Anyone have experience with KOSS ESP-9B 9 Electrostatic cans?

[Skylab]

And are they any good? I have always been intrigued by electrostatic cans but never heard a pair. Any advice appreciated.

 

[Lazarus Short]

I had a pair of Koss 'stats, and they were not the model you mentioned - however I'll pass along my impressions. Sound was OK, but I did not listen to them for very long because (compared to the Stax I already owned) they were HEAVY. Yes, solid, heavy and clunky. In time, I passed them along to a nephew. You should not consider buying a pair unless you have had them on your head awhile.

Laz

 

[Skylab]

Thanks. Does not sound like a meaningful upgrade to my Sennheiser HD600s then, and comfort is a big deal to me. I was tempted when I saw them on Ebay for $115, but think I will pass.

I'm just a hopeless gear hound

 

[the_villain]

Kevin Gilmore has some extensive review of different electrostats on the HeadWize. Look here: http://headwize.com/ubb/showpage.php...h=electrostat;

Very, very interesting. Good luck.

 

[VR6ofpain]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Koss-ESP-9-Elect...QQcmdZViewItem

 

[smeggy]

There are a couple of people here on the forums with a set and seem to like them. I've been looking on ebay to see if any turn up secondhand but no luck so far a I'd like to try a set myself. I don't know how they'd stack up against Stax but it'd be nice to find out.

 

[Duggeh]

That picture appears to be of the ESP6, not the ESP9. I own an ESP9 and can say without reservation that they are massive, heavy, uncomfortable, impossible to have serviced as koss no longer make any parts for them, do not sound good and are very prone to failure because of their age. Stay away, put the money towards a second hand 2020 system. I wish I had. EDIT- well, I did

 

[Coffeegeek]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duggeh That picture appears to be of the ESP6, not the ESP9. I own an ESP9 and can say without reservation that they are massive, heavy, uncomfortable, impossible to have serviced as koss no longer make any parts for them, do not sound good and are very prone to failure because of their age. Stay away, put the money towards a second hand 2020 system. I wish I had. EDIT- well, I did

But aren't they still covered by Koss's lifetime warranty? I was under the impression that if they couldn't repair them, you got a new pair. Perhaps I'm being woefully optimistic.

Chris

 

[Duggeh]

One must draw the line somewhere, if there are no parts because they do not make them, and the phones have been out of production for what, 30, 35 years?

Koss has to be sensible. When I contacted them, I was told "sorry".

 

[edstrelow]

The KOSS ESP6a were the first electrostatic phones I owned and I remember them fondly. Like the ESP-9 which I still own, their sound varies with the quality of the power amplifier driving them, since they use a transformer system after an existing power amp.

They were heavy, 2 lbs I believe because the transformers were built into the headphones. No problem for lying down. Standing or sitting was a problem but they improved my posture.

 

[WalterMarble]

How do you hook them up to modern equipment? They used to have only bare wire to connect to speaker or aux terminals on the old amps. How do you connect/use them now?
WalterMarble