Koss PortaPro Headphones with Case
by Koss
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Koss PortaPro Headphones with Case
Customer Review: The Koss PortaPro shines in every area!
Summary: 5 Stars
I have recently realized that I am what some like to refer as an "audiophile." I've always loved good sound reproduction, excellent sound range as well as quality. When I was younger, I used to buy Koss pretty much exclusively. Lately though, I've been somewhat disappointed though with a few exceptions, the Koss PortaPro being at the top of the list!
These headphones have been around since I was a teenager and unlike me, they are still going strong! They have fantastic sound, they are not overly affected in the bass range (they don't add extra bass for the "boom boom" window rattlers out there), they are economical, comfortable and just all around a fantastic buy. Also, they are recommended by SERIOUS audiophiles as the best portable out there.
I can't agree with that entirely; I also recommend the Sennheiser PX-100 and PX-200 depending on your needs. But of the three, these are the least expensive but offer fantastic sound that you would expect to come out of a pair of full size cans (headphones, I guess I'm learning the audiophile lingo!).
The Koss PortaPro have the Comfort Zone temple pads that help make them even more comfortable and the pressure between temple and ear can be adjusted literally by the flick of a switch on ear side of your head. I have a massive head and these fit me with room to spare. I like the firmest setting on the Comfort Zone but I've tried the other two settings as well and I can honestly say that there is a difference; it is NOT just a gimmick. The Comfort Zone really works.
These are truly portable also! They fold up into a little ball that can then be placed into a convenient case that Koss provides. I personally would recommend buying a semi-hard shell case that Koss also sells just for the extra protection.
What more can I say? If you'd like a few other recommendations in the truly portable range, the Sennheiser PX-100 and PX-200 are rugged, comfortable and highly portable. (They collapse as well and fit into their own plastic case.) If you like earbuds, the Sennheiser MX-500 is wonderful with its in-line volume control; the sound is absolutely amazing for something so small. And finally, the Koss KTXPRO1 is an excellent portable headphone with an in-line volume control. It uses a Titanium element to drive it. All of these are great products but ultimately this particular review is about the Koss PortaPro and I really am blown away at how great these tiny portable cans truly are. I believe you will be too.
Though I've become somewhat disillusioned by Koss as I've become a so-called "audiophile" (why not just call me someone who really loves good sound to come through good instead of creating a term that sets me apart from everyone else?), I highly recommend these cans to you. If you are on a budget, you especially can't go wrong. Remember that Koss guarantees all their cans for life with their "no questions asked" guarantee. It's worth it! So as my review title states, "The Koss PortaPro shines in every area."
Oh, one last thing: Don't listen to people who say these cans are ugly or clunky; they aren't. The design is what gives the PortaPro its unique sound quality and I personally think they look cool! Ultimately though, it is the sound that matters, right? :)
Customer Review: 25 YEARS later, I still love my Koss PortaPro headphones
Summary: 5 Stars
Back in 1985, I had just purchased a new Walkman cassette player with FM radio. It was really nice to take music with me, but the flimsy headphones sold with the Walkman sounded flimsy, too. I needed something with a sound more comparable to my home stereo system, yet portable and affordable in case they were lost, damaged or stolen. On the other hand, I've never been afraid to pay for quality, if I was sure that's what I was getting.
Like now, most headphones then were sold sealed in plastic, making it impossible to listen before buying, but I had an advantage. At the time, I was in the military, and if you asked around on base, you could find someone who already owned most any set of headphones you wanted to try out. So I asked around and listened to at least fifty sets of headphones in all price ranges, from the cheapest sets hung by the register to the high end boutique models you just couldn't find without a careful search.
Of all the brands, I was most impressed by models from Sennheiser, Audio-Technica, Grado, and Koss. Hmm... These are generally brands well-respected for closed ear, full sized home headphone sets. This was even more the case back in '85.
So off I went to the store to pick up the lightest set of Audio-Technica for around $79, but there was a new Koss model I'd never seen there at the store. They were an unusual but lightweight folding design, with large, closed ear 'phone sized diaphragms. At only $35, I was willing to give these a shot, considering that the other Koss products I'd auditioned had such excellent sound quality.
So what about the product?
They're a little strange looking, but they are extremely comfortable once adjusted. The rubberized cord is durable and flexible. The portability is a nice feature, even though I usually just tucked them into a small pouch for travel, rather than folding them up.
