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DiMora
263
Mar 2, 2019
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Sound quality is amazingly detailed - but lacks bass. Too bland for me. Like a meal with no salt and pepper. Very comfortable headphones. Energizer feels cheap and plasticky - like a kids toy, not like a piece of high end audio gear. Dual volume knobs are difficult to use and very small and cheap feeling. These were bested by my HiFiMan HE-4XX on Schiit Asgard 2 as well as my Senn HE-6XX on Darkvoice 336SE. 6 listeners agreed these were last place vs. the two combos mentioned above. See pic below of my headphone shootout! I sold them immediately. Adios, Koss Electrostatics! Have you ever seen the Top Gear where James May drives a Lamborghini Countach - and is disappointed? That’s what this was like - so much hope, as I love Martin-Logan’s and Magnepans...but there was just no love here. Too bright and flat and boring. And cheap feeling. Really cheap. These are like a pair of toy headphones.
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Cokeman
1971
Mar 6, 2019
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DiMoraThese aren’t planars though....
Mar 6, 2019
Khronus
79
Mar 6, 2019
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DiMora Koss made a terrible amp since their main approach was to make it portable. So it's underpowered.
Mar 6, 2019
DiMora
263
Mar 7, 2019
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TechsmartWe were having a party and literally pushed a bunch of stuff aside (appetizers,etc.) so all my guests could do some listening and share their opinions. Nice personal attack. What does my kitchen have to do with the headphones? Nothing. I also subtract 15 points from your attack for using the word “quality” 3 times in the same sentence. Nice first comment on Massdrop. Don’t be an internet jackass. There are enough of your type already.
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Mar 7, 2019
DiMora
263
Mar 7, 2019
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CokemanOops! Thanks; corrected. I had electrostatic on the brain but typed planar. Doh!
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Mar 7, 2019
Lambdastorm
77
Mar 7, 2019
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DiMoraActually these are much more tolerable than the STAXes. I used to have an ESP950 in conjunction with 2 007Mk1s and a 507 driven by a BHSE and a STAX 727. Properly driven, 950s actually have the most bass quantity and quality. Granted these may never slam as hard as planars but for stats' they actually do a very decent job on bass. If you don't like these, you're almost guaranteed not to like STAXes. Just my 2 cents.
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Mar 7, 2019
Techsmart
3
Mar 7, 2019
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DiMoraLol. It has nothing to do with the headphones but its ok if you didnt get it. Was just having some fun at your expense not attacking you. Lighten up....enjoy life, its too short! I give you much credit for having the balls to point out this crap there trying to sell to non audiophiles that dont know better! Cheers mate!
Mar 7, 2019
Astrocomical
2
Mar 8, 2019
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DiMoraThey still don't have bass? Oh gawd.......
Mar 8, 2019
DiMora
263
Mar 10, 2019
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AstrocomicalNo, not enough at all. Mids and highs are VERY tight and detailed...but the weak bottom-third octave just makes them no good to me. If I didn’t have other setups right next to them to quickly A:B I would likely think they sound amazing, but by relative comparison, they were bested by my HiFiMans and my Sennheisers. Plus, these are not portable (mobile) at all since you need the energizer box and a power supply.
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Mar 10, 2019
Motorrad
2898
Mar 11, 2019
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DiMoraWhat DAC were you using?
Mar 11, 2019
Hibuckhobby
14
Mar 12, 2019
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DiMoraOK...they lack bass below 40hz (that's a problem only depending on the genre of music one listens to). They can be mildly EQ'd to help with that, but will never compare to a warm headphone with a tube amp. (that was what you compared it to) Cheap plastic? They have always been made of that material because they are meant to be light. Portability? When they were introduced in 1990, that was considered portable. Now, not so much. These need a cord, but the originals came with a battery pack as well as a power supply and a shoulder bag that everything could be carried in. At the price they are being offered, they are an excellent intro to electrostatics. IMO you have to go up to the Stax 007 to do better. Used at home (as currently intended) and treated with decent care they will last a long time...and of course there is that warranty.
Mar 12, 2019
DiMora
263
Mar 12, 2019
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MotorradTwo different DAC’s were tried; Audioquest DragonFly Red and Pro-Ject Pre-Box S2 digital. The Pro-Ject is best to my ears.
