Koss PortaPro Headphones with Case
by Koss
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List Price: Our Price: Calculated in a shopping cart Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Category: Speakers See more product details |
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Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Koss PortaPro Headphones with Case
Customer Review: Can't Go Wrong With These- Liked Them So Much I Bought Two Pairs!
Summary: 5 Stars
My introduction to the Portapros came when I started looking for a pair of headphones to replace my aging iPod earphones, I'd already at the point, had something like the Sennheiser PX-100 in mind. However, in the reviews for the said product, I couldn't help but see the innumerable comparisons of the Koss Portapro to the Sony PX-100. Giving in to curiosity, I decided to check out what it was that everyone was talking about.
Given that I'd never heard of Koss before this and that the Portapro is about half the price of the PX-100, I was rather skeptical that it could live up to the raving reviews. But eventually I did a bit more research and the clincher for me to give it try was the discovering that it seems to have been in production for the last 25 years or so and yet-people are now still happily buying the same unchanged product. Surely they must be doing something right to win that kind of loyalty.
When I got my pair I'll admit at first glance I was skeptical and a little disappointed again. The 'case" provided with the headphones is in actuality not so much a case but a teeny leather bag, which isn't really adequate protection and is a rather difficult to fold and pack the headphones into. The headphones themselves were smaller than expected and looked rather flimsy.
Nevertheless I tried them on and was surprised by how securely they fit. The "Light" and "Firm" switches were a nice touch to ensure comfort, even if the sliding headband has a nasty habit of tangling with hair and giving one an impromptu hair trimming.
Then I plugged it in, put on some music and was blown away by the quality of the sound.
I won't say they are the best I have ever heard, but they definitely rank amongst the upper tier and can give the higher-end audiophile stuff a run for their money at a fraction of the cost (Keep in mind I am comparing these to Bose and Sennheisers here). Songs that I have heard a dozen times before have been given an extra depth, and I keep hearing notes that I have never managed to hear on my old headphones.
One thing though: the cable for the headphones is rather short, which is good if you are using something like an iPod (yay no tangling wires while jogging and they stay on well too), but also prone to being accidentally jerked out of the audio port if you have it plugged to something stationary like say, a PC and then moving.
It has been almost two months now and despite heavy daily use the headphones seem to be holding up well, despite looking "flimsy" in the beginning.
Overall, the Portapros managed to win me over completely and now sit firmly as my favourite pair of headphones. I even ended up buying a second pair (The new black model with the fabric cable) so that I could have one at work and one at home and not have to have the hassle of constantly folding them and stuffing them into the diminutive travel bag.
At the price, you can't go wrong with these babies!
Customer Review: Funky design, cool product
Summary: 5 Stars
Just got these funny looking things in mail yesterday. I am not a big audio enthusiast, but I appreciate good headphones and these are really great.
For me all that matters is sound and comfort, but mainly comfort is biggest deal to me. Although I prefer a more leather, plushy style design, such as Bose on ears, these are very comfortable and light on the ear. They don't weigh barely anything so the pressure on your ears is very small. I wore these for hours with mild discomfort. Also they have a comfort zone design that allows some adjustment and keeps the headphones steady and firmly on your ears, but I do think the comfort is a little gimmicky. I was able to use it to adjust when my ears hurt, then when my temples hurt etc. Most headphones start to get uncomfortable to me after a hour or so, so don't let that scare you. The comfort zone does seem to relieve a little pressure off the ears, but are kind of uncomfortable on the temples at a high setting. I generally keep it at low and it's good there.
The medal band is adjustable as well and I love the way it adjusts. No matter how you slide it, both sides are perfectly even at all times. Some people in reviews said it catches on you hair. I can see this how this might happen, but I haven't had any issue with this. They also have a hook and hole design for closing the set up for transport. They fold in once and then you bend the medal band to hook to the other side for a circular close-up. Pretty cool.
