Koss "The Plug" Portable Headphones (colors vary) Reviews

• Good, cheap sound solution for the traveller

  
  By A33775AIB1A664 on 2003-06-09
  NOTE: the description I saw on the Amazon page does not reflect the product I have. Above it discusses a headband and an adapter which are not part of this product. Also, the rated frequency response is 10-20k, not 16-23k. I think this is (or was) an Amazon editorial error.

  My interest for this product is as a solution to listening to music, lectures, and movies while travelling, and I travel a lot. I have a set of Panosonic noise-cancelling headphones which were good (about five times more expensive than these earbuds) though bulky, but the plastic broke so they won't stay on my head now.

  These earbuds are an excellent alternative to noise-cancelling headphones for the frequent traveller. I find them more comfortable for extended listening than most conventional headphones. The ability to seal out noise from the external environment is very good, and makes it possible to understand what actors are saying when watching a movie on an airplane.

  The overall performance - sound quality and noise blocking - is not as good as the Bose noise cancelling headphones, but the Bose are 20 times as expensive, much less convenient to carry, and subject to damage from the rough world of the road warrior. If The Plug had an optional noise-cancelling unit (say, combined with the eq), it would be a killer combination - are you listening, Koss?).

  The sound is good. Bass-heavy, to be sure; I would like them better if they had a flatter response, but the product is marketed at the portable music crowd, and many of them are looking for dramatic bass rather than golden-ears sound.
  Besides, mobile sound is always a compromise, it's just a question of whether the compromise they chose works for you.

  Here are some problems I've heard and the solutions:

  1. "They fall out of my ear." I think an older version of this product did not come with alternative cushions; the ones I bought recently (as pictured here) came with 3 alternative cushion pairs, one of which fit well in my somewhat large ears. To make them fit well, roll the cushions in your fingers and squeeze them down, then hold them in place in your ears while they adjust the fit. Also, it is possible to fashion your own cushions (easy modification to commercially available ear plugs from pharmacy); go to google and search for "koss plug mods".

  2. What about when I have to replace the cushions, they'll get waxy/dirty with use? See last sentence of #1.

  3. "They sound tinny". I have a sense that the sound was tinnier on an earlier version of these earbuds, judging from comments I've read in feedback and on the koss plug mods page. The purple plugs (as opposed to the older(?) blue ones) do not sound tinny to me; they seem a bit heavy on the bass instead. Koss also makes a 3-band eq (20 dollars) for their headphones that can be used to adjust the sound some. I have an eq on order, hoping it may temper the boomy bass a bit. Of course, your player may have a way of changing the color of the sound, but my laptop does not.

  4. "They're easy to lose." The price of their tiny size and negligible weight, is that you need to be careful not to lose them. I've already lost a pair. Koss also makes a carrying case which may help, or you could just put them in a 35mm film canister. But at $... a pair (compared to $... for noise-cancelling headphones) I'll just keep a spare pair around in my travelling case.

  Overall I'm pleased with the price/performance tradeoff for these earbuds, and they are an essential part of my travelling kit. They sound better than any other earbuds I've used, and they remove a good bit of the ambient sound, offering more pleasure in listening. I give four stars out of five because I'd prefer a less bassy sound, though some people will really like the way they sound.
  
  

• Great headphones, but ONLY the 'new ones'

  
  By A3LWC833HQIG7J on 2001-12-29
  Ok the first thing about this review. I have a pair of the 'new' the Plug headphones. They are not the ones pictured here. They have no mute button and are metallic silver and purple in color not blue and yellow.

  Apprently KOSS got a lot of feedback from the first version, they listened, and made a much better product. The ones I have are just fantastic. Great bass, like the original, but very good mids and lows as well. They work better as isolation headphones then anything I have used before, but apprently people who are audiophiles are not that impressed. Also they have fantastic volume ability. Because they are in your ear canal I can turn my portable equipment up really loud. I don't but its nice if you want to. Music sounds great with these headphones. Frankly best headphones I have ever used, BUT I am using the NEW VERSION not the blue and yellow ones pictured here.

  OK right now what to do? I would call Amazon and MAKE SURE you are getting the new version. I never used the one they have listed here but almost everywhere I looked on the net, people say the new version is MUCH BETTER...
  
  

• Don't let the other review fool you.

  
  By on 2000-11-29
  I have no idea what all these other people are saying. I suppose they are either retards or have deformed ears. When searching to buy some miniphones i noticed all the negative reviews, customers saying they couldnt' get them to fit, and then said they had AWFUL sound. Common sense dictates that if they aren't used the way they are designed, performance will be poor... If you don't have them in your ear the right way of course they'll sound bad... I purchased a pair of these and i guess i know how to use them because the sound is truly amazing. I didnt' think that you could get ANYTHING that sounded this good for anything near 20.00$. I use them with my sharp 722 (MD player/recorder) and the volume being only at 14 is sufficient (it goes up to 30 - which i would never dare set that high for fear of popping my eardrums). I have pushed these to the point where other phones would probably blow and detected no distortion whatsoever.

