[ratboi]

https://www.massdrop.com/buy/massdrop-x-koss-esp-95x-electrostatic-system

$499. What pads are those?

I must say I really do love the case that comes with the standard version.

Well, you have to do SOMETHING with the rest of the calf after butchering it for the veal, right?

In a less carnivorous vein, let me once again push the "missing bass" crowd to adding RBE (real bass exciter) to foobar2k. Feel free to use the default settings. I can happily listen to rock, or to Bach, and not miss my bass now. There's a version for WinAmp, but the Llama is long gone; tsk. Even got a new laptop so I can use that calf skin case and batteries to show off the ESP-950 to my better heeled friends. Even throw in a little OOYH for good measure! Why quibble over incremental soundstage improvements - treat yourself to surround sound! Thank you, Mr. Fong.

Sure am glad I didn't fry my ear hairs when I was younger, for sure!!

 

[heavyharmonies]

Well... poop. I most definitely do not need these... but part of me wants to see whether there is any difference between the old ESP950 with its Energizer, and the new one and its energizer... put my ESP-950 on the new energizer and the new earspeaker on the old energizer... see whether there's a difference in new vs. old on my Stax amp.

The cynic in me says "nah, same equipment just new paint job"... but what if there's more to it than that???

GAH!

P.S. It doesn't look like they redid the concentric left-right volume knobs, which is an absolute fustercluck. Not friction locked, so it's virtually impossible to keep the balance when you adjust volume level... unless you duct tape them together.

 

[ratboi]

Well... poop. I most definitely do not need these... but part of me wants to see whether there is any difference between the old ESP950 with its Energizer, and the new one and its energizer... put my ESP-950 on the new energizer and the new earspeaker on the old energizer... see whether there's a difference in new vs. old on my Stax amp.

The cynic in me says "nah, same equipment just new paint job"... but what if there's more to it than that???

GAH!

P.S. It doesn't look like they redid the concentric left-right volume knobs, which is an absolute fustercluck. Not friction locked, so it's virtually impossible to keep the balance when you adjust volume level... unless you duct tape them together.

FWIW, I doubt the Energizer has changed. I hope they revisit their mfg process and eliminate the sqeal-inducing problems. Better earpads is an excellent change. Getting three Koss boys involved in the process can't be bad - I hope. I'm happy with my 950, so I'm not jumping. Still, the price is good. If you want the new paint job, and to check out the pads and their mfg improvements? More power to you. I can't afford Beryllium and the amps to go with it, or similar. I'll settle now for what I've got. If you jump, let me know how it goes!

PS to your PS - quit your byatching about the concentric knobs. I used a silver sharpie so I'd know when they were lined up. Put it in the groove, wiped away the excess (isopropanol is marvelous), and have never whined about them since. Seriously!!

 

[LukeVivolo]

I don't think that they changed anything besides the color and the pads. The description on massdrop says "The rest stays true to the original"

 

[illram]

Yeah for current owners, this is a pad swap. Might push me over the edge to try out the vesper pads Darren Fong sells but I'm certainly not spending $500 for some blue paint.

Now if they were selling me another one of those bags....

What would be really cool is if MD also started selling electrostat amps down the line. Like a Stax collaboration or something...

 

[Allanmarcus]

it also kills resale value of the 950. Who's gonna pay $500 for used 950?

 

[catscratch]

They really need to add dust covers to the drivers. That's the biggest issue with the 950. That and the miserable amp, though you can always get a Stax adapter. However, I don't know how the warranty would work with a Massdrop version, or how the customer service would work, and if there are no dust covers that would be an issue enough to keep me away.

Great sounding headphones though.

 

[Allanmarcus]

Many times when I stay in a hotel, they leave a generic headphone dust cover in the bathroom. Also, here's a link to many potential dust covers from Amazon.

https://smile.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=shower+cap

 

[ratboi]

Many times when I stay in a hotel, they leave a generic headphone dust cover in the bathroom. Also, here's a link to many potential dust covers from Amazon.

https://smile.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=shower+cap

Oh dear... You are evil. Yes, you are.

How much? I followed your link, and flashed on the end of Mars Attacks!, when they broadcast Slim Whitman singing 'Indian Love Call'. A LOT of dust covers were filled with goo that day I can tell you! No apologies for the Ghost Busters reference either... Cross the streams...

 

[doctorjazz]

The lifetime warranty Koss provides would be worth extra to me. They don't mention anything yet in the -"coming attractions" Massdrop post, but, if it's "Massdrop made", I'd expect Koss isn't going to provide it Massdrop could, I suppose, but it seems unlikely.

 

[Allanmarcus]

The lifetime warranty Koss provides would be worth extra to me. They don't mention anything yet in the -"coming attractions" Massdrop post, but, if it's "Massdrop made", I'd expect Koss isn't going to provide it Massdrop could, I suppose, but it seems unlikely.

Read the first paragraph again.
"all backed by the same lifetime warranty."

 

[illram]

As a current owner I hope the MD sale goes gangbusters, as I would love to see this particular product ecosystem become more popular, and in particular see MD possibly support it with new/different drops. Like a new energizer.

 

[denwenz]

I have the ESP950 which I like alot. I would love to hear from folks who may have heard either the Stax L300 Limited or Stax L700 and how they compared to the ESP950. Wanting to determine how much of an upgrade either of these Stax headphones might be and if I should invest my dollars in upgrading to one of these headphones-thanks

 

[kid vic]

I have the ESP950 which I like alot. I would love to hear from folks who may have heard either the Stax L300 Limited or Stax L700 and how they compared to the ESP950. Wanting to determine how much of an upgrade either of these Stax headphones might be and if I should invest my dollars in upgrading to one of these headphones-thanks

The comparisons I've read indicate that the ESP950's are roughly equal to some of the first and 2nd gen Lambdas but far below the newest gen (L300/LE, L500 and L700). Nonetheless, the ESP950 is the undisputed bang-for-buck champion especially at the massdrop price.

 

[doctorjazz]

Read the first paragraph again.
"all backed by the same lifetime warranty."

My bad, missed that sentence. Oh well , there goes resale value, as you pointed out!