Koss/Massdrop ESP95X (Electrostatic Under $500?!)

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[@progressiveguy9959]

As far as build quality,the good news is this package has a lifetime warranty. This should give a level of comfort.

[@kvltwalter]

I got the ESP/95X recently and I'm absolutely loving it. Super detailed and natural sounding as you said. I'm a big jazz guy and it's great for that, but even the brutal death metal in my collection sounded fantastic lol. It's a really good all-arounder in my opinion.

[@thiscorrosion900]

Do the ESPs have some decent solid bass, or do they lack bass? I was just curious. Do the ESPs aim for flat response, or warmth? I mean, do they sound more like AKG studio top notch monitors, or are they warmer than that?

[@jonnycage3604]

@@thiscorrosion900 i have them. they lack bass. you can also see it in frequency response measurements. in my opinion they are warm. not flat. if you want diffuse field flat, these are not it. if you want harman flat, they are close. except for bass.

[@thiscorrosion900]

@@jonnycage3604 I see, I have a good idea of what they sound like now, then. I'm not going to bother buying them, because, I listen to 95 per cent rock and pop and dance music, some jazz, some classical. I like some really solid bass, fun headphones, in general. If I listened to mainly classical or jazz I'd invest in some electrostatics.

[@ozunkeskin6919]

what about movie?

[@jbecks35]

stax sr-l300 + srm-252s goes for 640$ new, shipped from Japan on eBay. A direct comparison against this koss system would be a perfect video, thanks.

[@Tigerex966]

warranty and service?

[@jbecks35]

@@Tigerex966 The staxx sr-002 I ordered on eBay from Japan came perfectly packaged with a 1 year factory warranty and free 30 day return from the seller.

[@tugbars4690]

I own L300-L700-007mkII and used 009S for 2 weeks. I do have SRM252S, used my friends 007T until my after market amp has arrived which is KGSSHV Carbon(one of the top amps for electrostats) Conclusion: SRM252S sucks. skip L300. L300LE are really good for what they cost. If you want to keep it budget, buy L300LE second hand and get a second hand 353x amp. Later on change the headband of the L300LE to L700 headband. L300 headband sucks and it's fragile. (L700 and L300LE, they have the same driver but their tuning) Koss electrostatic headphones are amazing in terms of price/performance but again their amp sucks. All the problems he mentioned here almost get fixed as you feed more power to Koss ESP95X.

[@barchetype6430]

@@tugbars4690 How do the Koss compare against the 009s and the 007s when through the KGSSHVC? Are they in the same league? I've even read the Koss can put a fight against the 007s if well-powered, and are 90% 009s except for being Warmer, is this true?

[@tugbars4690]

@@barchetype6430 unfortunately that i don't know. i just could compare them with L700 and they were slightly slower than L700. Koss were slightly obscuring the detail if there is a lot of going on in the song.

[@BruceNorris1990]

I just got these. Absolutely amazing for rock and metal.

[@j0hnc00]

What about EDM drum and bass?

[@RobinSylveoff]

When I listened to music on these, I just felt they're good. But when I used these on videos, oh man the imaging and the detail! They're god tier and you can really hear things as they're happening on screen.

[@billkilpatrick3465]

These videos are a work of art. These are highly-informative, eye-candy-level videos.

[@EternalLife91]

Hi Joshua, just watched your video. I really like that you are so detailed when talking about the sound of the headphones. Even though nothing compares to listening to them yourself, it still gives you an idea if it is a headphone you want to try or not. Keep doing what you are doing, it's great.

[@korebrent1234]

I've been waiting on your opinion about these cans thanks for the effort in your upload

[@randomdudeman4782]

The ESP950 came out in the early 90s (90 or 91 iirc) and has pretty much never been updated since then. This is not an indictment of sound quality because some of the best headphones from yesteryear are every bit as good if not better than most headphones today. However it does illuminate the build quality issues somewhat. The headphones don't have dust covers on the drivers, which means dust will get in and cause intermittent squealing sounds. You will use the lifetime warranty over this issue, many times over. The amp is bad but you can get a Koss to Stax adapter and run them off any Stax amp. The Koss do use a slightly higher bias voltage than Stax but you're unlikely to hear any difference over this. In terms of FR, these are among the most neutral headphones you can get, save for being slightly bass light. They are very detailed with a very natural midrange, and off Stax amps they sound fuller and more fleshed out with better transparency. With a Kevin Gilmore designed amp they'll scale even more. An interesting headphone with a great sound quality for the money... but not without some issues. Research before you buy.

