My Koss KPH30i arrived and the level of audio quality doesn't make sense for the price.

[SlickVic]

Hmm may give these a shot. I've had the Audio Technica M50x for the past 5 years or so and while I like the sound from them, it's always felt a bit too constricting on my head especially over longer listening sessions. I loosened the band up a bit before which helped a lot, but still can't shake the feeling of it still feeling a bit too tight. The KPH30i looks very lightweight in comparison, and seems like it might be more comfortable to me, and would be nice to have something comfy with good sound to use with my PC.

Edit: Just ordered a pair. Looking forward to trying it out!

 

[Log!]

Update:

Koss KPH30i Headphones | Open-Back Audiophile Headphones | Drop

The Koss KPH30i is a portable headphone with lots of stylish, retro-inspired appeal. The open-ear design delivers smooth bass, clean treble, and an exceptionally spacious sound.

drop.com

These are currently price-dropped by $10 on Drop (Formerly Massdrop) so they're now $20. ($22.75 with shipping)

They were out of stock as recently as yesterday when I was telling a friend to grab 'em.
If anyone wants to sign up with my link, cool. If not, no worries.

I already have the Portas and the KSC75s from Drop. Mics are quality. Sound is outstanding but that's to be expected. Also still have my beat-up Portas from the early 2000s lmao

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They don't have any beige. :(

 

[Deleted member 3038]

Hmm may give these a shot. I've had the Audio Technica M50x for the past 5 years or so and while I like the sound from them, it's always felt a bit too constricting on my head especially over longer listening sessions. I loosened the band up a bit before which helped a lot, but still can't shake the feeling of it still feeling a bit too tight. The KPH30i looks very lightweight in comparison, and seems like it might be more comfortable to me, and would be nice to have something comfy with good sound to use with my PC.

Edit: Just ordered a pair. Looking forward to trying it out!

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You should take a look at Swapping out the Ear Pads or Stretching out the Band in a specific matter. I had the same issue on my M50x when I swapped the pads out for a memory foam set, I stretched out the band by opening them up for around ~1.5 Minutes or so, never had issues since.

Though now I'm rocking Monolith M1060Cs (Which I've also done an Open-Back mod for, But I swapped back to closed-back since they are my primary Gaming headphones now). A very decent upgrade to my M50x & You don't need much to power them (I use a Fulla Schiit & a Atom Amp, but from what I've tested hooking them up on my phone [S10], they seem to work fine on everything.)

 

[SlickVic]

You should take a look at Swapping out the Ear Pads or Stretching out the Band in a specific matter. I had the same issue on my M50x when I swapped the pads out for a memory foam set, I stretched out the band by opening them up for around ~1.5 Minutes or so, never had issues since.

Though now I'm rocking Monolith M1060Cs (Which I've also done an Open-Back mod for, But I swapped back to closed-back since they are my primary Gaming headphones now). A very decent upgrade to my M50x & You don't need much to power them (I use a Fulla Schiit & a Atom Amp, but from what I've tested hooking them up on my phone [S10], they seem to work fine on everything.)

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Yeah as mentioned stretching them out definitely did help a lot. Haven't tried replacing the ear pads, but after using them for a few years, I think I've (slowly) come to realize I'm not the biggest fan of the ear pad design that goes around the ear (rather than just sitting on top) for longer listening sessions, and I think that might be my real issue with them. I don't mind the 'around the ear' design for shorter gaming sessions, but I tend to be plugged in with headphones for hours on end when I'm on my computer, and then's when they start feeling a bit uncomfortable to me.

The Koss phones linked here seem like they may be more to my comfort preference though, so will try them out to give it a shot.

 

[Guts Of Thor]

Just ordered a pair for $20. Curious to see what they sound like. I've been using my Astro A40's for 10 years now and have been looking for something to replace them so if I can replace them for $20 I'll be VERY happy haha.

 

[Handicapped Duck]

Just ordered a pair for $20. Curious to see what they sound like. I've been using my Astro A40's for 10 years now and have been looking for something to replace them so if I can replace them for $20 I'll be VERY happy haha.

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Please post back here after a couple days of using them and let us know what you think! Good or bad impressions, I'm more curious to see what people that bought or have them think of the headphones.

 

[Agentnibs]

Saw the op, and immediately bought some. I don't really need them but they were cheap and in curious

 

[Guts Of Thor]

Please post back here after a couple days of using them and let us know what you think! Good or bad impressions, I'm more curious to see what people that bought or have them think of the headphones.

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Will do. Just a heads up for anyone ordering from Drop, they are $20 but not shipping out until August 21st. Amazon has them in stock as well for $10 more.

