Koss KPH40 Utility On-Ear Headphones, Detachable Interchangeable Cord System, Retro Style, Ultra Lightweight Design (Stealth Black)

I feel like I cheated Koss - genuinely. Price to performance comparison just doesn’t tally. Backstory to my purchase decision: My last DAP was well over two decades ago, I’ve been streaming music since then and cycled through most of the music streaming platforms pairing with popular comfort bluetooth headphones and earbuds. It was recently I thought I’d break the cycle of music subscription and actually own my music once again (and forever) and I invested in a DAP for that purpose. Since audiophile headphones brings out the best in Hi-Res DAPs, I wanted to ease myself in and use a reference headphone first instead of outrightly purchasing a headphone like the Sennheiser HD 490 Pro. I read reviews about this particular headphone and thought I’d give it a go. I’m no audiophile with technical sonic knowledge but like a lot of people, I enjoy decent music and strive to hear every single detail as they were recorded in the studio and intended to be heard. Wow! This small, unassuming weightless thing weighs a lot in raw output. it’s not perfect, neither is it in the same rank as a higher end audiophile headphones but at £41.99 price point? If the exact drivers in this headphones were to be in a premium housing and there’s a £150 - 200 price tag on it, I’d still think it’s a decent buy. Vocals are clear and crisp, detail retrieval is decent and sound stage is wide. In some live recordings, it actually feels like I’m in the midst of the performance. There’s no way I won’t own more than one of this unit. They’re passive as passive can get - no DAC, amp or DSP and will retain its value for a very long time for this reason. I’d even gift them to friends and family. The only niggle is - cable is short but for me personally? that's negligible and won't receive a star less because of that. You may forget this thing is on your head, it's that light in weight. You can do other activities, work-out etc with this on as it clamps on your head without compromising on comfort. Something to bear in mind is - it's an open-back headphone which means it relies on air for sound to travel freely, that means sounds from your surroundings will bleed into your music and people around you will hear your music, so it's not the type to use on public transport, on a plane or on a busy street. Finally, if you’re on the fence, just pick one up! Your ears will be happy and your wallet will approve.

I was looking for wired earphones for use with a portable cd player, whilst relaxing in the garden. Having returned two medium price range pairs as being heavy and uncomfortable, I made one last attempt and ordered these Koss KPH 40. Third time lucky! These are so lite you don’t even know you have them on. Nothing is lost with sound quality, which is crystal clear. You could definitely wear these for hours without incurring a sore head, which was not the case with the ones I returned. Highly recommended particularly if, like me, you have a sensitive scalp.

Superb sounding portable open backs.I have a pair of Sennheiser 599s which are not high end but are very good. The KPH40s are just as pleasurable to listen to.4.5 stars because the cable sucks.

I pair these with a Qudelix 5k, and use oratory1990 eq. They are absolutely unbeatable for price to performance. They outclass headphones costing several hundreds of £. It’s actually mind blowing how good they are when you factor in their price. I’m already a fan of the ksc75, but the bass and subbass isn’t their strong point. The kph40 fix this, and are just better in every way. If you want hifi quality audio, but you don’t want to spend an arm and a leg then look no further. You absolutely WILL NOT find better audio quality at such a low price. Honestly these are good enough for 99% of the population. My HD600 aren’t even getting much use since getting these as the bass is just so much better on the kph40.

I was dubious about paying £40 for a cheap looking pair of headphones, but they're the best headphones I've tried to date, even compared to much more expensive ones from big brands. I have the Koss KSC75 and while the sound was good the comfort wasn't there. These are light, comfortable and have the perfect amount of pressure against the ear for me. They also don't trap heat and get sweaty like over ear headphones do. I'm not the best at describing sound but they're punchy and have surprisingly good bass.

Not sure if I just had unfortunate QC with my unit, but it seemed like the cable connection to the left driver was slightly loose, meaning whenever I moved it, it produced an audible click sound (like tapping the cable with your nail)

Bought these years ago and was impressed but long ago stopped using them in favour of more expensive and wireless alternatives. Recently happened upon them while looking for something else in the flat and decided to give them another go.....what a revelation!!! The balanced sound on these is so impressive. These are matching iems and headphones that I own for sound that are way more expensive. Obviously, sub bass fans will be disappointed, but if cash is tight , and you don't mind the whole retro , wired vibe , you are in for a very pleasant , sibilant free sound experience! These are cheap , but they don't sound it!

I have had several Koss headphones, including Porta Pros...which I always thought were incredible. But these KPH40 Headphones are even better They make you want to listen to all your favourite music again just to hear what you have been missing. They look very minimal.......you don't know you are even wearing them.... but their performance is breathtaking. If you want to hear sounds as they were meant to be heard...treat yourself to a pair of these and prepare to be blown away.

TLDR: How does a product at such a low price point sound THIS good?!?! Quality: These, out of the box, look like $5 headphones from the early 2000's. But do not let looks decieve you. They are the best value in hifi. The build is reassuringly solid with the Teflon coated steel headband and the linguine cable. No complaints at the price at all. Comfort: Out of the box, they are a bit tight on my ears, but with a bit of bending of the headband they fit just fine. I would highly recommend modifying these with a few things I will mention later. Stock they are comfortable enough and I'd say you could wear them for an hour or two. Sound: Out of the box, the sound is very good. To the point that I was more surprised than I expected to be, even after reading many reviews. They have this open characteristic and sound depth that you don't expect from something that looks like this. If I were to describe the stock sound I'd say, slightly warm with a bit of bass bloat and a bit of sibalance. Great for the price for sure. Modified Sound: Now let's talk about replacing the earpads. Get Yaxi pads... just do it... I've switched back to stock a couple times to test. But man, do they really MAKE these headphones. They lose a little bit of the low-end and a bit of the highs. But the overall sound is worth it. What you get is a warm sound that you can listen to for hours without fatigue. I reach for these any time I want to just lay back and listen. Both male and female vocals just sound right with these pads. If you like electronic music, you may be missing something, but for pretty much anything else, you'll love these with Yaxi pads. Modifications: If you're like me, you'll love these for the ability to tinker. I've added a Hundo headband and I'm considering replacing the cable with a balanced mmcx one as well. There is such an aftermarket for these that you will never get bored. The headband makes them even more comfortable. I am also really considering building another set with KSC75 drivers to see what the extra treble does (I'm a beyerdynamic fan so I'm not afraid of the extra brightness). Overall: If you just want a good headphone, get these. If you like to tinker, get these. If you have $1k+ headphones, get these. JUST GET THESE! I cannot stress enough how much I like these headphones and how much they punch above their price. And if you like the sound, get into modding them. Yaxi pads will make these into something you'll reach for over WAY more expensive sets, trust me...

I had insanely high expectations for these and they surpassed them 10 fold. At such a low cost you literally have nothing to lose

So good are these, and for travelling they are just perfect

Doskonałe słuchawki dla ludzi, którzy słuchawek a uszach specjalnie nie lubią.Nie przeszkadzają, nie uwierają, a grają doskonale. Lepsze od Porta Pro. I ładniejsze. Jedne z najlepszych słuchawek jakich słuchałem i w stosunku do tej jakości rewelacyjnie tanie. Choć widzę, że już powoli drożeją, a dodatkowe wymienne kable (np. usb-c) są koszmarnie drogie.

bought this to replace my short lived kph40 that was bought a year ago. This time bought 2 pairs just incase if tariff hike changes again.