Even though I expected good value from the brand, the full, lively and clean sound really impressed me, and still does. Clean, crisp treble without a trace of harshness; full, balanced midrange, and rich, fully present bass that stays clean and goes far lower than you might expect from this size and price range. These really do give the sound of a full, high quality home stereo system.
OK, so I like these a lot. They're probably the best portable headphone value available. But why write a review, 25 years later?
Because they still sound fabulous. They still beat the market in value for dollar. And because Koss stands behind their product better than anyone with a lifetime warranty.
In the 25 years since I purchased my PortaPro headphones, I literally wore out the wire connections twice, once near the jack, and once near one of the speaker elements, and each time, Koss has sent me a replacement set, no questions asked. They looked up my warranty registration from years ago, and that was it.
But if they ever give trouble again, I'll probably buy another set. Not because Koss won't replace them again free, but because they've earned it. And they have a new "25th Anniversary Edition" that's tempting me. ;)
Customer Review: Great sound, at least to the nearly tin ear
Summary: 4 Stars
I bought these from Amazon (and, I would add, the Amazon experience was excellent as it always has been for me), based on the reasonable price and the rave reviews here and at goodcans.com. Up front I will say that, while I am a lifelong (50+ years) listener of music and can distinguish the difference between so-so audio equipment and good stuff, I am definitely not an audiophile.
I have a new Creative Zen Micro and wanted an upgrade from the earbuds supplied, as everyone claimed you "have to get a good set of cans" to replace them, and, well, I just had to see for myself. On my initial session with the PortaPro's I convinced myself that they were indeed stereophonically superior, though they did not blow me away as I had hoped.
Now, while many self-proclaimed audiophiles (and that's not a put down--more power to you) claim headphones have to be burned in before they sound their best, I have trouble comprehending how that can be. I'm not saying it isn't so, only that I, due to my own ignorance in that area, cannot accept it at face value until someone can show me reasonable evidence of the phenomenon. In short, I am a skeptic who believes nearly nothing I hear and only half of what I see. Anyway, after 3 weeks I have not noticed any difference in the quality. How long does this burn-in take, I wonder?
I have little recent history in headphones and little to compare the PortaPro's to, but I did visit Best Buy and try the Bose TriPorts ($150), which likewise sounded good but did not knock my socks off, though I will say I found them far more comfortable than the PortaPro's. I went back after getting the PortaPro's and listened to the Bose again and still feel the Bose is not worth the extra $$$.
After 2 weeks of listening, I had occasion to more conveniently use the earbuds that came with the Zen, and then was more or less blown away by the fact that I could not believe how good they sounded in comparison, frankly not noticing any significant loss of stereophonic quality! I didn't use the earbuds very long, so perhaps with more experimental comparisons I would change that opinion.
I question that it was necessary for me to purchase the PortaPro's at all, which are something of a hassle to deal with, trying to stuff them into the undersized pouch provided. Also, while everyone raves about the comfort, I find they grow somewhat uncomfortable for me after about an hour or so, though it is not enough to keep me from using them. The earbuds are quite comfortable, have better sound quality than any others I've owned over the years (mostly Sony) and are far more convenient. As to "ugly," I don't agree, only that they are different, and I sort of like that.
I keep thinking I would like to have a really good set of headphones, like Grados maybe, or some expensive closed cans, for home use, as I am sure there is superior sound quality out there to be had. But, for the money, the PortaPro's are definitely a nice sound, and most people with just an average ear should be pleased with them. I rate them a 4 because 5 is definitely too high, and 3 is really unfair; a 3.5 would be a more reasonable rating, from my perspective.
Customer Review: Maybe the best Bang for your Buck Headphones Ever.
Summary: 5 Stars
I am most certainly not an audiophile but these headphones came highly recommended not only from other sites but from other people I know. They are a classic design from the eighties which is now nouveau chic again.I am a heavy heavy tech user and like to use high quality items and I demand a lot from them.
With that said these are my new favorite headphones (the one's that travel with me everywhere).I was skeptical even after reading all the reviews, thinking "How could something so reasonably priced really be as good as all of these reviews suggest." Well they can be and are, consider my doubts banished as I was pleasantly surprised. The reviews are correct, this is Koss' masterpiece, homerun, the epitome of what Koss represents.
I have a pair of Bose Triport Headphones and Senneheiser PX200's both of which are excellent headphones....and these Porta Pros are commandingly better (the Triports are "warmer" and the Senneheisers crisper, but I like the sound of these best as they are the cleanest clearest balance of warmth & crispness).
