Koss PortaPro Headphones with Case
by Koss
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List Price: Our Price: $37.74 You Save: $12.25 (25%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Category: Speakers See more product details |
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Koss PortaPro Headphones with Case
Customer Review: Headphones
Summary: 3 Stars
I got my PortaPro phones yesterday, and I am frankly disappointed.
My intention was to use these phones with my computer for music listening at late hours. I was instantly defeated by the useless 4-foot cord length. I should have checked that out, but managed to miss it. Nearly every headphone designed for home use (as these originally were), come with at least five or six feet of cord-length. So right there, I was out of luck. Oh well, I thought, I can always use them with my MP3 player.
My second discovery is that Koss, like many headphone manufacturers, is targeting it's smaller phones for the highly lucrative iPod market. This means that the guys in marketing are calling the shots. Not surprisingly, the phones have a cord-length that's right for the iPod crowd but not home users. Further, the sound has the exaggerated bass popular with kids into hip-hop, but at the cost of a balanced natural sound. I would describe the sound as smooth and quite pleasant, but rather unnatural. The low end is very exaggerated and the mid-range is down about 5dB. The highs are also way down, perhaps 6 or 8dB. Using my players equalizer I can make the sound acceptable, but these phones are typical of the "bass is what the kids are buying" school of design. Without a lot of tone control effort you should expect a bass-heavy sound that lacks any definition in the all-important midrange. I'm a lifelong headphone listener who has used Grado, Sennheiser, AKG, and even high-end electrostatics. I know good phones. These disappoint. I suspect that most of the reviews reflect people who don't use headphones much.
One other point. Koss has been praised for it's generous warranty. Maybe, but read the fine print. Koss will replace or repair the phones (their option), if you provide a check for $6 and suitable packaging. Picture that. I spend $6 for repairs, $3 for a shipping box requiring a post-office visit, another $6 for shipping, and still another trip to the post-office. Some lifetime warranty. Incidentally, I would estimate the phones cost a maximum of $5 to make. Seriously, I base this estimation on material costs and the manufacturing processes, which I am familiar with.
In conclusion, I cannot recommend these phones to anyone who values Balanced Sound over punchy bass.
Customer Review: Did I get a bad pair?? Apparently so...
Summary: 5 Stars
I want to like these headphones. I bought a pair of SportaPros and wanted a second pair, tried the PortaPros as they seemed to get slightly better reviews. Now I am wondering - what are people listening to? The SportaPros sound so much better than the PortaPros that I have to believe something is wrong. No depth or layering or punchiness to the PortaPros. Portas are mostly defined by over-response in the treble range. I'm getting sound out of both earpieces so there is not a missing channel.
I've heard all about the "burn-in" for headphones, but the Sporta's haven't needed that and I'm not sure how much time to waste on these Porta's. I also own a pair of Sennheiser HD238 which beat the heck out of the PortaPros but are somewhat on a par with the SportaPros. Now the Senns seem to be sounding better with more use as I did not like them as well out of the box, but do now. Or my ears are getting "burnt-in" to their sound as I think happens also.
Is there something wrong with my PortaPros? I have no idea why there would be such dramatically poor quality in a product which most people seem to rate higher or on a par with the other phones I have.
** Update 1/28/11 - another thing with these phones - the channels are reversed! Listening to "All I've Gotta Do" by the Beatles (old stereo, music one side vocals the other) I have 3 sets of headphones where the vocals are right channel and the music is from the left channel. On these, it is reversed (and yes I do know how to put them on, triple checked etc). WTH is the deal with these?
** Another update - A1 Accessories is sending me a replacement pair today even though I've already lost all my original packaging and stuff. So many thanks to them for so far great customer service. I'll post on the new ones when they arrive.
** Update 1/31/11. Quick service from A1 Accessories to replace my headphones and now the sound is much better. Now I can compare these to my other phones and the sound is definitely comparable (and channels are no longer switched). I am finding that the Firm - Light settings are very touchy. They don't want to stay on the "Light" setting easily but that is a minor problem. I am now much happier and have changed my stars review to reflect this.
Customer Review: Headphone Wunderkind
Summary: 5 Stars
In 1985 I was in need of a replacement for the crummy headphones that came with my FM/cassette Walkman. I grabbed the Porta Pros because they looked comfortable and were on sale. What a grab. I am on my third pair of Porta Pros now due to my world class level of klutziness in accidently destroying the first two pairs. I still won't even look at another pair of portable headphones. Such is the love affair I have had all these years with the sound of these little wonders.
