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Reviews For: Kenwood HS-6 Communications Headphones

Category: Headphones & Boom-microphone Headsets

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Review Summary For : Kenwood HS-6 Communications Headphones
Reviews: 11MSRP: 59.95
Description:
The Kenwood HS-6 communications headphones use an open-air design for listeners who prefer light weight with minimal ear fatigue. Response is 100 - 10000 Hz and weight is about four ounces. 12.5 ohm impedance with ¼ inch mono plug. A pair of spare ear pads is included.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.kenwood.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
14114.6
OE5CSP Rating: 2022-10-05
Comfortable and good audio Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The HS-6 headphones are very comfortable and even after several hours of listening your ears won´t start aching.They sound perfectly with my Lowe HF 150 and Drake R8E.They are lightweight, so I treat them carefully. The original earpads were worn out rather fast and I replaced them. Good sound is very important to me and through trial and error or/and reading reviews I try to find the best headphones for my receivers.For the K3 and the AOR 7030 I use the Yaesu YH-77STA.
JRT3 Rating: 2018-02-07
Decent lightweight cans! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I can't say that they are 'great'... quite 'good', however. They are lightly constructed - both a pro and a con. They border on flimsy. Their greatest attribute, IMHO, is the driver and the enhanced speech response it has - excellent to pull out voice ID's. Not 'musical' at all, of course. They have a ~4 ft cord with the 25 Ohm transducers wired in parallel to a 1/4" mono phone plug, presenting a 12.5 Ohm load to your 'phone circuit. I use them exclusively now with my Palstar R30A, which has only a 1/4" mono jack and a bridged, ie, not ground referenced, AF output. Stereo 1/4" headphone plugs require an adaptor - too much torque on the radio's jack. My SWL rigs; NRD-525, R8, HF-150, HF-225, & R-75, prefer - as I do - the hifi response and isolation of my old Koss Pro-4aa's, relegating the HS-6 to just the R30A! I bought them new at a hamfest ~20 yr ago for $24.
WB4TJH Rating: 2016-09-05
good, but fragile Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have had to epoxy mine back together after the earpieces came apart, so they are a bit on the fragile side. But after that hassle, they are working just fine. I also replaced the foam ear cushions. But they are light, sound good and don't fatigue you from use. So, overall, I'm happy with them. But the best part is that I got them for ten bucks at a hamfest a few years ago. If you can find them used for less than $20, buy them. Even if you have to epoxy the earpieces back together, they are worth it. But paying new price? I don' think so.

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Earlier 5-star review posted by WB4TJH on 2008-05-06

I picked up a mint pair at a local hamfest for ten bucks, and I really lucked out. They have superb audio and are very comfortable and seem to be well made and sturdy. Mine needed a new set of foam ear pads, but the Kenwood replacement pads are at least $10 plus shipping. So I gambled on a new set of ear pads from Radio Shack for less than $5 with tax, and they fit just fine! I especially like this headphone for extended wear, and find it very light and comfortable. They are a good buy at $60, but for the $15 I now have in my mint pair, they were a super buy.
OE3SGU Rating: 2016-02-20
very nice lightweight headphones, a bit fragile Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I don not like big and buky headphones as they make me sweat easily. The HS-6 are very good lightweight headphones. I use them more often than my Heil headphones which are better in quality but rather heavy. The sound is excellent and you barely feel them on your head. Proably not for DX-peditions and noise environments but as you daily headphone in the home shack they are great. They are a bit fragile, so handle them with care. Most important I do not miss the wife calling for lunch or dinner, hi.
M0CQG Rating: 2015-08-08
Proper communications headphones Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have a Yaesu FT-450D. Although I love the radio, the receive audio sounds somewhat digitised and metallic, and it can be tiring listening to signals via the radio's small built-in speaker. I also have the Yaesu SP-8 extension speaker which improves things measurably, but sometimes not quite enough when band conditions are noisy, or signals are weak. Using the Kenwood HS-6 'phones, I can listen for hours without aural fatigue. The frequency response is perfect for communications purposes - in contrast to most consumer stereo 'phones - which results in enhanced clarity. That, in turn, allows me to listen at a lower volume, which is healthy for the ears. I've only had the HS-6 phones for a few weeks, but they've already become an essential part of my station. Definitely recommended.
G6IYD Rating: 2015-07-17
Good headphones Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I was looking for quality lightweight headphones for use with the BHI Compact-In-Line DSP Module. The HS-6 proved to be a good choice. Very lightweight and comfortable. They appear well made with good clear audio.

Mine came with a 3.5mm mono plug adaptor, plus spare foam ear-pads. Yet to see how long the ear-pads last.

For the price I paid (£36) I would think these a good purchase for anyone wanting communication headphones on a limited budget.
G4MJA Rating: 2015-06-23
Excellent, comfortable headphones! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've owned a pair of the HS-6 headphones for many years, excellent frequency response & comfortable enough to wear for hours. The foam earpads (including the spare pair that came with them) eventually wore out. Anybody looking for replacements just search for 50mm foam earpads on Amazon.com, very cheap at $4.90 for 4 pairs & they fit just fine, there maybe cheaper suppliers on there but I quote this just as an example as I see on some of the reviews you guys are having problems finding earpad replacements. 73, Mike.
K3NB Rating: 2014-04-06
light, small, good audio Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Using with a KX3 and occasionally inside my QTH. Very light headphones for prolonged use, very little pressure on the ears - no "hot spots" so far after several hours' wear. Comes with an extra set of pads which is a nice feature. Only complaint/issue is the 1/4 inch jack. Seeing as many more people are going to 1/8" (3.5mm" jacks as standard (my TS590 has a 1/4 inch jack, but my peripheral speaker has 1/8", KX3 has 1/8"), including an adapter would be a nice gesture on the part of the Kenwood people. I found one on eBay for a few bucks and it's HUGE, bulky, cheaply made, works more or less, but I'm still looking around for a quality 1/8-1/4 adapter.
W3NA Rating: 2013-01-05
Light as a feather Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Have been using HS-5 for years. The HS-6 is almost as good but light as a feather, so in normal low shack noise situations, I now use the HS-6. Only negative is that the cord is about 2 feet shorter than the wonderfully long HS-5 cord. So, when I move around the shack wearing the phones, if I am not careful they pull right off my head when I accidentally move too far from the rig!
VU2OB Rating: 2011-07-02
Wonderful Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I am using this head phone with my HF radios. It is giving good results in QRM conditions. de vu2ob