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Koss UR-20 Studio Quality Home Stereophone

Koss UR-20 Studio Quality Home Stereophone

List Price: $25.99
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Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Excellent sound. Bad design flaw
Review: I purchased a KOSS R-200 stereophone set several days ago.

Sound quality: 5 stars.
As soon as I tried on these headphones I was impressed with the sound. This style is slightly heavier than some of the KOSS headphones, but I found that the extra weight faded into the background, and didn't bother me.

Construction: 1 star.
They broke after several days. This specific model seems to have a design flaw that caused the headphones to break. The joint between the strap and the earpiece did not swivel enough. The first time I took them off with one hand (bending the right earpiece over my head) the torque that was applied to the left earpiece joint snapped the plastic.

If you are careful to always put these headphones on and take them off with two hands, they would be excellent headphones.

I have not reviewed the other KOSS products to determine if the other styles have the same design flaw. This could be why the reviews in this section seem to be mixed as far as whether or not KOSS products are built well or flawed, because multiple models are lumped together into these reviews.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Disappointing
Review: I recently purchased an MP3 jukebox, and the slight tinniness of the included headphone set led me to seek a product of better quality. I did not find it in the Koss R-80. This set exhibits a sharp db drop-off in both high and low frequencies, and what I can only describe as 'mushiness' in the mid-range. I did not find the set to be as uncomfortable to wear as other reviewers have noted, and the cushioning is effective at blocking exterior noise. However, this does not compensate for the poor audio quality. After an hour of listening to the R-80, I returned with relief and new appreciation to my original inexpensive set. --This text refers to the R-80 option.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: I was not very impressed with the sound quality
Review: I was not very impressed with the sound quality of these phones. I was using a set of HP-X222 Aiwa phones the day before I bought these, and when I got these UR-20's I thought that the sound was so flat and lifeless compared to the Aiwas that I returned them the next day. It was like the difference between night and day. Granted, the Aiwas run for an additional $20 or so.

PROS:
*Low cost
* Quite comfortable

CONS:
* A lot of distortion: If you look up the specs on these phones they are rated at <.3%THD which isn't too great. I experienced a lot of distortion with these phones
* Flat and lifeless sound: Compared to the other sets I listened to, it sounded like I was playing music through a telephone receiver. Very thin and unexciting.

I guess if you bear in mind that you generally get what you pay for, these aren't a bad set of headphones, but if you are looking for music to ring and you want to hear things in music you haven't heard before, I would suggest laying the money down and getting a good set. My expectations may have been too high for the price.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Best sound and comfort for the money. Period.
Review: I wear headphones off and on for about 8 to 10 hours a day. My trusty 6 year old Koss TD-61 headphones finally fell one too many times off my desk and broke. I decided that I would finally splurge and get some of those nice ... studio headphones. I began the quest for the perfect set. I went to many places and tried on all sorts of expensive and not so expensive pairs. Like Goldilocks, they were all too tight, too heavy, too small (causing extended wear cauliflower ear.) I gave up, and continued using the TD-61s with spaz tape to hold them together. Until I saw the Koss UR-20s. Definately the most comfortable I have ever worn, and so STURDY! Super light weight, and the improvement in sound over the TD-61 is astonishing! Its like a veneer has been lifted from my cds and my old favorites have new depth and quality! I am happy!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Koss R80 Headphones
Review: I'll start off by saying that this is the most expensive pair of headphones i have purchased so i'm not an audiophile by definition. Im not a seasoned reviewer either so i'll just list the pros and cons
pros: covers entire ear and does a good job muting out peripheral noise, produces very good sound (i use it for cdplayer, laptop, guitar amplifier), cord is detachable and tangle-free (i broke my last two headphones by ripping the cord also, the tangle-free cord is connected to only one side for ease of use), comfortable (i have a fairly big head and it fits perfectly and securely)
cons: i dont recommend it for very long uses. headphones like this one that cover your entire ear promotes sweating and heat. i just take off my headphones for a few seconds to let my ears breathe and put them on again.

as you can see, the pros easily outweigh the only con. enjoy. --This text refers to the R-80 option.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: good quality for good price
Review: i'm a student at carleton college and am constantly studying. i am one of the people who like to listen to music while studying and wanted a nice pair of headphones for my cd player when i went to the library or wherever i would go to do work. i knew i wanted a pair of koss headphones because they consistently provide great quality and back all the products with a lifetime guarentee (try finding that anywhere else). so i bought the R10's; they looked pretty stylish and the price was very reasonable. i am very satisfied with my purchase. the headphones are very comfortable and very durable. the sound is quite good and they are designed to block outside noise. i'll be honest, i have friends who have better headphones but they paid much more for them. you will get your money's worth with these bad boys. --This text refers to the R-10 option.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Incredible sound, even better price!
Review: I'm an audio enthusiast. Highly critical of the sounds I listen to and through the headphones delivering the highs, mids, and lows. These are very good headphones. Not the best but perform solidly. Nice isolation of removing the outside noise... but really warm low ends (deeper bass response) and nice mid and high end frequency responses. I have heard many headphones... Sony MDR-V500's, MDR-V700's, and MDR-V600's. These offer a suitable replacement without the high cost. These headphones could easily double for DJ use or reference listening purposes. They are well constructed and most of all comfortable. The single wire conncetion to the left side makes them even more less likely to tangle and are reinforced to make sure they last a long life. Lifetime warranty included. Hmmmmmm. We'll see. Initial impression? Very surprised by the cery good sound and affordable pricing.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Just what I needed.
Review: I'm currently in the process of restoring about 150 vinyl records when my trusted friends, my Pioneer SE-306 headphones that I bought in Japan in 1978, gave out. I ordered the KOSS R-80's as replacements. I won't go into audiophile detail about frequency response, sound artifacts, and all that other stuff; I got exactly what I wanted. Lightweight, good isolation, all around good response, comfortable to wear for a few hours at a time and priced right. Don't expect any revelations when you use these, just the music.

Ordered them on a Tuesday morning with free shipping and had them Thursday night. --This text refers to the R-80 option.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Nice. Very Nice.
Review: I'm no audio expert, but these are the best headphones I've ever owned, and I've been through a couple of pairs in this general price range. I've found these to be very helpful in my noisy office enviroment. They produce sound so clear and eliminate outside noise so well, that I'll occasionally slip them off for a second, just to make sure they're not loud enough to disturb my officemates (which they never are).

Strongly recommended. --This text refers to the R-10 option.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Dissapointing for the price.
Review: I've enjoyed Koss products before and thought these headphones would also be good but unfortunately they're not. They're quite comfortable but the sound is somewhat tinny. Something just seems missing from the sound that I can't put my finger on. It seems somewhat "distant" if that makes sense. Doesn't seem to be "right there".

I also have a pair of Radio Shack Pro 25 Titanium headphones that I bought on sale for which are much better.

I'd recommend trying other headphones before you buy these the Koss R/10. --This text refers to the R-10 option.


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