Home > Consumer Reviews > Koss C220 DVD/Receiver Home Theater System

System seems to work fine...operation can be a little slow between modes. biggest issue is the remote which seems to break down quickly...and finding a replacement even with universal remotes is impossible...finally got a learning remote to replace it.

I'm the dummy who bought a Koss home theater system without checking reviews first. First one lasted about 3 months before subwoofer went bad, so I bought a powered sub, no biggie. Within the next month or two it started whining on the right side just like all the others you'll read about. I ignored it... until the day it billowed with smoke and stopped working altogether. So, of course, I called them and wrote an email to let them know how I felt about their fine product with a convenient 6 mth warranty (expired by the time of my system's demise). They were rude, so I was persistent. I don't respond well to bad companies with poor customer service. I called nearly every day for a week. I was polite, but concise and firm. I spoke to many people who could barely speak english but had very american names. (An interesting company ploy - why not allow them to use their given names?)

I asked to speak to supervisors who were always conveniently busy, until finally I reached the same CS rep for the umpteenth time who lost his cool and retrieved a supervisor out of frustration. After a lengthy conversation he agreed to send a new unit if I mailed in the defective one. I did. I got a letter advising they needed everything, speakers and all, and they were replacing everything. That would have been handy info from the beginning. Hmmm, but what about that subwoofer that was trashed. I was told to send a $35 check because it was missing (nevermind the fact that it was defective). After many more phone calls to argue that I shouldn't be responsible for the subs cost, I weighed the situation, mailed off the speakers, a $35 check, and a nice letter outlining my circumstances. I advised "koss" that I was prepared to contact every retailer I could find that carried their products regarding their lack of quality and poor customer service. I stated that I would contact by phone in my local area, by email nationally, and that I was about to post an anti-koss website. I started making phone calls (BestBuy, Sears, too many to remember) and writing emails. By the way, you can have an impact, retailers listen even when manufacturers won't. I received an entirely new system and my $35 check back several weeks later with a letter of apology. Now 5 months later my system is whining on the right side again (started about a month ago). It will blow, it's a matter of time. Run! Listen to me and RUN! Don't go near Koss products. PS. If you work for Koss, this is J. Riley keeping my promise! Make better products, back them up especially when you have known issues, and give your customer service reps the power to make it right when they need to.

I bought it, from amazon, in Sept of 2002 for $220. It died today. What the others say about the remote and the on screen menu is true. It is also true that the sound is great for the price. I used it daily and got my money's worth.

Don't waste your money on this player. I bought this exact one in June 2004 and already have had to replace it. A VERY slow machine (tray opening, reading discs, switching modes etc). It also had a difficult time reading some discs that played fine in my other DVD player. Save yourself the frustration and look for a Sony or Magnavox and invest a little more money. You will get a lot more machine.

I bought this in early 2003. DVD drawer will only open with the remote. Now half of the remote functions won't work and there is no other way to access things. My center speaker stopped working (no dialogue). It is not the speaker. But the remote won't work when I try to change the mode to a different output. So is now useless.