[@sierre00]

Put some drier packs with it, the squealing sounds disappears and will never come up

[@dnalekaw4699]

@@sierre00 drier packs?

[@Dant2142]

@@dnalekaw4699 Maybe they meant silica gel packs?

[@dnalekaw4699]

@@Dant2142 Yes, posssibly.

[@cattusfattus6369]

@@sierre00 What are drier packs?

[@MrDoublebarreldm]

Can not wait for the gaming headset comparison! I’m currently rocking the X2’s which run through my Sennheiser GSX 1200 pro powered through the little bear P2 mini! I appreciate the insight from your channel and others like it! Keep up the good work!

[@antoinep9733]

3:40 God Tier lighting effects

[@LakerTriangle]

Now I have to look up what electrostatic headphones are...Now, build wise they look cheap. And no one should have to use tape when spending this amount of money. A locking notch that requires a pull to unbalance would have been easy to do. Nice review and thanks!

[@zachjaybseazer94]

It's like the next step past planars. Whereas planars have a thin diaphragm with a wire running through it suspended between magnets, electrostatics have an ultra thin electrically charged diaphragm suspended between a positive and negative plate. The diaphragm moves towards one plate or another based on the electrical charges on the plates, hence why they need special energizer amps.

[@LakerTriangle]

@@zachjaybseazer94 yup I watch a good vid on it... It's funny because I'm an electronics tech and never heard of this tech before.

[@Hari-kx2er]

@@zachjaybseazer94 I don't know whether you can call them next step from the Planars when it comes to audio quality. Of course the tech is newer and may be more 'hightech' so to speak. Of course, you can also make the case that a super luxury headphone like Sennheiser HE1 is electrostatic. However, one of the most detailed headphones on the planet currently is a planar called 'Abyss 1266'. It also has two superbly performing younger siblings called Diana Phi and Diana V2. Then there are the super expensive Planars from Hifiman like Susvara, HE1000and from Audeze like LCD 4s. Then it is also not as if the Dynamic headphones have disappeared. The Sennheiser Hd800s, Beyerdynamic DT1990 Pro and the Focal lineup are still considered as some of the best headphones in the planet. In the more budget segment the ever popular Sennheiser HD650, 58X etc still predominate.

[@ernestoditerribile]

@@Hari-kx2er the tech exist before 1955. So this isn’t new tech. But the first popular electrostatic loudspeaker was the Quad ESL55. Still regarded as a very good loudspeaker. Off course modern electrostatic loudspeakers are way better.

[@Lambda_Ovine]

Life time warranty. You don't have to use tape, if they brake for poor build quality they'll replace it for you.

[@bigshel99]

I feel similar about these to this review, love the detail and imaging; low end is what I'd expect from a electrostatic... way weaker than I like but, man, I'm hearing stuff in these tracks I never knew existed. I don't experience the volume not getting loud enough not sure if that's a source thing or the energizer but mine can get to well into the painfully loud on anything I've thrown at them.

[@pliedtka]

I went to hi-end dealer and he had SR-007. Jaaa, there's is about electrostatics than no dynamic drivers can do. There was so much going on in the song that makes listening to music very attentive and more pleasurable. I didn't heard planars so I have no idea how do they sound against the dynamics and electrostatics. I think the resurrected Koss ESPs is a very good thing that happened in audio world.

[@allansh828]

@@pliedtka I can't agree more. My kse1200 is god-tier for live orchestra and my KOSS are the best for 90s pop and hip-hop. You need Focal Utopia to match the level of detail from those KOSS electrostats.

[@Unwise-]

I have to say the warranty is fantastic! I've had my ESP-950 for well over ten years and I've used the warranty a couple of times for a "buzzing" sound over one channel. Apparently not an uncommon issue with these. Koss has you send it in and they even replaced a lot of the extra accessory parts, not required to fix the problem. I got new new pads and all new wires, with prompt return shipping. No questions asked, no receipt or serial number, just send in the ESP-950 with return address and they fix it, no issues sending it back to me in Canada from their Milwaukee shop either. The last repair seems to be the permanent fix though, I haven't had to ship it back for well over six years. The detachment of the earcups makes more sense with the original ESP-950 that came with the travel case. It's a quite "luxury" lambskin bag that looks like a serious camera bag. The earcups stack side-by-side and fit into one side-pocket, while the energizer, wires and battery pack and headband all fit into their respective pockets and the case zips shut from the top. The battery pack is missing from the Massdrop as well, you fill it with D-cells and it powers the energizer for mobile use, which is ridiculous because you'd need a backpack or something for the energizer to take it for a walk... but it's kind-of ridiculous fun too. I like Josh's description of the SQ, quite right. Lacking in bass but fantastic in detail.

