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Author Topic: Koss ESP950 Frequency Response and CSD Waterfall Plots  (Read 21846 times)

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FrenchChemist

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Re: Koss ESP950 Frequency Response and CSD Waterfall Plots
« Reply #10 on: June 27, 2012, 11:35:31 AM »
Quote from: n3rdling on June 27, 2012, 04:26:51 AM
Did you get a good seal?  I'm surprised the bass rolls off so much on these.
Yes, I don't remember hearing that much roll off and that soon (more like starting under 50 Hz). My E/90 amp "died" only 3 days after I received the ESP950 but I remember very well behaved headphones with very smooth treble and the most neutral FR I had heard (along with LFF's Paradox). The bass was probably the least impressive, being what I would call "average" and not having as much impact as the LCD-3 or HD800. Not the most resolving headphones either but with clean, musical sound and no fatigue (and light!).

Too bad it apparently doesn't scale much but at less than $700 including amp I don't see much competition in that price range.

Probably very close to what RD expects from headphones and simply made me lusting for high-end Stax :'(
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spritzer

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Re: Koss ESP950 Frequency Response and CSD Waterfall Plots
« Reply #11 on: June 27, 2012, 03:50:02 PM »
One thing to note is that driving the ESP950 with a Stax bias settings isn't doing it any favors.  We did a lot of experiments back in the day and these should really be treated as a separate system.  +620-640V bias seems to be the sweet spot. 
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wiinippongamer

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Re: Koss ESP950 Frequency Response and CSD Waterfall Plots
« Reply #12 on: September 01, 2012, 04:15:57 PM »
Was about to buy these only to notice their price had ramped up pretty much everywhere to $1000  :&

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Anaxilus.

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Re: Koss ESP950 Frequency Response and CSD Waterfall Plots
« Reply #13 on: September 01, 2012, 04:56:45 PM »
Quote from: wiinippongamer on September 01, 2012, 04:15:57 PM
Was about to buy these only to notice their price had ramped up pretty much everywhere to $1000  :&


They've always been $1000 retail, you need to find a nice $650 deal somewhere if possible.  That's typical street price.

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electropop

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Re: Koss ESP950 Frequency Response and CSD Waterfall Plots
« Reply #14 on: September 01, 2012, 06:29:36 PM »
Not a too bad 700eur in Finland. I'm very tempted to purchase a set since I've very little stat experience.

I take it most would take these over the HE400? Also, would be really interesting to see harmonic distortion measurements of the 950.
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Psychadelic Whale

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Re: Koss ESP950 Frequency Response and CSD Waterfall Plots
« Reply #15 on: September 05, 2012, 09:46:09 PM »
So its not worth the trouble to get the cable moded to run it from a stax amp ?
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n3rdling

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Re: Koss ESP950 Frequency Response and CSD Waterfall Plots
« Reply #16 on: September 05, 2012, 10:28:20 PM »
Not much trouble if you have a soldering iron
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jerg

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Re: Koss ESP950 Frequency Response and CSD Waterfall Plots
« Reply #17 on: September 07, 2012, 02:48:00 AM »
Quote from: electropop on September 01, 2012, 06:29:36 PM
Not a too bad 700eur in Finland. I'm very tempted to purchase a set since I've very little stat experience.

I take it most would take these over the HE400? Also, would be really interesting to see harmonic distortion measurements of the 950.

No. These are vastly different from how the HE400s are voiced, not to mention the difference in price and setup requirements. A classic case of apples and oranges.
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thefoundMIDrange

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Re: Koss ESP950 Frequency Response and CSD Waterfall Plots
« Reply #18 on: December 01, 2012, 07:59:24 PM »
I've owned these with it's stock amp and was not impressed. Did not sound right to me. Odd dynamics. The wiggly but fairly 'flat' FR may explain why they didn't work for me.
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AstralStorm

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Re: Koss ESP950 Frequency Response and CSD Waterfall Plots
« Reply #19 on: December 08, 2012, 08:57:11 AM »
I've checked these out two months or so ago - they're too dark/bassy. Similar to SE-5 CIEM I have, not the kind of sound I want, since I already have it in more portable form.
Somewhat lighter timbre (the 'stat thing), less hardhitting, probably due to more pronounced subbass roll or reduced bone conduction vs the silicone CIEM.

Pretty articulate, but I'd say there are better and cheaper headphones out there, unless you're a sucker for 'stat light timbre.
At least they're cleaner than SE-5, which have multiple small BA resonances.

The seal was very tricky - they have very large cups. I didn't have enough vertical regulation on the headband for comfort, but this is moddable. (Can add thick pads below the headband.)
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