  This is an EXCELLENT purchase. If you can get them in your ear - i didn't find it any challenge - then you'll LOVE 'em, otherwise go with portapros or sportapros or whatever the heck you call em (the other koss stereophones).

  Here are all the pros and cons i've found:

  Pros: small, light excellent sound quality (like a lil subwoofer in your ear- it can reach all the deep REALLY low bass) inexpensive for what you get efficient (the impedance is MUCH lower than most other phones, so it preserves batteries in portable equipment better) Cons: Some people can't fit them in... They can get a little uncomfortable (but the ones i got came with several different kinds of plugs/sealers of different shapes - so you can choose one that works best for you. When you're listening to somehting with a lot of bass they tickle your ears a bit (idk if that's necessarily a con though) The End.
  
  

• KOSS "THE PLUG" EARBUDS FOR DUMMIES.

  
  By A33I9S8KLD29EZ on 2002-02-26
  I heave read many of the review on this site, and I probablly would have not used my Koss earbuds to the full extend if I have not read many of the reviews. First issue is that people cannot get the earbuds to stay in their ear. I found my earbuds not needing any modification when it comes to foam, but rather they way the earbud is placed in. The first problem that I had is stuffing it in my ear, they would fall out, and the foam would look all pushed back on the stick (refering to the rubber sticking out from the headphone). YOu must firmly squeze the foam from all sides and quickly insert it into the ear. You will know if the ear bud is firmly in by shaking your head, and nothing is falling out. Do the same for thea other ear. Now you will hear the amazing quality of the sound that these pupies can give. The base is amazing, these earbuds I find better quality then my Sony Studio Monitoring headset (one great advantage of earbuds, the volume on my MD player doesn't have to be set to the max to hear any music). The sound quality is amazing, the isolation from outside is great, especially on a loud bus, unlike other earbuds. ONLY IF THE EARBUDS SET PROPERLY INTO THE EAR YOU WILL HEAR THE FULL QUALITY OF THE SOUND... I heard no distortion...I hope my review helped you on earbuds.
  
  

• Forced to write my own review...

  
  By A3PDM0KVXCCHMG on 2003-11-26
  I'll keep this concise and pertinent...
  
  GOOD
  ----
  1. Very good sound (esp. for the price), just make sure you are not using any bass expansion/extension equalization. Even with old Sinatra, using my TDK Mojo's bass expansion sometimes causes distortion, simply because The Plug has exceptional low frequency response. So hip-hop obviously causes a lot of distortion w/ extra bass emphasis; I wonder if this is the 'muddiness' about which some have complained. Flat equalization (at least for bass) is a requirement for these headphones.
  2. Excellent isolation and efficiency due to the foam sealing design. Just don't blow your eardrum turning the music up too loud, nor get run over by a bus 'cause you can't hear it coming!
  3. Excellent overall sound quality; no tinny sound other reviewers have mentioned, unless The Plug is inserted incorrectly (ie - off-axis, or not "aimed" correctly).
  
  BAD
  ----
  1. True, the black foamy material does not stay compressed very long, so you have to 'roll' it in your fingers then immediately put it in your ear. I could see that those with small ears may have problems fitting these properly; problem solved by retrofitting a standard foam-type earplug (as others have mentioned). Whether you would or should do this is another question. The packaging does include a few different styles of foam inserts to try; coned, cylinder, etc. After using the coned ones for a long time, I've switched to the cylinder-shaped ones, which stay in better.
  2. The first pair of these I bought had uneven bass; the left earplug's bass was a lower sound pressure than the right; treble was fine. I verified this with both ears and then with a function generator. I exchanged them and the subsequent pair is perfectly balanced.
  3. If The Plug is not inserted straight (not 'aimed' into your ear canal) the sound will lose its midrange (the 'tinny' thing some have mentioned). This would depends a lot on how your ears are 'designed.' I personally don't have an issue with this.
  
  Overall, I think these earbud headphones are excellent, especially for the price.
  
