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needhelp
331
Jan 25, 2017
is this like earbud?
Annndy
89
Jan 25, 2017
needhelpyes. It's a dual-driver earbud with a hook to go around your ear so it won't come out easily.
wontonotnow
307
Jan 25, 2017
needhelpNo they are not like earbuds. They are headphones that use a bar around your ear to hold them in place instead of a headband or rubber plug. I have koss porta-pros, which are similar to these except a heck of a lot cheaper. These look like very good quality, but the fit is uncomfortable to some people, at least until they get used to it.
w00m
180
Jan 26, 2017
wontonotnowPortaPros don't insert into the ear like earbuds though - which these do. Hence they are like earbuds.
wontonotnow
307
Jan 26, 2017
w00mThanks for correction, I guess I'm getting the scale wrong. I didn't think the drivers would go inside your ear, just placed up against them with a hinge.
SlowCousinPete
177
Jan 27, 2017
needhelpIt's a hybrid earbud/canalphone with an ultimately open sound (which also means no isolation)
Annndy
89
Jan 28, 2017
SlowCousinPeteFolks should also take note that Koss offers a lifetime warranty on virtually all of their products, so if you were ever to have a problem with these you could get them fixed for $9 plus the cost of sending them back to Koss. I've never done it but I have heard many people say that it is hassle-free and that Koss is very good about honoring that promise. I do have some other rather inexpensive Koss headphones and I must say that while I don't think any of the ones I have are as good as $200+ Sennheiser's, I do think they sound better than anything else I've obtained for less than $150. Specifially the Koss Sporta Pro at around $25 is the best deal in headphones in my personal opinion. If you like the Grado sound but want something that looks really terrible, those Sporta Pros are for you!
w00m
180
Jan 29, 2017
AnnndyNot just look terrible looking; but some of the least comfortable headphones out there - ther'es a hardline bare metal bracket that hits the top of my ears if i'm not careful. But I love them and still use them more than many more expensive headphones (dog walks. ha.)
Annndy
89
Jan 30, 2017
w00mIt's great to hear from a fellow dog-walking Sporta Pro-wearer. As much as I expected the Sporta Pro with its bare metal band to be uncomfortable, it has always been quite comfortable for me. The sound of the PortaPro is legendary, but I actually think the sound of the Sporta Pro is virtually indistinguishable from the PortaPro. I once called Koss to see if they could tell me what the difference between the two models is and they sent my call to an engineer who told me the drivers for the two are identical and that an updated version of the drivers are used in the very low cost KTXPro1, another headphone that I really like. That engineer told me that the sound and specs on all of those headphones should be identical and that the only difference was the headband type. Maybe we ought to ask for a 3-pack drop so all of us audio nerds can compare for ourselves. Then we could argue endlessly over the virtues of each one over the other. I already have all three and feel like my favorite is the Sporta Pro with it's all black appearance and super simple headband.
Varholiaglimp
939
Jan 31, 2017
w00mMore precisely, they are a clip-on/earbud hybrid. First and foremost, they resemble many of the Koss clip-ons that preceded them. If we don't acknowledge that, we'll be ignoring the tradition from which they come and the palette they likely reflect. Koss earphones are often known for warm mids. The reviews I've read so far suggest that KDE-250s maintain that sig.
Annndy
89
Jan 31, 2017
VarholiaglimpThank you for adding this - it really is remiss of me not to mention that these are the pinnacle of the Koss clip-on style headphones, a style that Koss has been developing for a long time and one that most other manufacturers don't even consider.
Varholiaglimp
939
Jan 31, 2017
AnnndyThanks, Annndy; I didn't mean to fault you personally.
I've noticed that several less experienced MD members have been referring to these as earbuds, which misleads potential buyers and doesn't address the purpose and inherent limitations of clip-ons, which Koss clearly is trying to address by combining that style with slight inserts. People who are attempting to get their bearings tend to repeat the most commonly used word on a thread. If these were mere earbuds and not a reinvention of one of the things that Koss does best, then the distinction wouldn't matter.
