[Salamiii]

Thankyou so much! looks like i will be getting that then

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

I think the next headphone I'm adding is the KSC35. Don't expect much of a difference from the KSC75, other than the score being reversed. You trade off just a smidge of clarity for more bass and warmer tone. Comfort is also the biggest drawback.

 

[chicolom]

Quote:

I think the next headphone I'm adding is the KSC35. Don't expect much of a difference from the KSC75, other than the score being reversed. You trade off just a smidge of clarity for more bass and warmer tone. Comfort is also the biggest drawback.

 
I think they sound extremely similar, but I'm also using some KSC75 clips on my KSC35.  I bet if you use they stock clips they push up harder against your ears and sound slightly warmer a la portapros.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

You took the words right out of my mouth. I was going to put that on the KSC35 impressions, lol. If you use the KSC75 clips, they really sound 95% the same, just a hint warmer. The plastic clips really does make the biggest difference. As you said, it brings the drivers closer to your ears, increasing the bass.

I must say that I prefer the sound of them with the plastic clips. I haven't used the 75s in ages, though as you may remember, its because I ruined the stock shape of the rubber clips.

I'm considering buying another pair of 75s, just because there are times when I'm home when I'm watching shows/movies laying down, and none of my cans are comfy like that, other than the 75s. The KSC35's can get torturous after an hour.

They stay in my car though. Those are my 'work' headphones.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

First post edit!

6/2/2012:

Added the KSC35
Adjusted the KSC75 scores
Added a comfort score and extra info about comfort for almost all headphones.

I think I'm gonna spend the next few days with both the KSC35 and KSC75, and see just how they stack up for gaming. While I do absolutely love the KSC75, I think I may have been a bit generous with the scores. I'll probably have to adjust it to a 7/7. 8 seems a bit high to me now that I think about it at this point. I am a person who unlike most of what I see today, don't believe in that everything should be relegated to just 8's and 9s. 6 should be seen as decent, and 7 as good. 8 as great, 9 as magnificent, and 10... well obvious, borderline perfect.

I haven't touched Black Ops in a long while, so I'm gonna have to get used to it, and its not exactly the best game to test for headphone accuracy, but it does have its moments.

My problem is that I haven't played games that have done anything good in terms of positional audio lately. Mass Effect 3, but not sure I wanna go through it again for the same of testing.

I wish I still had CoD4 or MW2. Ah well. Irony being that both these games don't even USE a center channel, lol.

edit: Just did a quick A/B with the KSC35 and 75 on a certain track I like to use. Man... they really do sound similar, with that slight tonal difference, but the KSC35 really IS better. Either way, they both put a smile on my face. Too bad the KSC35 is currently overpriced ($45!). They certainly don't sound 3x better than the KSC75 ($15), but I feel the improvement in SQ is worthwhile. Yes, I really DO need another KSC75. These clips... they don't feel right at all. I'm sorry baby!

What the KSC35 does better is definitely the fuller sound, and richer vocals. The KSC75 sounds thin and harsh next to the KSC35. The treble on the KSC35 sounds natural, where the KSC75 sounds metallic (voices also sound a bit veiled on the 75 IN COMPARISON).

If the KSC35 was brought back outside of the Koss website, and the price was along $20-25, I'd recommend EVERYONE who doesn't wear glasses to get one.

I'm also curious as to what the HE500 sounds like, as I get the feeling it's similar in tonal balance to the KSC35.

Man, seriously, the KSC35 sounds awesome off the NFB5. XD

I can't believe I didn't run them through my gaming tests and put them up on this page yet.

