[MisterMudd]

The Retrospekt headband is surprisingly comfortable, and super lightweight. With the Yaxi pads, I can absolutely wear these for hours with no discomfort.

You bought the $29 headphones, to replace the drivers? I did not see the headband being sold separately on Retrospekt’s website. Still, it may be worth it to replace my parts express headbands. Great picture.

 

[DivineCurrent]

You bought the $29 headphones, to replace the drivers? I did not see the headband being sold separately on Retrospekt’s website. Still, it may be worth it to replace my parts express headbands. Great picture.

Yeah, I did buy the $29 headphones only for the headband. I tried the Retrospekt drivers, it's hilariously bad, haha. Sounds like a tin can, zero bass and all mids with nasty treble!
But I definitely think it's worth it. I may actually prefer the Porta Pro headband, but this is lighter with less clamp so time will tell on comfort.

 

[MisterMudd]

Yeah, I did buy the $29 headphones only for the headband. I tried the Retrospekt drivers, it's hilariously bad, haha. Sounds like a tin can, zero bass and all mids with nasty treble!
But I definitely think it's worth it. I may actually prefer the Porta Pro headband, but this is lighter with less clamp so time will tell on comfort.

Thanks. It looks pretty slick.

 

[sjbrook]

Yeah, I did buy the $29 headphones only for the headband. I tried the Retrospekt drivers, it's hilariously bad, haha. Sounds like a tin can, zero bass and all mids with nasty treble!
But I definitely think it's worth it. I may actually prefer the Porta Pro headband, but this is lighter with less clamp so time will tell on comfort.

I've read what I would consider unreliable reviews of the Retrospeckt cans that praise the drivers. One would hope they wouldn't be utter shitte at the retail selling price. Are they as bad as what comes on the Parts Express headband? Really on the fence about picking up a set of $30 cans just for the headband. Wish there was a way to do a group buy with Koss just for the headbands.

 

[DivineCurrent]

I've read what I would consider unreliable reviews of the Retrospeckt cans that praise the drivers. One would hope they wouldn't be utter shitte at the retail selling price. Are they as bad as what comes on the Parts Express headband? Really on the fence about picking up a set of $30 cans just for the headband. Wish there was a way to do a group buy with Koss just for the headbands.

I'm not sure since I don't have the Part Express headphone, but I will say the Retrospekt drivers do not even compare to the KSC75 or Porta Pro. Unfortunately, they are the worst drivers I have heard, aside from dollar store earbuds. I really like the headband so far though. I like to think the $30 Retrospekt headband plus $15 KSC75 drivers + $12 Yaxi pads is more to enhance the already amazing sounding KSC75, so $57 total is easily worth it for me since I like the KSC75 better than many $100+ headphones.

 

[sjbrook]

I'm not sure since I don't have the Part Express headphone, but I will say the Retrospekt drivers do not even compare to the KSC75 or Porta Pro. Unfortunately, they are the worst drivers I have heard, aside from dollar store earbuds. I really like the headband so far though. I like to think the $30 Retrospekt headband plus $15 KSC75 drivers + $12 Yaxi pads is more to enhance the already amazing sounding KSC75, so $57 total is easily worth it for me since I like the KSC75 better than many $100+ headphones.

The KSC75 drivers are almost sinfully good at the price. It's a wonder that Koss hasn't done something stupid like discontinue them or jack the price.

 

[MisterMudd]

The KSC75 drivers are almost sinfully good at the price. It's a wonder that Koss hasn't done something stupid like discontinue them or jack the price.

Ssshhhhhhh

 

[bigtim]

Already love my KSC75 + Yaxi / Parts Express but i've had them plugged into my Garage1217 Project Amber tube amp today. Gives them a slightly fuller sound and they're just ridiculous at this price. The law of diminishing returns really does start here.

 

[David Smolinski]

I'd want to use these as drivers in headphones because the clip attachment point looks weak.
I modded Kaworu Chang's mod (for mmcx connectors). After printing, I decided the screw holes need more thickness (no countersinks) and material on the sides. Then, I decided not to fix this because I don't like the clip attachment.

 

[sjbrook]

Just picked up a set of the Koss/Retrospekt P/21 headphones. My sole intent was to scavenge the headband. But I did have to see how sounded...if this were 1979 and they had come bundled with a Walkman there would have been no complaints, then, for their intended use. As a throwback being sold as some sort of trip down memory lane of an inherently flawed playback medium (cassette), it's a swing and a miss. The Porta-Pro hit in 1984 and I still remember how much my mind was blown when I plugged them into my high impact yellow Sony Sports Walkman. It would have been completely appropriate for them to use a Porta-Pro family driver on this product. Oh well...