  
• This is a case of you get what you pay for
  By APOHJ0S99TKAF on 2005-05-16
  Long time producer of headphones Koss decided to venture into the rather niche and elitist market of canalphones (Ha, we shun those who wear earphones), with "The Plug".
  At under $15 (on Amazon), they are some of the cheapest canalphones on the market today, and for that price, you get a pair of rather lightweight earphones, thin, tangle prone wire and several pairs of foam plugs.
  The plugs provide 15-20 decibels of sound cancellation, resulting in greater volume with a relatively low impedance of 16 Ohms and better than average bass response, in fact the entire response range of the "Plug" phones is rather refreshingly expansive for earplugs of its price (10Hz - 20 KHz).
  However, it is not all good news.
  With the design itself, the foam plugs themselves, although secure themselves extremely well in the ear (they were still where they were after a half hour jog), can become numbingly uncomfortable after long periods of wear, and, as the nature of foam goes, after much use, it becomes dry and difficult to lodge into the ear. Koss also failed to provide a wax cleaner, making putting in and pulling out a rather disgusting affair after heavy use.
  Although the wire is an oxygen free copper wire, nowadays that is a given. Koss have decided to make the cord thin and tangle prone, and the non-inclusion of a case makes the transport and use of the earplugs all the more frustrating. Also, as a result of the thin wiring, the earplugs are prone to micro sounds; when rubbing against shirts, pants or any other material produces a rather audible chaffing sound, and with no clip to secure the wire, as found in etymotic canalphones, it is a constant annoyance. However, the durable L design and gold-plating of the miniplug is one area the Koss didn't scrimp too much in.
  Sound wise, Koss have made a bit of a mess with "The Plug".
  As a result of its excellent bass response and low impedance, the bass tends to dominate the majority of the time.
  Unlike the Shure Ec range of canalphones, "The Plug" does not possess the clarity and punchiness that they do in the bass, rather, it comes across as muddy and sustained.
  The treble and mid range lack depth and fall off rather quickly and unevenly, resulting in a sparkly and almost crackly sound, especially apparent in music needing accuracy in sound recreation e.g. acoustic and light orchestral works.
  The muddiness and dominance of the bass, coupled with the tinny treble and a rather flat sounding mid range, provides a rather uninspiring, blurred effect with the sound.
  "The Plug" is also unfortunately prone to sound-stacking. In areas of a song where there are many sounds converged, "The Plug", "stacks" them on top of each other, making it disproportionately loud and with a complete lack of clarity due to the need to clip the excessive build up of sound. This also results a rather large distortion in sound (0.3% compared to the more expensive pairs with >0.1%).
  Sound comes across as rather brutish, cutting and crass, lacking the depth and refinement usually found in canalphones. It is as if Koss have just got a pair of straight earphones and added a foam plug to the exterior.
  
  65/100
  
  Pros: Price, lightweight, unobtrusive to look at, gold plated L design miniplug, excellent response range, low impedance.
  
  Cons: Tangle prone wiring, thin wiring results in micro sounds, missing a few key additions e.g. case and cleaner, uncomfortable with long use, horrible unclear sound.
  
  Overall: the Koss "The Plug" canalphones have some excellent pointers going for it but glaring deficiencies keep it from being more than mediocre.
  If it retailed at any higher price, it would be a rip off. This is truly a case of "getting what you pay for".
  
  Alternative: Shure E2c - Although more expensive, Shure's E2c's have the clarity and pure sound found in more expensive canalphones such as the E3c's, while still retaining a very brash punchy bass that's still bright.
  
  
• Best earbuds around
  By on 1999-12-29
  If you follow the instructions and make sure you squish up the foam cushion on the earphone before inserting it will expand to form a perfect fit to your ear canal. And since they fit into the ear canal itself you get dynamite bass from them as well. Without a doubt the most comforable and best sounding earbuds on the market.
  
  
• Great for noisy environments
  By on 2000-03-09
  I work in a jewelry studio with 7 other people, and the constant chatter as well as hammering drives me batty. I often put on headphones to drown out the sound, but I usually have to turn the cd player up super loud to avoid hearing everyone's conversations.

  While these headphones are a bit awkward to put in, once you get the hang of it, they're great! I can turn the volume up a fraction of what I used to, and I can't hear all the outside chatter. And even when I am not listening to music it muffles the noise. I do worry if its bad for my ears having these things in so far...but its better for my sanity!
  
  

• Best Pair of Head Phones
  By on 2000-10-30
  I have read some of the reviews here, and a lot of them seem to say the same thing "i can't get them to stay in". I completely agree with this assessment. I couldn't get them to stay in .. until I realized I was using them wrong! You really have to 'rotate-jam' them into your ear canal, and when you do -- the sound is absolutely INCREDBILE! It blocks out outside noise unlike anything I've heard in a pair of headphones this size. Quite possible the cheapest, most high-quality head phones I've ever purchased.
  
  
• Tried super expensive product, found these better!
  By A3KK6PWQOBG9QV on 2006-04-11
  I kid you not. Decided to splurge (over $300) on a super set of earphones for my ipod from Shure and hated them and sent them back. Then I tried these as a temporary solution and found them actually vastly superior in sound, aesthetics and discrete form. I simply love them. As a frequent traveller, I appreciate not hearing the usual yada yada on the airplane. Highly recommend them.
  
  
• Blistering headaches & terrible sound reproduction; BEWARE!
  By A1YF0SKMGV2BIL on 2006-10-13
  I own a number of different Koss, Sennheiser, Sony and Grado products and I am extremely pleased with them all. (I truly believe Grado is the best of the four companies but they don't make an In-Ear product.)
  
