Customer Reviews

Koss KSC 50 - Headphones ( over-the-ear ) - silver

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(25)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

The Koss KSC-50s, along with the other Koss headphones that use the PortaPro drivers are truly giant killers. These include the KSC-50, KSC-55, KSC-35, Porta Pro, Sporta Pro, KTX Pro, and also some Radio Shack models.

Most cheap headphones sound terrible, but I find these quite enjoyable. I use them when I don't want to take my Sennheiser HD600s out, and while they don't compare to the Senns, they are very plesant to listen to.

First comes the bass. Bass is very good for an inexpensive headphone. While they won't play as deep as a good subwoofer, they play much deeper then most cheap headphones I have tried, and the upper bass is not very boomy (Most cheap headphones have exaggerated upper bass to make them sound like they play deeper, many more expensive headphones do too, such as the Sony MDR-V600).

The midrange is probably the KSC-50s biggest weakness, in particular the lower mids - they just don't have the presence my HD600s have. They also seem to sound slightly colored, which is bad, but it isn't as bad as I make it out to be, I am comparing them to my HD600s. This isn't a fair comparison at all, comparing some (dollar amount) headphones to some (dollar amount) headphones, it is like comparing a Hyundai to a Ferrari.

Highs aren't very airy, but treble is played up fairly high (Most cheap headphones barely play upper treble), and it isn't overpowering at all.

Comfort: These are relatively comfortable headphones, sometimes the earclips can be annoying, but they are extremely light and you usually barely feel them on you.

In short, everything sounds pretty good on these headphones. You really can't compare to them at anywhere this price range. They literally sound better then every Sony headphone from the MDR-Vxxx line which goes from the (dollar amount) V-150 through the V-900s, yes, they sound better then all of them, also they sound better then the Sennheiser HD490 and 500. If you are looking for something under (dollar amount), one of this series of headphones is your best bet. The next real step up from them would be the Grado SR-60 around (dollar amount) and the Sennheiser HD495 around (dollar amount), or the Sony MDR-V7506 around (dollar amount).

The one potential drawback is that these are an open design, which leaks sound out, and lets sound in. The problem is that most cheap closed headphones like the Sony MDR-Vxxx and CD-xxx series sound terrible in comparison. If you are willing to let some sound leak out, and have no isolation from outside noise, these are the headphones for you at this price. The only closed headphone of the above three I reccomend are the Sonys, both the Grados and Sennheisers are open. Most high end headphones other then monitors like the MDR-v7506, or Beyerdynamic DT831 are open. These include the Sennheiser HD600, the AKG K1000, Beyerdynamic DT931, Sony CD3000, and the rather expensive (At (dollar amount)) Sennheiser Orpheus.

As always, be careful with volume levels when listening on headphones, you can damage your hearing very easily. If you can't hear someone at all when they are talking to you, or screaming at you, I would highly reccomend you turn the volume down some, unless you want to wear a hearing aid later.

Pros:
* If you are one of those people who like to listen to music with a lot of bass, these headphones will do fine in giving you a sufficient amount.
* These headphones are very good for on-the-go listening and can be easily shared with friends without having to break a connector band.
* They look really cool!

Cons:
* The soft ear buds aren't totally connected to the rest of the head phone. This means that if you are an active user that won't dedicate significant time to make sure you treat them adequately, they will BREAK OFF. Mine did and I fixed this by taping them back on, but they look a little corny.
* The cord is like a peice of yarn that is easily tangled. When it does get tangled to an extreme, the part of the cord that is kinked will partially unwind leaving the inside metal wire to come out. If the inner wire comes out a lot, your sound quality may decline and it is hard to get the wire back in. The worst case scenario of this happening is where either the wire connects to the rubber plug or where the wire connects to the headphones, leaving it near impossible to get the inner wire back into the outer wire.

Overall:
YES * If you take good care of them and enjoy its better than average sound quality, BUY THEM NOW!
NO * If you won't take good care of them and don't care too much about having good bass, DON'T BUY THEM NOW!

To Koss:
* If you ever plan on making modifications to these head phones...
- Choose a different cord material (rubber or metal wire like sony)
- Make the ear buds more connected to the rest of the headphone rather than leaving a crack in which the average consumer can break them apart.

if you don't take the time to burn them in first. I bought these headphones based on all the glowing reviews here. And I can now add mine too. You will be shocked at how good phones in this price category can sound.When I first took them out of the package and plugged them in, however, I couldn't believe how awful they sounded. Within the first half hour, I was ready to send them back, but I let them run for awhile and after about 3 hours there was a noticeable improvement in the sound. After about 6 hours I was delighted with the sound. I would have never expected to have to burn in inexpensive phones but the difference is amazing.After you let them burn in for at least 6 hours get ready for a listening experience you never thought possible at this price point. And no, of course, they won't compare to high end phones but they sure will give medium priced phones a run for their money. The sound stage is suprisingly full and well balanced, even at low listening levels. Vocals are a bit forward but not tiringly so. Cymbals are just a tad muddy (particularly high hats). But I really am picking nits for this price.These are not noise cancelling phones but they do a great job of blocking out external noises without having to turn them to deafening levels. But never fear, you can still hear things you need to remain safe or just work (traffic, telephone, etc.).The one problem I am having is getting the phone to fit comfortably on one ear. It fits perfectly on one side and is so comfortable, I barely feel it. But the other side digs slightly into the top of my ear. I am hoping, with time, I am able to figure out the placement. Which is the other caveat I offer, it does take some practice to get these on correctly and if you have long hair, pull it back before you try to put them on. But on the whole these are comfortable and secure phones, and you won't believe the sound.