I currently employ the Porta Pros for streaming audio, CD's and movies via my laptop. In order to let the Porta Pros perform at their glorious best, a Firestone Audio headphone amp ([...]) drives them via a USB port. I have had several highly regarded high end headphones for serious listening over the last thirty years which has shown me just how truly exceptional the little Koss really are. The Porta Pros do have some sonic shortcomings of course such as a tad too much bass and mid bass and the extreme highs are rolled off a bit, but what they get right, especially at the price, is what makes them the best portable headphones on the market. Tone, timbre and overall clarity are excellent. Instruments and voices have a three dimensional fullness, richness and body while still exhibiting exceptional transparency. The Porta Pros also produce a large soundfield with a nice sense of width and depth and they have lively dynamics as well. It all just sounds "right" and compares well with the best high end headphones. Rather astonishing given the sub $40.00 price. The bass and midbass are well defined and taut but are a bit elevated in level. The extreme highs are somewhat soft and a little less defined. The Porta Pros are very lightweight and comfortable for extended listening sessions. I can go up to six hours before I need to take them off.
All in all, the Koss Porta Pros just might be the alltime bargain in consumer audio. Kudos to Koss for keeping them on the market at such a great price and for not screwing around with the original driver design. Many companies produce a product that sounds great then commence to fiddling and destroy, in spectacular fashion, something truly special.
D. W. Whitlock
Customer Review: Koss for Life?
Summary: 5 Stars
Over the past seven years, I have predominantly used Sony MDR-V300 and Bose In-Ear Headphones with my 2nd-Generation iPod and now my 1st-Generation iPod Touch. I loved switching from the Sony's which I found uncomfortable to wear for long periods to the Bose which I could wear all day. I used the Bose headphones almost everyday from May 2007 to March 2010 when I came across the Koss PortaPro headphones on CNET. I had been looking at potentially buying noise-cancelling headphones for an impending trip to Australia. CNET's Top 5 Best Headphone article included some familiar names: Bose QuietComfort, Shure, Klipsch, but the PortaPros definitely caught my eye. Here were headphones an order of magnitude cheaper than all the others. I had to try them out. I figured with such a long trip I would either love or hate them by the end. Plus, my Bose headphones were starting to tear on the cord and I never enjoyed wearing them outside. Besides, who can lose at $30-35 for a pair of headphones?
Believe every positive review you read about the Koss Portapros. They are that good. You will not find a better sounding pair of headphones in this price range. They provide more balanced sound than my Bose In-Ears with astounding clarity. The bass response is surprisingly crisp for headphones that were designed in the mid-1980s. In fact, I am surprised that these have been around this long and I only just came across them, 25 years after they were originally released. While I do not think the Portapros are as comfortable to wear as the Bose In-Ears, it is a bit like comparing apples and oranges. For over-the-ear headphones, the Portapros are substantially more comfortable than my old Sony's. The difference, really, is the price. I cannot justify paying three times the money anymore for headphones that are not three times better. Noise-cancelling headphones will always be worth the money for frequent fliers and commuters. For the rest of us, though, we can only hope that Koss produces the Portapros for another 25 years.
Like my other reviews, I will try to follow-up after six months to one year of owning the headphones to see how they wear over time. If other reviews are an indication, these should last just fine.
Customer Review: Portable sound quality !!
Summary: 5 Stars
I bougt my KOSS Porta Pro in 1992 for usage on a Walkman.
The day I bought it I believe must have changed my life ;-)
Up to now (16 years !!) I did not find any portable headphone that delivers more sound.
What makes this headphone so special is the dynamic it reproduces.
The bass and treble that comes from this tiny package sounds like you are in front of a speakerwall.
There are no words to describe the atmosphere it creates.
When listening to classic music concerts its like you are there.
When listening to a singer its like the stage is in front of you.
When listening to pop, rock, disco, dancefloor, techno - you name it - it delivers the pump you would expect from BIG speakers.
The clear vibrant trebles and the full deep bass it produces are just stunning.
I still remember the first time I used those, the sound was so amazing it gave me this warm fuzzy feeling in the upper stomach area and left me speechless for a moment.
Note that over time the earpads and the pads which are supposed to hold the headphone in place will wear out and eventually come off. This can be a major turnoff when you want to go jogging with it.
I dont recommend wearing them long time or when you want to sleep (because of the pressure on the ears).
The little blue "comfortzone" switch is supposed to set how firm the headphone is attached to your head. I don't think that's working as advertised, whatever the settings it didn't feel any different for me. The headphone is very light and foldable. When folded they are the size of a small apple.
The headphone comes with a softcase.
Summary:
The speakers are not as compact as in-ear plugs but definitely have a better form factor than most pro headphones.
The fact that mine are worn out after many years of usage but still used confirms that the sound itself is well worth the price.
When listening - especially first time - be prepared to be left speechless. As mentioned above they have a few short comings (which product doesnt ?) but it is still a product with well deserved 5 Stars !!