Koss KPH30i Clear Retro 90s Style On-Ear Headphones, Microphone, Wired Plug

While I wouldn't classify myself as being an audio snob, I do have decent collection of various headphones (some are good, some are meh), which include but are not limited to the Sennheiser HD598 & HD700, Epos G6 Pro, HE400se, V-Moda Crossfade Wireless and two generations of Skullcandy Crushers (1st + Evo). Most of my wired audio is hooked up to the Sennheiser GSX 1000 DAC/AMP, nothing fancy but geared towards computer use (Music, Gaming and productivity use). The Koss KPH30i headphones are by far one of my favorite. I'd put them up their with my Sennheiser HD598s in terms of sound, not the same but they hit in the same general ball park. If I had to explain the difference between the two, the Senns are more punchy and warm, while the Koss headphones are buttery smooth and warm. They work extremely well for gaming with the GSX 1000's virtual surround, and for music the audio just melts into your ears assuming its the right genre. I'm talking about new retrowave and anything with a bit of synth in it. Lo-fi is great. 80s Metal works well. In fact almost everything from the 80s will sound awesome. Some examples include Michael Jackson's Billie Jean, Wang Chung's Dance Hall Days, Duran Duran's Rio, Oingo Boingo's Weird Science and Billy Idol's White Wedding to name a few. Comfort wise, they are so light I forget that I am wearing them. Default pads are uncomfortable, so I highly recommend slapping some Yaxi pads on them OR Grado G cushions. In short, I highly recommend these. They are not going to be the best headphone money can buy, but they will hit well above their weight class, so much so I find myself wearing using them more than any of the other headphones I have on hand. If I was in the market for a pair of Sennheiser open backs, I would buy these first as they get you close to that territory for very little money, and more importantly they are addictingly fun. They lose a bit of detail, but offer up a buttery smooth experience that is both warm and slightly intimate. Note: The headband is not the most sturdy. It will probably break at some point. If that happens, or the wire goes out, before you chuck them in the trash remember you can replace the headband and even mod the cables to be detachable. Its extremely easy and cheap to do, and there is a ton of content available showing how to do this. These are heavily moddable headphones.