 

[Deleted member 3038]

Yeah as mentioned stretching them out definitely did help a lot. Haven't tried replacing the ear pads, but after using them for a few years, I think I've (slowly) come to realize I'm not the biggest fan of the ear pad design that goes around the ear (rather than just sitting on top) for longer listening sessions, and I think that might be my real issue with them. I don't mind the 'around the ear' design for shorter gaming sessions, but I tend to be plugged in with headphones for hours on end when I'm on my computer, and then's when they start feeling a bit uncomfortable to me.

The Koss phones linked here seem like they may be more to my comfort preference though, so will try them out to give it a shot.

Click to shrink...

Yeah It's strange, I used mine for around 4 years and after the 3rd year I was starting to feel that same ear pain. I went from being able to wear them for hours at a time to having to take them off after like 2hrs. They are a super solid pair of headphones though, I gave them to my brother that seemed to have no issues with clamping pain like I had and he thinks it's a huge upgrade compared to the Logitech Headset he was using before.

Will do. Just a heads up for anyone ordering from Drop, they are $20 but not shipping out until August 21st. Amazon has them in stock as well but for $10 more.

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Yeah Drop generally has a 1+ Month delay on orders since they are special warehouse "Bulk" Orders (So I'd imagine they are actually shipping them twice). If anyone wants them in a reasonable timeframe I would just splurge on the $10.

 

[SlickVic]

Yeah It's strange, I used mine for around 4 years and after the 3rd year I was starting to feel that same ear pain. I went from being able to wear them for hours at a time to having to take them off after like 2hrs. They are a super solid pair of headphones though, I gave them to my brother that seemed to have no issues with clamping pain like I had and he thinks it's a huge upgrade compared to the Logitech Headset he was using before.

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Ah interesting. I'd also say for me another factor for me is I usually wear glasses, so before I stretched out the band of the a bit, it felt like the ear pads on the M50x were pushing the frames of my glasses into my skull (that maybe sounds more dramatic than what it actually was, but it definitely was something I felt after hours of use). And that was definitely much better after stretching them out a bit (and I imagine lighter ear pads would help as well) but I guess I just prefer not having ear pads that go on top of my glasses. The KPH30iW's design seems like more my speed, but we'll see.
Glad you found a set that works well for you.

 

[Tap In]

Just got mine today Amazon $29.99

Didn't get a chance to play music yet but played Battlefield and Forza and F1 and AC Odyssey and damn! These are as good as my open air Audio Technica ATH AD500X which were becoming too heavy and hot. Got the earpad mods coming Saturday but even the stock is not too bad

The sound is phenomenal for $30. Wow

 

[Hydra_BE]

These things have great sound quality, but just be careful with the plastic bands. I had to buy a replacement because accidentally stepped on them.

 

[Deleted member 6215]

Got a pair today - the hype is real. Played a FLAC version of an album I know like the back of my hand (Achtung Baby) - outstanding. Needed a lightweight alternative to my noise cancelling Senns and these things are ridiculously good for the price.

 

[Guts Of Thor]

Please post back here after a couple days of using them and let us know what you think! Good or bad impressions, I'm more curious to see what people that bought or have them think of the headphones.

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Ok these things are the real deal. I've played Assassins Creed Odyssey the past two nights with these and am shocked with how great they sound. I'm not an audiophile by any means but I noticed a difference right away when switching between these and my 10 year old A40's. The A40's sound muffled whereas these sound crystal clear.

I have a decent surround sound system but now I only want to use these lol.

 

[Handicapped Duck]

Ok these things are the real deal. I've played Assassins Creed Odyssey the past two nights with these and am shocked with how great they sound. I'm not an audiophile by any means but I noticed a difference right away when switching between these and my 10 year old A40's. The A40's sound muffled whereas these sound crystal clear.

I have a decent surround sound system but I now only want to use these instead of the theater system lol.

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Happy to see that you enjoy them! I'll be trying them out with Ghost of Tsushima here later today, I can't wait to hear how it sounds.

 

[D23]

Just got this and im shaking my head right now... like the sound coming out of this $30 can is insane lol!

 

[Nappuccino]

Would these be a good headphone for something very sound oriented like The Hunt: Showdown?

My usual headphones are great, but I wouldn't mind a lightweight, open headphone so I can hear someone trying to talking to me at the apt, at the same time. My Grados, which I tried for this purpose, make it much harder to identify directionality. Not sure why.

 

[Galaxea]

Is the sound on these any better than the Koss Portapros? I use those mostly on my Oculus quest but I might grab a pair of these as well for other things. I am about to sell off my Fostex TX 00s sitting on my desk because I get tired of trying to get my magni 2 Uber stack to work on my usb 3 PC.

 

[discotheque]

Would these be a good headphone for something very sound oriented like The Hunt: Showdown?

