[Chimmy9278]

Sorry, only portuguese or european stores... might be a bit out of hand for you

thank you a lot for the opinion though!

 

[robo24]

Can anyone speak regarding the Koss with the iFi iESL vs the stock energizer? It's a lot to spend just for the Koss, but I'd buy it if I also get some Stax at some point.

 

[timb5881]

Can anyone speak regarding the Koss with the iFi iESL vs the stock energizer? It's a lot to spend just for the Koss, but I'd buy it if I also get some Stax at some point.

I would like to know this as well.

 

[SilverEars]

Listened to the ESP-95X. Seems like a fairly good deal for an all in one system for $400, but not more. If you have a good tube amp with HD600, 650, etc.., it's similar, but there are some draw-backs to the 95X/950. As been stated before, the dynamics are a bit muted with sometimes the bass coming off boomy. It share most similarities with 650 in how smooth the upper-frequencies are, and it's too smooth that it's lacking bite that are necessary for good imaging. Therefore, the imaging comes off a bit flat, not so dimensional. What I was also surprised is, how not all that airy the headphone is. I was expecting it to be airy. So the sound stage feels constricted a bit.

The positives are the vocals out of it. Very smooth vocal performance that it's a pleasure to listen to vocals with this headphone. Not the best with Jazz or electronic genre, not enough bite. Fairly good with pop type music as it's smooth and easy listening. Speed of the driver is of course impressive. Interesting how fast electrostatic bass are, but they tend to be weightless and with particularly the case of 95X, not enough impact I feel.

I think at the price point of $400, it competes with Sennheiser headphones since it's a complete system.

 

[Willis]

Can anyone shares how does the Koss compares to the HD800s?

 

[adeadcrab]

Koss estats are tonally dark, before eq. Taller soundstage than wide, but still quite decent soundstage and imaging - not nearly as wide as HD800 (I imagine, never tried HD800).

Can be eq'd and sound great that way. Fast drivers but not that dynamic.

 

[crazychile]

ESP-950 doesn't have that huge treble spike in the 6k range that everyone tries to "fix" in the HD800.

 

[PolloLoco]

Caution: This is not easily reversible, unless you have filter material handy. The filters are also glued on firmly to the headphones - and if you're not careful, your fingers may stray and hit the dust-cover. I don't take responsibility for damage you might cause, or you being unhappy with the resultant tone.

A couple months ago, when researching the Kaldas RR1 - I read a post by Spritzer saying that he thought they were better than the Koss with Vesper pads and "damping" removed.

I'd been wondering what he meant by damping, and since I've been doing a lot of pad rolling for fun - the sponge screens that sit under the pads have been getting ragged. My vesper pads have a thin screen installed, and the cheap EBAY pads I bought last year had replacement sponge screens also. So I decided to take a big risk and pull the screens attached to my ESP95X to see what effect it might have on the sound. It's not easy, they're glued on firm - and they won't come off in one piece so this is NOT reversible. The EBAY screens don't have adhesive, so I'd either replace them loose or have to find a glue. Careful if you take stupid risks like me - since it takes a bit of force, your fingers might slip and damage the dust covers and drivers. That said, I was able to cleanly remove the screen from both headphones without issue.

The result was pretty dramatic. I wondered if these screens would be "invisible" sound wise, and just meant as additional dust protection. Instead I found dust behind both of these screens, as shown in the picture below. The dust was between the sponge and the dust cover of the drivers. I wonder if this was dust from manufacturing that might cause the squeal a lot of us have heard. I haven't heard ANY squealing in months.

In terms of sound, without these sponge screens - there is a LOT more treble energy. At first I was quite unhappy since it made my Koss more fatiguing. I had to drop the volume on my Sabaj D5 pre-amp from 26 to 24 due to treble. Previously, with my SRM 717 setup - I was more likely to drop the volume if bass became overwhelming. After the initial adjustment period I realized they're extracting a lot more micro detail than they did before. Without sounding shouty and thin like the modified L300's I used to own. I'm hearing stuff in old songs I'd never noticed before. Right now I'm trying to get adjusted to the new sound - but I'm not sure I'll go back to the screens. In a couple of weeks I'll use the screens from the EBAY pads and see which sound I prefer.