Like high-quality music? See these on sale for 20$? Buy them without question, then buy whatever else you want. 30$? Still buy them. Seriously, budget audiophiles and teenagers listen up: these are THE best purchase in Portable Audio, barring NONE. If they weren't literally MADE to deliver the best sound with the cheapest price, they would compete in the 200$+ headphone market EASILY. There is nothing under 80$ that sounds remotely as good as these. Even above that price, I only divert in specific situations. They may not suit your exact need just yet, but I promise you won't regret the purchase over time. I've owned them for about 8 months now and use them daily, unlike any other headphones I own. As a hobbyist pseudo-audiophile, these have blown my mind in terms of sound quality, even ignoring the cheap 30$ price. (20$ on sale every now and again, snatch some up!) I legitimately have bought 5 of them. I use them as my primary headset for my phone and calls, their low-profile design makes them perfect for wearing under a helmet when I go longboarding, and the audio experience is just fantastic for walking around the house and music discovery. These headphones are extremely 'fun' sounding. Treble is clear and crisp, but not sibilant. Mids are present and effective, though not entirely a focus. The bass response is deep, quick, and punchy. I enjoy them the most with bouncy styles of EDM and similar, but they have paired well with everything really. Their open-back design gives them a wide soundstage that can be further widened by pad swaps (Grado pad swap or Yaxi pads). I use a pair with the Grado swap sometimes, and the Yaxi pair other times. They react well with all of my amps, including tube amps, but also work great with integrated amps like phones. They arent extremely detailed, but they are my instant pickup when wanting to listen to music I already like, or new music that I don't need to resolve all the nuances in. Great for gaming on the go, and for awkward setups where you join discord calls on a phone or move around your house alot. Work well with my Oculus Rift. Everyone should own a pair. I prefer these to my SHP9500s, and especially over my AKG 7xx(200$...). Overall, these fit a variety of purposes and every single music listener should own a pair. At the sale price of 20$, I would suggest owning two. Igift these to my friends and family to show them how silly high-quality audio can be; sometimes it comes in a 300$ package, sometimes it comes in a 20-30$ pair of odd library-looking headphones. Don't knock on them; I wish they were my first audio purchase, but comparing them to my multiple 200+$ headphones and headsets, and I still often favor the sound of these on top of their any-situation use-case. NEGATIVES: -They do bleed alot of sound, as they are open-back. I could hear most of my friend's phonecall sitting near him yesterday. They also let a ton of noise in, which I prefer as they are open-back, but it does make me raise the volume alot when on-the-go. -They sometimes sound like they are a but distorted or buzz at certain specific frequencies, like on phone calls. I've found that to be caused by bits of vibrating hair inside various parts of the housing, but have always been able to resolve it with a quick cleaning (easy to clean and remove housing/drivers). -The comfort can be an issue sometimes. Yaxi pads are the best upgrade for this, for sure. -The Grado pads arent the best for practical use, but are fun and better for gaming/movies in my opinion. The standard pads can be made better by crushing them and breaking them in, but will never be as nice as the Yaxis. -The mic is not the best obviously, but it does sound good. Better than alot of gaming headsets to be honest. -The cable twists and tangles near the Y split often. A little annoying, but you could even recable these for MMCX or another style of 3.5MM if you like. Overall the cable is nicely rubberized but not the best of course. BEST USE-CASES FOR THESE: -Under-helmet audio, lightweight openback listening for things like running, skating, etc. -Taking phone calls, short term gaming headset. -Modding without fear, learning to modify headphones without risk of high costs in detroying them. -Gifts, for literally anyone you know. -IEM replacement in terms of usage (if you find in-ears uncomfortable but over-ears or on-ears too bulky, and don't need the sound isolation). -Baseline for audio comparisons with any other item in the 'budget' or 'any-situation' market space. -EDM, Rock, Metal, Pop, Synth, Hyperpop, etc genres where highs/vocals are not the specific focus. DEVISION TREE: If I listen to music, these are my first consideration. I switch to other options only in these cases... -Needing long-term gaming headset, better mic, SUPER BOOMY BASS, extreme long-term comfort, or closed back? I switch to my Beyerdynamic MMX300g2. -Listening to vocal-heavy, classical, or other treble-focused music, and dont need a mic? Switch to my SHP9500s, sometimes. -Needing an open-back headset with a separated mic for PC usage and other gaming needs? Switch to my AKG K7XX+Modmic. -Needing to go on a plane? Switch to modified clones of Beats Studios (drivers replaced). -Needing forward-focus, no imaging or soundstage? Switch to ATH M50s. -Needing detail and zen? Switch to IEMs: BlonBL-03 or Moondrop Starfields. In every other situation, these are what are on my ears.

This headphone is difficult to review, because i love it so much. Pros: 1. the sound is amazing for the money, i have paid for headphone costing 5x as much but don't sound as good. 2. the clamp force is perfect, i used it for hours, no issues at all, i can use this all day gaming and listening to music. 3. come with its own mic, which is a feature often overlooked. Cons: 1. quality is just terrible, cheap plastic headband, in fact this is my second pair, i purchased one from DROP just a few month ago, and the headband, broke in 3 places just from normal daily use. no abuse, no drop, it broke from just putting it on and taking it off. 2. no detachable wire, after another few weeks of using the broken headband khp30, the wire broke as well, i finally had to trash it, because left ear no longer produce sound. 3. you can forget about noise cancellation, this should be used at home in a quiet place to enjoy your game, movie, music. otherwise you will hear everything inside the house and outside. Conclusion: I so wanna give this a 3 star because of the poor quality, but i just love the sound and comfort too much. 4 starts it is. i think this could be a great headphone, if Koss just spend a little bit more money and improve on the quality on the parts used to make this headphone. i don't mind paying $5 to $10 more. the headband should be enforced with METAL, also make the wire detachable. i hate to buy a 3rd one, i love the sound and comfort, but i am afraid this new pair will break within 6 month as well.

Very comfortable headband. Works well with someone with no hair to cushion the relatively low weight of the headphones. I chose these because they had a soft headband, were wired, and were open-ear. These seem to be a very nice headphone at a reasonable price.

