I didnât like the KSC75 until I got the Parts Express headband and Yaxi pads to get a proper seal. Since then I prefer them over the KPH30i.
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I swapped the pads for Yaxi pads and it makes a big difference for the better. It also helps with the fit, I think, since the Yaxi pads are larger than the stock pads and it does a better job of holding itself against my ear (though the fit is definitely still weird).
Iâm pretty sure I still prefer the KPH30i, but yeah, the Yaxi pads help a lot!
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If you got smaller ears like me, the yaxi pads are actually way too big and causes a very negative change.
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Both of my girlfriends have smaller heads/ears, so thatâs really good to know! I still have the original pads, so hopefully swapping them back in wonât be a big deal if thatâs needed.
As for me, I bought the KPH30i, KSC75X, and Porta Pro X all at once just because I wanted the fun of comparing them and trying out the mods and stuff, and in that regard, Iâve had a lot of fun for what I paid!
Unmodded, I wouldâve ranked them KPH30i >>> Porta Pro > KSC75 for my preferences, but with all of them pad swapped, I would probably say KPH30i > KSC75 > Porta Pro, so the KSC75 was the one that gained the most from modification to my ears. To be fair, itâs also the one I have the most difficulty physically wearing, so it probably has the largest margin for error in terms of how I was using it.
ehm, BOTH? 
No problems swapping them for me, just be careful to not damage the âpinsâ on the cups/drivers.
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Itâs a bit off-topic, so if youâre interested in actually chatting about polyamory, we can move it to another thread or PMs or something, but yes! Both! <3 <3
So I did end up tearing the pads when removing them from the KPH30i, but I still have two good sets (one each from the KSC75 and Porta Pro), and Iâm pretty sure I didnât damage any of the pins on any of them.
I feel like the Porta Pro, modded or not, doesnât have the chops to pull off the bass elevation that itâs going for, so it sounds bloated, which the pad swap doesnât really help with. Whereas the stock KSC75 had the opposite issue of sounding too thin and was missing a body/fullness for me, which the Yaxi pads actually did help quite a bit with, though I would certainly believe that the change has more to do with the fit than the pads. But the KPH30i still strikes the best balance for what Iâm looking for, I like the KPH30i quite a lot.
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My ranking (as can be seen in my database):
Porta Pro <<< KSC75 <= KPH30i
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I see youâre on iPhone. Iâm just curious, do you see any benefit in sound quality with your setup, streaming AAC bluetooth from your iPhone to the BTR5? Versus straight-up plugging in your headphones to the iPhone with the lightning dongle? This is something Iâve been wondering about for a really long time.
Hi, do someone tell me which is better between Aliexpressâ and parts expressâ headband?
Which is which?
Aliepressâ one â Headband Head Pad Top Cushion For KOSS Porta Pro PP KSC35 KSC75 KSC55 Headphone Portable Featherweight Version|Earphone Accessories| - AliExpress
parts expressâ one â Parts Express Mini Stereo Lightweight Headphones with 4 ft. Cord
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Aaahh, I see, so, I have the PE one, the newer one I think with the little corners at the top but same plastic parts and itâs great.
The AliExpress one looks just as great. Difference seems to be that the metal slider slides on the inside off the plastic in contrast to the PE one and the shape at the end is round instead of rectangular. So it depends which you like more. Itâs also 4x the price. If the plastic is 4x stronger then it must be better.
Personally I will wait for the new KPH40s and their headband which looks much much better esthetically and maybe even more durable.
In the end all three should be almost exactly the same comfort wise. You bend them to your liking so⊠
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I saw the band of the koss kph40 utility, and looks great. Will the new kph40s has the same? And do you know when they will be available?
KPH40s? I donât think there is one⊠Itâs the KPH40 Utility and itâs new alright. No idea when itâs coming to Europe unfortunately.
Not in any rush myself. 75 drivers on PE headband is all I need. The KPH40 and a new PortaPro Hot, I just WANT. 
Here are my impressions, KSC75 vs KSC35 vs KPH30iâŠ
BASS(general quantity): 30i > 35 > 75
TREBLE(general quality): 75 > 35 > 30i
VOCHLE REALISM: 75 > 35 > 30i
SPATIAL PERFORMANCE: 75 > 35 > 30i
TONALITY: 35 > 75 > 30i
COMFORT: 30i > 75 > 35
LISTENING FATIGUE(least to most): 30i > 35 > 75
35:
Less peaky and bright than 75, but slightly more (minor) sibilance. Cymbals are pretty splashy/shouty/annoying. Decently tight & meaty bass. Terrible fit.
75:
The most bright and detail-oriented treble, but with minor sibilance. Less splashy than 35, but cymbals are still annoying. Bass kind of soft and bloaty. Good clarity, general tonality, and spaciousness. Good fit(for this design, at least).
30i:
The most bassy, most smooth, and least detailed. Significantly less clear, due to the extra bass and/or cut treble. No sibilance noted. Dark/semi-dark tuning. Most efficient driver. Least problematic sounding, but also the most basic sounding.
My recommendation? These are all pretty garbage, honestly - get a Tin T2, ZEX, BLON 03, YBF, ZAS, AS10, ZSN Pro, DQ6, or save up for something even better. If I had to choose one, for some strange reason/purpose, it would be 75, 30i, or yard sale speakers/headphones.
In case anyoneâs looking to get these polyester covered donut pads for the KSC75 (or its relatives): https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003116963780.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.5.3d0818020qYbGi
What I can say after the first few hours is 1. the thickness seems huge to me vs. how little they compress, Iâve had to bend the earhooks way out and I still havenât recovered the original sense of âvanishingly comfortableâ that was their trademark, and 2. they make the sound way more bassy, like I donât need measurements or A/B or anything, itâs just obviously more bassy. Kind of what I wouldâve expected from a âcoin modâ, which shouldnât be too surprising since theyâre pretty much already âcoin modâ shaped.
I got these polyester ones hoping for durability after I saw the originals on my oldest pair absolutely disintegrate as if they had rotted away. Horrible to see and to have to clean up.
After a little more usage of the above donut pads: very uncomfortable in combination with earhooks, they make the bass bloated and the treble (relatively?) muffled, and overall they make the KSC75 unrecognizable. Bad buy, I ultimately canât recommend these to anyone. Sadly I took too long to test them and I couldnât post a review on Ali, but at least I can leave this info here.
@donjoe0 Best sound imo is original pads if using earhooks. Otherwise my
favorite is to put the KSC 75 on a headband such as Parts Express, etc and
use Yaxi pads for improved comfort, slightly better bass due to a bit of extra clamping, and only a small decrease in mids clarity. Love the soundstage on
these, btw.
Yeah, for sound quality I know, thatâs what Iâll reluctantly have to return to - thin spongy pads -, and Iâll just have to live with the possibility of that rot-like disintegration happening after some years of usage. I guess I could peel that mess off in front of an active vacuum cleaner nozzle next time, Iâm paranoid about those tiny synthetic crumbs getting everywhere and especially into my lungs.
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