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How Good Are Koss M-80 Speakers?

BPFisch

BPFisch

Active Member
I've been looking at getting some small speakers to replace the Infinity SL speakers in my den. I'm wanting something that's 70's or 80's vintage. Something about the newer Infinitys hooked up to my Marantz 2015 just doesn't quite seem right to me.

Been looking at ADS, AR, Boston Acoustics, EPI, DCM, and a few others but I've seen a couple sets of Koss M-80s and wonder how they stack up against the others I've been considering. I haven't been able to audition the Koss speakers so not sure how they actually sound, just love the looks! But they look smaller and I'm afraid the bass may suffer compared to say a ADS L420, EPI 100, or AR 4X. I'm not real interested in booming bass (prefer it tight and accurate), but also don't want the speaker to struggle with lower freq.

Anyone got experience with the Koss M-80 and can compare to something like the AR 4X? I really want good clean, accurate, and detailed sound, so.... how good are these little speakers?

Thanks for any help or info!
 
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I happen to have the EPI 100, AR-4X, AR-7, AR-18, and the Koss M-80 and would say for a small bookshelf speaker they are very nice but the EPI and AR's will beat them hands down in any listening test...at least to my ears. The Koss are great for high and mid-range but suffer in bass compared to the others. I use mine for FM like the Radio Shack Minimus 7's. All depends on what your expectations are. In this case I think bigger is better. Collect one pair of each and decide for yourself...that's half the fun of this hobby!
 
I have a single M-80 and use it as a center speaker. Does voicing pretty well for smaller spaces. I love the build quality of this little brick.
 
I had a pair of the original M-80's and was using them with my kitchen system. Never quite got the sound I was looking for, and then I replaced them with a pair of Advent/3's. The Advent's are so far superior to the M-80's that I ended up letting the Koss go in a trade. The M-80's look really cool, but my experience was that their sound was not quite as cool.
 
The laws of Physics can be stretched but not broken.
Don't expect a 4" driver to deliver any significant bass response.
That said, an EPI 70 or Boston Acoustics A40 (both with 6 1/2" drivers) will give you fairly decent bass in relatively small enclosures.

Steve
 
Thanks guys! Just the kind of info I was looking for and pretty much what I suspected would be the case. But they are such cool looking little speakers that I had to ask about them.

If I can get a really good deal on a set I'll pick some up to pair with a subwoofer for the bedroom or something. But in the mean time I'll keep searching for a nice set of EPI's, AR's, ADS's, etc to live in the den with my Marantz.
 
I realize the laws of physics. You want a small sealed box or a ported job if you want the lowest bass available from that sized box? I'll grant you, a 4" anything isn't going to shake the rafters, but the sealed box is going to go deeper.
 
The M80 is an MTM configuration, in a sealed box. The M85 and M90 are larger, rear-ported enclosures, using the same drivers. Neither one will make me pull a pair of Epicure M50's out of a system, let along a pair of M100's.

A while back, PE had Pioneer 4" "full-range" drivers for sale, for $0.47 each. They went 100Hz-15KHz, had rubber surrounds, and were a drop-in for the Koss drivers. I have a pair of M80s on this desk, for my computer sound. They do just fine for that. Music comes from my primary system, in the same room.

I just gave away an orphan M90 to be used as a TV speaker, in my friend's cottage. It will do very well for that, and much better than the free-air 5" co-axial car speaker, hanging from a nail, that it will replace.
 
Hey, do the Koss m80's and m90's have the same woofer? I have a single m90 plus,
(i believe the plus means a shielded driver). I wasn't sure if the m80 would fit the m90
and vice versa. The m80's seem to be a lot more common. thanks
 
the m80 has shielded drivers. I know as I have a pair, nice build quality, they really are a little brick as mentioned earlier
 
I have a pair as rears in my HT set up with my Koss CM/1030s up front. Very nice sound for rears, but as stated, you'll want something to make up the lack of bass. (The 1030s do a hell of a job)
 
luvvinvinyl said:
The M80 is an MTM configuration, in a sealed box. The M85 and M90 are larger, rear-ported enclosures, using the same drivers. Neither one will make me pull a pair of Epicure M50's out of a system, let along a pair of M100's.

A while back, PE had Pioneer 4" "full-range" drivers for sale, for $0.47 each. They went 100Hz-15KHz, had rubber surrounds, and were a drop-in for the Koss drivers. I have a pair of M80s on this desk, for my computer sound. They do just fine for that. Music comes from my primary system, in the same room.

I just gave away an orphan M90 to be used as a TV speaker, in my friend's cottage. It will do very well for that, and much better than the free-air 5" co-axial car speaker, hanging from a nail, that it will replace.
Click to expand...

alpine said:
Hey, do the Koss m80's and m90's have the same woofer? I have a single m90 plus,
(i believe the plus means a shielded driver). I wasn't sure if the m80 would fit the m90
and vice versa. The m80's seem to be a lot more common. thanks
Click to expand...

I answered your question, over five years before you asked it.
 
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