I was wondering why there were so many positive reviews about this little headset. Was KOSS baking a cake at their house or something? So many people liked these that I had to find out for myself, plus, I was in the market anyway. I like my Audio-technica Bluetooth headsets, but they were lacking in a couple of areas that I missed in my old wired headsets that I gave away. So, at $30 for these and so many good reviews, why not? I listen to pretty much everything that sounds good to me. So I threw everything from Classical to Rap at this thing and all of it sounded good to realllly good. The bass isn't that head shaking type like on some headphones, but it't definitely there and still adds the energy that most rap songs call for. Some say they couldn't hear the sub base, but I can definitely hear it. It just may not be at the volume that they're used to. Rap and R&B were still enjoyable to me. Still, if you're a heavy loud bass type listener, these may not be for you. The clarity, for some songs, was done better here then on some $300 headphones I've tried, not kidding; especially with vocals. When listening to Rain by Nicole Bus, the headphones give her voice the gravitas that she's trying to emote that didn't come across on other headphones, especially when she comes in at the 23 second mark. The separation and soundstage is really good and came across well when listening to classical and songs from the '60s/'70s. It's pretty much expected for a semi-open backed headphone, but to challenge the top headphones at $30 in this area that's really saying something. Like others had mentioned, the high's don't have that sparkle, but they're definitely present and still enjoyable, especially when the soundstage is so good. Having said all that, the vocals still come across a little more forward and clear with almost everything, to my ears. I guess you can say this is a very good "jack of all trades" headphone. As for comfort, well, I've been wearing them for hours and I can barely tell they're on, because they're so light with just enough clamping force, for my head anyway. No thick pillow like ear pads, no thick cushiony brace. Just a simple piece of foam separating your ear from the driver and a silicone band on the bottom of the brace. That's it. Just with that simple setup, these are already my most comfortable headphones I own, lol! These definitely aren't a technical type headphone, where you can hear a mouse breathing in the corner of the studio. No, these are just good headphones; point blank, and at 30 bucks these are a steal. I get it now.

I've bought a half-dozen of these over the years, in different colorways, for different personal uses. I also love to give them out as gifts – they're so good! They sound absolutely fantastic for all sorts of music, are useful (and more comfortable and reliable than wireless earbuds) for calls/video conferencing, and are nice and non-fatiguing for podcast/audiobook listening. They work well with mobile devices if you can live with a corded headphone, but I find they're best used for music listening at your desk. They look awesome in every colorway, with a sort of Modernist sculptural, almost Eero Saarinen quality to them: the white and blue ones have a great late-70s hifi or Pan Am telephone operator vibe, the Rhythm Beige ones look like something from a 1960s public library in the best way possible, and the clear ones are 1980s all the way. The grey/black colorway is the most understated but looks handsome in a quiet, late 90s sort of way – if you're into this colorway, the KPH40s are a lot sharper looking. You certainly don't need to use these with an amp, but if you happen to use one with your system, they just sound that much more wonderful when driven with the extra power. Seriously, for $30-ish bucks, these really are the best bargain buy in audio: they're neutral, pleasing and sound good across most genres of music, like a cheap, minimalist Sennheiser HD650s. If you can only have one pair of wired headphones for under $100, these are easily the best-sounding, most well-rounded things around, including Koss' other endearing, enduring models like the classic wired PortaPros or the newer KPH40, also highly reccommended for slightly different reasons. Only two minor drawbacks, one not necessarily a negative thing: 1) they're open-back, and so won't isolate you from outside noise or keep the entire room you're in from hearing what you're listening to. This is a key part of its design and really more of a feature than a bug, but they're not ideal for music in co-working environments or if you like to jam out to embarrassing stuff you don't want to share with your friends. :) 2) the places where the side pieces connect to the headband can be prone to cracking after prolonged use – the Rhythm Beige colorway seems most susceptible to cracking, and the clear seems least prone to it, though my experience is far from scientific. This only happens after many months of extended, regular use and has never happened to pairs I've left perched on my desk. You can always fix a crack with a little electrical tape at the cost of adjustability and style, or send them off to Koss for a free lifetime repair!