The sound put me and fiancé in trance the first time we heard them. I don't know what bass is suppose to sound like on mid-range phones, but the sound was deep and very much to my liking, but I think the mids and highs are where this set specializes. I would like to compare them to bose side by side, but I imagine these aren't too far from them.
I put them against the 220 (over ear headphones) and jvc flats (on ear headphones). The Sennheiser are about $23 and are only a little worse on the sound side and way worse for me personally on comfort(the hard plastic on the inside presses against my ears). The jvc flats are about $12 and are aren't nearly as good in the sound category, but only a little less comfortable(the cushion is almost solid and not plush and bothers me after about hour. Overall the portapros are definitely a leap up from both of these.
On the negative side of things, they do feel a bit flimsy, but should be fine with everyday use. Also sound isolatation is not there at all. If you wear them without music or sound, it's almost like they aren't even on, but this doesnt hinder listening at all. I wore them in a car on a highway they sounded fine and I bet they would be fine on a airplane as well. I have no idea how your suppose to put them the carrying case, but i like that they collaspe easily.
These things are great, try them out.
Customer Review: Bass-addicted hardcore electronic / speedcore enthusiast here.
Summary: 4 Stars
My Bose Around-Ear Headphones finally broke last week, so I needed a new pair because the Sennheiser HD202's I have as backup are uncomfortable as heck for me. A bunch of people online told me to get Koss Portapros, so I did.
Now, I am a bit of an audiophile who listens to quite unusual music for, uh, the standards of most other reviewers here at least. I enjoy the most extreme electronic music from all over the world, so I look for good, unmuffled sound quality and deep bass to enjoy music that would sound like eardrum-destroying noise to others. That said, I'd say these were an odd choice for me.
My first impressions were that 1) they look awesome and 2) it took me a few seconds to figure out how to adjust the headband correctly. That was quickly surmounted, however, and when I started listening, I was pleased by the bass response...for the most part. Honestly, they have about as much bass as the Sennheiser HD202s, which isn't particularly a wonderful thing. Taken that I was originally going to buy Sony XB headphones, that is to be expected I suppose. Also, I've noticed that some of the sound is a little muffled unless turned up a little higher than I'd like (my music is already kind of killing my hearing at normal volumes...I don't want to know what it'll do at high volumes), but for the most part it's fine...it's just that some songs at regular volume (like, for example, a Japanese hard trance song I'm listening to right now) kind of make me want to pop my ears now and then because there isn't enough bass for my liking.
I will say this: they are quite comfortable and very light. That was my main concern. Comfort is a very important quality to me, seeing that it's very easy for my ears to become painful after a while with most on-ear headphones. The time-tested design of the Portapros definitely shines here. I just tried to take them off and put them back on quickly, though, and I had a bit of trouble and my hair snagged in the metal band for a second. I guess it takes practice.
So...if you are looking for really good value, get these. If you think they're better than headphones twice or triple the price...well...maybe, but I wouldn't say these are the best headphones I've ever used. Regardless, it should be fine for most people.
EDIT: Now that I've been listening to them for a good hour, I can say that the audio quality is NOT what everybody is making it out to be. I was passing it off as "ah it's just the song" at first, but honestly, most songs I've been listening to are tinny and some even have random unexplained high-pitched buzzing noises in them. Is it just because these things can't handle Swedish lolicore? I don't know...still, I think that's just my super-high expectations being shattered as usual.
Customer Review: Excellent ...but I prefer the Sennheiser PX100 - both great
Summary: 4 Stars
Amazon just reminded me that I purchased these from Amazon in 2000.
These PortaPro's used to be THE standard as the most comfortable and best sounding headphones for portable, PC and casual listening. You can't go wrong at the price point.
On my Cowon IAudio U3 player (MUCH better audio, watts, than any crApple Ipus), where one can really hear the quality of audio. It has several audio formats that include the superior open source formats like the losless FLAC and the best lossy format, Ogg.
