Customer Reviews

Koss KTXPRO1 Titanium Portable Headphones with Volume Control

5 star:		(193)
4 star:		(90)
3 star:		(30)
2 star:		(26)
1 star:		(12)

 

 

At home I had been using the larger type headphones (Sony) that fit over the ear completely. They are heavy but I had no intention of changing. I was looking through different ones for work and had saved these in my shopping cart, but had decided on a different pair. I accidently purchased these and it wasn't worth sending them back for a refund so I kept them and now I use these instead of my Sonys. The sound is fantastic. They are much lighter and the volume control make these one of the best mistakes I've made. There are better headphones out there, but for this price, these deserve a 5 star rating.

Recently purchased an MP3 player with low output, and wanted a pair of on-- not IN-- ear 'phones. These have been a more than pleasant surprise! As a classical music listener, portable phones are plagued with shrill highs, boomy bass; these have a smooth, fairly neutral quality. The headband design is very comfortable, the volume control convenient and they are efficient enough for my MP3 player. At this price (and even if much more), a great find and great value.

Hi all, I have been a user of the Radio Shack Pro 25/35 series of headphones for years. The Pro 25s have been replaced by the Pro 35s, which have been replaced by the Pro 35As in the past couple years or so. You may ask "what relevance is that to me?"
because the Pro 35As are rebranded versions of the KOSS KTXPRO1s
(Just as the Pro25s were rebranded versions of the KTXPRO)!! They are equivalent right down to the last response spec, they even look almost identical (go look yourself!). The only real difference worth noting is the 1/8" plug on the Radio Shack verion is gold plated. Radio Shack will charge you twice the price if they are not on sale, so you can save serious dough here.

Now, down to the sound and comfort which is what (i hope) all of you want to know. Of most importance to me is sound. I tell you these deliver overall sound equivalent or better than budget Sennheisers! (i have listened to the HD-220 and HD-457, the HD-457 i use for backup and extended listening). The KOSS KTXPRO1s are far superior to every lightweight headphone i have ever listened to, better than budget headphones (under $50) of just about any kind! The only sub $50 headphones that sounded even close are the Sennheiser HD-457s and i believe the Sony Street Style MDR-G73LPs of all things. Sound is rich, clear, and true, clean highs which are not harsh at all (unless your source sucks) and bass is amazingly powerful for such lightweight things. The bass is not muddy like the HD-220s nor is it unable to handle the very low bass found in music like Dance, House, Drum & Bass, Rap and Hip Hop. It is not overly punchy either, the bass in my opinion is very balanced. Midrange is true, balanced, and clear as well. Beware of the inline volume control, only use it in moderation, you may realise your CD player is turned up, and sound is not loud but there is distortion (your in-line volume is low) It is great though of people who dont like to touch the CD player for volume often or need a quick abbreviated adjustment.

Comfort with these is better than 95% of all lightweights. The drivers usually make full conact with your ear ( if you have a particularly large head it may not, i wear a fitted size 7 5/8 (XL) hat and it barely makes complete contact), but over very long periods of time (over 3 hours) may make your ears hurt a bit (this was a larger problem with the Pro 25s/KTXPro but with the redesign, spring pressure of the drivers to the ears has been reduced). The rubber headband is a welcome feature, as the top of your head stays comfortable, don't worry, the rubber wont grip your hair at all. They also manage to stay on your head well enough, well, maybe not if you are running, you'll have to readjust them every now and then. For staying on your head, the Pro25/KTXPro does a better job,and will make full even contact with your ear, but they are poorer for extended listening.

My one issue is that you may notice a vibrating/buzzing of the foil diaphram if you listen to high volumes with heavy backup guitar and bass a lot. I have noticed this thoroughout this line of headphones. I think that the foil diaphram becomes detached slightly over time and heavy use. As i test them now they are reproducing only very very slight vibration/buzz in the right ear (Test song: VAST - Here) and i've had these for about 7-8 months, you wouldnt hear it unless you were listening for it. But then again you get a litetime warranty so all is well.

These nitpicky things cannot overshadow the outstanding sound in a lightweight headphone for the price. Even if you have to possibly buy a new pair (or have Koss give you new ones) every 6 months due to diaphram vibration/buzz (if you have good ears :) ) they are so cheap and sound so excellent for their size it's well worth the purchase.