Mar 12, 2019
DiMora
263
Mar 12, 2019
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HibuckhobbyThey were compared to 3 other headphones: Sennheiser HE-6XX powered by a Darkvoice 336SE with vintage tubes; HiFiMan HE-4XX powered by a Schiit Asgard 2 Class A solid-state amp, and ESS 422h closed-back headphones with hybrid dynamic driver/Air Motion Transducer design powered by the Asgard 2. I don’t use EQ with any of my headphones; I like to use them as designed. I LOVE the sound of both the Sennheisers and the HiFiMans and picking a favorite between those two is tough; generally I like the Senns on tubes, but slam and impact on bass-heavy music is better on the HiFiMan planars with the solid-state power. I also have Mr. Speaker Ether CX cans, but those were not used in this comparison. I can say with certainty, however, that those also have better bass vs. the Koss.
Mar 12, 2019
SAFETYpin6
9
Mar 26, 2019
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DiMoraMan subjectiveness is such a weird place. I also have the HD6xx, HE4xx, Teak and the ESP/95x and couldn't disagree more. IMO the ESP/95x are the star of the show and the Teaks are a very fun bass oriented runner up. I love all the detail in the ESP/95x and hear subtle sounds in recordings that seem to stand out. They are a bit bass light and I run a +2db shelf to ~100hz. While I was comparing everything was au naturel, no EQ. They have soo much texture and detail to the bass but I agree it's a touch light. I just don't get all the love for the HD6xx it does very little for me. Amp:THX AAA 789 DAC: Topping D50 ESP/95x>Teak>HE4xx>HD6xx
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Mar 26, 2019
DiMora
263
Mar 26, 2019
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SAFETYpin6I HATE my HE-6XX if they are plugged in to anything solid-state...but on my Darkvoice with vintage tubes, they become warm with great bass...that combo is a magical combo. I could see with EQ how the Koss would be very nice, but I always evaluate cans in their raw form with no EQ. As delivered, they were simply too bass-light and cheaply built for me to keep at their price. I may have to pick up some Teaks!
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Mar 26, 2019
Barondla
146
Mar 27, 2019
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DiMoraStrange that you are against eq, then turn around and use a warm tube amp to make the HE-6XX sound "magical".
Mar 27, 2019
DiMora
263
Mar 28, 2019
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BarondlaYour point is indeed valid! At at the end of the day, it’s all about personal preference. I hated the Koss. You might love them. All 6 people who listened to them vs. the other cans I had ranked them in last place - including vs. the $199 ESS 422h! Buy some Koss and compare them to others...they may be your favorite cans - or you may hate them as I did. Cheers, Shane
Mar 28, 2019
Khronus
79
Apr 2, 2019
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DiMoraUnderstandable, since it seems you are a basshead. (Nothing wrong with that.) May I interest you on the Campfire Cascades?
Apr 2, 2019
Nottagorilla
65
Apr 16, 2019
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DiMoraI feel a bit sorry for you...
Apr 16, 2019
Barondla
146
Apr 23, 2019
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Nottagorilla@Nottagorilla I agree that stats need to plugged into ac all the time to sound anywhere near their best. I've always left the Acoustats "on". However, recently I heard of people unplugging their original Quad electrostats to make them last longer. Is this true, and if so, would it apply to the Koss headphones? Luckily we have a lifetime warranty. Many years ago I had the privilege of hearing the Koss electrostatic home speakers at a highend audio store. Wouldn't it be cool if new versions of those appeared?
Apr 23, 2019
DiMora
263
Apr 23, 2019
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NottagorillaYou ad hominem attack does not merit a thoughtful reply. Perhaps you can discuss the whining/whistling defect that you and others have reported in the other discussion on Massdrop concerning these headphones. If you wish to edit your attack and instead engage in an adult-like and thoughtful discussion, I shall consider a reply. Otherwise, I dismiss you.
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Apr 23, 2019
sirkuttin
145
May 6, 2019
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DiMoraThe Vesper Audio full leather earpads make for positive changes in the Bass. They add another 100 bucks to the entire koss package but to me make them the last and only headphones I will need.
May 6, 2019
bootynugget
35
Jul 14, 2019
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SAFETYpin6I agree wholeheartedly about the HD6xx... Bought a pair a couple years back on Massdrop and IMMEDIATELY sold them. They don't even TOUCH my E-Mu Teaks. They sounded muddy and shallow in comparison. I don't yet have a pair of these Koss units though I do have the older version of them (ESP9B) and they sound absolutely fantastic.