Something else that people should know: this style of headphone is traditionally warm and clear but, due to the distanced proximity of speaker to ear, isn't known for its bass and comes from a time when headphone hobbyists tended not to be bassheads. I'm guessing that Koss wanted to try a new approach to that issue, but I doubt that the result is bass-heavy. I'm also guessing that the member who dismissed earbuds as "worthless" earlier in the thread might have been expecting more bass or conflating stock earbuds with all earbuds.
In any case, it wouldn't be fair if these failed to sell because potential buyers were misinformed and not apprised of the Koss tradition.
Annndy
89
Jan 31, 2017
VarholiaglimpGreat points! I want to emphasize that this clip-on style, and Koss in general, tend to be very good in the mid and high frequencies, possibly due to their partnerships with singers and other musicians who were particularly interested in clear but not harsh mids and highs. I also want to point out that while the low end may not actually go as deep in the specs as some people might like to see, in practice there is very little in most recordings that goes below the frequencies that this pair purport to accommodate. So it is quite possible that these will sound very good in the bass to most people. I am very curious to hear what people think about the bass once they get their hands on these.
bugeyed
77
Feb 1, 2017
SlowCousinPeteNot a "canalphone" at all! Canalphone (IEM) inserts into the ear canal, these do not.
AnnndyThe PortaPro/SportaPro/KSC75/KTXPro1 sound *almost * identical. For all practical purposes, calling them identical is good enough. You can, however, tell them apart if you A/B them in a quiet setting while you're focused listening critically. All use the same basic driver, though the KSC75/KTXPro1 drivers are titanium-coated. This gives a sligjtly deeper bass impact, but personally I prefer the warmer, more "organic" sound of the uncoated drivers. As I said though, they are virtually indistinguishable in real-world listening conditions, ie walking down a moderately quiet street
bugeyedI said it's a hybrid, not sure how you missed that part...
bugeyed
77
Feb 3, 2017
SlowCousinPete SlowCousinPete It's a hybrid earbud/canalphone with an ultimately open sound (which also means no isolation) I was referring to the use of the term "canalphone". They do not insert into the ear canal. They point the driver at the ear canal like all earbuds do & that's it. The kde250 is a fancy earbud that is designed to stay in place on the ear by use of ear clips.
bugeyedAre you sure? Admittedly I haven't gotten mine yet, but I was under the impression the smaller driver inserts into the ear, firing forward
bugeyed
77
Feb 5, 2017
SlowCousinPeteYes, the small driver assembly sits in the ear, I think it's called the cymba cavity in some books, but does not insert into the ear canal. The distinction you seem to be missing is "ear canal"? The kde-250 assembly that channels the sound sits in the ear much like an earbud & directs the sound toward the ear canal. A canal phone/IEM inserts into the ear canal & creates a seal where it makes contact.
w00m
180
Feb 13, 2017
bugeyedI think there's a disagreement on definition of 'ear canal' here - semantics really. The KDE-250 inserts into the near; but not all the way into the canal.
bugeyed
77
Feb 13, 2017
w00mThat's what I said in my response, except that I said "ear" where you said "near". ;) It's not semantics, it's anatomy.
HIFI778
652
Oct 22, 2019
AnnndyDescribe better... I have over 20 headphones including Sennheiser, Audiotecnica, Fostex, AKG, Sony and the Koss PortaPro, Koss kph 30i sound as good as any other one I own not less. The only factor is sound signiture difference among them and price (which seems to dictate also quality inside most heads). As quality of sound reproduced with not distortion if their sound signiture is someone cup of tea the Koss are the best value hands down. They rend obsolete and useless all other open cans out there which cost many times more. Once I heard the Koss line up I so understood how much companies jacked up their prices to get filthy rich. Edit: I am using a THX789 with a Topping DX7s as a DAC and Google Chromcast to feed music with Tidal premium via optical.
(Edited)
Annndy
89
Oct 23, 2019
HIFI778I have not tried the KPH30i but I believe you when you say they sound as good as many other models. I have wanted to try a pair for a while and I am very impressed that Koss is selling them at such a good price.
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