  These "Plugs" are good for nothing in my opinion unless one wants to go deaf, get a blistering headache and have ringing in the ears. The distortion can only be described as a "sonic bass mudslide" that overwhelms and perverts all sounds coming through these "Plugs." I am genuinely shocked that Koss would put their name to such a terrible product; perhaps these "Plugs" are designed for a younger generation that wants to be deaf by 25 while listening to the type of "boom boom" bass that rattles windows? But these "Plugs" are the exact opposite of what an audiophile or anyone else who wants to just "listen" and "hear" his/her music, books, etc. through headphones. Before the blistering eight hour headache these "Plugs" had given me was through, they were repackaged and shipment was arranged for a refund. I've never been disgusted by a Koss product before but I feel that I write out my experience as a warning to others. Audiophiles and music lovers, BEWARE!
  
  In terms of In-Ear headphones, I would recommend the updated version of "The Plug" known as "The Spark Plug." It doesn't have as long of a cord but they haven't set my teeth on edge or caused headaches such as the one I received from "The Plug" and they do offer some passive noise reduction. I also recommend the Sennheiser In-Ear headphones. They are more expensive (in the 60-80 dollar range) but worth it if you have the money because Sennheiser does make a better product in my opinion than Koss these days. The truth is that Sennheiser surpasses Koss on almost everything these days.
  
  If you don't like In-Ear headphones (and I'm not much of a fan of them myself with a few exceptions) and don't want to spend more than $[...], the Koss PortaPro, Sennheiser PX-100, PX-200 (awesome and blocks sound!), the iGrado, Grado SR60 (the best for pure sound!), Sony MDR-Q22LP (great little set!) and Koss KTXPRO1 are excellent alternatives that I believe are truly worth five to ten times what they cost. I hope this was of some help.
  
  
• Impossible to get into ears-impractical
  By on 1999-12-10
  I sent these back immediately. They were impossible to get into my ears. I would not recommend these to anyone.
  
  
• Perfect For Airplanes
  By AVYJ9YKLMN10N on 2000-04-25
  Different headphones have different uses. Don't buy these . . .headphones and then connect them to your $10,000 home system andexpect much. These are designed for noisy environments such as an airplane. I found them comfortable, easy to use, and excellent at blocking out crying babies and annoying passengers. For the price these are great for the proper purpose. If you just want good headphones buy some Grados, but if you travel alot like me these are perfect for that use.
  
  
• Best economy earphones
  By A1P4K2GWLU9S8G on 2003-01-08
  I used to own the KOSS KSC-50's, and those were the best earphones I've ever owned. Well, now these KOSS plugs are the best ones I've ever owned.

  -It's an earplug. It'll drown out all the other noise. If anyone knows about the [expensive] BOSE headphones with noise-reduction technology, this is better or if not, then close.

  -It also has the enormous bass that KOSS is famous for. It shakes my head, impressive. It also gives a lot of sound at lower volumes, so you get more output and longer battery life.

  -Doesn't leak sound.

  -Extra earplugs.

  SO what are the Plugs? The best way to describe it is an earplug with strong bass.

  NEGATIVES: You have to push the plugs into your ear. But you gotta do that with any earbud, plus these KOSS ones will stick and won't fall out if you're running. You also can't hear a thing that anyone else is saying to you, (which is pretty cool actually).

  This earphone's pretty special. It's not your basic run-of-the-mill earphone, you can sense the power put behind it. It's like nothing I've ever seen before. And the experience is trembling.
  
  

• don't bother!
  By on 2000-03-02
  First of all, the logistics. It takes some intense acrobatics to get these things in your ear. They're definitely not something you want to slip on and off too frequently, and they do collect earwax. Soundwise, while the "plug" technique does create impressive bass (although not a very crisp sound, just brute), there is a serious lack of balance in the sound. The upper frequencies are tinny and bland. Save your money and get something better. This is just a gimmick.
  
  
• Huge Rave For These Inexpensive Headphones
  By A1YP4EV22ZJI3B on 2006-05-04
  I bought a 20 gig iPod about two years ago and use it mainly for commuting on busses/metro/walking/airplanes. I also do some jogging. I have tried at least five different headphones ranging from the original ear buds that came with my iPod (which wore out rather quickly) to Phillips, Sony, et cetera. I never spent more than $50 as I don't think headphones that I will abuse should cost any more than that, if that.
  
  These are by far and away THE BEST I have bought.
  
  Reasons I love them:
  
  1. They don't have that silly behind-the-head-one-side-of-the-cord-three-times-as-long-as-the-other-getting-tangled-constantly-looking-stupid cords like so many earbuds do nowadays.
  
  I like normal headphones. I don't need any tricks to how you wear them, thank you. I don't want to have to read instructions on how to put them on nor do I want to practice in the mirror until I get it right. These, mercifully, are normal headphones. If you have ever worn ear plugs (or not) you will have no trouble fitting them into you ears. Even if nature has decided that you, like me, are to be cursed with two completely different ears that are not completely identical down to the micrometer, these will still fit great and be so confortable and light as to not really know you are wearing them.
  
