Наушники — Koss KPH40 Utility

The KPH40 Utility is an on-ear headphone with an open-air design from the Koss Utility Series, launched on 15 November 2021 together with the KEB90 Utility earphone and the Porta Pro Utility. Its defining feature is a removable lead, which Koss presents as a way to connect to the devices a listener owns today and to whatever replaces them later. The company sells it at USD 39.99 in Stealth Grey and Rhythm Beige, while a separate KPH40 Retro version appears in the same on-ear range.

Key specs that matter

Koss specifies a response of 15 to 25,000 Hz, an impedance of 60 ohms and a sensitivity of 101 dB SPL. The supplied Utility cord is 1.2 m long and terminates in a standard 3.5 mm plug. On the headphone side, the Utility leads for this series use a 2.5 mm connector, so the cable can be pulled out and replaced. The retail package contains only the headphone and that cord. As with the other wired models of the brand, the KPH40 Utility is covered by a Limited Lifetime Warranty.

Engineering and use context

The headband is made of stainless steel and is described by Koss as ultra lightweight, which suits a headphone meant to be worn for a whole day. With the cups resting on the ear and an open-air construction, the design keeps weight and clamping low, although it does not seal out the surroundings. The main engineering idea sits in the cable. Instead of a fixed lead, the Utility Series offers three interchangeable cords - the included analogue version, an MFi certified Lightning cord and a USB-C cord carrying a 24-bit and 96 kHz DAC for high-resolution files. Koss also lists a Bluetooth adapter with microphone and remote as an optional accessory, turning the wired headphone into a wireless one when needed. These extras are sold separately or bundled with the headphone. A detachable lead also means that a broken cable can be swapped without returning the headphone itself.

Pairing

The sensitivity rating of the KPH40 Utility lets phones, laptops and tablets drive it to normal levels without a separate amplifier. Where a phone has no analogue output, the DAC inside the USB-C lead bypasses the internal audio circuit of the device. A desktop headphone amplifier is an option for owners who want more voltage in reserve.

Alternatives

The Koss Porta Pro Utility is a USD 49.99 open-air on-ear model in the same series, sharing the detachable cord system and the same impedance and sensitivity ratings.