Good, if uncomfortable, sound quality for the price
Written: Nov 30 '07
Product Rating:
Pros: In-line volume control
Inexpensive
Good audio quality
Open-air
Cons: No Noise cancellation
Not necessarily comfortable for extended wear
May be unstable on some heads
The Bottom Line: Open-air headphones with impressive audio quality for it's price range. They are, however, not necessarily comfortable for extended wear.
elereth's Full Review: Koss KTXPRO1 Consumer Headphones
Either there's something terribly wrong with Koss R&D or I'm rather unlucky. Regardless, I've yet to buy a single pair of Koss headphones that has been completely comfortable for extended use. Normally this would be enough to keep me away from a given brand, but Koss has always managed to keep my business by provided a high level of audio quality for the price paid, as if they were trying to balance the benefits you get for the price. These headphones have lived up to the stereotype.
First, let me say if you crave perfect sound, these are not for you, but then no headphones at this price would be. You should stop looking at these and save up for something at a higher price range. If, however, you're looking for a good set of inexpensive, open-air, supra-aural headphones with solid audio quality and in-line volume control, then you'll be pleased as that's precisely what these are.
I bought these headphones looking for three things. The first was in-line volume control. The second was the ability to hear the world around me clearly. The third was audio not sacrificed by my second qualification. Koss delivered well on all three. Because of this, however, these are probably not headphones you'll want to take jogging with you. They're in no way noise canceling nor do they make any claim to be. This makes these unsuitable for use in loud environments. The flip side, though, is while listening to music at home you'll hear your cat knock something over on the table, a person step in the door, or someone calling your name while still enjoying a respectable level of audio.
Keep in mind, however, these are still twenty dollar headphones. The sound is great for the price, but it won't blow you away. It delivers a good amount of bass without drowning out the mids and highs, but it doesn't deliver crystal clarity. For the price, though, it's audio is impressive.
Unfortunately, the headphones, which are meant to be worn vertically have earpieces that are only adjustable horizontally, which makes no sense when you think about the anatomy of the human ear. This means you have to tilt the band forward on your head for them to really be comfortable for extended use. For some people, this might make them a bit loose. For most, it's just silly.
Ultimately, if you're not looking for noise-cancellation and you're looking generous audio quality for a budget price, these are for you. If you're looking for something more, you'll probably need to save your money, as these deliver what is probably the best audio you'll get for the price. Just don't take them jogging.
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