[@ColocasiaCorm]

Sounds like it's dynamically compressing. That's how you explain hearing low level details clearly, yet not being forward.

[@Golfina19]

Thanks for comparing these the LCD-X, especially how they're not too bright just like the LCD-X... very helpful information. I was worried that they would be too bright like Sennheiser or Audio Technica headphones, which I hate. Thanks for the great review.

[@FauxtakuLounge]

Phenomenal work.

[@drew0001807]

I'm glad I've foud your channel. Reviews are very well shot and well structured. Thank you for your approach with great attention to detail. I've found out a lot about headphones and sound in general thanks to your channel. Thanks for that! I've been looking for a review of new planar magnetic headphones - Verum One, by a small startup in Ukraine. There are only few reviews on this model and all of them seem to be very positive. Will be awsome if you'll get your hands on it one day. Meanwhile I'll enjoy your other reviews.

[@fredericklyne8275]

These are currently $400 at Massdrop (aka Drop). At that price I’m ordering a pair!

[@brendan5235]

Well?

[@creaturerecords]

Those are imho one of the best looking headphones ive seen

[@levansaginashviliskidney8726]

I love these too, although to be the best looking is he1000v2

[@st0neageman]

Best looking to me always went to zmf

[@theinnocent_one]

Josh we really need your comparison style video against the stax basic l300 kit.

[@CrnaInBela]

I like that wallpaper in the background. Can you send a link of the image? Thanks

[@Babybarschalarm]

Hey Josh! You are my go-to reviewer for headphones, and my taste basically perfectly aligns with yours. Would you be willing to review the Audeze Mobius? It's a very very interesting headphone in general, but it'd be interesting to see your take on it! Edit: I'm super stupid. I just found your past review. Whoops.

[@michaelbauers8800]

At summer fest, Milwaukee, this is more than decade ago, Koss had a nice booth, and they had an electrostatic there on demo. But I wasn't convinced to spend the money on one, and have to have a special amplifier to work with them. Obviously the drivers are really fast, which should increase accuracy, so I can understand the interest in this sort of driver.

[@andreaszetterqvist4272]

@joshua Valour great review as always. I can highly recommend the DEKONI PREMIUM EARPADS FOR KOSS ESP/95X HEADPHONE if u want to add some bass. I’d say they add a little more focus than the pads that comes with it. I use the for gaming and they are amazing :) but with the pad swap they even deliver trance with a awesome experience.

[@NotOrdinaryInGames]

Looking at the graphs, the small but sudden and eternal bass response drop is startling.

[@daniwalmsley611]

There seems to be an easy fix for channel imbalance which would be a trim knob and then a separate volume knob. Being able to finely adjust the bias while being able to keep that balance when changing the volume

[@Martinullis]

The way you compared the 6xx and 95x sounded like switching from cappuccino to espresso.

[@dirk-jansmit9772]

HI, I used to own a STAX SR 44 electrostatic headphone. Very precise soundstage, very dynamic. Now I'm talking around 1980...the price was around USD 275. I am amazed at the current price for the same quality.

[@Kpaxlol]

275 usd is a lot of money in 1980

[@VuffyPulva]

The volume knob is my only gripe with this set. I ended up just using my DACs variable outs fed to the energizer, then have the energizer cranked to max volume. No more having to futz with the different channels. I'm wondering if the 95X's pads are messing with the bass, though. The base 950s have fantastic extension, really only rolling off in the 20hz region or so.

[@benfuct5880]

Which DAC did you use, I just got the 95x, also wonder if sheepskin pads would help?

[@sabumiah3421]

Ben Fuct? Can you use a mobile phone like iphone as the music source?

[@RazeAndJadith]

@@sabumiah3421 yes there is a headphone jack on the front of the energizer just for that use.

[@Han-Yolo]

Nice review! Pretty much spot on with how I view mine though I'm not sure about the loudness issue you mentioned. Mine go far higher than what is safe to listen to.

