KossKPH40 Utility On-Ear Headphones, Detachable Interchangeable Cord System, Retro Style, Ultra Lightweight Design (Stealth Black)

I love the sound of the Koss KPH30. An unexpected treat given their low price, they're airy and have great treble balance and clarity. They're not very comfortable for my big head for more than an hour or so, though, due to pressure on my ears. I figured these would have a similar sound but be more comfortable. For the most part, I was right.They are more comfortable in that they rest lighter on my ears (you can almost forget that you're wearing them). I also like that they barely use any plastic.. I could see the '30s plastic getting brittle and cracking over the years (time will tell, though). These look more elegant, and weigh almost nothing. Not using as much plastic also heightens the impression of quality/luxury (not that these are going to be mistaken for $400 Mezes..). The interchangeable cable is appreciated, as my new phone unfortunately doesn't have a 3.5mm. I haven't purchased the C-cord yet, but it's a nice option to have.Sound-wise, the treble is slightly softer and more rolled-off than the '30s. Still plenty of detail, and they're less fatiguing (not that I'd call the '30s fatiguing.. just that these are even less so). Perhaps a smidge less bassy/punchy, but still good for the class. I'd say these are even more spacious-sounding, though. These are the kind of headphones that you close your eyes and throw your head back to be enveloped in sound. That's a marvel at this price point, and something that Koss probably does the best, which is why despite having significantly more expensive headphones from multiple boutique brands in my collection, I still consider Koss one of my favorite brands and keep coming back to them. You get so much quality sound for the money, they embarrass most brands costing 2-4x as much; and when you do find headphones that are truly better, you look at how the Koss are a mere fraction of the price, and you kind of laugh to yourself about the law of diminishing returns..So ultimately, while I do miss the extra bite of the treble of the Koss KPH30s, the added comfort and even more spacious sound mean these are still the ones I use most. Even for those of you that have much more expensive sets, I still recommend buying these, even if just to use when you travel. I originally bought these/the KPH30s as a cheap travel set, but I like them so much they're pretty much all I use anymore.It's kinda funny--15+ years ago it was the Koss PortaPro that first captivated me and made me obsessed with sound. I wouldn't have guessed that I'd be back to midrange Koss sets all these years later, but here I am. These feel and sound like a contemporary analog to the PortaPros. In a way, it feels like home to me.