Connected to a tube amp with a little eq they don't sound...horrible, but they are pointless. Beyond the deficiencies in their playback capabilities, the drivers are too damn small to sit comfortably on my ears. They are now attached to a PE headband and destined for a drawer. Although I would be curious to try them on some KSC75 ear clips.

The headband though, very sweet. Now supporting a set of Kramer'd KSC75x with orange Yaxi pads. That is how they should have been packaged! It chaps my ass just a little to have dropped $29 for a little metal headband but beyond its slick aesthetics it does have one distinct advantage over a PE headband, clamping force. Has just a little more and frankly that has always been lacking on the PE. If this POS headphone could be gotten on a group buy for about half the price I would be down for a few...

 

[Nolbert0]

Those are some preeeety headbands! I'm seriously tempted to buy a pair to do exactly what you did. My PartsExpress band's plastic is wearing and is starting to slip...

Oh god, here I go already starting to justify it to my self. Damn you @sjbrook ... lol

 

[sjbrook]

Those are some preeeety headbands! I'm seriously tempted to buy a pair to do exactly what you did. My PartsExpress band's plastic is wearing and is starting to slip...

Oh god, here I go already starting to justify it to my self. Damn you @sjbrook ... lol

We are a community of enablers.

 

[sjbrook]

Update...P/21 drivers, mounted on KSC75x ear clips. Signal path PC based FLAC from VLC w/APO==>AudioEngineD1==>ancient Kenwood AVR (via tape out)==>Liquid Spark.
They are...limited but not terrible, just not terribly impressive. I expect that if they were paired with one of Retrospeckt's refurbished cassette Walkmans they would sound utterly underwhelming. Next time I go into the office (which is almost never these days) I may just throw them in a drawer just to have a set of listenable headphones on hand. They would still be driven from pc based files with the same eq profile so no great hardship.

Contrary to the experiences of others these are actual headphones, they are not the disposable garbage that comes attached to PE headsets or what airlines used to give out. YMMV.

my current eq for these...

 

[JaiSAn]

You bought the $29 headphones, to replace the drivers? I did not see the headband being sold separately on Retrospekt’s website. Still, it may be worth it to replace my parts express headbands. Great picture.

Realistically, few would buy a $29 headphone just for the heaband, it defeats the objective for us buying a $19 headphone in the first place ?
With due respect, If I had done that, I'd consider myself to be a bit crazy.
Yes it's a great picture.

Parts Express headbands doesn't have to be ugly or flimsy, why not also mod the headband ?
With a little imagination and a few pieces of coloured heatshrink, the World is your oyster.
NB. Image/idea/mod is by someone who was posted in Reddit under username of kenhuynh_k.

​

 

[JaiSAn]

For people who's asking about the Yaxi for Porta Pro pads.... comparing to stock pads, they are definitely a much better upgrade but if I'm correct, the underlying question isn't for comparision with stock but with the Sennheiser HD 414 yellow foam pads.
Bare in mind that nowadays, Companies offer freebies for promotional feedbacks and who'd give a bad review and risk throttling the freebies stream ?
Yes you've guessed it, most of the hype is FAKE, hum-partial reviews.

Purchased Porta Pro Yaxi pads, here is my impartial comparison to the Sennheiser HD 414 pads. Note that Sennheiser will not be giving away any free accessories for the defunct HD 414 headphones.

As they say, an image is worth a thousand words...
Yellow is bigger, fitting more over the ear and marginally softer therefore more comfortable.
Yellow have smaller inner opening diameter, fits the driver more snuggly. Over time these foam pads will expand to a small degree so the Yaxi may become loose in due course.
Manufacturing quality, the purple Yaxi are crap, both purple pads had some type of residue similar to glue on the interior.
HD 414 is Made in Germany, Yaxi pads doesn't state country of manufacture so I assume they are now Made in China as per the usual, otherwise no doubt they would have declared it Made in Japan.
Here's the more important point, scroll to enlage the image and you'll notice the holes in the Yaxi foam is smaller/denser. Important becuase the Yaxi pads actually muffles the sound more than the HD 414, where the Sennheiser pads calms the sharper highs without muffling.
Yaxi pads cost nearly twice the price of the HD 414, simply too avaricious as a Company....buy two sets and it's the cost of the headphones.

Yaxi Porta Pro pads are dimensionally more in ratio to the headband, P.Ex or whatnot, whereas the HD 414 seem to stick out due to its size and yellow colour, that's if you don't like the yellow.
Yaxi pads are more rounded on the edges, aesthetically more pleasing.

Judge for yourselves which you'll choose, comfort & musical plus Made in Germany quality versus vanity aesthetic prettiness.

Buy the Sennheiser HD 414 and don't believe in the Yaxi hype......