  2. They stay in one place.
  
  I have gotten great arm excercise in my constant re-adjustment of every d**n pair of headphones I have tried. With every step the sound changed because the headphones shifted. I walk around looking like someone trying to get a spiderweb off their head because I can never get consistent sound from headphones that won't stay where I put them. Not so with these. I put them in my head and they stay where I put them. No matter how much I run, or sweat, or fall down, or try unsuccessfully to do a cartwheel on the sidewalk for no apparent reason, they stay in and everything sounds great.
  
  3. Great bass without feeling like I am listing to music with my head buried under a pillow or suddenly found myself underwater without noticing.
  
  I have had my iPod's EQ set to Bass Booster for months because everything sounded tinny with earbuds, or Bass Reducer because with in ear phones everything sounded muffled. With these, I can set the EQ to rock (because I do, and that's the music that appeals to me) and the bass punches and pops, and the highs sting and are sharp, and the harmony, rare as it is, gives me goosebumps. I can hear everything.
  
  One note: I did find that I get the best sound when the cord is pointed straight down, but it is good even if you are goofy and like the cord pointing towards your mouth or the top of your head (I actually tried this to see what it would look like to the other people on the metro).
  
  4. They are cheap!!!
  
  Ten bucks, people. You can't beat that. And these are far, and I mean FAR better than in-ear headphones I spent four times as much on.
  
  If you don't like these headphones, I will swear off angry, high school metal for the next three or four days. I swear it. That's my guarantee. And I don't even know how to spell guarentee.
  
  Love,
  
  - P
  
  
• Sound is good - actual plug foam is bad
  By on 2000-03-20
  they claim you can mash the foam, then place in ear; not unless you are extremely quick--the foam puffs back up too fast. Go out and buy over-the-counter foam earplugs and cut a hole in the middle. Works great on airplanes.
  
  
• Excellent sound quality for their price
  By A2HE7B2HAXRNP1 on 2005-03-17
  I bought these earbuds a year ago, and I have used them A LOT. I use them almost every day on my way to school, on my way home from school and when I go to sleep at night.
  
  First what I like about them. They do an excellent job of cutting outside noise. When I have them in and the music is playing, I can literally not hear anything but my music, even at a middle of the range volume. Because they block out so much noise, you don't need to have your music as loud to hear it well, so that is a big plus for me. I dont have any trouble getting them to stick in my ears like some other people. It took a little bit to figure out how to get them in comfortably, but its no problem now.
  
  There are of course some things I don't like about them. When I wear them for long periods of time, (2 or more continuous hours), they start to get a bit uncomfortable in my ears. Just recently, I have had the problem of the foam buds falling off. This problem could easily be fixed with a tiny bit of glue to help hold them on, but I am nervous about permanently gluing them on because the foam is starting to fall apart a bit on the tip. Once again, this is because of how much I have used them (I misplaced the extra foam buds shortly after I got them).
  
  I have tried using over the ear type of headphones since I got these, but they just don't off the same level of passive noise cancelling that these do.
  
  Overall, these are great headphone, in my opinion. Even though there are a few annoying issues that arise after a year of very regular use, i still think they deserve 5 stars, especially considering how much they cost.
  
  
• The Plug Vs. Ipod Stock phones
  By A2Y8N13LK9PBRA on 2005-12-21
  I bought these to replace my Apple IPod stock pair, which after four months of use started to break up at higher volumes. Quality-wise, the Apples are a bit more put together as the Koss pair are cheap looking and I agree with others that the wires are very thin to the point of being absurd. Sound-wise, though - the Koss pair wins out hands down, being at least 30% louder at the same quality of play back. The rubber pieces that go in your ear are easy for me to use and do not take long to get in at all. The proof is in comparing the two, nobody would find the Apple pair better in any category aside from build. Since the Koss set is only ten bucks, I figure I can afford to replace them when needed. As an end note, the length of the sets cords are similar, with the Koss pair being about eight inches longer, still too short in my opinion as I use them sitting at my desk and have to be careful moving around. BTW, the Plugs are a bit quieter to use, meaning people cannot hear them as well as the Apples when you are listening - good for use at work. Overall, I am very happy with these, the only reason they do not get four stars is that they are $10 ear buds and don't come away sounding like too much more - though it's good enough for casual listening. The other thing is that the rubber piece gets dirty quickly, you get two sets originally so that is a bonus. These were the right buds for me as I didn't want to spend $100 and I think they are a far better value than the Shures, Etymotics, etc.
  
  
• A good way to get more volume with the Rio 500
  By on 2000-03-23
  I found that the Rio 500 did not produce enough volume, especially while I was in the gym. With the Plug I keep the volume under 10 while before I was using 18-20. I find the Plug to be very comfortable, but this is very subjective.
  