I listen to different types of music, classical, classic rock, blues, progressive, audio documentaries, audio books.
I am one that really loves to listen to music that is distortion free as possible. I love clear, clean sounds that are natural where you can really pick out all instruments, little nuances in harmonies. Where quietness, silence in a song, will be totally quiet.
I have that as good as the PortaPro's are, they give more of a distorted sound, especially with distortion at bass. I say this in compariason to Sennheiser Headphones and what I see as the best of breed, the Sennheiser PX100s.
Someone called them "livier" than the PX100s, where I totally understand what they are referring too. The "livier" part is why I gave them to me son. That is distortion, especially at bass. I don't like distortion or over amplification that creates distortion.
But if one prefers that heavier, distorted bass sound, which many do, these are the ones.
They are SOOO comfortable, but then again so are the PX100s.
I for one, couldn't care less what others think if they look cool, ugly, whatever. What is essential is the comfort and audio quality.
If someone is really bothered because they are NOT in a style that is not currently marketed, then I feel the issue is withe the individual, not the headphones.
They really are great and I see at 29.99, a great buy.
OR ... if you want, you can pay of $100, and get some heavily marketed headphones that are more stylist, but will be a more more uncomfortable and probably not sound as good as the PortaPros or the PX100s.
I also will tell you that I cannot stand the headphones that are made to drown out sound. For one, the headphones that do allow air SOUND BETTER. The headphones that totally cut out air and environmental sounds, literally give me a headache.
I too want to know if someone is trying to get my attention or if their is some kind of loud noise that I should be aware of.
Jon
As for me, I have my PortaPro's to my son several years ago.
I love a listen to music that gives me the most distortionless
Customer Review: I am VERY impressed ....
Summary: 5 Stars
Recently the pads on my Sony Noise-Canceling headphones had become very badly worn, and since they weren't terribly comfortable WITH the pads, I decided it was time to get some replacements. After asking around for suggestions from my Audiophile friends, and looking around on the web, I found a list on [...] of their picks for the 5 BEST headphones for use with portable music players. These were on there along with a lot of other headphones that costs LOTS more (Specifically the Bose QC2 & QC3.) And they listed the retail of these at around $50.00. Since that was about what my Sony's cost - I started looking around & found them on Amazon for just about $30.00 ! So I figured it was a pretty clear "can't lose" situation, and ordered them. Oh, how right I was ...
First off, even though the delivery estimate was 6-10 days, I got them 3 days after placing my order. They were smaller than I expected, but I very anxiously brought them down to where my laptop was (since that is where they will be used the most,) started up my favorite Internet Radio Station ([...]) plugged them in & put them on. All I can say is WOW ! They sounded SO much better than my Sony's the difference was startling. The bass response was HUGE & the fullness of the mid range & highs created an almost surround-sound environment. And no matter how loud I cranked the volume, I couldn't detect ANY distortion. I can honestly say they are far & away the best sounding headphones I have ever had - and to get that kind of sound from a pair of $30.00 portables is astounding !
My only complaints about the phones has to do with their folding form-factor. They are designed to fold in towards the headband with the ends clipping together to form a loop. Trouble is, they still just BARELY fit in the leatherette bag provided to carry them in. And most of the time while putting them away, they have a tendency to spring back open, which complicates extraction. But this is a small detail I can definitely live with.
One other note, I thought I'd pass along. The drivers these headphones use are also used by several of Koss' less expensive headphones as well. So it is very likely that you could find a $15-20 pair of Koss headphones at your local WalMart on a rack with all the low-end Sony, Skull Candy, & Memorex headphones, and STILL get the same sound quality that you can have with the PortaPros. I can't vouch for the headphones construction though.
Bottom line is, for the price I cannot imagine finding a BETTER pair of headphones than these. If you're in the market I would definitely recommend these above anything else. You will NOT be disappointed