[size=medium]Hello, this is my first post (and sorry for my english).[/size]
[size=medium]When reading this thread, I first thought these cans were another under-rated “hidden beauty”, like the amazing Beyer DT-250. So I pulled the trigger last week.[/size]
[size=medium]Right out of the box, the DJ 100 is a joke. The ear pads are a nightmare and the sound is terrible. I was about to drop them directly in the garbage can. I was so annoyed that I not even bothered sending them back or selling them. But since I’m a proud owner of a Q701, I knew they deserved a second chance and gave them the break-in they needed. [/size]
[size=medium]After one week, the sound got better, but the difference wasn’t spectacular. So I decided to replace the pads. I was blown away, the improvement was huge. With a better seal and more air between the ears and the drivers, the muffled treble and the lower mids opened up: speed, air, clarity, details and punch… wow! And suddenly an impressing soundstage. It is definitely true that the M50 pads are mandatory.[/size]
[size=medium]I cannot believe the guys at Koss aren’t aware of this issue, so why the heck does this phone come with cheap, uncomfortable pads that totally ruin the sound? To lower the price? For me, that is nothing less than a commercial harakiri. Oh well…[/size]
[size=medium]That being said, the Dj 100 are far from perfect and IMO they are a bit over-hyped. The V shaped sound is fun and engaging, but not natural, and the bass is almost boomy… The fit is too loose (I can do standing back-flips with my DT-250 on). The headband is always screwed and makes me look like a retard. Plus, the SQ depends way to much on the positioning of the pads.[/size]
[size=medium]But the biggest surprise were the mids. Like tdockweiler, I think that the magic of the music is in the mids, but IMO the Dj 100’s mids are awful. In fact, I ordered these cans because of the supposed crystal clear vocals… and couldn’t believe they sounded that bad, at best average. My reference phones for vocals are Q701 (with more than 1000 hours), Grado sr60i, Beyer DT-250 and my old Senn HD-540 Reference. They play in another league here.[/size]
[size=medium]Who knows, maybe a bad batch? I suspect Koss has a poor quality check, and inconsistent manufacturing processes. Or are theses fakes? You can check the picture, but I doubt it.[/size]
[size=medium]In the end, the KDJ 100 is a weird headphone. I’m not sure the guys at Koss knew what kind of headphone they wanted. I don’t understand which direction this phone is going with that sound. Is the Dj100 a kind of botched project?[/size]
[size=medium]Anyway, I do like them and they are worth the price, no question. The design is nice and the built quality very good. The soundstage great. But the mids..? Well no...[/size]
[size=medium]I listen a lot to acoustic guitar, female vocals, folk, folk-rock, singer/songwriter,… and the dj 100 is definitely not the headphone for those genres. IMO, it is good for rap, hip-hop, pop and electric rock. For example, Curren$y’s “Pilot Talk” sounds amazing.[/size]
[size=medium]Btw, this is my gear: ODAC+O2 :: ClipZip+Fiio E06 :: Behringer UCA-222.[/size]
[size=medium]Surprisingly, they sounded the best out of the Behringer, which is supposed to be the worst match given its high impedance output.[/size]
[size=medium]Finally, it has been said that the DJ 100 isn’t a DJ headphones. In fact, it is. With the M50 pads, the V shaped sound is engaging and PRaTfull. The seal is above average. And the sub-bass, which is non-existant, is the last thing a DJ needs, because it’s coming from the outside of the cans, directly from the dancefloor’s speakers, hitting you in the stomach.[/size]