[@JoshuaValour]

Maybe my source is more quiet than I thought? Idk

[@captainvoluntaryistthestat3207]

@@JoshuaValour how did you hook these to the thx 789s? I assume you hooked the 789s to the emergizer.

[@coffee-vz1nr]

Argon+esp95x will be such a nice combo.

[@MRFUTURETECHNOLOGYGAMING]

It's nice to see a person talk about gaming and music Which I love both

[@xeniavader]

these are VERY good. on par with entry level STAX.

[@jacobcharters6614]

I got both the hd600s and the Phillips shp9500s after watching your great reviews ahh being a audiophile is addicting hopefully the last pair of headphones I’ll ever buy!

[@nonenothing4412]

lol... is the beginning.

[@KennyJordana]

Man that intro is smooth

[@AdrianIII]

Does a bass boost work with this headphone? Say, upping the 20Hz range a bit using a Schiit Loki? That would be something I'd try if I were testing/reviewing. Thanks!

[@pliedtka]

Sometimes just slightly less output in some range (0.5dB) might reveal that other instruments are actually present - learned it a bit from making crossovers for my DIY speakers, same idea that audio compression is based on.

[@hiyum5574]

A few days ago these went on sale in the EU for under 300

[@JebsonofJeb]

RIP Paragon

[@mathieuleduc7028]

When you will post a review on the nfb 11.28? Thank you for you work

[@carazy123_]

How do you feel that these compete with the Sundaras? Seems like that will be an interesting comparison.

[@beautiful_ground]

Koss is by mile far. They are superior.

[@musgrovebarry]

So great now I can ear the studio car park

[@CodepageNet]

What does one need on the digital side to connect to the amplifier? Is there a portable player for this? Shure looks interesting.

[@HiPnautique]

Did he put them on backwards? 😲

[@jamesboxall9211]

Hi Josh, if using these with Deezer App - where I can increase the bass via its equalizer, do you think this will solve the lack of low end, or cause distortion? thanks

[@cryptoclyps5049]

How does it respond to EQ (regarding bass). Also, you only mentioned drums and classical instruments? What about rock, electric guitar?

[@Tigerex966]

Superb rarely reviewed headphone.

[@Jimmy-Chin]

Can you review the fostx t60rp?

[@wesleyleigh4063]

Man if you think about it, the best sounding headphones ever are actually what our ears tell our brain that's crazy

[@Thalesmanica]

L/R wrong in 5:53 lol

[@HiFiInsider]

Where can I get the STAX plug converter for this headphone?

[@JoshuaValour]

I think Darin fong audio has one if I am not mistaken. :)

[@XtianApi]

That intro audio sounds awesome via Dolby atmos. You should do 4 mic for your voice, lol.

[@miusicmene]

Would really love to hear how these compare to the Kingsound KS-04 ?

[@jacobcharters6614]

Question is these or the hifiman Anandas i heard the anandas sound similar to their bigger brother edition x?

[@therealwhite]

I want these so bad but I know the lack of a dust cover is going to last all of about twice in my home. Cat hair would like a word with you, Koss.

[@astrocomical7159]

His review is much in alignment with what others say. RAT did a on-the-fly measurement and I looked at all his headphone test and the ESP-950 was the only phone with a FLAT response on the entire range and he tested all the top phones. Very impressive. This phone is known for it's midrange and I can attest to that especially on voices. They said this phone has no bass. Well, I listened to the Porta-pro which is known to be mid-bass heavy and large sounding and I now realize on one song the ESP actually sounded deeper and much much cleaner making me realize how MUDDY the Porta Pro was. Well, if you can't be clean and punchy at least make it sound louder kind-of-thing. The Porta-pro was just MUDDY in this area compared to the ESP which sounded much deeper and punchy completely suprising me. So, I really don't think it's bass shy at all now. I never fell for the Mass Drop stuff. You don't get the leather bag to store it and the extra plugs to connect to near anything. If you wait for the sale at Koss the ESP is a much better bargain. Coupled with that they NEVER changed the design proves they're not selling marketing crap. Plus the Koss ear coverings (to me) is much more gorgeous looking. I can't stand the Massdrop version. All in all Koss did a fine job on the original. I can safely say this headphone is in LEGEND status.

[@DevasKnight]

Now the question can you hear Ghosts?

[@Tigerex966]

You should do a video on Koss the company.