  
• WOWIE
  By on 2000-12-27
  This is a great pair of phones. Although they do take a bit of work to get them in right, its worth it. the only problem ive had with them so far is not being able to hear anything else but the music while using them (if you want to call it a problem). the foam plug blocks out almost all of the extranious noise around you. also it keeps the sound in your ears, the people in the same room as you wont hear it (great if you have parents that grew up hearing that if the other people around you can hear the sound then its too loud, like i do). the sound tube shoots the music righ tinto your ear and it can't get out because of the foam. i guess all of the morons that say they are bad just dont have ANY common sense and didnt ever read the directions.
  
  
• Excellent value with many good qualities
  By A3D822N1K2IAQD on 2002-12-18
  I was intrigued by the raves for these very inexpensive headphones, and the Koss brand name convinced me to give them a try.

  I compared them to the Sennheiser HD56 headphones that I normally use for portables, and my AKG 240DF headphones that have been used by many studio engineers in recording albums.

  The Koss The Plug headphones have excellent dynamic range and sensitivity. This means that you will get more volume out of weaker amps, such as those found in multipurpose portables, like PDAs and portable synths, like the Yamaha QY series. They also have excellent bass, which together with the dynamic range, makes them excellent for any sort of modern dance music.

  Unlike another reviewer, I did not find any problem with the midrange or high end. I suspect that this perception some people have had, is due to the fact that increasing the bass automatically makes the midrange and highs seem muted - especially in headphones.

  As others have mentioned, the fit is critical to the sound quality. Read the instructions found on the inside of the card in the packaging. Even the orientation of the earphones in your ear can affect the sound. Experiment a little until you find the best sound.

  WARNING: These headphones can go very loud with portables that have decent amps (MP3 and CD players). Famous musicians like Pete Townsend and Jeff Baxter have hearing problems from hours of loud music - so be careful!
  
  

• tiny phones with BIG SOUND!
  By A7ZY545K5QMR1 on 2003-09-09
  These are e-x-c-e-l-l-e-n-t!!!
  The sound reproduction is remarkable. You hear all of the music from the lows to the highs in crystal clarity.
  I've had these for over a year now and love them. I can't say enough about how great they sound! There are some pros and cons with these phones, but the pros outweigh the cons for me.

  Cons: ...Not very rugged. They are a delicate piece of equipment & must be respected as such.
  .............I don't care much for the "jell type" ear pieces (I replaced mine with something else. I'll tell you "what and how" in the latter part of this review)
  .............If not properly inserted in the ears, the sound quality suffers greatly. (THIS IS A KEY FACTOR)

  Pros: ...Tiny phones which will out perform most other phones (small or large) in the much higher price range. (I'm not kidding)
  ............Very power efficient (small input = BIG OUTPUT)
  ............Batteries on portables last longer because you don't have to pump-up the volume. But you can pump it up till your ears bleed if you'd like. They sound great either way.

  About the ear pieces...
  The unit comes with several sizes and shapes of ear pieces and the key to these phones is proper fit and comfort. I replaced the originals with "soft foam ear plugs", which were purchased at a local pharmacy. These are the type that you compress, stick'em in your ears and they expand to fit perfectly. They don't cost much and are very easy to modify for use with "The Plug". All you need to do is to cut the foam ear plugs down in length to fit over the tube on the ear pieces. Then heat up a straight pin on the stove and use it to pierce a hole through the center of the foam ear plugs. Bingo! You've got new ear pieces which work better than the originals.
  
  

• Sound Nirvana for the Ears! But read everything!
  By A1T8DDTIJ0TZDN on 2004-10-09
  Ok, I've noticed those @ K-mart while I was looking their mp3 players, remembered the name ("The Plug") and did some research @ home/net.
  What really draw my attention in reviews is that people eather liked it so much or hated it. I figured, there must be something about them. I remember one reviewer wrote "I feel bass pounding on my chest" :)
  So, I went and got them for only 14.95, I believe. I got home, I tried them with foams, and it did not feel right right away. I almost had them back in the bag and off to return them. But, I kept messing with them and, boy am I glad I did!
  After pushing, twisting, pushing again, even had some pain felt (read further), I finally got them to work as they are meant to and WOW! WHAT A SOUND. WHAT A BASS!
  After some thinking, here is what I did and I suggest you read this as it may help you experiance the sound faster then you decide to return them becose they do not fit you:
  There is small TUBE on each earphone that fits in the foam. After pushing far enough, I coud feel little scraching from it, so I decided to shorten them just a little, like less then 1/8 of an inch, with a razor . This worked perfecly for me. I could push them far enough that I actually do not hear the sound (or hear dull sound), and when they automatically "backed up" on ther own, it was just perfect sound.
  Ok, for you that use mostely earphones, let me explain further: Do you ever push your earphones (the ones without foams) little further, hear the bass and you wish that they can STAY in that position? Well, this is how "The Plug" sounds, only clear sound with a lot of undistorded (no distortion) bass!
  
  Anyway, after shortening and fitting for about 30 minutes, I realized that no way am I going to be returning these.
  