Don't get me wrong, for the price, these are OK headphones. The sound is decent and they are fairly portable. However, there are some drawbacks.

1) They hurt your ears a little bit. Maybe I just need to give them more time.

2) Since they are open air headphones, other people can hear your music too. If you're going to use them while riding a bus or on a shuttle, then you might make others angry. If you're going running with them, then they should be fine.

One of the pluses to these headphones is that they hold very well. So if you like to run, they'll be very good.

These are a terrific set of headphones. The sound quality is terrific, though the physical design isn't perfect.

I had a pair of Grado SR60s (not super-high-end, but still 5x what I paid for the KSC50s), and I'd say the KSC50s are neck and neck with them. The midrange might be slightly better in the Grados, but the transparency is about the same, and the KSC50s definitely have better low-frequency response. If you want to hear real low bass sounds and hate the cheesy "Super Bass" effects, these are the phones for you. And best of all, the KSC50s are really easy to drive, so you won't have to drain your portable player's battery by cranking up the volume to hear it.

As far as the form factor goes, it's good and bad. I have a pair of Sony earclips (that list for the same as the KSC50s) that are smaller and lighter, and they have a wire-style clip for the ear that's a lot less bulky than the clip on the KSC50s. The Sonys are more convenient and more comfortable -- the only problem is that the the sound is horrible by comparison. So if you're comparing these with earbuds or other earclips for use during snowboarding or something, the form factor may or may not get the job done. On the other hand, compared to full-size Grados or Sennheisers, these are extremely portable and convenient. I've used these for walking and other activities, and I haven't had any trouble with them. As far as comfort goes, I hated them for the first couple of days, then I got used to them and now they don't bother me -- though I wouldn't go so far as to call them really comfortable. They could definitely be improved on this score.

Another note: these aren't sealed headphones. If you fly a lot and want to drown out the noise of an airplane, go get some Etymotics instead. On the other hand, I prefer being able to hear a certain amount of ambient noise in case something comes up that I need to hear, whether walking around or in the office.

Bottom line: these aren't perfect, but they're the best all-around headphones I've ever owned, and the price is so low it's ridiculous.

These are the best headphones that I've ever owned. What's so great about them?

1. Lightweight - you don't feel like you're wearing them
2. Comfortable - they don't stick in your ears and they don't have the annoying headband
3. Solid - you'd have to try hard to break them
4. Good fit - great for working out
5. Great sound, especially bass

Add in the low price and these are a must have

These KSC-50's have great sound quality for a cheap set of 'phones. They aren't at all uncomfortable, and while some sound does leak out, you don't need the volume too loud to hear well anyway. The bass is amazing for portable headphones- the only ones I've heard better are my studio 'phones. I would recommend these 'phones to anyone!

My last pair of headband headphones snapped and I needed a replacement pair so I could continue listening to mp3's at work. I managed to snatch a pair of KSC 50's at a nondescript local personal electronics store near my office building- and I've since held no regrets.

The soundcard on my laptop is mediocre at best, and I have electrical grounding problems when it's locked in its docking station. Once I received my new Archos Jukebox Studio 20 mp3 player, everything changed. The range is excellent without balance problems or a soggy bass range. The drivers on the KSC-35 speakers are the same as their more expensive counterparts, the KSC 50's though these probably aren't as sharp or dynamic. Nonetheless, you can do much worse for $20.

The only drawbacks I can imagine could be a prolonged pinching at the top of your ears if your wear them to tight. I've also heard a few remarks out a 'star trek' appearance when I wear them. If you don't mind the Lieutenant Ohura aethetic as a compromise for sonic perfection, then click "Add To Shopping Cart"

I bought this product because of the reviews about sound quality but primarily based on comments about it being so great for exercising. The sound was okay but for jogging the design is absolutely awful. For one thing, they are huge. The size was way larger than what I expected based on the picture. The headphones aren't heavy but they are big. They clip over your ear and seem to stick out a foot on each side. In reality it's about an inch but their lightness actually goes against you as they seem to "float" up and down if you're jogging. I jogged 3 miles the first time I used them and they almost drove me crazy. I spent my time not listening to my MP3 player but trying to adjust the Koss headphones or put them back on because they bounced off. I never got them to "fit" and at the end of my workout, the top of my ears hurt.

I can't say much about the sound quality as I was so distracted by the size and the design I wasn't able to focus much on the sound quality. If you're sitting on a couch and want a cheap headphone, it may be okay. But if you're planning to be active, or moving at all, then don't waste your money. I used it for about a 45 minute workout and won't use them again.

Thanks to everyone that wrote a review stating how good these sterophones sounded. I just purchased a 230.00 mp3 player and was so disappointed how it sounded. I tried several headphones but the sound quality was still terrible. Out of panic I decided to buy a pair of Koss KSC-50 SportClips base on the positive reviews. Wow, these cans sound really great. For the price you won't find anything better out there. I find the clips to be fine. Maybe for some people they may make your ears a little sore if you wear them for several hours a day. In summary, if you want good base and sound and don't want to spend a fortune, buy these sportClips. If you are like me, you will be very, very happy.