Koss - KPH7 Colors On Ear Headphones

You won't really find anything in $15 which is not a "shitty Chinese product" The only closed backs I've tried in the price which are still sold Superlux HD562 - on ears design a la HD25, unusually for budget closed backs they play with midrange, good mids, but poor treble/bass extension, most of the music sounds right and is not fatiguing, very poor technicalities (details and soundstage), sturdy build, huge clamp force, detachable 2pin Sennheiser cable, additional velour pads with foam discs bundled in (normally I prefer velour, but I think stock fake leather sounded better), generally feels like a very good deal for the money, and I like the sound despite it being rather low quality Monoprice Lightweight Hi-Fi - on ears, light with less clamp force than HD562, but weirdly felt just as much if not more fatiguing on my head in a longer run (probably because mine is rather big), V shape sound signature, sounds somewhat impressive at first, low end is boosted, but not overly boomy, top end comes out fine, so it feels like a steal for the money (I paid $4 on promo), however the low end can be fatiguing in a longer run, and it also makes some video games unplayable, particularly it is impossible to play Warzone, because you hear a constant subbass hum - I was really confused until I figured out it was sound of the chests in game, the buzzing hum was not audible with any other headphones, but Monoprice has subbass boosted so much it is audible and just non-stop no matter how far you are from the sound source, generally those are a good headphone for a young kid (smaller head) who doesn't know much about quality sound, had mostly cheap headphones and listens to modern upbeat music - I don't mean that in a bad way, it is just that it gives a decent V shaped sound for music, which can be fun, but demanding enthusiast will want more Creative Sound Blaster Blaze - on ears gaming headset, fairly comfy with velour pads, poor sound isolation, V shaped, warmish boomy bass, treble just stop at the edge of being sharp, soundstage does general directions, those are based on earlier (and quite good) HS-600 open back, unfortunately it seems they simply just closed the vents and made the sound worse, semi usable in gaming, bad for music Koss KPH7 - the $3-4 "Colors" base version, not wireless which has diferent build, on-ears "computer peripheral" style headphones, the sides are closed so they are technically a closed back, but given it is on ears with a foam cushions it effectively works like an open backs, plays with low quality midrange sound, no extensions whatsoever and some audible THD or noise affects the sound, soundstage does general directions (so better than Koss Porta Pro...), microphonic, generally rather bad If I was forced to use any of those I would likely go for Superlux HD562 just because it does mids right and the sound is non-fatiguing (but the clamp force is brutal). However if I had a free pick I would 100% just buy an used open backs. I have plenty of old Sennheisers from 70-90's, and in $15 I think bought HD450 II (a bit weird tonality, but non-fatiguing with decent soundstage), and maybe HD330 (tonally full and well balanced sound within neutral signature realm). The issue with those is usually finding a good replacement foams/pads, not a propblem for HD450 II, but HD330 is a bit hard in that regard. Also usually they need to be opened and the membranes cleaned from a stuck left overs of the old foam which disintegrated. However both easily win vs anything new up to $50 where Philips SHP9500 reigns (AliExpress price), only $22 Koss KSC75 offers some fight. Actually I just got Sennheiser HD535 I bought for $30 with a set of new earpads, and it just destoys anything in $100, it beats both Philips SHP9500 and Sennheiser HD599. I was actually hunting for a higher up models from the same series, and did not think HD535 will be that good. However there might not be that many old Sennheisers available in your region I guess. If new was only option, I would go for flathead earphones, they don't go into the ear canal like canalphones (IEMs), so maybe they wouldn't cause you an infection, and there are some good sounding options like $9 FAAEAL Snow-Lotus 1.0 (Sennheiser style neutral, calm, but with hotter vocals). They are mostly non-isolating, so like an open backs though.

Portas with yaxi is best combo in the world Anyway for rock portas as much better and portable and foldable ... To many advantages i like kph too though 👍