Lol, it's a weird feeling going from the KSC35 to the D7000. The presentation of the sound is so different! Let's just say, it's not fair to the clip-ons. I'll not be doing that again. XD

KSC35

Okay, the more mature Koss clip-on that was discontinued and then brought back (only on the Koss website), for a pretty hefty $45. I'd say it's hefty because it honestly should cost just slightly above the KSC75 range, not 3x as much. They sound very similar to the KSC75. However, they are fuller sounding, with fuller bass approaching full-sized type bass, and the mids/vocals are very rich and forward. Treble is also quite neutral for me, not being too smooth, and not too sparkly. I actually am quite fond of their treble. The KSC75's treble is harsher, grainier, and more fatiguing. The mids on the KSC75 are slightly laid back, while the KSC35 presents them up front and more fleshed out. In all honesty, you can say the difference between the KSC75 and KSC35 is like the difference between the K701 and Q701. One is brighter, drier, and thinner sounding, while the other is more natural, and fleshed out.

How do they perform for gaming? Obviously, this is what you'd guys wanna know, and fortunately, they are pretty good performers, just the way the KSC75 is, but just a tad bit better. I played Black Ops for several hours today, and Dolby Headphone truly worked well together with the KSC35. There were sounds that would make me think were outside of the game. Soundstage with DH isn't huge, just like the KSC75, but it's not small either. It felt natural. Directional cues were quite easy to identify, so no complaints. All in all, it's a solid sounding headphone, that does work very well for gaming. Bass was strong but quick due to the open nature of the headphones, but slower than the KSC75. Based on sound alone, I'd say the KSC35 is a headphone you could use for hours without fatigue. Kind of like a smaller, more bassy PC360. Nice tonal balance that I don't think anyone would dislike.

My biggest complaint is the price. I'd put them at $25 at it's highest point. $20 would be perfect. For $45, I don't think I can recommend them since the KSC75 can be found for $15, are are just slightly inferior. However, if money is no object, and you want a great clip-on, the KSC35 is definitely worth the upgrade from the KSC75, and the difference between them with their respective stock clips is significant enough to warrant purchase.


Comfort-wise: compared to the KSC75, the KSC35 is quite noticeably lacking in comfort. The KSC75 has those very comfortable rubberized clips, that once you get used to, it's as if they weren't there. The KSC35 has some hard, slightly sharp plastic clips, that will never truly disappear off your head. At times, they can get bothersome, but with time, they're fine for several hours use.

Now, if you use the KSC75 clips on the KSC35 for comfort, you will lose a bit of SQ, and it will put them very close to KSC75 sound, with just a very slight hint of warmth (literally 90% alike). I'd say that it's worth the minor discomfort to use the stock plastic clips as it boosts SQ maybe 25% better than the KSC75, IMHO.

Fun: 7.5/10

Competitive: 7/10

Comfort: 7/10

 

[-shu]

Finally getting my new computer Wednesday, with the STX...it took Cyberpower about 3 weeks to build it! It's going to be awesome gaming in 1440p resolution at high settings with the HD 7970, and of course STX + Q701. Some things you can only achieve with a proper rig I'll post my impressions soon.
 
MLE, pretty awesome that you like Seven Lions. I absolutely love the Cosmic Love remix.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Hell yeah. The song of the day for me: Isis. That track is just so raw. Seven Lions is BOSS.

 

[harryyeo]

Anyone tried Fischer Audio's FA-011 for gaming?
 
Currently am going to add a sound card to my PC setup but still deciding between STX or the Phoebus (A 40 dollars difference).
 
And also choosing which headphones to use, I've heard some good things about FA-011 but I am not very sure if it'll be similar or better than Q701 or DT990 Premium.

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

Anyone tried Fischer Audio's FA-011 for gaming?
Currently am going to add a sound card to my PC setup but still deciding between STX or the Phoebus (A 40 dollars difference).
And also choosing which headphones to use, I've heard some good things about FA-011 but I am not very sure if it'll be similar or better than Q701 or DT990 Premium.

Last time i checked there was a $62 difference between the Phoebus ($225) and the STX ($163).
So far I can't find any important differences between the Phoebus and the STX, at least ones that really count.
The Phoebus control panel is designed to work more like Creative's
And driver or Dolby improvements should also come out for the Xonar cards.
The Phoebus does have analog speaker 7.1.
I would guess the Phoebus would be dropping some in price between now and Christmas.
I would say go for the FA-011.