  Put it this way: Before "The Plug", I was using SONY's MDR-EX51LP noice cancelling earphones (the ones with silicone plug), they sounded great but they were simply not loud enough for me and not enough thump in the bass. So, I got them on eBay, and since I sometimes sell too, I sold them in a flash after using KOSS The Plug. And I was always like "KOSS? WHO???", but now I have totaly different opinion about Koss. Well, at least about this perticular product, since I did not try any others by Koss:)
  
  Oh, yea, one more important thing in regards to prompt fitting: Few days later I found solution to better and faster adjusting - try this: (Clean ears required:))
  - Before inserting them in the ear, MOISTEN THE OUTSIDE WALLS OF THE PADS WITH WATHER, LIKE MOISTEN YOUR FINGERS FIRST AND THEN THE FOAMS. This will make an perfect fit, it will help foams mold to your ear faster, and they will be dry in a minute anyway, all you need is little help to fits "like a glove".
  
  
  
  I will also add that what you have (what device you are playing) matters too. I have a CHD-1000 Classic 10GB mp3 player, and this thing ROCKS THE SOUND. I actually got brand new Frontier Labs L1 20GB (you guessed it right - on eBay) and I had to sell it back since the sound of that perfectly designed unit SUCKS! I also had Archos Jukebox 10, that sounded good but only at lower volume - crank it up and that sucks too:) So far, nothing comes close to my player with sound. Well, I am getting Creative Labs Zen now, and trully hope that it will sound good, I am tired of "testing" mp3 players in order to upgrade to new one. (I have not tried Ipod, too much money to start with and I do not want to mess with extra firewire stuff and spend loads of additional money for accesories - I am not so crazy about the way it looks anyway, and being that I would most likely use diferent earphones with it - what't the point.)
  SO, back to earphones: All I am saying is: try them, and if you want to really hear how they sound, try harder then just "Bu-huu, they do not fit". Once you have them fit right, you will be surprised (At least I was).
  I am totally, absolutely, positively RECOMMENDING "THE PLUG"!
  PS: English in not my native Laguage so exuse any errors you may have found while reading this.
  
  
• For Bass-heads ONLY
  By A1YXEYOWESHVLJ on 2005-02-18
  "The Plug" offers VERY poor balance across the sound spectrum, they are very bass heavy/boomy, resulting in a very muddy sound. Unless you listen to your music with the bass turned ALL the way up, I suggest looking elsewhere. Also, the acoustic tube is far too rigid and can scratch/gouge your ear canal. Overall, a poor choice.
  
  
• Garbage
  By A2UGPULXMCJNFK on 2005-04-02
  I would have felt better if $20 would have blown away in the wind. At least someone would find it and it would have made their day.
  
  The fit? Horrible. They come with 4 differant sized plugs. The material reforms to shape too fast and does not allow for time to properly position. Once in, they want to work their way out.
  
  The sound. Like listening to music underwater. Mucky bass and no highs.
  
  I am very dissapointed with them and have thrown them away so I do not have to look at them to be reminded how I wasted good money. Time for me to step up and buy some decent phones. You get what you pay for.
  
  
• Amazing value, great sound if used PROPERLY!
  By A7HEVWKSWUSI4 on 2005-11-09
  Upon determining that the Apple-brand ear pods included with my iPod were of inferior quality, I opted to have them replaced ASAP. I assessed my options while remaining conscious of my budget and planned usage of the product, and decided on the Koss "The Plug" (or "Spark Plug") ear buds. My other option was the Shure E2C model, as a friend owns these, and they sound phenominal. However, since I don't foresee myself using my iPod all that often, I didn't up my budget to accommodate these.
  
  These headphones are of the "ear bud" style, which basically means that a foam/malleable nub is inserted into the actual canal of your ear (as opposed to ear pods, which snugly rest within the exterior of the canal.) An important thing to know about ear bud-style headphones is that THEY WILL NOT PERFORM AT THEIR MAXIMUM ABILITY IF NOT PROPERLY INSERTED! Instructions are clearly printed on the back of the package, and if not followed, you will NOT get the best usage out of your product -- in fact, the sound quality very well may sound terrible.
  
  To PROPERLY insert these ear buds, the ENTIRE foam nub must be fully compressed (via pinching and rolling with the fingers) and immediately inserted into the ear canal. Additionally, your best bet is to gently pull your ear canal open by gripping the top of your ear with your thumb and index finger while inserting. The ear buds then must be held in place (without shoving them in deeper) for approximately 8-10 seconds, while the foam expands into your ear canal, forming a solid fit. If incorrectly inserted (i.e. not inserted all the way, not compressing the foam prior to insertion, etc.) highs and lows will sound AWFUL, even if you own a pair of $300 ear buds (yes, they do exist.) Simply put, if you look in the mirror with the ear buds inserted and you can only see the plastic ear pod outside of your ear, then you can pat yourself on the back for a job well done.
  
