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Koss QZ900 Headphones Review

Tested using Methodology v0.9
Reviewed Feb 29, 2016 at 12:00 am
Koss QZ900 Picture
5.8
Mixed Usage
5.6
Critical Listening
5.7
Commute/Travel
5.9
Sports/Fitness
5.9
Office
6.2
Home Theater

The Koss QZ900 are comfortable mid-tier heaphones that deliver decent noise isolation and passable but bass-heavy audio reproduction. However, the all-plastic build and lack of adequate in-line controls make them feel cheap and less durable.

Our Verdict

5.8 Mixed Usage

The QZ900 do well as everyday casual headphones. They lack a little isolation for loud environments but perform decently well under other test cases. Sadly their sound quality is not the best.

Pros
  • Lightweight and comfortable.
  • Great seal, leaks very little sound.
Cons
  • Poor in-line control options.
  • All plastic build, feels cheap.
  • Bass-heavy audio reproduction.
5.6 Critical Listening

Subpar for critical listening. These headphones have a closed sound and a skewed, bass-heavy audio reproduction. This makes them sound too dark for critical listening.

5.7 Commute/Travel

Not ideal for commuting. They have below-average noise isolation and won't be able to cancel the loud ambient noise of a busy commute.

5.9 Sports/Fitness

Below-average for sports use. They're lightweight, comfortable and stable. However, they're a bit bulky and don't have a decent control scheme.

5.9 Office

Below-average for office use. The weak noise isolation does not cancel the ambient noise of busy office, but they don leak much.

6.2 Home Theater

Mediocre at best for home theater use. They have negligible latency since they're wired headphones. However, their poorly balanced sound and limited range won't be ideal for watching movies.

  • 5.8 Mixed Usage
  • 5.6 Critical Listening
  • 5.7 Commute/Travel
  • 5.9 Sports/Fitness
  • 5.9 Office
  • 6.2 Home Theater
  1. Updated Feb 29, 2016: Review published.
  2. Updated Feb 27, 2016: Our testers have started testing this product.

Test Results

Design
Design
Style
Type Over-ear
Enclosure Closed-Back
Wireless No
Transducer Dynamic
Mic No

The QZ900 look surprisingly good, if a little cheap because of the all-plastic esthetic. The two-tone silver and black ear cups are oval and cushioned with a soft, black padding. The headband is also coated with black padding and the frame is a dense black plastic which works with the overall esthetic but looks cheap.

6.0
Design
Comfort
Weight 0.5 lbs
Clamping Force
1.3 lbs

The QZ900s are surprisingly comfortable. The plush, well-padded ear cups mold well around the ears and the headband does not apply too much pressure. The all-plastic design also keeps them light, which adds to the comfort. The ear cups are a little small, however, so depending on the ear size, they might not be as comfortable for everyone.

4.7
Design
Controls
Ease of use Mediocre
Feedback Mediocre
Call/Music Control No
Volume Control Yes
Noise Canceling Control No
Talk-Through No
Additional Buttons No

Button layout is simple but inefficient at giving you any sense of control over your music. There's one noise cancelling switch on the the right ear cup, which is easy to use, but the provided in-line audio cable has only volume controls and no play/stop button, which is disappointing.

7.5
Design
Stability

The Koss QZ900 deliver a stable listening experience. The broad headband and lightweight earcups prevent the headphones from swaying while running or jumping. They stay in place during casual listening sessions and are tight enough not to slip off your ears during high-intensity activities.

6.2
Design
Portability
L 7.48"
W 6.5"
H 1.77"
Volume 86.02 in³
Stand required N/A

The Koss QZ900 have a more compact frame than some the over-ear headphones, which makes them, moderately portable. They will fit in relatively small bags or handbags. However, their earcups do not lay flat or fold up to take less space. They're too cumbersome to carry around on your person and will not fit into any pockets, even larger jacket pockets.

6.5
Design
Case
Type Soft case
L 4.72"
W 6.3"
H 3.35"
Volume 99.66 in³

Comes with a soft case that will protect the headphones from scratches and minor falls. However, it will not shield the headphones from water damage, and the fabric that covers the case feels a bit loose and susceptible to wear and tear.

5.5
Design
Build Quality

The plastic build quality does not seem the most durable and feels a little cheap. The ear cups and headband are well padded and the headphones don't creak as much as you would expect an all-plastic design to. However, the lack of any metal joints or frame affects the sturdiness and the overall build quality of the QZ900.

Design
Cable
Detachable Yes
Length 3.97 ft
Connection 1/8" TRS

Comes with a 1/8" TRS-TRS with volume but no call/music control.

Design
Front

Design
Angled

Design
Side

Design
Rear

Design
Top

Design
In The Box

  • Koss Quiet Zone 900 Headphones
  • Audio cable
  • Carrying case
  • Manual

Sound
5.9
Sound
Bass
Std. Err.
6.13 dB
Low-Frequency Extension
10 Hz
Low-Bass
7.42 dB
Bass
5.94 dB
High-Bass
5.97 dB

7.4
Sound
Mid
Std. Err.
3.47 dB
Low-Mid
0.85 dB
Mid
-2.5 dB
High-Mid
-0.92 dB

2.7
Sound
Treble
Std. Err.
8.63 dB
Low-Treble
-3.63 dB
Treble
-8.8 dB
High-Treble
-8.29 dB

4.8
Sound
Soundstage
Openness
5.4
Acoustic Space Excitation
2.0

8.9
Sound
Total Harmonic Distortion
Weighted THD @ 90
0.177
Weighted THD @ 100
0.421

Isolation
6.6
Isolation
Noise Isolation
Overall Attenuation
-17.81 dB
Noise-Cancelling Yes
Bass
-9.48 dB
Mid
-10.98 dB
Treble
-35.14 dB
Self-Noise
18.42 dB

Great passive noise isolation starting at 500Hz and up to 6KHz, where it reaches -40dB of attenuation. The active noise-cancelling however, is not as effective. Adding just over 10dB of reduction from 40Hz to 200Hz.

8.0
Isolation
Leakage
Overall Leakage @ 1ft
33.58 dB

Very good leakage performance, considering these are over-ear headphones. You shouldn't worry about leakage when listening to these headphones at moderate volumes.

Active Features
0
Active Features
Wireless
Type
N/A
Obstructed Range
N/A
Line of Sight Range
N/A
NFC
No

10
Active Features
Latency
Base Latency
0 ms
aptX Latency
N/A
aptX(LL) Latency
N/A

not tested
Active Features
Battery
Battery Life
N/A

0
Active Features
App Support

No compatible app.