The short answer is yes. Hi-fi headphone enthusiast for 10+ years. Owned Mr. Speakers Aeon, Audeze LCD-2/3/X, EMU Teak, Senn HD600/650, Sony MDR-Z7M2/Z1R, 1000XM4/1000XM5, Focal Elear, Focal Clear, Hifiman Edition X, Beyerdynamic DT-880/770/990 and spent 1000+ hours with other high end headphones. Primarily listened through Sony TA-ZH1ES and vaious other combos/portable units.Most headphones regardless of price have the 10khz aluminum driver resonance spike of death. Manufacturers try to compensate for this in various ways- dampening, earpads, etc. despite the rest of the frequency response being coherent, 4-10khz just about all headphones regardless of price suffer drastically different colorations as a result. Most high end headphones try to dampen 10hz and push the bump down to the 5-8khz range and tell you its “clarity, detail, refinement” when its really just engineering their way around the physical properties of the driver (usually 40-70mm diameter). The larger the driver, the more problems to mitigate. Some companies use beryllium or a beryllium coating, and some have great success with this, but now you’re gonna pay $1k-4k for these headpones. Add in luxury lamb skin pads, exotic woods etc. If you can drop this kind of cash without thinking about it then more power to you. But you’ll also want an amp/dac to power them adequately. And some headphones (Senn, Audeze, etc.) either have a death vice clamping force or they weigh about as much as a Judd.Then you have Koss. They’ve been successfully using this small driver design since the 80s. Most people have heard the PortaPro. It’s ok but it’s way overrated. Comfort issues and a veiled, mushy sound have always kept it from being great, despite its cheap price.Then you have the KPH-40. It is the best implementation of their design philosophy. It is easily the most comfortable headphone in existence. It’s made with a metal frame. It’s durable despite its slight frame. And you can wear it in various positions on your ears without it getting uncomfortable…indefinitely.This headphone is sonically not dissimilar to the PortaPro, but it is refined in every way. Bass spectrum has impact and depth but is less mushy than the PP. Lower mids still have some fatness and warmth but less so than the PP. Male vocals on the PP are VERY chesty. The problem still exists with the KPH40, but not to the same degree as with the PP. Bass and lower mids make the KPH40 sound very full, almost like a full size headphone, which is incredible for such a small driver. I credit this to the small pads and the short distance from the driver to the ear.Mids and uppers mids continue to sound even and full. There is no 1-3khz nasal/glare/shout that some other headphones have, though these headphones can sound a bit mid-centric (mid-forward, but not glaring or uncomfortable) However, the depression in FR between 3-6khz can add a bit of sonic haze, and make female vocals sound closer than they should in the mix, and a bit less engaging/textured (softened). But they will never fatigue you. At the same, almost strangely, distorted electric guitars have far more bite than the PP. Siamese Dream, The Bends, Downward is Heavenward all present guitars with bite and edge, but unlike the Senn HD600, guitar distortion on the KPH40 NEVER sounds unnaturally edgy, bright, thin, grating or otherwise overly emphasized (unless you’re listening to some poorly recorded 80s glam metal).Highs are MUCH improved over the PP. I can hear reverb trails and inhalations between bars in Shaw’s recording of Rachmaninov’s Vespers that were non-existent with the PP. Cymbal hits are a bit recessed in rock music, but they NEVER blister your ear drums. No angry bees here, thank you. Detail is there but it is not overemphasized for “clarity/air/detail” blah blah blah. The 6-20khz range sounds much more true to life (though admittedly not as zingy and vibrant), especially relative to the rest of the frequency range, than MOST other expensive headphones…honestly, most headphones regardless of price.Sibilance? Really? Hahahahahahahaha. There is none (exagerrated sibilance). Ss, ts, etc sound just as they should (quieter than the actual vocals and not at all distracting). Exagerrated sibilance is why I can’t listen to 90% of headphones (looking at the HD600, Focal line, ANYTHING by Sony 😡).Natural, full, musical and more focused on instrument and voice timbre than neutrality and detail. It is light and comfortable to wear for hours.Koss really gets what a headphone should feel and sound like. Would I choose to listen these rather than the Focal Utopia? Everyday, twice on Sunday. Would I hear every key click in Vaughan William’s Oboe Concerto in A Minor with the KPH40? Would the sound stage be as large, holographic and precise in its instrument placement? Nope. Would I enjoy the overall timbral representation of the instruments and the presentation of the music as a whole, for hours on end? Yes. Yes. Yes.Disbelieve, argue, condescend all you want. For $40 you get a headphone with few shortcomings that are easy to overlook. I can’t overlook shortcomings in Hifiman, Fostex and ZMF headphones for the prices they’re asking (also, no cabinet liners were harmed in the making of the $40 KPH40 🤣).IMO, the next best thing to the KPH40 (IMO) is the Focal Clear MG and the LCD-3, or maybe the X. But the Audeze feel like anchors and the Focals still have some wonkiness in the 6-10khz range, so much that I couldn’t justify making them my main headphone (maybe if I any listened to classical/jazz with no vocals). With the Koss KHP40, I need no justification. I can listen to anything and everything to the KPH40 and enjoy listening for hours. I can’t ask any from a headphone than exactly that.Very highly recommended.

I bought two pairs of these for my wife and myself to use while traveling, both on airplanes and with tour group audio systems.They sound good, and fit well, but we found that when putting the headphones into our backpacks or other luggage, the earpieces tended to come off.They didn't actually break - we were able to put them back on, but they are difficult to reattach.Next time, I would look for a headset where the earpieces can rotate to a "flat" position relative to the headband, or ones with stronger (maybe not plastic) connections to the headband, or both.

These modestly priced, simple retro-styled headphones are incredible. The sound is so big and detailed. I can’t believe how good these are. I also really like the industrial design of them. The all metal headband is sleek and functional. They are super light and comfy. The materials feel premium. Very pleased!