[@tomorrowtv]

Would it be possible/okay to adapt the rca outs to 1/4”? I was worried about the rca element

[@affinity601]

How are these for gaming incomparison to the 1060s...which i use and consider godly for gaming above the akg7xx :x

[@BoostDriftTeam]

Probably not worth it only for gaming. I use L300 for games and, while it the sound quality has improved from my previous headphones, it wasn’t THAT crazy. You’ll mostly be limited by the games themselves, as they have yet to use the full potential of audio. Just my two cents :) Have a nice day

[@affinity601]

Dunno if u will read this but did i ever test vs the 7xx for gaming?

[@arongatt]

If you had to pick one between this and the stax l300 ?

[@cabbycabby1770]

Sounds nice, but I'm not sure I need to hear mice in the Abbey Road studio walls.

[@0s0sXD]

You started working out didn't you! or you're sick and I'm wrong lol Could you make a video on the a great competitive fps game headphone, like fortnite csgo etc, and at the same time great at playing music. in your opinion I started working out and it feels great, I recommend you do, I recommend to you because I like you and I'm grateful for your videos

[@searching4answers]

Can you create a list of the songs you use to test headphones? Especially the song that has the cars outside the studio.

[@devolutionary]

He did provide a video last year showing some of the songs he tests with. Probably needs to be updated for public consumption though.

[@deathbybassofficial]

Yeah I find it really hard to believe that a studio would a) not be treated enough to filter traffic noise b) have mics turned up so high that it's sensitive to noise despite the sound treatment and c) cut out all unwanted sound in the tracks.

[@pierrepierre533]

hello what is better between koss and stax 2170 combo? thanks

[@BlueSpirit.]

So the mids slope up into the bass?

[@insioni]

What is your favourite headphone for clear sub/low to mid bass but with reasonably good detail elsewhere?

[@tonyleungnl]

I am more interested in the gaming part. How does did stands vs hd800s?

[@trilingualkid]

Tony Leung what don't you like about the hd800s?

[@kael13]

I tried an HD800s side by side with Stax and they sounded so harsh and coloured compared to Stax.

[@JustDataReviews]

This is a question I had as well. I bought the esp 95x as a sort of one size fits all solution for music and gaming. I can say that the 95x is not good for competitive gaming but I love them for all types of music. I did not want to spend the money for the hd800s just for gaming so I picked up a pair of hd700s from ebay, and they have been excellent for gaming.

[@rogeliogamboa7644]

thank you for the review - I just love music and I am looking for something "different" - based on your review I have decided to take the "plunge" - IMO - if you don't try, you don't know - music lover Philippines

[@saltychocolate2843]

Im curious. What if you had a choice of this or the Sennheiser HD 660S. Which would you grab and why?

[@MsSaxist]

Does anyone own both Dt1990 Pro and ESP95X? Which is a better buy?

[@mayorgadiaz]

my english is not gud. I have medical problems in getting magnetic stuf near my head. Do electrostatic phones produce magnetism as dinamic and planar magnetic headphones?

[@newsigmundfreud3023]

Comparing apples to none apples I would still ask: This (Koss/Massdrop ESP95X) headphones vs Sennheiser HD800/S?

[@jekken333]

These are more fun than hd800 whereas hd800 has better detail retrieval, soundstage, imaging and build. If you can get a pre-owned hd800 at 700 bucks better go with hd800.

[@frankf6716]

I own both original Koss ESP950 with upgrade pads and HD 800S. Both of them actually share quite similar characters and sound quality is very close. As a matter of fact, ESP950 is the electrostatic sounds most like Dynamic in my collection, and HD 800S is the dynamic sounds most like an electrostatic. They are both very good at any price range. Now comes the differences: 1. ESP950 has a very signature "Dry" sound, which is hard to understand until really listen to it. It takes a while to get used to if you comes from the "lush" team of headphone. But it sounds just true. HD 800S is very clean, but when you switch between them two, you won't find the dry character on HD 800S. 2. HD 800S has some unbelievable character of Depth. There are several time I put it off to make sure I am listening to them, not my stereo speakers. They can make the sounds from several feet in front of you. On original Driver, ESP950 makes you feel you are the mic, and the singer is singing right into your ear (with every detail possible). When you got an adaptor cable and STAX Driver, you will find the sound being pull away from you to normal audiophile headphone level, but still not HD 800S distance. 3. The ESP 950 bass is a little bit roll off by default. It actually adds to the dry signature and sounds very good. I like its original bass with pop music and other daily songs. However, they are very low distortion at bass, which makes EQing them to add more bass very easy without any distortion. So you can tune it to your like better than dynamic driver headphones. Be aware that its bass still might not meet with bass-head requirements. I heard my Planar headphones give more bass substance. But it can definitely reach HD 800S level bass. Last bit is price. The whole system is only $500. You can easily find an STAX adopter and used STAX Driver to upgrade in very cost efficient manner. HD 800S itself costs few times more than the whole KOSS ESP system. If you like to get a matching grade AMP for HD 800S, there are still few steps to go.