I compared these Koss headphones to the Status Audio CB-1s that I use daily as I consider them to be great budget headphones for the aspiring budget audiophile. While the Koss headphones have significantly more pronounced bass (especially mid-bass) I didn't find them as natural sounding as the CB-1s. I also found that on some tracks (like UMI-Cheerleader) that had some complexity and a lot of bass that the Koss headphones sounded a bit distorted and the CB-1s while not as bass heavy sounded more natural, accurate and pleasant. I never experience "listener fatigue" using the CB-1 headphones, actually more often than not the opposite is true where I end up using them for way longer than I intended when listening to music. I think that's an intangible fringe benefit of amazing speakers and the koss headphones don't do that for me. Even though the koss headphones are very comfortable to wear, I also can't forget that I'm wearing them and just get lost in the musical world that they project around me so I end up constantly technically analyzing them in my mind instead of just enjoying the music from them and that's why I have rated them only 3 stars. I am not knocking the koss headphones they really sound good but I wouldn't "HIGHLY" recommend them in the "MUST have" category. I also don't think Status Audio CB-1s are high end headphones so I would think any headphone Zeos highly recommends should EASILY sound better than the CB-1s. That said, I did get the sporty white/blue koss headphones which I have to admit are really comfy and look spectacular so I certainly don't regret the purchase I just thought they would be more audiophile grade than they actually were. As a pair of backup headphones i guess they fit the bill and since they are more portable than the CB-1 headphones I guess they will get some ear/air time whenever I have a flight to catch.

The KPH30i is darn near the perfect set of koss on ear headphones. I own/have owned the KPH30i, KSC75, KHP40, and Porta Pro's. The only two I kept/still own are the KPH30i's and the KSC75's. The Porta Pros are far too muddy and bassy. Instant return. The KPH40 are a little better as far as clarity goes, but still way too much bass that overpowers the mids and highs. If you like actual music, these are not enjoyable. Probably the most comfortable set, but a disappointment soundwise so they too we're returned. The KSC75 are the brightest of the bunch, but still not over the top shrill or anything. Mids are nice and present which help guitars cut through the mix if you're into heavy rock/metal/etc. I go back and forth between the KSC75 with the parts express headband and ear clips. Both sound great and are useful depending on your wearing needs. Ultimately I think I like the KSC75's more with the stock pads than the Yaxi pads. The Yaxi pads + the Parts Express headband are S tier comfort, but the Yaxi's smooth out the treble a bit much and it kind of takes away from the character of what makes the KSC75's enjoyable. The KPH30i is just right with the balance of bass, mids, and treble. (If they were just a bit brighter they'd be perfect. (If you EQ, you can always add it in). Great sound stage, again bass is just right, not overpowering like the others, mids sit very well and make everything just sound cohesive. Now the cons of the KPH30i. They are the least comfortable of the bunch unfortunately. The headband really doesn't have great swivel movement where the drivers attach. The pads are a bit scratchy/rough and unfortunately not easily swapped without popping drivers off/risking damage. The head band quality itself as many others have stated leaves a lot to be desired. Fairly weak plastic just waiting to snap. So honestly just buy the KPH30i's, they're the best sounding and the value is there. That's all, have a good day.

This is a very light headset. This clear version is as close as we can get to a budget open back headphone. Easy to listen to. Great for both music and gaming.

Nada se le acerca en esta categoría de precio, el único inconveniente es el material ya que parecen auriculares de avión, pero la verdad por como suenan podrían ser mucho más incómodos y aún valdrían la pena.

Excellent casque que j'ai acheté en plus de mon casque studio, afin de pouvoir écouter ma musique en étant mobile. Le plastique transparent ne donne un air rétro vintage fort sympathique. 7 ou 8 mois que je l'ai acheté et tient toujours aussi bien le coup. Je ne pariais pas sur le câble que je trouvais trop fin, mais au final aucun problème à signaler. Résiste malgré le grand nombre de fois où il a été piétiné au fond de mon sac. Qualité du son très satisfaisante pour ce rapport qualité / prix.

Los amo. Precio calidad al 💯. Son sencillos pero muy lindos y el audio es muy bueno. Los ocupo en la oficina y suenan super alto. Además amo que sean de cable.

Un magnífico auricular! Es increíble que cueste tan poco.