 

[ZK85]

Ok so PC 360 or DT 770 pro 80? I am not talking about how good it is for competitive play that is secondary for me, but about how well it sets the world around you, how much more realistic the world feels surrounding you...for games like skyrim or mass effect, I like RPG and simulation games (as well as an MMORPG every now and then) and love it when i feel the real world has just melted and i am there in the games world with every sound just engulfing me and surrounding me as it would in real life, even if it is a bit better sounding than real life lol.
 
If there is something else you guys would recommend above these two please let me know, i cant go higher than 280 USD and i dont like to buy used headphones  
 
oh and them being open or closed dont matter much for me I have been trying to buy a new headphone for like three months now but cuz we dont have any local dealers in my country and i have to have them shipped in from the states i cant just go ahead and try any of them in a local shop... making it that much more difficult to make up my mind lol

 

[harryyeo]

Quote:

Last time i checked there was a $62 difference between the Phoebus ($225) and the STX ($163).
So far I can't find any important differences between the Phoebus and the STX, at least ones that really count.
The Phoebus control panel is designed to work more like Creative's
And driver or Dolby improvements should also come out for the Xonar cards.
The Phoebus does have analog speaker 7.1.
I would guess the Phoebus would be dropping some in price between now and Christmas.
I would say go for the FA-011.

 
$40 dollars difference in my country.

Thanks for the advice.
Now to decide whether to wait for the price cut, or just go for it.
Thanks for the FA-011 recommendation too.
Guess I gonna be ordering it from Noisy Motel.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

My friend brought MW2 over yesterday to let me borrow it for awhile for some headphone testing. I didn't realize I never touched MW2 with my 360 account. I think I played it with my ex's back when the game was new. Did all my gaming with the KSC35...with the exception of the last game being with the Q701.



Needless to say, I was getting called cheater from the first game I played.

Not that the KSC35 is special, but it certainly did it's job.

Lol, scores like that you'll never see me having on MW3. I can say with great pride, that I absolutely SUCK at that game. I can win at any CoD pre-MW3, but MW3 just laughs in my face at how utterly terrible it makes me feel.

Just wanna stress how different clip-ons sound when compared to full size. Even with DH, the KSC35 took getting used to. A few games in though, and I was just fine.

 

[l00l]

I got my DT 990 pro a couple of months ago and really love the sort of cinematic feeling you get in games and movies. Downside however is music for me, since the highs sound a bit unnatural and scratchy. That´s why I really wanna get the Sennheiser HD 598 one day (again).
 
For now I am looking into ordering an Astro Mixamp Pro. I will connect my Xbox 360 via optical and my Blu ray player via coaxial to the Mixamp. Do the Mixamp Pro and the DT 990 pro go well together? Is there anything I have to keep in mind or can I just order the thing?
Was getin a Yamaha 471 (cause of Silent Cinema) but since it won´t go down in price and is a bit overpowered for me right now I think I will just go with the mixamp pro. That should do it.

 

[PceLuvnSloMo]

>.< So I don't think I'm getting HD558s, I like the look of the HD518s though. Haven't ever heard much about them, they seem to be the headphones for me. I'm looking towards as much fun as competition and the 518s seem to be on a bit of the bassy side. Mabye this will be a new super-all-in-one headphone?

 

[Mawnee]

Thank you Mad Must Envy for this review. I have been reading and rereading this thread while I research and debate what headset to get. Other reviews I've read seem to agree with your assesments. In the end I did purchase the PC360s. I joined the forums to purchase the astro mixamp from a member.

I am very happy with the setup. I use it for both my PC and my ps3. BF3 still has me going "wow". I can not only hear my hidden enemies from any direction, but now I can tell what type of weapon the have when they reload. I almost feel like I could play with my eyes closed because the sound is so vivid and precise.

Thanks again.