I'll admit, I haven't been into using headphones now for nearly 10 years, but with the advent of the iPod and other MP3 players, I decided that it'd probably be a good time to look for and invest in a good pair of headphones. I'll also admit that I don't yet have a portable MP3 player, but I' probably get one sooner or later. However, with that said, I do listen to MP3s that I've transferred from my purchased CDs on my PC. I have boomy 5.1 surround speaker system for the PC that literally shakes the house, so for me to listen to my tunes at adequate volume without disturbing the other occupants, I figure a good set of headphones was in order.

So what is it that I, or anyone should look for in a good set of phones? Well, clarity of sound for one. That includes several aspects. One being bass response. Most [cheap] headphones can't replicate solid deep bass. Because lets face it, good bass (in loudspeakers) require huge magnets and a large cone and lots of power. A headphone has none of that, but apparently, technology in headphones have come a long way in the past 15 years. Another aspect of clear sound is a phone's ability to replicate the high and mid-range frequencies. What good does a lot of bass do if it drowns out the rest of the frequencies? None. And of course the last thing a set of phones need to do is not crackle and distort at high volume. This is a MAJOR problem with a lot of cheap headphones. Well, even some higher priced ones I'd imagine.

Well, going back to 10 years ago, I had a pair or two of KOSS headphones that could replicate good bass, but this was way before digital music media and from old style cassette walkman-type devices, so the full range of sound fidelity was limited due to the medium used. I remembered and liked the KOSS headphones, which lead me to check out these after they were pointed to by a reviewer for a similar set of Sony headphones.

So how does the KOSS KTX-PRO1 Titaniums perform? EXCELLENT! I must admit though, I was at first confused at why I wasn't getting good bass. Like I said, I use these on my PC, so I have several different software players with different enhancement "plug-ins", one having a "headphone setting", nonetheless, giving a slightly tinnier sound than I was expecting. Turns out that all it took to boost the bass, was to increase the main soundcard mixer's bass level, rather than the plug-in's "hyperbass" level. And what I got was the deep solid, supposedly 15Hz bass response that this product advertises. And it doesn't drown out the other frequencies either. The grill mess on the outside of the ear piece, I suspect, may help with the bass response, but don't quote me on that. And the most important thing with these phones is that they do not distort at all. Crystal clear sound at practically any volume.

The set itself is very comfortable to wear. Some reviewers here may have mentioned that there's only ome pivot point on the ear piece, but it's at the correct angle that it should be adequate for most people's ears.

The bottom line is that if you want a good, sounding set of headpones, you're gonna have to pay more than $5. Let's face it, you get what you pay for. From what others have said here, this exact set sells for over $45 at places like Radioshack under a different model name. So getting this set at Amazon for under $20 is a hellava deal.

Oh, one more thing...over the ear phones rather than these "new" air-bud things.... for one I can't stand sticking anything into my ear. They usually don't stay in cause my ear canals are strangely shaped and two they are just downright uncomfortable. I can't even wear earplugs for the same reason. So this was a nice find to get a excellent pair of over-the-ear headphones at a great price.

You can't go wrong with the KTX-PRO1s. I listen to heavy metal mainly and they do a great job in replicating all the intricrate sounds in probably one of the most sophisticated forms of music outside philharmonic orchestrations.

Update - This product ties with the "best product" I purchased in 2006. Thank you Koss for helping me hear sounds I never quite noted before.

I actually put an order for these phones as a "filler" so I wouldn't have to pay for shipping on another item I was ordering.

And the instant I put the headphones on I knew I was listening to sounds that would muddy into the background with my other headphones. It also happened that the first track that sang through these headphones was Neil Diamond's "I'm a believer" - not that I am a great Neil Diamond fan - but all those sound bits I seemed to have missed had me listen to the whole track.

In addition to headphones that come with the gizmos, my earlier pair of headphones (Sony MDR-V200) were purchased when I used to think that all things "Sony" were reasonably good. It turns out that there is no comparison between the sound of the crappy Sony's and the Koss. I thought of consigning the Sony's to the trash pile, but now I'm saving them so that the Sony believers can hear the difference for themselves when they step my way.