My usual headphones are great, but I wouldn't mind a lightweight, open headphone so I can hear someone trying to talking to me at the apt, at the same time. My Grados, which I tried for this purpose, make it much harder to identify directionality. Not sure why.

Click to shrink...

Yes definitely, the sound stage of the KPH30i is very well regarded.

 

[Nappuccino]

Yes definitely, the sound stage of the KPH30i is very well regarded.

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Awesome! Sounds like I'll have to give them a shot.

 

[Handicapped Duck]

Is the sound on these any better than the Koss Portapros? I use those mostly on my Oculus quest but I might grab a pair of these as well for other things. I am about to sell off my Fostex TX 00s sitting on my desk because I get tired of trying to get my magni 2 Uber stack to work on my usb 3 PC.

Click to shrink...

I believe they are the same drivers as the PortaPros. The KSC75s are different drivers from both of them though. I tried these with my Oculus and I would recommend getting the KSC75s just due to the fact that the Y-cable is very prone to getting caught around the headset and trying to take the headphones off while in VR is a monumental task of not ripping the cable in half.

Edit: If you're getting the KPH30i's for other uses then for sure go for them. They are fantastic, just for VR is it a hard recommend due to the fragility of the wiring. If they remake these with detachable cables or put the cable to one side, than I'd be all over it for VR.

Would these be a good headphone for something very sound oriented like The Hunt: Showdown?

My usual headphones are great, but I wouldn't mind a lightweight, open headphone so I can hear someone trying to talking to me at the apt, at the same time. My Grados, which I tried for this purpose, make it much harder to identify directionality. Not sure why.

Click to shrink...

The soundstage and imaging are pretty good on these headphones, and you're not breaking the bank at $20-$30. Worst case is that they don't provide the accuracy you need, and instead have a decent pair of headphones for listening to music and general headphones for your PC.

 

[alr1ght]

Is the sound on these any better than the Koss Portapros? I use those mostly on my Oculus quest but I might grab a pair of these as well for other things. I am about to sell off my Fostex TX 00s sitting on my desk because I get tired of trying to get my magni 2 Uber stack to work on my usb 3 PC.

Click to shrink...

I use both and they sound the same to my ear. I find the portapros are much more comfortable, save the occasional pulled hair from the headband.

 

[BarcaTheGreat]

Seeing these for 8x.xx CAD at Amazon Canada... Anyone know a cheaper option for this or something similar for a Canadian?

 

[SirMossyBloke]

Seeing these for 8x.xx CAD at Amazon Canada... Anyone know a cheaper option for this something similar for a Canadian?

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Saw that myself. Fuck that for that price lol

 

[mikehaggar]

Amazon appears to have these in the US, but is showing them as Koss KPH30iK. Are these the same or different? Listing is here.

 

[rashbeep]

Seeing these for 8x.xx CAD at Amazon Canada... Anyone know a cheaper option for this or something similar for a Canadian?

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i got them from koss' site directly for about $50 CAD

 

[Handicapped Duck]

Amazon appears to have these in the US, but is showing them as Koss KPH30iK. Are these the same or different? Listing is here.

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The last letter or two are just the color variants, you're good.

 

[BarcaTheGreat]

i got them from koss' site directly for about $50 CAD

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Just ordered them from their site for about 30 USD.. Hopefully they won't charge customs or other fees later.

 

[piratepwnsninja]

Ordered a pair of these to hopefully use with my PSVR headset

 

[SeeingeyeDug]

So what's the benefit over the foldable portapros considering they are the same price?

 

[Handicapped Duck]

So what's the benefit over the foldable portapros considering they are the same price?

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I'll let you know when I get my PortaPros in September, but from what I hear, they are much lighter than the PortaPros, it doesn't rip at your hair, some people claim that they sound better than the PortaPros but I can't verify that for myself currently, like the soundstage and imaging is better on these than PortaPros. PortaPros can fold up into a compact design which is cool, and they have that '80s esthetic which I like.

 

[alr1ght]

I just weighed them, and the Portapros are actually negligibly lighter (2.4oz/body 2 oz) vs the kph30is (2.6 oz/body 2.1 oz).

 

[Handicapped Duck]

I just weighed them, and the Portapros are actually negligibly lighter (2.4oz/body 2 oz) vs the kph30is (2.6 oz/body 2.1 oz).

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Well would you look at that. I figured with the plastic body it would weigh less. Thanks for the correction.

 

[mikehaggar]

The last letter or two are just the color variants, you're good.

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Awesome, thanks!

 

[Tap In]

A

Amazon appears to have these in the US, but is showing them as Koss KPH30iK. Are these the same or different? Listing is here.

