Koss SPARKPLUG - Stereo In Ear Ear Plugs
by Koss
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Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Koss SPARKPLUG - Stereo In Ear Ear Plugs
Customer Review: Cheap and somewhat works
Summary: 1 Stars
I got the 1st pair from Amazon.com with a buzz in the right channel, returned it and Amazon.com gave me a 2nd pair fast. 5 stars for Amazon.com.
Now the earbuds. The thing about it is that they are cheaply made, and sounds awful.
Because of the meterial used, the cable tangles alot and has a tendency to "rebound" to their original shipped shape(folded tightly togther), even after 4 months of usage and tweaking they still has kinks all over.
The cable is ver thin and it seems like you'd get whatever color cable they had leftover in the part bin when it's manufactured. My 1st pair came in white, and the 2nd pair came with light grey. Fit and finish is also very poor at where the cable meets the plug.
Sound-wise it's a joke. Heavy, muddy bass and non-existen highs. I had to crank up the treble on my HP iPaq all the way too the max and bass ends to min just to have it sounding normal like my Sennheiser MX400 earbud and my Pro.2 PH560 headphones used on the same iPaq. It's not because my other headphones are extremely sharp of anything like that. It's because these Koss sound like I am hearing the music thru a ear muff whilwe uunderwater.
And about that life-time warranty? Koss will only provide warranty service if you enclose $6 on top of your return postage.
Customer Review: Best sub - $20 earbud I've owned.
Summary: 4 Stars
My search for alternative earbuds to wear inside my motorcycle helmet was necessary because the OEM iPod buds couldn't overcome the outside wind and road noise -- and besides, I was hurting my ears with the volume cranked up so high. I noted that several very high-end alternatives were available at $150 or more. When I found these Koss plugs at BestBuy and for less than $20, I grabbed them instantly.
Disclaimer: I have to admit, I actually LIKE the sound of the OEM iPod buds. I'd say these Koss plugs sound just as good when played at a low volume and they have the added benefit of cutting out a great deal of outside noise. At higher volume, and especially with the things properly inserted with a good seal, they really bump, but in a good way.
They are comfortable and I've used them heavily for about a year, the only thing that's changed over that time is the foam now seems to expand very quickly and you've gotta work fast to get them in.
By the way: I've auditioned many brands of sub-$20 earbuds to satisfy the wife, who isn't a musician like me and isn't nearly as picky about the sound. I still haven't found a set of cheap-o earbuds that sound as tight and clear as the Apple buds, but these Koss plugs are very close, and offer outside noise isolation. That alone is worth something.
Customer Review: Great Buy.
Summary: 4 Stars
As is said in many other reviews, these headphones sound good out of the box, but the bass was a bit too thumpy for me. I did the mods, I put clear tape over the holes on the side, I left 2 holes uncovered and it gave me a nice more even bass. I tried using an old ink cart from a bic pen for the ear plugs but its tough to work with to get it over the port on headphone so I used a straw from one of my sons juice boxes, easier to work with and easier than trying to find an empty ink cart if you need to make new ones. The plasic doesn't absorb the bass and the mids and highs are clearer. Then I bought ear plugs from Walgrens drug store(orange foam ones) and cut the lenght off to match the originals and usd a leather punch to put a hole the length of the plug. Couple of simple mods and these are very comfortable good sounding phones. I have very small ears and many of the other bud style phones were either very uncomfortable or they wouldn't stay in especialy during a work out. The rubber ear pieces bothered my skin. These with the new ear plugs are very comfortable and do a good job of blocking outside noise and for the price you can't beat em. The only thing I'm concerned about is the quality of the cord itself but hey they come wih a lifetime warr and for the price you can keep a spare pair arround just in case.Customer Review: Unbeatable value
Summary: 5 Stars
These earphones are quite good. I usually use them to listen to music or watch videos on my laptop, when I want better sound than the built-in speakers. I have used them a couple times when working out, and they have been reasonably good.
Sound-wise, there is no better value for the money. Unless you are an audiophile using these as your main set of ear/headphones, don't buy Shure ec2 earphones, because these are only slightly worse. Don't use Apple earbuds, because these are actually better sounding. I have not gotten to compare them to Sony's "fontopia" line, but I imagine those aren't even as good as the Shure ec2s, based on reputation (:
Comfort wise they are great when sitting still or moving around a little. If you are doing intense physical activity, they may loosen from time to time, but I haven't had them fall out.
Lastly, over the past several months, they have held up electronics-wise. No crackling or sound cutting out, the bass response and midtones remain excellent, and the highs have not become tinny.
The fact that you can find these for under $10, as compared to the prices for Apple, Sony, and Shure is astounding. If you are shopping around, give these are serious shot despite the low price tag, they are comparable to all of those brands.
Customer Review: Out with the noise, in with the sound
Summary: 5 Stars
I've owned these headphones for almost 2 years. I have small ears. So finding headphones that fit comfortably and STAY there can be frustrating. I also commute on the DC Metro as well as a bus. I need headphones that can overpower the noise without blowing up my eardrums. The Koss Sparkplugs have championed all my needs.
The soft earplug like material blocks out all unwanted noise so I can keep the volume at a comfortable level. I would be careful using these on say a bike, because you will likely not be able to hear important things like traffic.
Sound quality is great, especially in this price range. I've used the Shure E2Cs and other $100+ buds as reference. I'm not going to say the Kosses are on par with them but they're not real far off for casual listening. Especially if your source is radio or mp3 player. Best of all you can buy 6 sets for the same money and not worry if you lose them.
You do have to find a stock of the earplug replacements, but my package came with 6 and I still have another set to use. They will get a little gross as they are an in-ear product. But they clean easily with some warm water and hand soap.
So you get great sound deadening without an external battery and quality sound for less than $15. Highly recommended!