Customer Reviews

Koss Pro-4AA Studio Quality Headphones

5 star:		(63)
4 star:		(34)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I think the Koss Pro-4AA headphones were the phones of choice for Noah on his ark - they've been around a LONG time. And contrary to some longstanding products that stick around in spite of newer, more technically advanced competitors simply because a bunch of eccentrics swear by them, these phones are a fabulous choice for anyone at any time.

And now the pros and cons...

Cons:

1) Heavy, heavy, heavy. Watch your neck.

2) If you have a large head, these phones can give you headaches as the headband design puts a lot of pressure on your temples and ears.

3) The coiled cord has a tendency to increasingly pull on one side of the phones as you get closer to its length limit. That this starts to happen around the halfway point is troubling.

4) Not a stylish set of phones. Almost retro in appearance. The ill green color could have been changed long ago.

5) The earpiece's circumaural seals are filled with air and will deflate if punctured. This is the Achilles heel of the phones.

6) The cord cannot be easily replaced. If you get a short, you're done for.

Pros:

1) Superior, extended frequency range. Clean and flat. Still the best sounding phones I have heard in their price range. Sounds as good as phones that go for twice the price.

2) Circumaural, closed design holds in the thunderous bass and stifles the outside world.

3) Still the choice of many professionals. It's amazing how many DJs continue to use this model.

4) The price is outstanding for the quality of sound delivered.

5) Built like a tank. My first pair lasted ten years of constant use. (They never did break down, I replaced them for another reason.)

For a home system, this is a fine set of cans. If you want something portable, look elsewhere. Consider buying a cord extension, too, if you plan to sit somewhere else besides right near your stereo. And let people know that with them on, you'll be in your own musical world for a while. Sit back and enjoy!

These are great headphones. The sound quality is excellent and very clear; they handle treble and bass without any fuss, and have the largest frequency response on a headphone under $100 I've seen. I've heard many good things about Koss headphones, and decided to get these after reading the positive reviews on the Internet. When I got them, I realized that I underestimated how heavy these headphones are. I've read all the warnings, but never imagined headphones could be so heavy - but they are! Imagine having a pair of speakers hanging from your head - you get speaker quality sound, but you also get speaker weight. These are pretty hard to drive - my Pioneer receiver did fine, but my computer's Sound Blaster Platinum had trouble pushing these headphones to the same level.

I finally returned them after a month of use, not because of poor sound (these headphones really rock when it comes to sound, even at very loud levels, I didn't hear distortion till 98db), but out of sheer discomfort - I couldn't listen to them for more than half an hour at a time, and my head and ears got very sweaty because of the cushions. I needed headphones that sounded good and that I could wear for prolonged periods of time. Koss Pro 4AA offered great sound at a great price, but I couldn't wear them while writing a paper or reading a book. Recommended for people who have strong necks and want to hear everything clearly and without distortion. Perfect for isolation from outside noise and studio monitoring when hearing every exact detail of the recording is essential.

Strengths:
Excellent detailed sound - perfect treble, almost perfect bass. Very good for critical listening - you'll hear stuff you've never heard before. Isolation from outside noise. Retro look (if you're into that).

Weaknesses:
Heavy! VERY heavy!

Similar Products Used:
Sony MDR V300, V600, V700DJ, Sennheiser 495 & 497, cheap Jensens & Aiwas

These are perfect for my application. I am a studio drummer who mixes 4 drum mics through a Macke 1202 VLZ Pro and the recording I am to play with. I use the output of this mix through these great headphones for perfect playing balance. The fact that they eliminate most of the actual ambient sound of the drum set and allow me to here the mixed output of the drums and recording (only) make them well worth the price. They have a great bass response as well as mid and highs and are perfect for me to establish a feel as if I am playing with the recording live.

The only negatives I can come up with are that they are heavy and adjustments of the position of the speakers on my ear are limited and cumbersome. Also, they will cause your ears to sweat after a long session and if your ears are sensitive to this you must let them breathe.

However, there must be tradeoffs, and the quality of these phones well outway the negatives. Don't buy them to jog with. They are not meant for that. However; if you want to emerse yourself into the music without outside sound interruptions these are the headphones for you. You can hear things you will never hear through your speaker system with these phones.

I am a professional drummer and these headphones are the best I have ever used. Superb sound quality and excellent ambient noise cancellation. I have used headphones that cost 3 times as much, but can't hold a candle to these classic cans. They are heavy and not for "portable" purposes, but are (in my opinion) the BEST headphones for studio or home use.

As other reviewers pointed out, these are real heavy and there's deffinately an adjustment period. Once you get past this, you realize that your getting better sound than your friend's Senns and Sony's that they had to pay HUNDREDS of dollars more for. As good as they sound out of the box, they continue to deliver even crisper trebble and deeper bass after about 100 hours of listening. The frequency range is enormous, not that anyone can hear down to 10 hz anyway. Despite being heavy, they're not uncomfortable, assuming that you're not doing anything else besides litening to music. Some sound does bleed through but its proabably a lot less than whatever headhones you're using now.

