Ok guys, I'm a huge Koss 60ohm driver nut. I currently have:
1 KPH40
1 PortaPro Black Edition modded with MMCX connector
1 KSC35 modded with MMCX connector
I've had: a million KSC75s, 1 KSC75X, a thousand KSC35s, a thousand SportaPros, 1 PortaPro wireless, 1 KSC35 Wireless, and more (like a UR40 which I believe has the same titanium drivers as the KSC75).
Where's the KPH30i? Well, i had no interest in it, as I like to use all my drivers with the KSC75 clips (including the KSC35 which has its own clips, lol). You can't do that with the 30i, so boo, no reason to get them.
I've been using the KPH40 attached to KSC75 clips for a fair comparison with the others.
So far, my findings are, the KPH40 has a new back cover that looks similar but not the same as the drivers on the Sporta/Porta/35/30i (Internal housing). This may be an indicator that it's using an updated driver, whereas ALL the others share the same driver with different headbands/clips, but all sounded the same if put in the same headband/clip type.
The KPH40 sounds different than my two current Porta/35 drivers.
Trying to compare the KPH40 on KSC75 clips, with KSC35/PortaPro on KSC75 clips... I CAN hear a difference. The KPH40 drivers
seem to split the difference between the brighter/dryer sound of the KSC75, and the bassier, smoother, darker sound of the PortaPro/KSC35. Interesting. So may Koss decided to finally do SOMETHING new with the 60ohm drivers. Not sure I'd
personally take them over the Porta drivers (as I like a fuller, darker sound), but they're definitely a more neutral sound, if slightly so. I'm sure most would argue it's a better tonal balance, which I won't argue if you don't like it as dark as Porta/35s.
I'd say it def falls outside of driver variation, as my Porta and 35 sound identical, and these just don't sound like those. That is...
unless Koss has recently updated all of them to these new drivers. Who knows...
KPH40 currently on the bottom left with KSC75X clips.
Before anyone asks, yes I've had Yaxi pads, and no I didn't like them. They mess with the sound too much, and I'm fine with the stock pads.
Question: Anyone know where to source more KSC75 clips alone? I've seen Ali and Ebay sell some weird clips that seem to have the weird KSC35 hard edges where it rests on the ear. I want clips with the wire inside. Ideally Drop would just sell the black variants.... ah well.
Back in the day when HFM/Yuin had their own clips was nice too. Man, those were good.