[Contrastique]

I want to buy a new one and I am fed up with the MV 700 I have now. I am looking for a closed one cause most Of the time I listen on out the streets.
Like old music like pink floyd and massive attack and drum& bass etc.
The Koss really atracts me but does anyone have better options maybe?

 

[valveman]

Bought a pair and they sound great!
Very comfortable but the rubber ear cushions can make you sweat.
Other than that a good buy.

 

[martinq]

Girl, that's a good choice. However, do you want them as portable cans? If so, the weight could be a problem: 402 g (mentioned only on some french sites).

 

[Skylab]

I got my MV1's today. I listened to them right out of the box, and while I intend to keep them in the comparative review I am going to do, it's safe to say that these are the worst sounding headphones I have heard in a very long time. They sound TERRIBLE. I am going to break them in for 100 hours like normal, but I can't imagine how they would change enough to be worth even $20. The build quality is excellent, and so was the packaging, but my god do they sound terrible.

 

[qazwsx]

How are they terrible? I'm just wondering--haven't heard them but they don't seem to look too bad and a lot of people like 'em.

 

[Skylab]

They have a very muffled sound. High end is extremely shelved down and rolled off. The mids are horribly colored, and sound like bad horn speakers (they have that nasally, "cupped hands" coloration). The bass is OK, but a little muddy and ill-defined.

They are easily outclassed by a $25 Sennheiser HD202.

 

[ericj]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skylab /img/forum/go_quote.gif They have a very muffled sound. High end is extremely shelved down and rolled off. The mids are horribly colored, and sound like bad horn speakers (they have that nasally, "cupped hands" coloration). The bass is OK, but a little muddy and ill-defined. They are easily outclassed by a $25 Sennheiser HD202.

Your description sounds like my 30-year-old Pro4AA.

Maybe this is the signature 'high end' koss sound?

 

[Skylab]

Maybe so. They don't seem to be defective. But it's hard to imagine this being a sound anyone would actually like.

 

[MICH62]

Please, let us know how it sounds after...several hundred hours of burn-in...
This is the rule for this type of Koss headphones !
And yes, koss high end exists, IMHO : despite its low price, my Pro4AAT belongs to this category after 200 hours of burn-in.

 

[Skylab]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MICH62 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Please, let us know how it sounds after...several hundred hours of burn-in... This is the rule for this type of Koss headphones ! And yes, koss high end exists, IMHO : despite its low price, my Pro4AAT belongs to this category after 200 hours of burn-in.

OK, I will say this - after about about 50 hours of break in, the MV1 is starting to sound better. It's actually changed more with break in so far than any other headphone I have ever owned. It's still highly colored, and very rolled off in the highs, but at least now I can see how someone might like it, although for right now it's still way too colored for my tastes.

Mich62, will 150 hours more break-in make it more neutral sounding, and give it some high-frequency response?

 

[MICH62]

Skylab, I can't answer your question, as my experience is based on the PRO4 AAT only...but I'm not very surprised to ear that after 50H of break in, there's a serious difference in sound reproduction.
All I can say is that, if the MV-1 reacts like the PRO4 AAT in terms of break in you should get futher improvements in the next...150 to 200 hours.
But, I'm not sure the PRO4 AAT sounded so badly (your description is terrible !) right out the box...
I'm not very comfortable with audio description words in English, it's not my mother language, sorry, but I would say that "muffled", "canned" or "boxy" should suit correctly these headphones when I first listen to them.
Now (after 250 hours) this "feature" is only a bad memory : the soundstage is slightly wider, it is remarkably neutral with great precision/details in all the spectrum (after all, it has been designed for studio use in mind).
I've noticed an improvement in the bass department and highs are crystal clear now.
Only the weight didn't changed...

I'm not sure that it will be all the same for the MV-1 but, I suspect that sound changes could be surprising (I hope).
Please, keep us informed...

 

[Skylab]

OK, now at about 120 hours, and I will say I have never before heard a headphone improve this much with break in. Usually the changes are more subtle improvements. The MV1 out of the box sounds truly awful. After 120 hours it's quite listenable! Still somewhat colored, but it's not flat-out bad sounding. I can now really see how some people would like it.

It's really remarkable. Anyone who doesn't believe that headphones need break in should buy an MV1. Out of the box it really is horrible. I mean AWFUL. It ends up being a unique sounding, but quite listenable headphone.

 

[MICH62]

Glad to hear that things...sound better.
Could you, please, describe the type of coloring ?
Also, if sound changes that much in 120H, chances are it's not finished...

 

[jant71]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skylab /img/forum/go_quote.gif It's really remarkable. Anyone who doesn't believe that headphones need break in should buy an MV1. Out of the box it really is horrible. I mean AWFUL. It ends up being a unique sounding, but quite listenable headphone.

I went through that. I bought a Numark PHX Pro for a closed alt. to my then SR60's. Out of the box it was so bad I knew they would burn-in. Either that or the drivers were damaged in some way! A day of burn-in and they were better than the Grado's.

Actually, I might just pick those up again. I have a CD2000 cable to use with them now. Either those or the RP-21.

 

[Skylab]

The basic colorations have stayed, they have just lessened a lot. The mids are still a little "honkey", and the treble is still not all that extended, and is somewhat rolled off.

But now not badly enough to make it unlistenable