The KOSS Pro-4AA's were not made for iPod/MP3 headphone users. TO begin with, they reveal the low fidelity of MP3 files (compared with LP's or CD's). Also, they require a 1/4"-to-3.5mm (or other) adapter in order to plug into most recent audio playback and computer equipment.

These Headphones have been around a long time. Check out the old photos of the "Watergate" hearings from 1973/1974, and notice that the Senators & attorneys were all listening through KOSS Pro 4AA headphones. Their longevity is mainly due to their extermely high fidelity audio reproduction. Unfortunately, their age has made them somewhat inconvenient for most listeners, since they are very heavy and a bit cumbersome.

NEGATIVES:
1) Weight (about 3 or 4 times as heavy as most contemporary studio-reference headphones)
2) Tight headband - as noted, the fit is fatiguing if your 'hat size' is greater than 7 1/2.
3) The coiled cord is extremely difficult to replace (it's actually less expensive to replace the entire set of headphones of you can get a good discount).

POSITIVES:
1) AUDIO FIDELITY. Unless you want to spend at least $300 for a set of headphones, the sound quality and fidelity of the Pro-4AA's is almost impossible to beat.
2) VALUE. As noted above, for the price you pay, these are vastly superior to any other headphones that are comparably priced.
3) DURABLE. My first pair lasted 30 years. They were dropped and knocked around, and finally gave out when (It think) a voltage spike surged in the left earphone, fusing a coil.
4) ISOLATION. THe paddded earphones block out external sound very well.

The sound fidelity is preserved over a wide volume range. These sound great at low and high volumes.

The biggest Positive (and the reason why I prefer to use Pro-4AA's for audio mixing, other studio applications, and serious listeining) is that they are extremely unlikely to be stolen. Size matters: they are heavy, and bulky so they're not easily concealed; and since iPOD or MP3 players use the mini plugs, these require additional hardware. If you just want 'jogging/exercise music', then these will not work well. If you want hi-fidelity at a bargain price, the Pro-4AA's are still the best choice around.

When I started in radio 30 years ago...the first cans I used were Koss Pro 4AAs...
over the years I have used AKG's,Pioneers,and more recently Sennheiser HD500s
which I like...but call me sentimental...my wife got em for my birthday and they still
sound just like I remember them and still cost about the same...So there heavy...big deal..adjust. It is worth it...I missed the weight on my head and they sound great in the studio too! A+

I just got these headphones today and have been trying them out with various applications in my studio. I was impressed and actually surprized by the sonic quality of these things. The bass response was nice & tight and the mids & highs were pleasant. I think it is hilarious that some of the reviewers don't dig the retro appearance. These days, retro is cool and why mess with a good thing. Who are you trying to impress anyway.

As a teenager, these were the headphones to get, but I could not afford them and had to settle for a pair of Pioneer SE205's. What a thrill it is to finally purchase something that I always wanted as a youth!!

I have seen the complaints about the weight and yes they are heavy, but I think that is the trade off for having cans that will block out most of the external noise and sound this good. I'll just have to get used to them. (so will the other guys in the band since I purchased 4 sets)

If you are looking for a great set of studio headphones that won't break the bank, don't hesitate to buy the Pro4AA's.

These stereophones are spectacular when hooked up to Hi-fi systems. Very good sound. However, if you are planning to use these stereophones with a 1/4 inch to miniplug adapter so you can use it with a computer or portable stereo system then these stereophones will sound like they have lost their voice. I prefer my Koss TD/61 stereophones to these Koss Pro 4/AA stereophones when it comes to hooking them up to my computer or portable stereo. Even better than the TD/61 stereophones are the TD/80 stereophones for miniplug systems just in case you are curious.

As many people say they are heavy. 21 ounces on the head as opposed to my old Sony 405's at 12 ounces. However after a couple of days use (and by letting the weight of the phones rest on my recliner) I now find I have adjusted. The sound is first rate, and only limited by the quality of the input. In reading other reviews I notice many complaints about the power requirements, but I seem to get better output at lower power levels than other phones with these. (at least on stereo recievers). I do have a big head, and yes they were tight, but the bands are made out of a good quality metal and will allow for slight and permanent tweaking for fit. Lastly, yes they are hot. All good closed cups are, but my solution while it may not be fashionable, is excellent and actually hygenic. I cut off the tops from an old pair of socks and slip them over the cups. Works fine, collects the sweat and dirt that would otherwise gross out the phones, and even allows multiple users to feel a little less intimate than they might want to be. For the price and quality there is no substitute. Thanx JPW