[ssrock64]

It seems like Koss would save a lot of their own money by being somewhat more open about known issues and any calibration like obob discussed, allowing users who have the know-how to do repairs themselves instead of sending them in for warranty repairs at Koss HQ.

 

[obobskivich]

It seems like Koss would save a lot of their own money by being somewhat more open about known issues and any calibration like obob discussed, allowing users who have the know-how to do repairs themselves instead of sending them in for warranty repairs at Koss HQ.

I'm guessing they don't do that because of the fear of lawsuits - I mean, if McDonald's can get sued for someone pouring hot coffee into their lap, how quickly do you think it'd be before Koss got sued for someone zapping themselves taking apart the E/90? h34r:

But yeah I've wondered about that calibration point, especially since (afaik) each E/90 is serialized, but the headphones themselves are not (at least nowhere I've ever seen).

 

[youngarthur]

Emailed Koss,twice over the last week,still not received any reply.

 

[ericj]

I'm guessing they don't do that because of the fear of lawsuits - I mean, if McDonald's can get sued for someone pouring hot coffee into their lap, how quickly do you think it'd be before Koss got sued for someone zapping themselves taking apart the E/90?

But yeah I've wondered about that calibration point, especially since (afaik) each E/90 is serialized, but the headphones themselves are not (at least nowhere I've ever seen).

 
It's actually just poor customer relations to share too much information. 

 

[ssrock64]

I'm guessing they don't do that because of the fear of lawsuits - I mean, if McDonald's can get sued for someone pouring hot coffee into their lap, how quickly do you think it'd be before Koss got sued for someone zapping themselves taking apart the E/90?

 

   
It's actually just poor customer relations to share too much information. 

In general I would agree with this, but since the ESP is a small-production hobbyist product in a market that has a very active modding community, I think it would make sense for that information to be out in the open a little more. Not necessarily any encouragement of modding or self-servicing, but to just have a more detailed manual available would be nice.

 

[manywelps]

They just shipped out the replacement.  That was a MUCH faster turnaround than last time.

 

[davidst]

Well I finally got a set of these
been wanting them for about 20 years
but hard to cough up that kind of money
when $100 for headphones was my max.
Wife is out of town and Sonic Electronix had one pair left.
I played their "make offer" games and snagged them for $661.
Good price but I am sure they were in the warehouse for awhile and possibly open box.
Anyway got most the musty smell gone.
Reason I felt comfortable, was the warranty, having just dealt with them over an old pair of Pro AAA
it felt really good as they restored them completely minus the headband and the outer cups.
So I am just now getting to listen and the sound to my old ears is just amazing
but then I haven't been subjected to headphones like this before.

 

[obobskivich]

Well I finally got a set of these
been wanting them for about 20 years
but hard to cough up that kind of money
when $100 for headphones was my max.
Wife is out of town and Sonic Electronix had one pair left.
I played their "make offer" games and snagged them for $661.
Good price but I am sure they were in the warehouse for awhile and possibly open box.
Anyway got most the musty smell gone.
Reason I felt comfortable, was the warranty, having just dealt with them over an old pair of Pro AAA
it felt really good as they restored them completely minus the headband and the outer cups.
So I am just now getting to listen and the sound to my old ears is just amazing
but then I haven't been subjected to headphones like this before.

Having heard both PRO4A and AA, I can imagine how big of a difference the ESP/950 are. They're really a stellar pair of cans. On the pricing, Amazon has had them that low for brand-new in the past (and Koss has directly sold them for around $700 at times too), so it's not unreasonable to assume they were brand new either. Probably tough to say either way without a ruling from the dealer. Either way, great cans at a good price.

 

[davidst]

Thanks, there is a lot of difference compared to them.
I guess the musty smell was just from a damp warehouse.
The reason I thought they were open box as there was not a Silica Gel
package inside. I saw a unpacking YouTube video Uploaded by hifiguy528 and there was one.
Has anyone tried rechargeable with the battery pack?
I read that alkaline only last 3 hours?

 

[obobskivich]

Never tried the battery pack at all myself. My box/packaging doesn't have a silica and I don't honestly remember throwing one out or not.

 

[manywelps]

I received the replacement.
 
It's still just as defective.
 
Only now the E/90 make an VERY LOUD electrical arcing noise come out of the left can of the ESP-950, and it turns red after a second.
 
The SRM-1/MK2 Pro still works properly (as in the E/90 is causing the issue).  (Mind you it still does the squealing and hissing, but no LOUD arcing)
 
Back it goes again...
 
It's intensely obvious no one bothered to test it before shipping it back...

 

[new reformation]

I have recently obtained a pair from Sonic Electronix as well and they seem to be completely new and untouched (No musty smell either...).  Good to know another Headfi'er found such a fantastic deal on these 'phones.
 
Overall, I have been VERY impressed with the ESP-950s and experienced no issues with them at all.  I would note that I do keep a dust cover on them whenever they are not being used.  Perhaps neglecting to treat the KOSS headphones with the respect that other electrostats seem to garner is the root of some of the persistent issues I have read about.  
 
Just upgraded to a 9V 3A  switching power supply and I can confirm that to my ears they seem to have improved in clarity and dynamics.  Another individual mentioned better bass with the upgrade, but I cannot say that there is a tremendous increase in quantity, however, there is perhaps an increase in tightness.
 
To whom it concerns: I'm planning to order and mod a spare headband with real leather and some supports to give it a more sturdy feel.  I'll try and keep track of the mods and post some pics here later. 

 

[davidst]

Sonic Electronix, I am almost sure that this one was their last.
 
3 amp, 9 volts that's 3 times the stock so the extra current is better and needed.
Do you have a link to it?
 
The reason for the battery questions is well 6 x 1.2v nimh = only 7.2 not 9 of course.
 
I tried this with AA's and got a green light.
 
There is a battery packs that hold 8 but AA mind you but that would be 9.6v maybe too much?
 
And then there is these, quite powerful but again only 7.2 v
 
http://www.amazon.com/SunLabz%C2%AE-Rechargeable-Batteries-Ultra-Efficient-5000mAh/dp/B00SJBODX2/ref=lp_9543893011_1_7?srs=9543893011&ie=UTF8&qid=1442988089&sr=8-7

 

[crazychile]

About the musty smell...
 
I ordered my pair last year directly from Koss when they had their after Thanksgiving sale. Mine smelled like they had been in a warehouse for a couple of decades, which led me to believe that they must have produced a large quantity of them and were working through getting rid of their old stock. However, a dealer (I believe it was Darin Fong) mentioned that this was probably not true considering the ESPs are occasionally back ordered. In any case, the smell goes away quickly.
 
A bit off topic, but Koss needs a new marketing manager to revive this brand properly. Koss makes some really great stuff and then makes some real turds. They sell too many models and lack a clear focus. An ESP-950mkII could be hugely popular if they voice it to have a bit more sparkle on the top end, lose the bag and battery pack (Who in their right mind would consider these portable?)  And set the normal MSRP around $600-$800 including the energizer box.

 

[doctorjazz]

Not listening to these much since I got the HEK (or anything else, for that matter), but before that purchase I considered these and the HE-560 pretty much on the same level, each with different strengths. The 560 did better at the extremes, treble and bass, and had a bit more body/richness. The 950, though, had this amazing speed and detail in the mids, better than the 560 in this regard. From memory, of course (one of these days I have to sell these poor, unused babies...) . I did ditch the included amp and change to a Stax SRM-323II, which I felt have it more bass and solidity.