Jul 14, 2019
Nottagorilla
65
Jul 15, 2019
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DiMoraYou were in no way subjected to an "ad hominem attack". I did not infer anything about your race, colour, or creed. I merely disagree with your hatchet-job assessment of an utterly fabulous product, and an incredible bargain magnified twice-fold thanks to MassDrop! Doesn't it seem incredible that such flimsy trash (as you've described it) has been in continuous production for 29 YEARS now? From one of world's premier pioneers & makers of headphones distributed in most every country around the world? I don't, and it seems neither do the 600-odd purchasers of them during the last "Drop" here. I've worked in manufacturing & servicing complex electronic & mechanical devices most of my working life, and can clearly distinguish the difference between something that is flimsy, as opposed to merely being light in weight due to advanced materials & construction. It would seem you cannot. As to this "shootout" between all these headphones shown in the pic you submitted with your 6 party guests & their unanimous conclusion that the ESP95x's sounded worst, how can an experienced audiophile with decent ears NOT come to the conclusion that something was VERY, VERY WRONG with either your setup or your sample of the 95x's? Judging by the seeming absolute glee with which you just jumped all over some of us commenting on the little spluttering hissy noises which very, very occasionally manifested; it seems to me that YOU are the one engaged in an ad hominem type attack on Koss. A sad case of "sour grapes" due to the likely errors you have committed with your setup, or some other gripe you have against Koss for gob-only-knows what ulterior reason? The sputtering disappeared in my case after week 3, I'm at around week 16, complete background silence despite being left on continuously & humidity currently 90% in my non air-conditioned home. You need to spend $4000+ to just match the sound of these $500 headphones. And none of them have a lifetime warranty, and only one of them has been in business for 29 YEARS, and even they don't have a model that lasted this long in production, continuous or otherwise. If you want to engage in character assassination of a great product, I think you are perfectly & properly entitled to your opinion. But don't be a hypocrite & hold others to an entirely different standard of criticism. You don't even remotely have the strength in numbers here as far as folks agreeing with your product assessment. I highly suggest you re-read my previous comments to you & make use of my constructive comments. I promise you better listening!
Jul 15, 2019
DiMora
263
Sep 4, 2019
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NottagorillaThere is not a thing wrong with my Pre-Box S2 or my Schiit Asgard 2 Class A amp. Source was hi Rez through TIDAL and local files via Roon. I have nothing against Koss. I am however very straightforward and direct when I review anything. My opinion stands on these: construction quality feels cheap - like toy headphones. Yes, that makes them very light and comfortable. Most importantly, I judge headphones by how they sound. With the same song, source and DAC, these came in dead-last. They don’t sound bad at all (they sound very good...mids and highs are amazing...but they have very little bass)...the other headphones I compared them against were better to my ears as well as to the ears of ALL other listeners. I can’t change those facts about what people stated. Enjoy your headphones...to each their own. I did not like them. The sound was not commensurate with the cost. I do not recommend them. P.S.: An ad hominem attack is when you attack the person and not the discussion. You did that. You are free to disagree, but discuss the product and the sound...not me or my guests. Ad hominem (Latin for "to the person"), short for argumentum ad hominem, typically refers to a fallacious argumentative strategy whereby genuine discussion of the topic at hand is avoided by instead attacking the character, motive, or other attribute of the person making the argument, or persons associated with the argument, rather than attacking the substance of the argument itself.”
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Sep 4, 2019
ClarkCizar
3
Sep 4, 2019
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SAFETYpin6What songs you intend to hear ? Do the 95x sounds high enough? Did you ever tried argons mk3 ? If you tried it do you recommend it? Sorry for my list of questions
Sep 4, 2019
Khronus
79
Sep 5, 2019
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NottagorillaSome people can be Bassheads? I mean... sure, OR could have used a JDS Labs Subjective3 to add 5dB of parametric EQ to his Koss. He didn't, though. His loss. These indeed need something like a well driven Baby Stax or a L700 to be strifed against. NEVERTHELESS, your reaction is shameful for those of this hobby, I myself am a Koss Fanboy. But even if he had just excreted on them, put them on a BAG, and then sent them in to Koss, I would not have come as you had. Really, tone it down a little and be civil, don't be Internet Scum.