Note - I would never try these with the Dekoni pads and without these screens. I imagine the treble would feel like ice picks through my ears.

 

[LUCILLE667]

To people who have sent in their 950 or 95x for warranty repair, do you have to send in everything ( cable, energizer, headphones with pads) ?. My 950's foam screen has disintegrated away, and developed some slight squeal, so I only want to send the headphones in.

 

[adeadcrab]

Generally you have to send the whole box in, as well as the stock pads. If you have vesper or dekoni pads, swap them with the stock pads before sending back.

edit - may as well ask the folks at Koss

 

[PolloLoco]

To people who have sent in their 950 or 95x for warranty repair, do you have to send in everything ( cable, energizer, headphones with pads) ?. My 950's foam screen has disintegrated away, and developed some slight squeal, so I only want to send the headphones in.

Take this with a large grain of salt. I read on another forum that Koss will reduce either the voltage swing or bias voltage to fix squeal. That came from a member that claimed to have measured before and after the return.

That would explain why Koss wants you to send back everything.

 

[adeadcrab]

more and more lately I am reaching for my 95X over other headphones - Focal Elex, Sennheiser 650 + Grado GS1000. I love the tall natural soundstage from the Koss' earcups - listening to Daft Punk's "Alive 2007" on the Elex sounded congested and small. Switching to the 95X and this is the headphone to replicate that live concert feel. Paired with EQ and they sound tonally balanced with slamming bass and detailed highs. They're also extremely comfortable Occasionally I will get a noise from the right earcup, and that's when I switch the energizer off and reach for another headphone. Besides that I am becoming more and more endeared to these headphones. Even if they aren't as dynamic as the Elex, they present the music in such a large, spacious, airy way that I am willing to forgive them for their 90's era technology and embrace their unique positives.

 

[barondla]

more and more lately I am reaching for my 95X over other headphones - Focal Elex, Sennheiser 650 + Grado GS1000. I love the tall natural soundstage from the Koss' earcups - listening to Daft Punk's "Alive 2007" on the Elex sounded congested and small. Switching to the 95X and this is the headphone to replicate that live concert feel. Paired with EQ and they sound tonally balanced with slamming bass and detailed highs. They're also extremely comfortable Occasionally I will get a noise from the right earcup, and that's when I switch the energizer off and reach for another headphone. Besides that I am becoming more and more endeared to these headphones. Even if they aren't as dynamic as the Elex, they present the music in such a large, spacious, airy way that I am willing to forgive them for their 90's era technology and embrace their unique positives.

There's no going back!

 

[491838]

Seriously considering getting a pair of the 95X to compare with my LCD-2 Fazor. I'm expecting less resolution and dynamics but maybe I'm willing to trade that for more transparency and clarity.

Audezes are weird. They have a kind of warmth that super imposes itself over the sound of the headphone regardless if you EQ them or not. To me it sounds like the big leather pads are coloring the sound in an odd way which contributes to this sense of lack of clarity despite otherwise showing all of the signs of a well performing driver.

 

[timb5881]

Seriously considering getting a pair of the 95X to compare with my LCD-2 Fazor. I'm expecting less resolution and dynamics but maybe I'm willing to trade that for more transparency and clarity.

Audezes are weird. They have a kind of warmth that super imposes itself over the sound of the headphone regardless if you EQ them or not. To me it sounds like the big leather pads are coloring the sound in an odd way which contributes to this sense of lack of clarity despite otherwise showing all of the signs of a well performing driver.

I think you will find that the Koss you will get a lot of resolution, maybe less dynamics, but yes transparency and clarity is there. With the Koss I can hear a lot of detail I was missing with dynamic and planar headphones.