It seems that these headphones have a wide frequency stage with very little coloration. The sound appears very clear - compared to the muddy sound of my Sony's - which I attribute to very good transient response. Probably a stiff and light diaphragm that does not flex at high frequencies. Get these headphones - and you too will be a believer.

PS - if you have recordings that are distorted - you will hear the distortions too rather clearly. You've been warned.

Once there was a DUMMY (that would be me) who purchased an MP3 Player (ipod type), but used a very heavy (albeight decent) headset. He wanted something lighter; one that sounded better than the one he had, with a volume control.

Living in the island of Kauai (Hawaii) there really aren't many places to check out and purchase electronic equipment. After checking Walmart, K-mart, Long's Drugs and Sears and with a bit of apprehension, he went into Radio Shack .. Knowing that their prices tend to be high.

Walla, there was a KOSS PRO35A Titanium. After trying out the unit and LOVING IT, the purchase was made. Cost prior to tax: $49.95 (OUCH!), but after justifying the cost, he decided it was worth it. WAS IT?

Radio Shack only had one in stock, but he wanted two. *** A BLESSING IN DISGUISE!***
So, ok ... had to do a search in google and Amazon. NO such thing as KOSS PRO35A. Maybe the Model Number is only manufactured for Radio Shack?

But there was this Koss KTXPRO1 Titanium at Amazon for around $15.00 and the picture looked strangely alike the PRO35. After enlarging the picture and showing it to wife and neighbor, we decided that it was the same thing. UGGH! $15.00 versus $50.00 + incl tax. Did I just get ripped off?

Bottom Line: Ordered two at Amazon ... and YUP ... it's the same thing. Problem is I've since lost the receipt for Radio Shack and the plastic (??) container that it comes in has been ripped to shreds, so I couldn't return the item. HOW THE HECK DOES ONE OPEN THESE WITHOUT TEARING THEM APART?

*** I would gladly pay $25.00 for a set of these without blinking an eye ***

Outstanding price and quality! In fact, I just bought another one!

BTW: For the person that said they don't last long. Doesn't KOSS have a lifetime warranty on all their headsets? Besides, what do you want for 17 bucks?

UPDATE (As of 7/5/2010): I purchased 3 of these on Dec 2006, and two of them are still going strong. The 3rd one finally broke, but that's because my wife used it for several hours a day and even slept with them on. The two that I have are permanently plugged into the output of a DVD player via a long extension and my Yamaha S900 Keyboard. I'm about to purchase a couple more just for standby and just in case they stop selling these.

As a certifiable headphone fanatic (I own at least a dozen pairs of decent ones, from <$20 to >$250 in price), these nonetheless took me pleasantly by surprise. At first listen, I thought these seemed muffled a bit, or at least very, very reserved in the midrange. Good highs, and the bass does exist, but nothing is overdone here. What's different about these "cans" is the level of midbass that contributes to a fullness of sound without being at all boomy. The very bottom end is also quite a nice surprise (try listening to Seal's "Crazy" toward the end, to find notes that are more felt than heard, alongside Trevor Horn's crystalline production); low bass is palpable, but again not pushed too far -- this is high praise for an open-ear design, which usually tend toward rolling off the bass response (e.g., Sennheiser in the old days) or simply being way too forward on the high end.

The overall effect of these (at least on the light-to-hard rock I've thrown at them so far) is that they are very easy to listen to for extended periods. I will post an update after some serious jazz and classical auditioning as well, but I expect that experience to be even better, given these 'phones neutrality.

Comfort is excellent, and noise leakage is pretty low for an over-the-ear design. The soft (blue) rubber across and below the headband makes the whole thing seem weightless on the ears.

It's hard to get a 5-star review from me. 4.5 stars might have been more appropriate, but frankly I cannot find anything to gripe about at all. At this price point, especially, these are a no-brainer purchase. They compare well with headphones costing literally 10 times as much.

