One of Koss’s best-selling headphones is the Porta Pro, first launched in 1984. The Porta Pro has a timeless, retro design combined with a fully customizable fit and rich, luxurious sound with the iconic 60ohm speaker drivers. Over the years, Koss has released a new model with a fresh design but still focuses on its trademark signature sound. In this article, we will be highlighting the Koss KPH30i headphone, with an open-back design and a very affordable price tag that exceeds expectation.
Koss KPH30i was launched by Koss Corporation in 2017. Its regular price is $30 but this item usually goes on sale and if you’re one of the people who strikes while the iron is hot, you may be able to buy it at a much lower price. The Koss KPH30i is a great choice for consumers who live on excitement by making a blind buy, otherwise known as deciding to purchase something at a lightning strike speed without considering the cost, features and pertinent product information.
Koss KPH30i Overview
As mentioned earlier, the Koss KPH30i has an open back design and is sold in black and white variants. The white Koss KPH30i headphones are adorned with blue accents while the black version leans on being actually dark grey accompanied with black accents. There’s also a limited Koss KPH30i limited edition version that’s sold in the market once in a while; it has one blue pad and one red pad enclosed in a beige chassis for a retro, throwback-ish feel.
The Koss KPH30i also comes with a 4 foot cable that’s attached permanently to a sturdy 3.5mm plug. The cable system also has a basic microphone, an in-line mute button, a suspension headband and auto-adjusting ear cup design that’s unique to this specific model.
At a glance, the Koss KPH30i might peak the interest of consumers with its affordable price and signature sound. However, the Koss KPH30i actually landed its rightful place beside its popular predecessors because of its design improvements, tweaks and modifications.
Koss KPH30i Sound Quality
Similar to the Porta Pros, Koss KPH30- offers the same warm, signature sound that’s music to the ears. It has adequate detail retrieval to lessen or eliminate issues related to a bass-focused response.
The low notes of the Koss KPH30i are powerful and dreamy, putting a slight emphasis on the mid bass. Since the Koss KPH30i are closed back headphones, you can’t expect it to provide the same sub bass quality that closed back headphones provide for enjoyment. Nevertheless, the Koss KPH30i can still deliver high quality bass beyond what is expected from its size and design.
The mids, instruments and sung vocals all sound straightforward and natural, mixing in with the bass without exhibiting any sign of distortion or drowning out of frequencies. Meanwhile, the treble of the Koss KPH30i takes a back seat, with nothing approaching the fatigue level. Similarly, the highs also take after the treble response, sounding ragged and gentle at the same time.
The company designed the Koss KPH30i with comfort in mind, making it a great choice for extended listening sessions. Users don’t need to worry about experiencing strain or fatigue during long listening sessions and for its $30 price tag, the Koss KPH30i actually deserves a rave review.
Koss KPH30i Isolation, Soundstage
Isolation is something that the Koss KPH30i doesn’t offer. While the Koss KPH30i may be advertised as a portable, interactive headphone, it actually doesn’t offer the best portable listening experience. Sounds from your immediate surroundings can seep in and if you think that increasing the volume is your gateway to avoid hearing outside noises, think again, because you’ll be facing another issue called sound leaking.
On the bright side, the Koss KPH30i offers a generous soundstage that can actually level up with more expensive open-back headphones such as Sennheiser. The Koss KPH30i offers a decent out-of-the-head audio experience without the intimacy and congestion of closed headphones. For a $30 price tag, it’s pretty impressive how Koss KPH30i is sharing the stage with other high-end, premium headphones.
Koss KPH30i Comfort
Whether a pair of headphones is made of plastic or metal, comfort is one of the most essential factors to consider before purchasing. The Koss KPH30i may be used when playing games on a computer, watching TV, playing YouTube videos or mobile games, etc and it’s certainly a relief that this item is very comfortable to wear.
Unlike its predecessors, the design of the Koss KPH30i is unique, with a D-shaped ear pad form. In terms of adjustment, the D-shaped ear pads are very easy to put in place and the padding is also made of soft yet firm material to ensure that pressure is spread across the whole ear and not just in one place, which could be quite cumbersome in the long run.
The headband has a hybrid suspension and an auto-adjusting ear cup joint. There’s also a silicone suspension band at the top that is designed to conform to the unique head shape. The fit doesn’t make any unnecessary interaction with glasses or spectacles and also doesn’t pinch the ears, making the Koss KPH30i a great buddy for long listening sessions.
Koss KPH30i Build and Quality
If you are a stickler for build quality, you may have a few bumps with the Koss KPH30i. However, what shines with this product is its cable. The 3.5mm plug is sturdy and robust, with a thick and long plastic housing with a metal spring strain relief. The cable of the Koss KPH30i has a thicker rubber than other small Koss models and it also has a spring that makes it less tangle-prone.
So that concludes our review of the Koss KPH30i. This product is a concrete example that one does not need to get broke buying an expensive pair of headphones to enjoy high-resolution audio. It’s your call how you spend your money, but whether you’re a scrooge, a thrift shopper or simply a wise consumer, you won’t go wrong with the Koss KPH30i. The Koss KPH30i may not be the top choice now as a gateway drug for headphone hobbies, but it certainly is a great choice for a thrift buy without any regrets in tow.