[@operamatthew]

shame i missed this launch.

[@Riseun]

Wait a second what songs had cars in them in the background from outside the studio?

[@SoundWaveTrax]

I thought he said he listened to his videos on them.

[@Riseun]

​@@SoundWaveTrax 4:27 I was half asleep while I first watched this so that could have been the case. I still sorta am lol. but he does say "There are songs in my music where I am hearing like sounds in those songs you know where I'm hearing like cars outside the studio that I've never heard before." I really would like to hear this mostly because I want to test if any dynamic/planar/electrostatic headphones can do that. I already have a stax headphone and wanted to try hearing on them too or any of my other dynamic ones.

[@ItsJustChase]

@@Riseun no you heard correctly, he said this @4:26 i dont know how to feel about it because well arent recording studios supposed to be sound proof and cut off from all sound out of the set? Id like to know the song or songs because either he heard something outside his house or that studio that recorded the song was terribly under soundproofed. Who knows maybe they left the door open lmao

[@Riseun]

@@ItsJustChase Weird. Yeah I never heard of what he describes in any of my songs I listen to in any headphone I tried. Maybe it's just a meme.

[@ItsJustChase]

@@Riseun thats what i like to think

[@solonanderson7019]

Are they still portable

[@reneanthonyquiaoit3602]

How do these compare to the high end hifiman headphones?

[@reneanthonyquiaoit3602]

@Mirklok Thank you!

[@sc0or]

They have to sell them as a "true gaming headphones" ... for $2k. Just add few LEDs, convert the energizer into a sound card, and that's it. Gamers will pay additional 15 hundreds for a bit of resolution.

[@kaimills8807]

Detail retrieval vs hd800?

[@ncrtrooper2370]

These will beat the 800s out of shear detail, but the soundstage will be very small in comparison

[@frankgeeraerts6243]

I still enjoy my STAX SR-X 3 bought in 1977......still better than today's moving coil . My AKG 1000 was good also...............I use Beyer 600 ohm as workhorse for building, tuning and voicing electronics, amplifiers and sources. judging very good headphones is merely judging what is going in ......GIGO ......garbage in / garbage out. I rarely or almost never listen to my HD 650................the least satisfactory of all my headphones, this headphone is for audiophiles just like some speakers who want to please the customers....they make the sound instead of letting you hear exceptional good or bad music reproduction.

[@araxiiss9107]

How are these for imaging and FPS gaming

[@SuperSeigerman]

from what he said these are great for imaging, but they are also intimate. you are going to want something more open I think for fps gaming, and since they don't have much bass they probably are not as good for movies or single-player games either.

[@ComradeNevidimka]

@@SuperSeigerman He did mention that those are some of the best gaming headphones he's ever used. EDIT: Whoops, just saw that this comment is from 8 months ago. Haha, egg on my face.

[@2134yanto]

Can anyone tell me how this system handles classical music please? Thanks

[@nivekkiwi]

Does it have more detail than the dt1990 ?

[@LeDechaine]

Interesting question. I'd say dynamic can't beat planars, and planars can't beat electrostatics, though... in theory.

[@cattusfattus6369]

YES!

[@rubydog25]

Couldn't I just use an equalizer to get rid of the sub base problem? That's what i do with the 6xx and I'm thinking about getting this headphone.

[@JoshuaValour]

To a certain level. But not a massive amount. More of a driver limitation.

[@rubydog25]

@@JoshuaValour Thanks man

[@RazeAndJadith]

yes you can, using Peace EQ i added around 6-8db in most of the bass ranges and it handled that much extra with ease. very nice, tickles your ears with no loss in detail or popping.

[@StatusQuo209]

Has anyone tried the Oratory1990 EQ preset for this? How was it then? Im seriously thinking of picking this up.

