Koss Utility Cord Lightning

I liked the ability to switch between audio sources. Cables offer various options.

The idea is good, cost and durability really bad. This lightning cable lasted with intermittent very light use for about 2 months. I also have the USBC cable with which i was using the headset on my iPad hence late in submitting my review. Somehow the USB-C seems to be working pretty well even now. But by the time i got to sending this back, its outside the window i think. And me being currently in Mexico doesn’t help. Dont waste your money on the lightning cable. On the other hand, i certainly recommend the USB-C if you have a use case.

3 months later - the part that connects to the iPhone gets weak. And you have to wiggle it around to hear sound in both ears. You know like the old days. I also take great care of my cables. I don’t tug it or pull it. So it’s sad that it’s like this.

Nothing is perfect, but this combination is very satisfying. Apple Lossless music paired with KPH40 and this Koss-branded Apple Mfi Certified cable is close to lightweight portable perfection. The KPH40 is a miraculously confident and detailed headphone a la Sony Walkman Prop era .circa 1979. You get open back, spatial, detailed, fun and comfortable in one portable solution that is well suited with current DAPs of today. I pair mine using the Mfi cord with Apple Lossless music via my iPhone 12 Pro Max’s, and to my HiBy R6 2020 using the 3.5 connector. Both are extremely satisfying experiences. If compact and light is your thing, and you want to be able to hear around you on public transportation commutes and still take calls, you really cannot go wrong with this.

Despite the new design and replaceable cables, Koss's new Utility line suffers from the same issue that plagues their other wired headphones: the fraying of the cable near the phone jack. I've been a faithful Koss headphone owner for decades, and I've gotten used to the rhythm of having to replace them with a new pair every 3-6 mos (thankfully, Koss has a lifetime warranty on its headphones, but you do have to pay $9 shipping each time). The only real improvement with the Utility line is that now I only have to ship the cable instead of the entire headphone. And I dig that I don't have to use a separate DAC for my iPhone. But, man, when will Koss finally improve their cable-to-jack connection?