Lars68 Posted July 24, 2019 Share Posted July 24, 2019 (edited) We often share sound files and links to youtube recordings etc. We even try to evaluate guitars from online recordings. In doing so I'm pretty sure the quality and consistency of the gear we use to listen vary greatly. One of my other, non-guitar but music related, hobbies is listening to music through high quality headphones. I have assembled a proud little collection of headphones over the years. I even have a little desk sized dedicated amp, especially designed for headphones, to use with high ohm headphones. I also have my music ripped at CD-resolution or higher, I have headphones worth the same as decent guitars. So you understand I take my gear and listening seriously. I follow quite a few headphone oriented sites and bloggs. Lately I have been reading a lot about a new headphone from Koss, getting some rave reviews from some well known headphone gurus. I decided to try a pair for myself a few days ago. They are the Koss KPH30i for $30 and they are nothing short of amazingly good. Not just good for the price; they are good period. I have headphones costing more than ten times as much, and I'd say the Koss are 90% as good. For some music I might even prefer the Koss. So if you want a low cost alternative as a taste of the audiophile experience when listening to music, there is no better alternative. They will make your Gibson recordings sound super, straight out of a phone. Here they are: https://hifitrends.com/2019/01/10/koss-kph30i-review-lush-audiophile-sound-for-only-30-bucks/ https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=twPEt6pFJk4 Lars Edited July 24, 2019 by Lars68 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorrisrownSal Posted July 25, 2019 Share Posted July 25, 2019 Thanks Lars... I just ordered a pair.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lars68 Posted July 25, 2019 Author Share Posted July 25, 2019 4 hours ago, ThemisSal said: Thanks Lars... I just ordered a pair.... I enjoy spending your money. Hope you like them! 😀 The Koss are not better than the Grados I know we both also have, but they are much closer than the price difference would indicate. Also, they are lighter and more convenient when out and about. Fact is, I think the Koss are so good that they make many other headphones seem like overkill and overpriced. Lars Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncle fester Posted July 25, 2019 Share Posted July 25, 2019 Hi Lars - How are they at keeping the sound in? Are they just good for general music listening, or would they be fine for using during a recording session (Sometimes I have the metronome turned up loud in the headphones, and if I'm not careful, it can get picked up by my microphones and captured in the recording.)… my rock solid rhythm doesn't come w/o practice. Rgds - billroy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lars68 Posted July 25, 2019 Author Share Posted July 25, 2019 (edited) I think you would be able to use them for that, but I can give it a try and see what happens. I'll report back. I can say for sure, though, that they would be just fine to do some basic mixing with. They are very natural sounding. Lars Edit: I gave recording guitar with metronome a try and it was fine for me. The headphones do leak sound, but the clicks were over-powered by the guitar in the recording. So again, for me in a practice situation this would do just fine. However, it depends on the volume level you set the metronome, the sensitivity and distance of your mic, and also the volume level of your playing. Note also, that I had no tracks playing back through the headphones. I just had the clicks. I would use them for practicing, but not for serious multi-track recordings, but I don't think that was what you had in mind, or? Edited July 25, 2019 by Lars68 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnneS Posted July 25, 2019 Share Posted July 25, 2019 10 hours ago, ThemisSal said: Thanks Lars... I just ordered a pair.... Me, too! Thanks for the good word. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philfish Posted July 26, 2019 Share Posted July 26, 2019 I'll check them out Lars, I also have the Grados you recommended. Thanks Also a pickgard from firestripe pickgard _ And looking hard at that Yamaha amp you posted about Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted July 27, 2019 Share Posted July 27, 2019 Push to the top Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoSoxBiker Posted July 27, 2019 Share Posted July 27, 2019 Lars, do these have the 100 break-in period? 🙂 On 7/25/2019 at 12:31 PM, billroy said: Hi Lars - How are they at keeping the sound in? Are they just good for general music listening, or would they be fine for using during a recording session (Sometimes I have the metronome turned up loud in the headphones, and if I'm not careful, it can get picked up by my microphones and captured in the recording.)… my rock solid rhythm doesn't come w/o practice. Rgds - billroy Man, I did this more than once. I was madder than a wet settin' hen. Thanks to lars, I found myself on a headphone quest late this past Spring. Ended up with a nice set of closed backs. My old closed-backs went up into the studio for this exact purpose. Only problem with that is that I am at the mercy of my headphone mix entirely when doing vocals. Oddly enough, that may have helped me, albeit somewhat indirectly. Piping in hot vocals helps me to keep from belting them out, which is a huge no-no for my (ahem) timbre and my partially treated boomy room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lars68 Posted July 28, 2019 Author Share Posted July 28, 2019 Headphones used to be kind of a “speciality” item in the audio industry, but that has changed recently. Today both young and old spend a lot of time listening to music, podcasts, films, news etc on tablets and phones. So headphones and personal audio as an industry has grown rapidly and more and more money has been put into the development of great headphones. The quality of sound per dollar spent with good headphones is so much more compared to floor speakers. So for someone interested in sound quality you can get so much more in headphones for your money. I use them all the time, when enjoying music, watching films, when working, when out jogging etc. It's a great second supplementary hobby for a guitar nerd. Gibson guitars will always be number one, though. For you that ordered the Koss, I hope you like them, and please post your impression once you've tried them. Lars Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoSoxBiker Posted July 28, 2019 Share Posted July 28, 2019 Lars, have I asked you about this DAC yet? I'm going to try them out next weekend. AudioQuest Dragonfly I do wish I could handle a set of on-ear phones. I remember the Koss brand vaguely from yesteryear, but in a positive sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lars68 Posted July 28, 2019 Author Share Posted July 28, 2019 31 minutes ago, PatriotsBiker said: Lars, have I asked you about this DAC yet? I'm going to try them out next weekend. AudioQuest Dragonfly I do wish I could handle a set of on-ear phones. I remember the Koss brand vaguely from yesteryear, but in a positive sense. I have no experience with it, but a site I read frequently liked it a lot. https://www.headfonia.com/audioquest-cobalt-review/ Lars Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoSoxBiker Posted July 29, 2019 Share Posted July 29, 2019 11 hours ago, Lars68 said: I have no experience with it, but a site I read frequently liked it a lot. https://www.headfonia.com/audioquest-cobalt-review/ Lars Cool! Thanks for the link. Seems they have quite a following. I bought something from them years ago for cleaning up USB noise. That machine had more than one issue, but it did help. I'll let you know what I hear next weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted July 29, 2019 Share Posted July 29, 2019 I think Im going to order a pair also. I have these big Sony cans, with external noise reduction but something went wrong with them and souns too cold through them. I might give thee a go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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