Sep 5, 2019
Khronus
79
Sep 5, 2019
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DiMoraYou should try some Ezertich Mania if you love Warm, thick, bassy headphones. Plus, they look like a heirloom! 😍
Sep 5, 2019
Nottagorilla
65
Sep 24, 2019
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BarondlaI own both the original QUAD Electrostatic loudspeaker (3 pairs), & its immediate replacement, the ESL-63 (2 pairs). I have left the originals on for over 2 DECADES now, not a problem! But the ESL-63, & various other electrostatic loudspeakers I either have owned, still own, or at least have some acquaintance with, are a different story. But for different reasons, too. Other Electrostatic loudspeakers, with the exception of Acoustat, do degrade over time. My original Martin-Logan CLS's had a silly "standby" circuit that was also in the signal path, degrading their performance in more ways than one! So screw the warranty, out it went. From 800VDC in "standby" to 3200VDC full time. I still found it a bit dull & lifeless, the speaker rolls off noticeably (-3db @ 10kc/s), so I added an extra diode leg to the voltage multiplier: 4000VDC even. Better, so I left it at that. All was well for many years, somewhere between 5 & 10 anyways. THEN minor trouble started: increasing leakage during high humidity conditions (hissing, popping, farty background noises). Near as I could tell, the open panel design picks up airborne contaminants. I don't smoke or burn incense, but that only slows the process down, not eliminates it. Attempts at cleaning the diaphragm (very carefully!) showed substantial improvement. But really, bad designs like these have a finite lifespan. Ditto later-model Audiostatic speakers. Left in bright, direct sunlight through patio doors 2 hours a day for about a year resulted in a 10db loss of measured efficiency & as Audiostatic went tits up in the interim; a total loss accompanied by some wailing & gnashing of teeth. Not me, a friend. I warned him! Didn't know for sure, but had a BAD feeling about that speaker placement. Post Mortem suggests that ultra-thin conductive diaphragm coating has some photosensitivity. Don't leave electrostatics baking in the sun! Plugged in constantly. Or, NOT! Then there is the QUAD 63 "family". Including the 980, 2800, & 2900 series. They all use the exact same elements, btw. They are time bombs! You get 10, max 15 years & then the plastic starts to bio-degrade. Plugged in, or NOT! The plastic gets brittle, like those new shopping bags. The diaphragm splits, peels, flakes apart! QUAD is mum, serious denial last I inquired 5 yrs. ago. LOTS & LOTS of used QUAD's for sale, ALL "just need minor TLC". TLC my ass, they need a $4000+ replacement of the 8 panels, or $6000 for 12 panels if you have a "larger" model (989, 2900 series). It's not charging that kills electrostatics. In order, it's physical abuse (bending, twisting, falling over), electrical abuse (old QUAD's can be arced by excess volume), ingress of conductive contaminants (dirt, okay? Just...various kinds of DIRT!), but mostly, DUMBHEADS using the WRONG GRADE OF PLASTIC! (Hey Boss! I got us a deal on that big roll we need for our next run! DUHHHH!).
Sep 24, 2019
Nottagorilla
65
Sep 24, 2019
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KhronusIf you were the guy at Koss who found & opened that bag, would you be even remotely as civil about things as I was? And still am?
Sep 24, 2019
Nottagorilla
65
Sep 24, 2019
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DiMoraSorry if I put on too much "snark" for your liking, but I did fully/completely respond to the "arguments" at hand; not simply derail the subject with gratuitous insults because I had nothing else of value or intelligence to say. But I am still gobsmacked by your experience & verdict. The only thing that could cause these phones to be so deficient in the part of the frequency spectrum that they excel at is that you had to have literally taken a brand-new set right out of the box & listened to it straight away with literally seconds of charge time! There is just no other explanation, short of defective headphones or faulty ancillaries.
Sep 24, 2019
DiMora
263
Sep 24, 2019
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KhronusI’m picking up some Audeze LCD-X from a great friend; I’ll give them a review once I’ve had a chance to listen to them at length. Lately I’ve been using my Mr.Speaker Ether CX on a Monoprice THX 788 with its internal DAC. I’ve actually been giving them a touch of EQ to the bottom due to my bass love but even dead-flat they sound very well balanced and detailed. I’ve already heard the Audyssey - and they are quite amazing. I also picked up a pair of THX789 amps so I can do A:B headphone comparisons with identical amps/DACs. More to follow.
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Sep 24, 2019
Dracon_Arkhon
11
Apr 23, 2020
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DiMoraLoL Guys I've almost forgotten about how the so-called audiophiles can have a heated argument basically about anything... While at the same time they are just trying to put together a bunch of biased equipment to please their biased ears by balancing their respective imperfections. If you can't enjoy music coming from a $5 headset you are just f***ed...
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Apr 23, 2020
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