I bought these headphones 6 months ago and have loved everything about them: the light weight, excellent sound quality and especially the price. But there is one thing wrong with them: for a few weeks now they've tended to play only in one ear or the other. This is caused by a problem with the volume control on the cord. If I adjust it up or down, I lose one of the ears. If I jiggle it 'just so', and the headphones are in a good mood, I might have a chance to get sound in both ears. Most of the time now, it just plays on one ear. I unplug and carry them around a lot so maybe if you were just to leave them at home in one spot on your desk, things would be OK.

It is a truly incredible mystery how a $15 pair of headphones could possibly sound better than Sennheisers into the $100-200 range! But they do. In fact, these headphones sound much better than most big, full headphones. And NO, I am NOT exhagurating. And I do know what I am talking about. I ought to point out that I am not someone who up to now listened to their discman with the headphones it came with and who has now just discovered the KOSS KTX-PRO1. For someone like that, these headphones would definitely seem like light years ahead. But I am not that person. I have had experience with MANY different kinds of headphones in all price ranges. In fact I own a pair of Sennheiser HD 600 (Now I do not mean to compare the KTX with the hd 600-this would be like comparing a Porsche 911 to a Mercedes S600. Different things, both amazing in their own rights).
Power requirements: The KTX Pro-1's low impedance and high sensitivity allow you to easily drive them with any portable device. You do not need to plug them in to a headphone amplifier or to your stereo.
Comfort: They are very comfortable even after long-play and they stay in place-unless you are into extreme headbanging ;)
Isolation: Note that these are open-type headphones and isolation is very poor. Personally I don't care about this since the background where I listen to music is quiet anyway, and I don't disturb anyone.
Construction Quality: The quality of construction is not breathtaking, just good.
Sound quality: What sets these headphones to the pinnacle annals of hi-fidelity is their sound quality. They are extremely clear with unnoticeable distortion (even when heavily driven). Low frequency response is excellent and highs are very slightly bright. Mid frequencies are thereby slightly recessed. If you notice how most people set their equalizers is that they increase the bass and treble while leaving the midrange in the 0db level. This makes the input signal (spectral) look like concaved upward (smiling) . The reason people do this is partly because they like bass and treble to be accentuated but more importantly to compensate for the speakers' or headphones' natural inability to reproduce low and high frequencies at the same level as mid frequencies. These KTX are very good at reproducing frequencies in the whole 20-20000hz range very well (as they SHOULD), without droppoffs at the low and high ranges, and therefore artificial compensation (like all those bass-boosters on your discman that distort the signal) are not really necessary.

In plain words: these headphones "kick ass." There is not pair of headphones that I could recommend more. What amazes me is that they only cost $15. If I were to rate them compared to all headphones I have tried throughout my life irrespective of price I would rate them 4.5 out of 5. If I were to also consider that they can be driven by any portable device without the need of additional amplification (the one or two pairs of headphones I would give a perfect score require a headphone amplifier to be driven adequately), I would give them a 6 out of 5!!!

Negatives?
The quality of the cable is poor! In fact, driving these headphones with high current after a period of time causes damage to the cable (like electrical "Low-Cycle Fatigue"). This is why most people have to change these headphones every year or so. But who cares if Amazon sells them for a miserly $14???

Like some of the other reviewers, my goal in purchasing a new set of headphones is that my MP3/CD player had terribly low out-put and simply didn't play well with most other headphones than the ones provided. Now I love my MP3 player so I had to find a way around this and after reading many reviews, I decided that I would give Koss, which has always had a great name, backs up their product for life and owing to the fact that I have one of the "ear muff" kind of Koss headphones that works great with my regular stereo or television, I decided to give these KTXPRO1 headphones a try.
I was not disappointed! They worked better with my MP3/CD player than the headphones that came with it and the sound quality is absolutely out of this world! And the volume control is great too! I had just recently purchased a boosteroo portable device amplifier and I don't even need it with these headphones! They are absolutely wonderful and the in-line volume control is wonderful as well. The bottom line is that just because something is inexpensive doesn't mean it is going to be of poor quality. I had also just received a pair of Sennheiser PX-100's and though they were rated just as well, if not better in some cases, the KTXPRO1 beats them hands down! Both are excellent headphones by great companies but Sennheiser only gives you a two year warranty whereas Koss backs up their products for life, so in my opinion you can't go wrong with these headphones and as I wrote in my title, "Koss is still Boss!"