The American headphone brand Koss presents us with a Bluetooth Headphone named BT540i, and as long time fans of Koss our expectations are high.
Koss BT540i
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Sound Quality - 82%82%
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Features - 82%82%
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Comfort/Usability - 86%86%
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Build Quality - 80%80%
SUMMARY
Koss BT540i features smart design, are comfortable, have sophisticated technology and a rich delightful sound.
Balanced sound.
Design.
Battery life could be longer.
Some NFC hiccups.
As the Bluetooth technology has been enhanced by the AptX-protocol, the Bluetooth transmission standard ensures music playback on a CD-quality level, sort of. Of course, despite Koss being a quality conscious company, I won´t drop my guard yet as wireless transfer of audio still has some way to go, but nonetheless here we are with the Koss BT540i, the first wireless headset headphone from the great American headphone brand.
Features
The Koss BT540i is quite elegantly styled and has more of a traditional DJ headphone design. Such headphones usual have lots of moving parts to cater for the specific needs of a DJ besides just listening to and mixing music tracks. On the one hand this type of construction is quite sturdy, on the other hand the headhones are usually foldable so that they can be easily stored, and last but not least adjustable and flexible enough in order to fit on almost all types of heads. And as Koss has implemented these things they also managed to make them look very chic.
The headphones comes in a durable hard case that is pretty flat, so it can be safely stowed away when you´re on the go. Apart from the headphones you´ll also get a variety of cables: a USB cable for charging the internal battery using any USB(A) connector and a traditional cable with a 3.5mm jack plug for when you want to use them with playback devices which does not have Bluetooth, or if the battery is empty. Of course, the BT540i offers the usual Bluetooth features, and as these headphones are intended to be used with smart phones and portable music players, Koss provide full functionality.
Two built-in microphones are used when taking or making calls on your smartphone; one picks up your voice and one suppresses noise to guarantee the best possible call clarity. The operation of the smartphone, answering and ending calls, can be done via the controls on the headphones as well as skipping music tracks or adjusting the volume. The controls are ergonomically mounted within easy reach on the right ear cup. Pairing the headphones with a smartphone is easily done by Near Field Communication (NFC).
Fit and Comfort
Ergonomics and comfort was probably high up on the Koss developers priority list. The ear pads are soft, the headphones sits firmly but not too tight on the head, and the ear cushions ensures that normal-sized ears have enough room. The headband is softly padded and is easily adjusted for people with a big head (like me).
Sound Quality & Listening Experience
It´s clear that Koss has aimed for a sound that caters to a more younger and hipper audience, but without overdoing it like some other American brands (Beats, I´m looking at you) who puts bass on top of the agenda. In the lower ranges of the audio frequency spectrum the BT540i are powerful and involuntarily puts a smile on my face. The bass, providing a strong foundation for the upper frequencies, is in this case an advantage when it comes to bringing out the fullness and richness of vocals and voices.
In contrast, it is less 'obvious' in the upper frequencies, and for that I am grateful. You can listen to music for long periods without running the risk of listening fatigue. Dynamics and fine detail leaves in this context nothing to be desired. Overall, it´s a close to perfect match between highs and lows. And although the Koss BT540i is supposed to be a part of a portable lifestyle, there is, of course, nothing wrong with using it as a traditional pair of headphones in your home. They are that good.
Conclusion
The Yanks know their stuff! The Koss BT540i features smart design, are comfortable, have sophisticated technology and, of course, a rich delightful sound.
GET IT ON eBay!
- FEATURES
- SPecIFICATIONS
- Wireless Bluetooth
- NFC Enabled for quick pairing
- Koss PLX40 Elements tuned for personal listening
- Built-in microphone
- On-board controls
- Rechargeable battery provides 8 hours of play
- Carry case
- 1-Year Limited Warranty
10-25,000 Hz
38 ohms
100 dB SPL
Straight, Single Entry, 4.5ft
One Year Warranty
These really aren’t bad at all. I started off with a smaller pair of Panasonics and didn’t like the range at all. It was very distant and tinny sounding so I started reading around. Something I read at CNET led me to get a pair of Sonys but I wound up sending them back. They were loud and bass’y but didn’t offer anything crisp. I think if I would have spent a little more on Sony, I would have been fine, but I was led to these Koss by a review from POC Network who thought very well of them. They were the same price as the more expensive Sony option I probably would have ended up with outside of the fact that the Koss were wireless. I’ve never owned a pair of wireless headphone before so I thought hey, this would be cool. Well it was as I use them all over the place. I walk to work since I only live about 3 blocks away and tend to wear them there as well (when I can get away with it at least) ^_^. If they were waterproof, I would bring them to the gym with me and listen to something zen-like, but they aren’t. I look back at the Panasonics and laugh 🙂
What battery does it use?
Thanks Bob
A built-in lithium-ion battery.