Koss Pro-4AA Studio Quality Headphones
See it at Amazon.com for $58.99Average Customer Rating
(4.5 out of 5)
Amazon Customer Reviews
Most Helpful First | Newest First
(4 out of 5)Great value even after all these years
I think the Koss Pro-4AA headphones were the phones of choice for Noah on his ark - they've been around a LONG time. And contrary to some longstanding products that stick around in spite of newer, more technically advanced competitors simply because a bunch of eccentrics swear by them, these phones are a fabulous choice for anyone at any time.
And now the pros and cons...
Cons:
1) Heavy, heavy, heavy. Watch your neck.
2) If you have a large head, these phones can give you headaches as the headband design puts a lot of pressure on your temples and ears.
3) The coiled cord has a tendency to increasingly pull on one side of the phones as you get closer to its length limit. That this starts to happen around the halfway point is troubling.
4) Not a stylish set of phones. Almost retro in appearance. The ill green color could have been changed long ago.
5) The earpiece's circumaural seals are filled with air and will deflate if punctured. This is the Achilles heel of the phones.
6) The cord cannot be easily replaced. If you get a short, you're done for.
Pros:
1) Superior, extended frequency range. Clean and flat. Still the best sounding phones I have heard in their price range. Sounds as good as phones that go for twice the price.
2) Circumaural, closed design holds in the thunderous bass and stifles the outside world.
3) Still the choice of many professionals. It's amazing how many DJs continue to use this model.
4) The price is outstanding for the quality of sound delivered.
5) Built like a tank. My first pair lasted ten years of constant use. (They never did break down, I replaced them for another reason.)
For a home system, this is a fine set of cans. If you want something portable, look elsewhere. Consider buying a cord extension, too, if you plan to sit somewhere else besides right near your stereo. And let people know that with them on, you'll be in your own musical world for a while. Sit back and enjoy!
(4 out of 5)Good HEAVY sound
These are great headphones. The sound quality is excellent and very clear; they handle treble and bass without any fuss, and have the largest frequency response on a headphone under $100 I've seen. I've heard many good things about Koss headphones, and decided to get these after reading the positive reviews on the Internet. When I got them, I realized that I underestimated how heavy these headphones are. I've read all the warnings, but never imagined headphones could be so heavy - but they are! Imagine having a pair of speakers hanging from your head - you get speaker quality sound, but you also get speaker weight. These are pretty hard to drive - my Pioneer receiver did fine, but my computer's Sound Blaster Platinum had trouble pushing these headphones to the same level.
I finally returned them after a month of use, not because of poor sound (these headphones really rock when it comes to sound, even at very loud levels, I didn't hear distortion till 98db), but out of sheer discomfort - I couldn't listen to them for more than half an hour at a time, and my head and ears got very sweaty because of the cushions. I needed headphones that sounded good and that I could wear for prolonged periods of time. Koss Pro 4AA offered great sound at a great price, but I couldn't wear them while writing a paper or reading a book. Recommended for people who have strong necks and want to hear everything clearly and without distortion. Perfect for isolation from outside noise and studio monitoring when hearing every exact detail of the recording is essential.
Strengths:
Excellent detailed sound - perfect treble, almost perfect bass. Very good for critical listening - you'll hear stuff you've never heard before. Isolation from outside noise. Retro look (if you're into that).
Weaknesses:
Heavy! VERY heavy!
Similar Products Used:
Sony MDR V300, V600, V700DJ, Sennheiser 495 & 497, cheap Jensens & Aiwas
(4 out of 5)Studio Drummer: These are great !!
These are perfect for my application. I am a studio drummer who mixes 4 drum mics through a Macke 1202 VLZ Pro and the recording I am to play with. I use the output of this mix through these great headphones for perfect playing balance. The fact that they eliminate most of the actual ambient sound of the drum set and allow me to here the mixed output of the drums and recording (only) make them well worth the price. They have a great bass response as well as mid and highs and are perfect for me to establish a feel as if I am playing with the recording live.
The only negatives I can come up with are that they are heavy and adjustments of the position of the speakers on my ear are limited and cumbersome. Also, they will cause your ears to sweat after a long session and if your ears are sensitive to this you must let them breathe.
However, there must be tradeoffs, and the quality of these phones well outway the negatives. Don't buy them to jog with. They are not meant for that. However; if you want to emerse yourself into the music without outside sound interruptions these are the headphones for you. You can hear things you will never hear through your speaker system with these phones.
(5 out of 5)Endorsement From A Studio Pro
I am a professional drummer and these headphones are the best I have ever used. Superb sound quality and excellent ambient noise cancellation. I have used headphones that cost 3 times as much, but can't hold a candle to these classic cans. They are heavy and not for "portable" purposes, but are (in my opinion) the BEST headphones for studio or home use.
(5 out of 5)A once in a lifetime deal
As other reviewers pointed out, these are real heavy and there's deffinately an adjustment period. Once you get past this, you realize that your getting better sound than your friend's Senns and Sony's that they had to pay HUNDREDS of dollars more for. As good as they sound out of the box, they continue to deliver even crisper trebble and deeper bass after about 100 hours of listening. The frequency range is enormous, not that anyone can hear down to 10 hz anyway. Despite being heavy, they're not uncomfortable, assuming that you're not doing anything else besides litening to music. Some sound does bleed through but its proabably a lot less than whatever headhones you're using now.