Koss KPH30i - First time dabbling with Equaliser APO

[Thalis]

I love this pair of 'phones as its so light, comfy and does not make my ears boil due to the weather here. Its my ultimate put them on and forget 'phones. But I can't listen to them for long due to too much bass and so warm sounding... so much so that when I put on my K240 Mk2 my ears had to readjust to the "piercing highs". All that warmness just muddles up everything in other frequencies.

So have anyone out there used EQ for the Koss? I am using the AKGs for reference (I also have the Senn HD280 Pro but also a lot of bass but not as bad as the Koss). FIrst time Equaliser APO user here so I tried to get rid of all that muddle whilst still trying to preserve that mids goodness and boost the highs some. Not sure if I am getting it to be as netral as i can... just judging with my ears and the K240's for reference. Perhaps someone has also EQ'd the Koss with better results? Can share your EQ?

 

[peanuts]

here is a measurement atleast

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1111654471174684673

 

[Thalis]

here is a measurement atleast

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1111654471174684673

oh its from Metal571..... not sure if I know how to read that graph... I was always trying to see at 0dB for reference... but there is definitely a bass hump

 

[AnalogSteph]

For reference - KSC75 as measured by InnerFidelity:

The EARS results seem to be somewhere between uncompensated and compensated here.

If I'm reading the delta correctly, the whole range from 4 kHz up is about 5 dB underrepresented, 6-7 kHz arguably even more. You will need much higher-Q filters than you're currently using to address the 5 kHz peak and 4 kHz dip properly. (At least the peak seems much better-controlled, the "papery" highs were quite apparent on the Koss clips.) The 10 kHz range may require tuning by ear.

The bass doesn't actually need all that much work I think... can everything below 500 Hz (there's no way the thing requires a >8 dB bass dip) and try a ~300 Hz, -2 or -3 dB low shelf instead.

What are you using to drive these, does it have decently low output impedance and flat frequency response?

I don't think I've heard HD280Pros being referred to as having "lots of bass" very often... they go deep but if anything they tend towards a bit of a dip down there due to pad resonance.

 

[Vincent Kars]

Maybe this one is of use: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/eq-settings-for-700-headphones.885196/

 

[Thalis]

For reference - KSC75 as measured by InnerFidelity:
View attachment 81987
The EARS results seem to be somewhere between uncompensated and compensated here.

If I'm reading the delta correctly, the whole range from 4 kHz up is about 5 dB underrepresented, 6-7 kHz arguably even more. You will need much higher-Q filters than you're currently using to address the 5 kHz peak and 4 kHz dip properly. (At least the peak seems much better-controlled, the "papery" highs were quite apparent on the Koss clips.) The 10 kHz range may require tuning by ear.

The bass doesn't actually need all that much work I think... can everything below 500 Hz (there's no way the thing requires a >8 dB bass dip) and try a ~300 Hz, -2 or -3 dB low shelf instead.

What are you using to drive these, does it have decently low output impedance and flat frequency response?

I don't think I've heard HD280Pros being referred to as having "lots of bass" very often... they go deep but if anything they tend towards a bit of a dip down there due to pad resonance.

Ok I have since revised the EQ a bit whilst trying to match my AKG K240 MkII. I think I am coming pretty close in the highs but the KPH30i's mids are so much thicker. Possibly its because its on ear and vocals sound a bit more intimate. So I have been trying to preserve the midrange as much as I could. Is the KSC75 very close in FR to the KPH30i? Same drivers?

I have tried the KPH30i on the Fiio E10k (1.2ohms), Fiio K1 (<1ohm) and the Behringer Xenyx USB302 ( no idea what is the output impredence... could be >100ohms). All gave me the same results. Super thick and muddy bass bleeding into the midrange. No clarity at all and the highs were a little buried. Here is my latest EQ:

Now its very comparable to the K240 MkII cept for the midrange. The highs are very close to the AKGs. Trying very hard to match volumes when i am comparing them. No sub bass to speak of obviously. So this got me thinking... did i get a defective KPH30i? I got them from Drop.

My Senn HD280 Pro are the new version... would that make a difference? Very nice bass extension but a bit boomy.

Waiting very patiently for the Topping L30 to arrive next week for further testing.

 

[Thalis]

Maybe this one is of use: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/eq-settings-for-700-headphones.885196/

wow thanks... will look this one up