Apple EarPods (USB-C) vs Koss KSC75
Quick take: The Apple EarPods (USB-C) costs $3 less.
Which one to buy
They are both around twenty dollars and both wired, but they have little else in common. The EarPods are a utility earphone: a DAC in the USB-C plug, an inline remote, and a mic that callers rate above many Bluetooth earbuds. The KSC75 is a $20 clip-on that budget-audio enthusiasts compare with headphones costing five to ten times as much, and it is a fully open desk headphone with no mic.
The practical gap is bigger than the sonic one. The EarPods plug straight into a jackless phone, iPad or laptop and work, with controls that owners confirm also function on Samsung and Windows. The KSC75 uses a 3.5mm plug at 60 ohms, which runs fine from any headphone jack but needs a dongle on most current phones, and it has no mic or remote. Its clips have no isolation and leak sound fully, so it suits a desk, a couch or a gaming setup rather than a bus.
For music, owners give the KSC75 a clear lead: open, airy, detailed and good at placing footsteps in games. It is bright, with light bass and no real sub-bass. The EarPods' sound depends on how the hard shells sit in your ear. If they fit, bass is respectable. If not, it's thin and the earbuds fall out. Critical listeners call them flat on busy mixes.
One thing both share is that neither seals your ear. The EarPods sit loosely and the Koss rest on the ear. Comfort-wise, the clips put no pressure on your head and work with glasses, though a minority never get used to the hooks. Koss backs its model with a lifetime warranty in the US, while the EarPods are cheap enough that most owners treat them as disposable.
Apple EarPods (USB-C)
When you need something for calls, Zoom meetings or a commute on a phone without a headphone jack.
Koss KSC75
If the listening happens at a desk or in games and you want the most sound quality twenty dollars can buy. Bring a dongle if your phone lacks a jack.
| Spec | Apple EarPods (USB-C) | Koss KSC75 |
|---|---|---|
| Approx. price | ~$17 | ~$20 |
| Rating | — | — |
| Type | Wired & Studio | Wired & Studio |
| Noise Cancelling | None | None |
| Battery (single charge) | — | — |
| Battery (with case) | — | — |
| Quick Charge | — | — |
| Codecs | — | — |
| Bluetooth | — | — |
| Multipoint | No | No |
| Driver Size | — | — |
| Weight | — | 43 g |
| Water Resistance | — | — |
| Wireless Charging | No | No |
| Transparency Mode | No | No |
| Spatial Audio | No | No |
| App EQ | No | No |
Pros & cons
Apple EarPods (USB-C)
- ✓Built-in DAC in the USB-C plug drives full volume
- ✓Inline mic beats most Bluetooth buds for calls
- ✓Seventeen dollars — effectively disposable without guilt
- ✓No tips to fuss with or lose
- ✓Open fit keeps traffic and coworkers audible
- ✓Works with any USB-C phone, iPad, or laptop
- ✗Bass is thin unless they happen to fit
- ✗Zero isolation on buses and planes
- ✗One-size fit is love-it-or-hate-it
- ✗Cable longevity is fine, not endless
- ✗USB-C only — older iPhones and jacks excluded
Koss KSC75
- ✓Class-leading clarity and openness for around $20
- ✓Titanium-coated drivers with a wide, airy presentation
- ✓Roughly 43g — effectively weightless, no headband hair
- ✓Runs from any phone or laptop jack (60 ohm, 101 dB/mW)
- ✓Koss limited lifetime warranty
- ✓Massive mod community — headband and pad swaps are cheap and easy
- ✗Ear-clip design takes fiddling and bothers some ears until you mod a headband on
- ✗Zero isolation and full sound leakage — home/desk use only
- ✗Bass is tight but shallow; no sub-bass to speak of
- ✗Bright upper mids/treble can fatigue sensitive listeners
- ✗Build quality is as cheap as the price suggests
- ✗Fixed cable
Apple EarPods (USB-C) vs Koss KSC75: common questions
Will the Koss KSC75 work with a USB-C phone like the EarPods do?▾
Not on its own. The KSC75 has a standard 3.5mm plug, so a jackless phone needs a USB-C adapter. The EarPods have a DAC in the USB-C plug and work directly.
Is the KSC75 or the USB-C EarPods better for gaming?▾
The KSC75. Owners single it out for clear, well-placed footsteps and an airy presentation, which is why it appears in so many budget gaming setups. The EarPods' advantage is the mic, if you need to talk in-game without a separate headset.