They are light weight, foldable, exceptionally comfortable and of coarse the sound quality is excellent.
Actually, I cannot say enough about the sound quality, it is well balanced, full, hits the highs, lows and everything in between accurately. They produce clean scratch that pristine audio that is a pleasure to listen to. I find myself searching out music that can challenge or push these and they just keep on producing beautiful music to my ears.
Essentially they are awesome. (period) They sound and function better than headphones easily two or three times their price, look cool if you're into retro and they are dirt cheap.
CONCERNS:
The only concerns if any are that the part that connects the earpiece to the headphone part doesn't seem very robust and may break eventually(though I haven't had any issues). Some may find that the metal headband might catch on their hair (something else I haven't had an issue with, though I have short hair) and finally, the foam pads over the earphones sort of scream I'm cheap and I will wear out on you. In defense of them, it does keep with the whole retro thing, it's really comfortable, it's easily replaceable, and they are in fact inexpensive, essentially who cares. Many of these small things have been ever so slightly adjusted on the Anniversary Edition of these gorgeous nearly perfect headphones (but for twice the price I wouldn't bother). Oh and Koss has an included lifetime warranty for the life of the product, ridiculous!(amazing) For me this tosses basically all of the concerns out the window.
Conclusion:
-Beautiful design and function (form and function married beautifully, just one of those products that is right on, balanced, perfect in most ways) Clearly the designers got it and knew what they were doing when they made these.
-Koss' famous lifetime warranty.
-Worth every penny, I would feel good about paying twice the price and wouldn't bat an eye. Awesome part is you don't have to. I would buy them again, for myself or others.
Customer Review: Koss PortaPro vs. Sennheiser PX100 vs. Koss UR40
Summary: 3 Stars
Having recently sold my Sony MDR-V6 headphones (good cans but no longer practical for my purposes), I succumbed to the frequent hype surrounding the Koss PortaPros and ordered a pair, as a back-up to my Sennheiser PX100s and, if necessary, as a replacement.
They certainly are no replacement, and I have yet to decide whether to keep them as a back-up. Headphone judgments can be highly subjective, but here's one consumer's observations:
1. The PortaPros have a reputation as "retro-stylish" but providing cutting-edge, compensating sound quality. My first impression upon wearing them, even before connecting them to a CD player, was that the comfort level is not equal to the PX100s. I was highly conscious of an awkward tin band around my head and frankly baffled by the resistant 3-level "Comfort Zone" switch. Admittedly, the initial sense of discomfort dissipated once the sounds of my player were picked up by the headphones. They're indeed high efficiency (demanding less volume than the PX100s), producing an open, "non-canned" and transparent sound in the mid-range and offering impressive detailing of the acoustic double bass on the low end as well as the drummer's ride cymbal on the upper end.
2. I began doing numerous A-B comparisons, noting that the PortaPros were immediately more arresting, producing bright, "forward" and "instant" reproduction of all frequencies, at times making me wonder if the PX100s weren't just a trifle muddy. But soon the PortaPros began to sound slightly "edgy" and "aggressive"-- less balanced in their overall sound compared to the ever-pleasing Sennheisers. Then an Achilles heel became unmistakable on a CD on which the PortaPros began to break up on the notes of the double bass unless I backed off on the volume by 50%. With the PX100s the same CD produced only the slightest hint of distortion, which vanished when I cut back on the volume by a mere 10%. Soon I wearied of the comparison: the PX100s had won the argument, and rather convincingly at that. They're slightly more cumbersome to fold up and reinsert in their hard case than the PortaPro's (at least without practice), but that slight downside had never seemed more insignificant.
3. Neither of the above headphones would be ideal for monitoring or DJ work near a microphone, the PortaPros more so because of their extreme sensitivity, which would certainly invite feedback. For that sort of work, I depend on the largely overlooked Koss UR40s. For comfort, frequency range, balance, and long-term wearability I would take these full-sized (but extremely lightweight) headphones over not only the PortaPro and PX100 but the Sony phones mentioned above. The UR40s handled the overly "hot" bass with absolutely no incident or rollback requirement. Their weakness is shoddy workmanship (I'm on my 2nd pair): the head webbing came detached after a couple of months' use and the conducting wire is both excessively thin and short. (If you purchase either Koss, be sure to save all of the order materials to be able to avail yourself of Koss' famous lifetime guarantee).