[@andrewgrimshaw4788]

Without EQ 3/5.... with EQ 5/5. I wouldn't recommend if you couldn't EQ Oratorys settings.

[@StatusQuo209]

@@andrewgrimshaw4788 Thanks bro. I went ahead and ordered. I figure it's a cheap entry into estats and EQ can get em to sound good. Also with room to grow with energiser upgrade later on. I'm digging the lifetime warranty too lol.

[@mikafoxx2717]

@@StatusQuo209 Any updates on this? Would love to know what your experience was.

[@StatusQuo209]

@@mikafoxx2717 it's really good. Just know the way that it handles treble is interesting. It is highly detailed, but it doesn't exaggerate treble detail in a way you might be used to, ie "Crispy". Everything is there, it's just not in your face. It's very smooth sounding. The way it handles treble is how the ER4XR handles treble. Detail retrieval is mad. They are absolutely worth the price. I did however return mine and bought a Sundara + Atom amp instead. But they are a worthy keep overall.

[@mikafoxx2717]

@@StatusQuo209 That's interesting to know. I take it you prefer the Sundara combo? I've heard great things about the ER4XR and being easy to listen to yet natural sounding. They might get crisper with a more powerful amp though, since electrostats need power to get the high frequencies with the extra capacitive load. I was initially thinking about going to the Sundara myself as an eventual upgrade - and probably will if this homemade electrostatic adventure doesn't work out

[@user-vi3tb3bw5t]

I've always been interested in these but these are old as fugg aren't they?

[@MrJodete23]

Better than the 6XX tho?

[@devolutionary]

Depends what you value in hi-fi(?) audio listening. They're have somewhat different strengths.

[@andresgallego5727]

Will these be an upgrade over the Hifiman HE400i?

[@heliopijpe]

Any true electrostatic will be an upgrade to the HE-400i ,, I love my HE400i , but my vintage stax sounds day and night different (much more information, realistic & natural, faster, much more clarity & precision). But not for all types of music, especially bass heavy music or music that requires slam. Better upgrade to a better planar then. As you can see, Josh uses the same words to describe these electrostatic Koss.

[@thiscorrosion900]

@@heliopijpe I swear by the Hifiman HE400Is, I find they are best for rock, pop, jazz, and classical. Dance music, sort of, depends what kind. I think the Koss would be better for more nuanced music, jazz, classical, etc. But I haven't owned them yet. I'm considering it. The only two headphones I'm truly impressed by right now are the Hifimans, and Linsoul KZS10 IEMs (ok, not headphones). And maybe my Fostex RP40s. Honestly, the Linsouls have more punch and bass, but the HE400Is have more detail, nuance, soundstage, and better high end. But I find the bass on the Hifimans aren't as strong. Every headphone has its ups and downs. Some of them, like the kind of cruddy AKG mini Q460s, don't deliver on any level promised. Which is kind of maddening. The other thing is the Koss are anything but portable. Of course, that's obvious, but the point is you'd better fall in love with them if you're gonna have to be stuck at your desk with them for hours on end. And I have my doubts about the comfort-level and build of them, given the high price.

[@heliopijpe]

@@thiscorrosion900 :-) I had the Hifimans 400i for about 3 years, gave them away to a friend (Will replace them with the Sundara, the Audeze LCD-1 or the Monoprice 1070's / 1570), but compared with the Stax, there is no comparison (much faster, better transients, more air, BUT 1 disadvantage less bass impact and amount), I agree large planars that are done well have a clear advantage in dynamic range over the stax. (Audeze is a good example (Love the LCD-2 Classics), the Higher end Hifiman too (starting with the Ananda), the Diana Phi's are God-tier and easily compete with the high-end stax) I also agree that the stax are more refined and thus better suited for good classical, they might sound boring with EDM or Pop, but the realism is uncanny. And yes they are fragile. I also used to drive a pair of Magnepan planar speakers, beautiful large soundstage, great sound, really good mids, untill I've heard the Quad entry level Electrostatic speakers , nothing else compairs (So much detail, soundstage, sound separation, realism, like hearing the artist with you in the room), but the planars will almost always produce more low end, move more air and sound more fun.

[@andresgallego5727]

@@heliopijpe Is soundstage bigger on this? how does the soundstage feel compared to something like HD800s?

[@husnainanwaar1992]

Did anyone tried this headphones with the THX AAA amp

[@themidnightspark9431]

The 95x needs it's voltage thing that's it's amp. Why would you amp an amp?

