Koss QZ50 Stereophone

by Koss

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 11.2 x 3 inches ; 2.4 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00008VSE1
• Item model number: QZ250
• Batteries: 1 AAA batteries required. (included)
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: March 15, 2003

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

New advances in materials and design have served to expand the performance of stereophones. Koss' Product Development team and engineers look for the most innovative combinations of existing and new technologies to deliver the most exciting products possible.

Features

• Frequency Response: 30-20,000 Hz
• Revolutionary Active Noise Reduction (ANR) stereophone system reduces harmful and annoying low frequency sounds in noisy environments
• Dynamic element for full sound reproduction
• Behind-the-head stereophone design for maximum comfort during extended wearing periods
• Requires 1 "AAA" battery

What's in the box

Headphones

Product Description

New advances in materials and design have served to expand the performance of stereophones. Koss Product Development team and engineers look for the most innovative combinations of existing and new technologies to deliver the most exciting products possible.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Dissappointing, August 16, 2005

By 

Phillip Slepian "bondmanp" (Elizabeth, NJ, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Koss QZ50 Stereophone (Electronics)

I have been on a bit of a quest for decent and user-friendly noise cancelling cans for a few months. I use trains and subways to commute, and I think I did damage to my hearing years ago when I would drown out the subway noise with my headphones. I figure noise cancellation (or reduction) technology would help prevent further damage. I had the Sennheisser PCX-250 (list $150), which sounded reasonably good and had fairly effective noise cancellation, but was very cumbersome to use, with a lot of cords to get tangled with the remote cords on my CD player (iRiver SlimX 450). They were fairly comfortable. I then moved to the Aiwa branded Sony noise cancellation phones (list ~$60). These do not have a separate battery/circuitry compartment like the Sennheissers, but instead, like the Koss QZ-50, have these built into the headset. They are moderately comfortable but bulky. The noise cancellation is pretty effective, although it adds a significant amount of hiss (more than the Sennheissers). The sound overall is balanced, a little bass-heavy and ragged in the treble range, but overall quite listenable. Best of all, the Aiwa is very sensitive, so it is easy to drive, and saves CD player batteries (since you run the player at lower volume levels to achieve the same loudness). I tried the Koss QZ-50 because I hoped the behind-the-neck design would be more comfortable and less geeky looking. Also, I love the Porta-Pros, and was hoping the QZ-50 would sound like them. The QZ-50s sound just OK. Not very extended in the bass, no better than the Aiwas up top. They are fairly comfortable, although the earcups tended to slip down off my ears when I walked. Unfortunately, while the noise cancellation processing does not add any significant hiss, it also doesn't seem to reduce noise at all. Add to that the QZ-50s high impedance (which requires higher volume settings on the player), and the QZ-50 is not worth keeping. I'd try the more expensive Koss QZ based on the Porta-Pro, but it, too, uses a separate, wired compartment for batteries and circuitry. I do not recommend the QZ-50 as a solution for listening in noisy environments.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not the greatest for airline travel, April 18, 2004

By 

"wakka58" (Hawaii) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Koss QZ50 Stereophone (Electronics)

I recently took a trip and wanted to see how much of the airplane's engine noise these headphones would cancel. I was fairly disappointed as the difference was noticable, but not very significant. While these are very light which was nice, I would have rather have had the extra weight and had these be over-the-ear headphones which would probably have helped block out some of the engine noise and made the noise-cancelling seem more effective. I ended up using the over-the-ear headphones I had brought along just in case.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For the price...amazing, May 31, 2004

By 

hyytekk - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Koss QZ50 Stereophone (Electronics)

This was an impulse buy because they were being liquidated at a local store and so I got them for half the Amazon price. But after hearing them I have to say that the sound is amazing even if they were full retail. I also own the Bose noise canceling headset which sells for $300 and they are incredible at disposing background noise; much more so than these QZ50's. Noise canceling on these is really silly to expect. That being said, I really think the actual sound reproduction is similar, which is unbelievable since the Bose cost almost 10 times as much. I don't use the Bose headset unless I am sitting in one place since it has a very inconvenient two square inch box on the cord that holds the battery and the on/off switch which would just hang like an anchor if you were walking or moving around. The over-the-ear design of the Koss seemed like they would be uncomfortable, but after wearing them for an hour or more at a time, I almost forget that they are there. The sound reproduction is clear, smooth and consistent. I think they are incredible for the price and would highly recommend them. This is being added months later: I find that I rarely use the Koss now, mostly because of their size and the fact that I looked in the mirror and I look like a Star Trek Borg wearing them. Also, they do require a lot to push them, so the volume is at best modest.