fixed but they keep breaking down. I was lucky that they broke down while Amazon guaranteed them so I could get replacements but those have broken down as well.
In conclusion, I recommend them to you with a warning that you may find yourself having to replace them (perhaps more than once as I have done) through Amazon or wherever you purchase them during their free replacement/refund time frame or you might just have to pay more money to Koss to send you another pair that might have the same problems. The KSC75 is a "fair" buy for the cost but if you want to stick with Koss and like the sound, the PortaPro is better and you are very unlikely to have any difficulties with them. If you really need a pair of clip-on portable headphones, I highly recommend the Sony MDR-Q22LP headphones. (Please feel free to check out my review of these portable headphones as well.) Thanks and good listening!
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: another solid Koss phone
Summary: 4 Stars
The KSC-75 is the latest edition of the popular and good-performing Koss KSC series. All of these models, the 35, 50, 55 and now 75 are based on the same 60-ohm drivers (also used in the Porta-Pro and KTX-Pro phones). The original model, the 35, is regarded as the standard by which all cheap, portable headphones are compared. The original 35 was a black, clip-on model, built to be very shallow and to fit closely on the ears. It was a fairly nasty-looking, uncomfortable piece, and frequently had problems with its thin foam padding tearing. It was updated to the 50 and 55 models, more "modern" looking silver clip-ons and behind-the-head models. The problem with these was they were significantly heavier, and didn't fit so snugly to the ears. Thus, even though the drivers were the same, the sound suffered a bit because of the loose fit.
The 75 moves a bit closer to the original 35. It is a shallower phone, although still not quite as much so as the 35. It does tend to fit snugly to the ear, which helps make the sound a bit fuller. They are nice and light and are very comfortable. The clip is a different design, it doesn't snap into place like the orignal 35 or hinge like the 50. It simply bends around the ear, leading to two problems with this design. The durability of the thin guage wire could be a problem. Secondly, the headphone cup tends to snap off of the clip when fitting the headphone to the ear. It simply snaps back into place again, but its a nuisance. Once properly placed, which takes a little practice, the sound is typical Koss KSC. The sound is pleasant and full, reasonably detailed and transparent. There is roll-off at both frequency extremes, although this can easily be corrected if your player has an equalizer. Even without equalization, though, the sound is quite good. Despite the 60-ohm rating, the 75's are reasonably easy for low power portables to drive. On an absolute scale or compared to the better $50 phones, such as the Sennheiser HD-497, the Koss KSC-75's don't stand out, but for a price of less than $15, these are outstanding. They easily trump any of the included phones or buds with portable players and are easy to transport, due to their light weight and small size. Another excellent, cheap Koss phone.
Update: With more use, I've become more favorably impressed with this phone. Its sound seems to have opened up with more break in. It now is very transparent with a rich, deailed sound - unbelievable for this price range. After a few uses, one gets the earclips adjusted properly to where they go on almost instantly and stay put and are very comforatble. This should minimize the amount of adjustment needed and prolong the life of the clip. Still, the headphone cups occasionally snap off of the clips even during normal handling. But in all, these are an incredible bargain. I would now rate these a five star phone.
Customer Review: Depends what you need them for
Summary: 4 Stars
I went into this headphone purchase with a lot of reviews read about them. Perhaps if I hadn't read so many, I wouldn't have thought of it as finding some sort of Holy Grail of portable headphones, and I think that's where I'm most disappointed. These headphones are not, in fact, some sort of holy artifact, quested for by a gallant league of knights.
They are, in fact, headphones.
While we're on the subject of these headphones, I might as well talk about them. They produce noise. Some might say they do so better than most... I do notice some difference. You can definitely hear the lower end coming through more clearly in the mix. However, I've found that the bass does not have enough power to really "thump" which is something I would have liked. You'll get your low end, and it will be more audible, but if you were planning on using these to power your new nightclub, or to mix the low end in your new studio, I would recommend against it (and probably laugh at you behind your back). Besides this the headphones do what they're told audio wise, and they can put out some serious noise. With proper EQing (or more power), they could probably do something crazy. I use that for music, you might have some weirder ideas.
So, what else needs to be touched on? I'm a fan of the design, to a point... I really like that there is no band connecting the two earpieces, as I can now lie back in comfort whilst enjoying my music (perhaps while sipping some sort of iced beverage), and the little earhooks are actually not uncomfortable. My only real gripe? There isn't a band connecting the two earpieces. Yes, I'm serious. There's an upside and downside to every "new" idea, and this one can still feel a bit awkward at times. I do miss taking my headphones off with one hand, if awkwardly, in one fell swoop. I miss not having to fiddle with the earpieces to make sure they're positioned properly, even if that process takes only a couple of seconds. And I miss the way we used to talk. You know? Like, REALLY talk.
That said, all bets were off anyway when I heard these babies have a lifetime guarantee. Sure, that could be shameless covering for a shoddy product, but mine has held up very nicely in the short-ish time I've had it (about a month and a half). I've heard the process isn't half bad, either. Not owning many products with such a convenient guarantee, I'm pleased that at least one of them can be something I use daily.
So that's all! Get yourself a pair of these if you need something that won't let you down, and don't mind using casually. You'll probably be the people with a more expensive pair as well, but need something for the day-to-day grind. I hope you found this helpful/informative/enjoyable.
You don't have to go home, but you can't stay here. Because this is a post on the internet, and as such, has no floors.