Koss SB49 Communication Stereophone

● QUALITY ● (9.5/10) ●Audio (9.5/10)For it's price, the Koss SB49 is lovely in terms of sound quality. Whether for games, or for music, it does very well in blocking out outside sounds that may interfere with what you're listening to. The sound of voices are very clear, and I was actually quite surprised at how well bass was picked up with these. I think the Koss SB49 is an excellent pick up if you want great quality at an affordable price.Voice/Microphone (9/10)Another thing that is a "must" for me when using/choosing a headset is a good quality microphone. Nothing is worse than using a mic that makes you sound as if you have a net of cotton-balls around your mouth. The Koss SB49, fortunately, has great microphone quality! Whether for Skype/online calls, in-game video chats, etc., everyone who I've asked says that I sound very clear and smooth. The mic is a bit sensitive, so it may pick up sounds from around you (ie. a fan, door closing, etc), but it's not that big of a deal. Your voice also may be a little soft to others at times, but tweaking the sound values on your computer/voice program helps tremendously.I love the quality of the mic; however, there are just two things I have to say I dislike about it:1) No switch available to "Mute" the microphone easily.It was a bit annoying at first when I found out that there wasn't a switch that I could toggle that muted my microphone easily. Thankfully with the program I was using I was able to create keyboard shortcuts to mute myself, but still it would have been nice to have the mute feature available with just a single switch.2) Non-adjustable microphone.The microphone can only be adjusted up or down. I don't mind it much, but I feel that it would've been more efficient to have been able to move it around a bit (farther/closer to the mouth).● COMFORT ● (8.7/10) ●I recommend this headset for those with smaller heads, or those (without small heads) who don't mind it when headsets are fit fairly snug around the ears and the head. For the first hour or so it's alright, then maybe an hour after that the "tightness" is manageable, in my opinion, but your head does start to feel a bit funny if you wear them for long periods of time (I'd say 3-4+ hours). And since the ear cushions are leather, it gets a bit hot if worn for a long time. If you're easily bothered by this kind of stuff, I wouldn't recommend this for you. If not, then give it a shot. You might not even notice the very slight tightness.● DURABILITY ● (10/10) ●I've only had this headset for only about 1 year, but so far it's still as sturdy and as stable as it was when I had first gotten them. I use them a fair amount (moderately, but none of the heavy, all-day kind of usage, except for maybe once in a while) and they're holding up very well. They're average-weight, in my opinion (I've had a few 'bulkier' before), but don't feel heavy at all, even if you wear them for a long time. You may have to take them off after a certain number of hours, however, to give your ears a little breathing room/rub, but is great nonetheless.I've heard that the cords of Koss products are known to last for only a little while, but I think to judge for that it depends on how much/how long you use headsets. The cords of my Koss SB49 are still in great shape (again, I've only had it for about 1 year now), and I use them moderately (meaning ~5 hours, maybe less at times, a day) and probably not as much as others. I also handle it with a lot of care; I don't stretch it and/or just throw it on and off, and I don't wrap the cord around the headset if I'm not using them; instead, I have them (the cord) laid out comfortably on my desk and in an area where it won't get caught/run over by anything.-Overall, of course there are a few things that could be better/more efficient about this headset, but it's a great buy for it's price and does it's job.(I wrote this review solely based on my experience with it, and how I see it to be, as I'm not too much of a headset/computer accessory buff. So feel free to take this review as you would please. :))

The audio quality is alright, may not be the best with this price range but it's alright. Weak bass, lack of clarity but it's good enough for chatting. Not so good for music.The headset is rather tight. Not painful but not comfortable for long wearing.The coverings went off quite fast with white peal offs noted after 6 months.Despite the build looks sturdy, it broke after 6 month of use. Be careful of the plastic piece connecting the ear cuff with the body. It can be bent, weakened and break later, that's my case. Repair requires 6USD + the shipping cost to the repair center.The wire protection is a bit thin inside. A few of my previous headsets broke because of that. This one does not seems better or worse.Not recommended for frequent users.

This is my second pair of SB series headsets, the first being the SB45 that I used daily for over two years. Sound quality is fantastic, full spectrum sound and incredible clarity. The sound quality rivals my old Sony MDRV6's (some of you may remember these being the highest rated headset of the 90's) at roughly 1/3 the price before inflation adjustment! Microphone is top notch, a big surprise for this price segment, I sound every bit as clear as my buddy who uses a $100+ turtle beach set. Some reviewers have complained about the microphone not bending and staying where you want it but it's not necessary for the mic to be in your mouth, it picks up your voice without issue even when a couple inches away from your lips. The isolation from the earcups is superb, just putting them on effectively cuts off the outside world. They are also very comfortable albeit a bit large (but not overly heavy). More importantly the flexibility of these headphones means they can be worn comfortable with only one ear covered (the earcups pivot/fold for storage, its easy to pivot the right cup back to grasp your head comfortably) so you can always have an ear free for the kiddies when needed. The microphone can be pivoted up and out of the way when not needed. The cord is also nice and long, another important feature if you don't sit on top of your computer while you do your thing. The weak link of these headphones is as noted in other reviews, the cord on my first set broke @ the strain relief on the left earcup. This was after two years of constant tugging, tripping and yanking by my little ones, which I certainly will classify as abuse (of the headphones, not the kids =). They're not indestructible, but they're certainly durable and after years and years of headset use exceeding 4+ minimum hours a day and after testing/trying literally dozens of different sets I can recommend these without reservation as the finest microphone/headset combo available under 50 bucks. Regardless of use, if you listen to classical, country or rap, you watch movies at high volume, you're leading a raid of 24 of your best buds or screaming out for your wingman to clear your six, these headphones are a solid investment (and with a little preventative electrical tape installed on the strain relief upon unboxing, possibly the last set you'll ever need.) The only difference between the SB49 & SB45 is the in line volume control, otherwise they're identical. This headset confirms everything I've come to expect from Koss products: extreme value & performance, money left over to take the wife to dinner to make up for all those hours attached to the computer.