Koss PortaPro Headphones with Case
by Koss
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List Price: Our Price: $39.99 You Save: $10.00 (20%) Availability: Usually ships in 3-4 business days Category: Speakers See more product details |
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Koss PortaPro Headphones with Case
Customer Review: The best computer/mp3 player headphones for the money
Summary: 5 Stars
I was little skeptical about buying this one. Portapros are produced all the way since the 80s and have a flimsy look. My doubts continued as I was unpacking my Portapros. Could this little, flimsy, plastic set of headphones be that good? All of my doubts have evaporated once I have tried using them. These headphones have two big pros:
1. Sound quality: One thing you should be aware of is that these headphones are _loud_. I have compared them to my Sennheiser HD201 and Sony MDR-A34. There is no comparison. Portapro is much louder. Of course, if you don't like it, you can turn down the volume. However, despite the loudness, the sound is excellent. I can pick a lot of details in my music CDs that were nearly undetected with the MDR-A34 and barely audible with the HD201. When I play first person shooter games, I am getting excellent directional sound.
2. Comfort: The comfort is excellent. The headphones sit very tightly on my head and yet they don't apply much pressure to my ears. I can wear my Portapros for hours without feeling any discomfort. The reason for this, is that these headphones come with extra cushions the sit above your ears and shift some pressure to your head leaving very little pressure on ears. You can also choose how much pressure you want to have applied to your ears. If the default is too much, you can shift some of that pressure to the auxiliary cushions by changing the "Comfort Zone" settings (the blue buttons above the driver, it's best to start playing with them once you already wear the headphones). Since the headphones sit tight on your head, they're suitable for outdoor or gym use. The cable length is just right to reach your PC speaker or mp3 player (about 3 feet), but I suppose that some people will find it too short. Finally, the set folds easily and fits into a small leather bag provided for portability.
And, have I mentioned lifetime warranty? If they ever break, just send them to Koss with a $6 check. They'll fix or replace them for you. Overall I am very satisfied and would recommend these headphones to anyone who needs cheap, reliable headphones with good sound quality for either indoor or outdoor use.
Customer Review: Surprisingly, the best headphones I've owned yet.
Summary: 5 Stars
Prior to the Koss PortaPro, I owned the Icemat Siberia V1, and prior to that, the Audio-Technica ATHM30's.
While the M30's had incredible sound, they were also incredibly uncomfortable; I couldn't wear them for longer than an hour without severe pain. Naturally, the level of comfort when moving to the Siberia's was immense, and I felt like I could wear them forever without problem. It wasn't long, however, that I noticed the Siberia's too simply did not live up to my comfort expectations. Being an eyeglasses-wearer, the trouble I had with the Siberia's was the fact that they would press my glasses arms into the side of my head, causing discomfort over time.
So, I scoured the internet, researching which headphones would provide me both exceptional comfort and sound. When first coming across the Koss PortaPro, I felt reluctant, for sure. Looking at how ridiculously inexpensive they were compared to the other headphones I'd been trying to decide between, I thought there was no way they could be the headphones "for me". Regardless, I made the plunge and decided to give them a shot--afterall, with such a low price, I wouldn't be losing much if I decided I didn't like them.
Let me just say that I cannot recommend these headphones enough to anyone looking not only for comfort, but great sound quality. I can honestly say I don't miss my M30's or Siberia's at all. My only complaints with the headphones are: 1) the fact that they are spring-loaded, meaning you have to re-adjust them everytime you take them off and put them back on, and 2) the "cheap" feel of the comfortZone switches. These two things pale in comparison with the actual comfort they provide, however. Because of the comfortZone, any pressure on your ears or temples can easily be shifted. As a result, these headphones are perfect for anyone wearing eyeglasses.
As a side note, I don't take the headphones anywhere, but they seem perfectly portable because they are not only lightweight, but fold to an extremely compact size, as well. Overall, a great product, and once again I recommend them to anyone in the market for affordable, comfortable, and great-sounding headphones.
Customer Review: Superb, above the competition.
Summary: 5 Stars
I was seeking new headphones to replace my iPod nano headphones which are pathetic. I had some Koss earbud headphones that I loved but lost, so I needed new ones. So I came on here to find reviews of other headphones and saw that the reviews for the PortaPro were great. Since I had a great experience with Koss in the past (they replaced my earbuds on my old phones for free, no questions asked), I decided to try these. The reviews are right-on.