[@Artcore103]

All that matters is if the drivers can HANDLE the bass and put out clean spl, because i can EQ in more bass. If a driver has great properties but inherent nonlinearities, that's an easy fix bro. High quality dsp equalization is no compromise, period. I hate audiophiles who refuse to EQ and review everything flat as though that's the only way it can sound. If I'm comparing two speakers or headphones i will EQ them to sound as similar as possible in frequency response, and THEN judge the remaining differences, which would entail all of their differentiating character elements BESIDES frequency response, because that can be easily adjusted, while other qualities can not. It's a no brainer to me. We're not talking about a notch filter in the vocal range... There is no phase issue with using a low shelf boost of 6db or whatever below 40-80hz with a Q of 1-2. NONE! besides the fact that dsp eq's can operate in different ways with different filters and phase characteristics, humans are not sensitive to minor phase changes, or pre/post ringing (any one of those things can be avoided or traded for another) in the low bass region. Turn up the bass and guess what, it simply sounds like more bass, zero downside. The studio has already digitally eq'd everything so there is no theoretical perfection to ruin to begin with. Dsp eqs are perfect and noiseless... This ain't your mamas receivers "bass" knob, it's the 21st century.... EQ to your hearts content. Buying headphones based on their inherent frequency response is retarded.

[@RazeAndJadith]

Very true, these koss handle EQing very well. Since the bass is lacking, i added 6-8db in most of the bass range and wow did it sound great. tickles your ears and no loss in detail or clarity. loved these once eq'd with Peace EQ.

[@Sagdiyevas]

Which one is best for EDM these or hd660s or 1990dt?

[@asdasd-os5vk]

Probably dt1990 because they have more bass and less forward mids than the other two.

[@davidmason8212]

Emu teak

[@KWW0321]

I just finally got my girlfriend to forgive my lcd-4 purchase, now these!!! Why massdrop why!!!

[@barchetype6430]

$4000 vs $500...

[@chrisselner5005]

Objectively, which has more detail DT1990 or these?

[@LuXifR]

Not getting loud enough? WUT? That's weird. I'd wager you either have a defective unit or your source isn't as loud as you might think. These are rated at significantly more than 100db before they would OL iirc. Please try pre-amping them - also takes away the nuisance with the volume knob - at least that's how I use them: pre-out of nfb11 to rca-input on the energizer, crank up the 95x all the way and control the volume through the nfb11. Also, strangely enough, these are the first headphones that I have that make me turn down the volume gradually after listening for a while. Other than that I'd agree with everything you said about these. Hadn't regretted buying them even for a second yet! The detail you get from them is like drinking from a firehose even at moderate listening volumes. And the weird combination of relatively wide soundstage and making it happen in your head at the same time lends itself extremely well to gaming, as you mentioned - especially with more atmospheric stuff - currently playing Metro on them and it adds massively to the immersion.

[@JoshuaValour]

It was not an issue for 95% of the music.

[@Leonhart_93]

@@JoshuaValour Aha, so you mean sound files without normalized waveform? I find these all the time when I listen to classical music, with like 10 dB bellow the normalization level, which is crazy. I always fix them with Audacity, since I dislike having to swing the volume a lot all the time.

[@JoshuaValour]

@@Leonhart_93 bingo

[@MRFUTURETECHNOLOGYGAMING]

You're playing metro I love that game I love playing that game with my beyerdynamic t1 2gen now all I need is a sliver dragon v3 10ft with a 1/4 gold Furutech stereo plug for my beyerdynamic t1 2gen and then life Complete

[@user-qt9vn1yj8x]

*ESP950 let you hear cars outside the studio.* *SX-007 you can hear even mosquito from the nearest bog to studio.*

[@trilingualkid]

mrspeakers Ether 2 please

[@dachanist]

Under-powered even if it just a weak preamp, is a complete deal breaker for a non portable headphone

[@Turboy65]

I have these. I also have Sennheiser HD-600s. The Sennheisers are better headphones but that doesn't mean the ESP95x is bad. It's just not as good as the HD-600.

[@thiscorrosion900]

I find Sennheiser lacking, and the bass on their phones is usually lacking as well. I'm not a big fan, thus far. Nor do I like the awful and screechy Audio-Technica phones. No thanks.

[@captainvoluntaryistthestat3207]

how