Koss PortaPro Headphones with Case
by Koss
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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: 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
Customer Review: High Quality Portable Headphones, Perfect for iPod
Summary: 5 Stars
My Experience.
For years I had been using the cheap type of headphones that come with most music playing devices. I listen to complex music with many layers of sound, and was never satisfied with the poor sound from cheap headphones. Most headphones for <$50 sacrifice in some way, either by having a whiny high pitch sound with no bass or by artificially enhancing the bass and distorting the high frequencies. Don't be fooled by headphones claiming to boost the bass. Usually they do this by making all of your music sound sickeningly flat. You lose all the richness and breadth in your music.
The Sound
After reading many outstanding reviews for Koss's current line of headphones I decided to take a risk and spend $40 on the Koss PortaPro. These headphones are incredible! I didn't think headphones in this price range could possibly sound so good. I'm hearing layers of detail in my music that I've never heard with other headphones. These headphones provide a broad and rich sound. For anyone who knows how music is supposed to sound (this excludes those of you who abuse bass boosters and subwoofers) you'll be happy with the Koss PortaPro. If portability isn't an issue for you, you can get the same sound for less money from some of Koss's other headphones (they use the same sound drivers).
Ergonomics
One nice feature of these headphones is their flexibility and ability to be adjusted in several ways. I have a large head, so I appreciate being able to easily lengthen the flexible metal overhead strap and widen the placement of the earphones themselves. The PortaPro has a slider on each earphone allowing three different width settings for different size heads and tension preferences. Because I use these on walks, at the office, on planes etc. I appreciate the PortaPro's compact collapsible design. The headphones easily fold up into a fist-sized ball, making it easy to tuck them in a backpack or the included leather carrying bag.
Positives and Negatives
If I had to think of something negative about these headphones I'd say that when collapsed they sometimes spring open when jostled. Soundwise I have no complaints. I love Apple and their iPod, but the in-ear headphones that come with the iPod are abysmal. Sure, they're ok for free in-ear headphones. But if you spend hundreds of dollars on a music player you should get a complementary set of headphones. You probably can't get a better sounding headphone for less than $50, and their portability makes them an ideal fit for the iPod.
Customer Review: In a word...
Summary: 5 Stars
WOW. Like many others here, I was looking for something better than the stock iPod earbuds. I did the research on the net and found these Porta Pros and the Sennheiser PX100s and couldn't make up my mind...they both get excellent reviews from many sites.
I went with the Porta Pros, as they seemed to have a much more enthusiastic following! And man, I am not disappointed! I can see why people rave about them. Even I was compelled to do a review here, and I have never reviewed any purchases before on Amazon or anywhere else!
These headphones are top quality. The sound is excellent. Clear bass. Clear mids. Clear highs. If your MP3s are good quality, they'll sound great. If not...well, you will know it!
The first thing I listened to was Yes' Fragile and also the 'Drama' album. Holy smokes! I was hearing things pop out of the music that I never knew were there. It was like experiencing the songs for the first time all over again. The headphones were so comfortable I forgot I was wearing them, and was transported to another place entirely. The soundstage on these phones blows away just about anything out there in my opinion, and I have tried ALOT of cans...
Also, these phones are not as dorky as they seem. They are well constructed and fold up easily. They are much smaller than you perceive them to be from the pictures on the net. The appearance of the Porta Pros did not bother me at all.
These headphones respond wonderfully to the EQ settings on the iPod. I had fun discerning the differences between each one and hearing what else was being brought out of the mixes. If you are into music production at all as I am, you will appreciate how it must have sounded in the actual studios where the tracks were recorded. These phones will get you THAT close.
I found it very cool that the guy who designed these headphones over at Koss many years ago also posted a review here. The man obviously takes pride in his work. It shows. In researching Koss, I found that they started off as an audiophile company that took quality seriously in their products. The fact that these are still on the market after 20+ years speaks for itself.
If you are on the fence about these, don't hesitate to buy them. This is easily one of the BEST purchases I have made in a while, and I tend to thoroughly research everything I buy. It's a no-brainer, especially if you consider the lifetime warranty.