I'd describe the sound of these phones as if two of the best speakers you've ever heard were on both sides of your head. The sound is great at all volumes. The clarity is such that I can hear parts of songs that I never heard before. The lows, mids, and highs are perfect. Some headphones sound bad at high volumes, and the sound gets muddy and the bass sort of shakes in your ear. Well you don't get that with these. It's like you're in the studio recording with the band. You can tell the difference between a 160kbps, 192kbps, and a 256kbps mp3 file with these headphones. The only thing I don't like about them is that I can hear outside noise, like cars whizzing by (a good thing, I guess) or the engine on the bus. This can be kept to a minimum by turning the volume up.
The headphones look big because of the "headrests" they have, but they are ergonomic. I was playing a video game while listening to these phones at forgot they were on because I didn't feel them on my head. They have three comfort settings: light, medium, and firm. They also come with a little case which is nice. The phones fold up to the size of a baseball, and both speakers fold inward. A small clip exists on the bottom of each phone, which attaches both sides together when you fold them. You then wrap the cord up and go. They can fit into a typical pocket. These are portable headphones, and I don't know why people say otherwise.
They are some of the best headphones I've ever heard. No surprise Koss makes them. They are also manufactured in Milwaukee, Wisconsin so there is no outsourcing of jobs with these phones. I can understand why these phones have been on the market since the 1980s. They're fantastic.
Customer Review: MY FAVORITE HEADPHONES EVER!!!! Bought in 1988 and still the best!
Summary: 5 Stars
Hi,
Okay. How can I make this COMPLETELY CLEAR to everyone who reads this....
I bought a pair of these Koss blue PortaPro's in 1988. It's now Feb 2006. That's 17 years ago. I bought them in a store in New England which had like 30 models all on display at that time, and I tried them all. I FELL IN LOVE with the PortaPro's.
About 6 months ago my son tore out the wires! My heart sank as I had believed I'd keep these forever. I even replaced the foam/sponges on them 3x in all those years and the 3rd set really should have been replaced as well by now. I used to buy cheap $5.00 headphones just for the sponge covers to replace on my Koss's.
I love SOLID, CRISP bass. Nothing else I've ever heard has it like these. I listen to heavy metal (Warrior), etc. with really heavy low and mids and screaming highes, and these have that.
I don't know how they did it, but these are perfection in design, and tonight I'm giddy to find that THEY STILL MAKE THEM?!?? :) I'm so happy I could pass out.
Well, I shouldn't be surprised. These really are the best headphones I've ever tried and I used to go into the studio for sessions. I'd use these whenever possible even in the studio. Only problem was they weren't isolated and the sound can leak out into the mic, so they aren't meant for vocal monitoring, etc.
I honestly love KOSS now after trying these, and am also happy to read that other people are in agreement with my original beliefs. Remember, I was here first tho originally buying them in 1988! :)
Cons, The little sponge bumpers always dug into my temples a little bit too much, but I just bent the metal band out a bit and with time the sponges got softer. Andy they're UGLY. But who cares!
If anyone knows a set of earbuds or full headphones with isolation that have the sound of these PortaPros, then I want to hear from you ASAP.
Thanks and take care.
PS I don't write reviews very often, but these are one of only a couple of products in my whole lifetime that I truly loved. I'm 35 now.
Customer Review: The best sounding headphones under $50
Summary: 5 Stars
I've had these wonderful phones for three months. I use them for my ipod classic. The sound is rich and full. Strong bass with no distortion, even at high levels. Listening to Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams" makes the song sound like a dream. You can hear Stevie make sighs and sounds you don't hear on the cheap ipod earbuds.
And when you listen to Led Zeppelin's "Moby Dick," it feels like you're sitting right next to John Bonham as he pounds on the drums.
It's unbelievable how good these phones are. When you listen to the Counting Crows' acoustic version of "Amiee," with its mandolin intro playing in the left ear, and rich acoustic guitar coming through on the right ear, you will have an eargasm, baby! It is an experience!
The Portapros are also, hands down, THE most comfortable headset I've ever worn. You can adjust them to fit tighter or more loosely around the ears, and the extra padding really helps with the comfort.
I should say that these are not noise cancelling or sound isolating. I can't wear them in bed at night because even with the volume 1/3rd up on the ipod, my wife can hear them. Same thing with riding the train or bus. You won't want to wear them in public, partly because they look like something worn on the set of the 1984 flick Tron, and partly because your neighbors won't want to listen to your music.
But if you care about excellent quality sound, and you are not disturbing anyone, these are THE best sounding headphones you can buy under $50. They are a BIG step up from the so-so ipod earbuds and a bigger step up from anything Walmart sells.
I should say that these sound better on MP3 players than they do on Hi-Fi equipment. I definitely prefer my beloved Grado SR125s for listening with my stereo or with my laptop.
But the Portapros are a steal at $38.
I almost forgot to mention that there is a lifetime warranty on the Portapros. If they accidently break, and you still have your receipt, Koss replaces them for free. Awesome!