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Appear to be the same to me. I wish I'd seen those as they were out of gray when I ordered but the white/blue are also pretty cool

 

[Guts Of Thor]

I haven't used my home theater since getting these on Wed. Played Forza Horizon 4 last night and I'm impressed although I wish they had a little more bass to them but that's about the only issue I have.

 

[Handicapped Duck]

I haven't used my home theater since getting these on Wed. Played Forza Horizon 4 last night and I'm impressed although I wish they had a little more bass to them but that's about the only issue I have.

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I played a couple hours of Paper Mario with them and it was a joy to do so. I love the level of bass they give, not too heavy and forward, but not too light that one strains to hear it. Only thing I wish was improved was the clarity of hertz range above 15,000. I have a hard time deciphering it with songs above that range. Sounds slightly garbled.

 

[Firebrand]

Mailed the Scandinavian distributor and they said they're not coming back.

Missed Drop's restock unfortunately. They're in stock on various Amazon stores through Amazon Global but unfortunately does not deliver them to here.

 

[Tap In]

Just did the ear pad mod only took about 12 to 15 minutes taking your time no issues or clip breaks

definitely more comfortable but immediately noticed a little more warmth on my ears

 

[Galaxea]

I use both and they sound the same to my ear. I find the portapros are much more comfortable, save the occasional pulled hair from the headband.

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Sounds good! I will stick with my Portapros for now since they are my go to for my VR headset and Nintendo switch. I use my Audio Technica M50xBT for everything else due to Bluetooth convenience meets good sound quality.

I do, however, really like the design of these and will end up with a pair in the near future.

 

[Handicapped Duck]

Just did the ear pad mod only took about 12 to 15 minutes taking your time no issues or clip breaks

definitely more comfortable but immediately noticed a little more warmth on my ears

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Yeah that is a problem for those that hate warm ears. The comfort and enhanced soundstage more than make up for it though.

 

[Notaskwid]

Hm these have pretty bad reviews on Amazon JP in regards to sound quality

 

[Homekoro]

I use a pair of Porta Pros with Yaxi earpads almost daily. Great sounding headphones for the price, easy to carry and very comfy with the larger earpads.

 

[Handicapped Duck]

I currently bought some KSC75s and they are just as great, I do feel they lack a tad in bass, but they do have their original pads on and it will be awhile before I swap on the Yaxi Pads for these.

 

[Scott]

Got mine today (Canada from Koss). No customs!

 

[Doomguy Fieri]

I was all set to order a white pair, but all the sudden the beige looked really good to me! Impulse bought.

 

[MoonsaultSlayer]

Ordered because of this thread and after being initially "meh" with older music sounding not much different than my pretty decent cheap ear buds, they really shined with newer, digital music. Like Flamingo from KKB for instance thanks to Bugsnax bringing it to my attention.

Even the low end of Ronald Reagan Other Side from Gundam Thunderbolt sounded fantastic.

 

[FeedMeAStrayCat]

I ordered mine from Drop last month and they just arrived yesterday. Got the white/blue pair, they actually look pretty cool in person. And I'm honestly impressed with these, though I'm not an audiophile and I have literally no experience with higher-end headphones. Nor have I had any prior experience with open-back headphones. I really liked the isolated nature of closed-back headphones, but I do overheat super easily and so far these have been very comfortable in regards to heat. Also need to listen to some more variety of tunes and on different devices yet. Daft Punk is next up!

I have no experience with DACs and I dunno if I should try to get a cheap one or not. I'm leaning towards not, but still unsure. I've been recommended the Schiit Fulla at $99, but that's too pricey for me at the moment. Is there anything in the $30-$40 range that is worth it? Or anyone selling an old DAC in here that they don't need anymore? Just spit-balling at the moment

 

[Kuribo’s Shoe]

I got these and loved them, but after a few months the plastic snapped where you can adjust the size. Sucks.

 

[Log!]

I ordered mine from Drop last month and they just arrived yesterday. Got the white/blue pair, they actually look pretty cool in person. And I'm honestly impressed with these, though I'm not an audiophile and I have literally no experience with higher-end headphones. Nor have I had any prior experience with open-back headphones. I really liked the isolated nature of closed-back headphones, but I do overheat super easily and so far these have been very comfortable in regards to heat. Also need to listen to some more variety of tunes and on different devices yet. Daft Punk is next up!

I have no experience with DACs and I dunno if I should try to get a cheap one or not. I'm leaning towards not, but still unsure. I've been recommended the Schiit Fulla at $99, but that's too pricey for me at the moment. Is there anything in the $30-$40 range that is worth it? Or anyone selling an old DAC in here that they don't need anymore? Just spit-balling at the moment

Click to shrink...

I don't think you're going to need a DAC for something like the KPH30i's unless you hear a lot of noise coming from what you've got them plugged into at the moment.