  With that out of the way, the sound output of these rather inexpensive Koss ear buds is very impressive for the price. The frequency response ranges from 10 Hz to 20 kHz, which is nothing to smirk at. Distortion is cleverly kept to a minimum at all volume levels except for the very loudest point (I suggest breaking in your ear buds gently before hopping right in and destroying your ear drums.) The bass output is subtle and effective for the most part, but doesn't perform very well with certain genres of music (while almost all electronic music sounds amazing, bass-heavy rock music or deep rap music may not produce the same satisfaction.) It should also be known that there literally is no headphone, in-ear or not, that perfectly reproduces all styles of music, and this applies to even the most expensive models. Any given headphone device will excel in certain categories of sound reproduction, while performing less impressively in others. (Can you tell I'm an audiophile yet?)
  
  The few negativities to speak of are as follows. The cable, while a decent length (not too short, not too long,) feels rather fragile. Additionally, the included foam polymer ear buds are on the large side, and may or may not cause some minor to severe discomfort after extended periods of use (upwards of an hour.) Thankfully, replacement ear buds can be purchased in multiple sizes at most electronics stores.
  
  Overall, if you're finding yourself in the same boat I was and are looking for a suitable replacement for your disappointing Apple-brand iPod ear pods but don't want to break the bank, the Koss "The Plug" are HIGHLY recommended for the price. I haven't heard any other in-ear ear buds in this price range, but I can imagine that these are hard to beat for the money.
  
  Just DON'T FORGET TO PROPERLY INSERT THEM EVERY TIME! Once you get the hang of it, they can be properly inserted and snug in your ears within 15 seconds. If you don't insert them correctly, they WILL NOT SOUND GOOD AT ALL, and you will have WASTED YOUR MONEY! I'm a smoker, and even I hate wasting money! So, educate yourself on in-ear headphones before buying any, and you won't be disappointed.
  
  
• Great...if you've got huge ears!
  By A1VS6IV9RWYT7M on 2005-12-30
  The design of these earphones does really limit outside noise, and the quality of the speakers is fine, but be aware that the main body of these is quite large and the foam piece big as well. These do not hide inside the ear inconspicuously, but rather stick out mostly outside the ear cavity. This review and comment is coming from someone with probably larger than everage ears, and like me you will probably find them very uncomfortable to wear, unless of course you enjoy the feeling of your entire ear canal packed full of foam rubber!... just be aware. Cheers.
  
  
• Good sound if you can get them to fit.
  By A3EARKJ9TNXUSQ on 2006-01-26
  I purchased these after returning a pair of Sony MDR-EX51LP/WHI
  The ear pieces on those seem to collapse when you tried to seat them in your ear.
  
  I read a few reviews on the plug and thought I would give them a try.
  The one I saw listed on other sites came with extra different shaped ear pieces and a carrying case.
  The one I received from Amazon came with one extra set of the same earpiece and no case.
  Well these did not fit my ear very good either. I sort of expected this after reading reviews but decided to try the mod using the cushion ear plugs.
  This did not work either. The problem I have is the rest of the head phone is too big so this does not allow me to get the earpiece in deep enough to seal so they just sound tinny.
  If I hold them in they have great sound but I really don't feel like holding them in all of the time.
  I will try some other earpiece mods to see if I can get a better fit.
  My advice is read the reviews on other sites also and check out http://www.headwize.com/projects/cmoy4_prj.htm this site shows you different mods for this headphone.
  
  
• newer design is best, but The Plug has always rocked my world!
  By A1SJ55FG8AFACQ on 2006-05-31
  I first discovered The Plug about 8 years ago while travelling. At that time, it was the blue and yellow model with the mute switch that some reviewers have mentioned. Amazing sound, especially bass response. As some have also mentioned, I found the mute switch annoying - it tended to become a pendulum that swung from side to side as I walked.
  
  I was cautious about the newer design. That would be the purple and silver one without the mute switch. As far as I know, the old design was discontinued years ago, so I don't think you have to worry about getting stuck with it here. The materials and workmanship of the newer design aren't as good as the old design, but the sound hasn't suffered at all. Still just as amazing as the first time I heard them.
  
  A little while ago I decided to try out the Sony MDR-EX51LP Fontopia. I was surprised to discover that, compared to The Plug, the sound was brittle and harsh on the high-end, with what I can only describe as a whistling quality to it. The bass wasn't nearly as present, and the Fontopia is more than twice as expensive!
  
  One downside to these - the way The Plug is designed, dusty earwax will eventually creep up the sound duct that extends through the earplug foam material. There's no way to clean this to my knowledge, and that limits the lifespan of these earbuds. Still, it takes 2-3 years of almost daily usage for that to become a problem. Spending this small amount for such great sound every couple of years is definitely worth it.
  
  

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• Koss SPARKPLUG - Stereo In Ear Ear Plugs
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• Koss Headphone Carrying Case for The Plug, SparkPlug, KSC22, KSC6, P15, P14, and Budz