A portable headphone is a headphone that is used on-the-go. Portable headphones tend to be smaller, more lightweight, and may have features that lend themselves to listening on-the-go, like carrying cases or collapsible headbands.Koss KSC 11 features a dynamic element for extended frequency response, behind-the-head design for maximum comfort during extended wearing periods and foam ear cushions for open, hear-through sound.
1 Good sound, but awful fit
Onething about behind-the-neck headphones, either they get it or not. Well, Koss seems to be a company that doesn't get it.
The sound of the KSC11 is pretty good. The bass isn't the deepest, but it's $10. If it were more, like $20, we would have a problem. The sound of these is truly a value.
The main problem I have with these is a big one. They hurt badly. Not badly like if you move them they feel better, more like pounding someone's head. They sure are uncomfortable.
Another problem with these is sound. They have a low output, making the highest volumes quiet.
The sound may be good on the KSC11, but because of the comfort and output, these are unrecommeded.
2 @ $10 you get what you paid for
This is the first pair of behind the neck headphones that I've ever owned and most likely the last. They are OK for the first hour of wear but beyond that I think they would get kind of bothersome and annoying. Then again it could be just me, since this is the first pair I ever owned and have used nothing but the traditional headphones all my life.
The sound is fair overall. The highs and mids are great but the bass is marginal at best. I'm using these to replace the 4 year old Sony's that I have andeven though the Sony's are old and worn out the sound is still better than the sound I get from these new Koss.
The bottom line is that you'll be fine with these headphones as long as the music you listen to isn't too rich in bass but then again for $10dollars you can't expect a whole lot. For people that have to have a killer sound I would suggest going with the more expensive Sony's.
3 It hurts with Bad sound and bad design
I was looking for some cheap headphones so got these since Koss had good name in headphones. They hurt above ear when you wear them even for 2 mins. When I hooked them to my Onkyo system, the sound was bad. Only treble and no bass. Sounded like stones rattling in Tin Cans. I ordered Seinheiser HD202 with this for my office use and man ! those rock. Slightly larger than it seems in picture on most sites but the sound is so amazing that I am returning these Koss and getting those by putting some $14 extra. They even sound better than my earlier Seinheiser PX250.
4 These headphones are a hassle!
As a portable music enthusiast I have tried and discarded multiple sets of headphones for many reasons; the sound was lousy, they were too clunky for my lifestyle, or they just didn't look cool. In regards to appearance and sound these headphones come in at 4 stars.
However, they fail in a frustrating respect. The chord placement of one side of the headphones juts out from behind the foam pad on the headphone. This causes the foam pad to *repeatedly* fall off and need to be readjusted each time you wear them. The foam falls off at the most inopportune times and it's a miracle I've been able to chase after it and chase it down each time. Though this might not seem like a big deal to some who listens to their music while stationary, this is a huge hassle if you listen to your music with this headphones primarily in transit.
Whoever designed these headphones did not design them with the portable audio listener in mind. Not many headphones are, and since most stores only allow you to try on headphones that are in the hundreds price range, sometimes you have to go through dozens of 15 dollar headphones until the find the right one. The real test of any set of headphones, though is how well they survive your day to day use. I don't think there is any price tag for that.
