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 Buy Used: from $39.17 (click here) Category: Speakers See more product details |
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Koss PortaPro Headphones with Case
Customer Review: Perfect (so far) for some, and not so good for others!
Summary: 5 Stars
In this review I will try to be as objective as possible:
THE SOUND
For me this is the most important thing about headphones. The Porta-Pro has a open design, and that is positive sound wise, because of less echo effects. But, it will also spread the sound more to the surroundings. The sound is NOT neutral (flat frequency)! It has a slightly punchy bass/midrange and warm overall sound. Think of a old tube amplifier (not with the new horrible chinese tubes). Even so, the sound sounds even, without sudden jumps in frequency. I, personally, love this warm and punchy sound. The Porta-Pro's also can play LOUD, without being destorted or destroid, for those who like that.
* Warm sound
* Punchy bass and slightly punchy midrange
* Even not flat frequncy range (I guess), it sounds "even" (no sudden jumps)
* It can play LOUD
DESIGN
Remember that this is a headphone from the mid 80's, and looks like it. It can be folded and are quite comfortable to wear. The pressure to the ear can be adjusted, but this feature is almost never used.
* Mid 80's design (like it or don't)
* Support cussions over the ear that relievs the pressure against the ear
* No protecting/cussion on the top of the head
* Can be folded
QUALITY
I have used several pairs since my first pair I bought in 1986 or 1987. Each pair has lasted several years, and unless I break it, the normal wear is desolving support/ear pads and that it gets a little loose in the joints. Remember to keep the receipt (proof of purchase) so that you can use their lifetime warranty. After about 5 years of heavy use, you may need it.
* Looks a bit cheap, even though the plastic is OK
* Normally, long lasting
* Lifetime warranty
I have chosen not to give it plusses or minuses (+ or -) because I think you should make up your own mind.
My rating is completely subjective (I love it), and yes, I have tested plenty of similar headphones through the years.
Customer Review: Among the best I've ever heard.
Summary: 5 Stars
Pros: Very good sound for the price. Set right, the temple pads do make the headphones more comfortable. Also, portability is a plus.
Cons: Be careful adjusting the headband while it is still on your head; hairs do get snagged in the process! Blaring the headphones will also result in some stares from passers-by. The cable is only 4' in length, so be wary of that.
First of all, I'll put in a little disclaimer right now: I've never used any pair of headphones costing more than $20 up to this point. No Sennheisers, no Bose, and no Grados. Saying that, in spite of the hesitation I had in investing in more expensive headphones, these headphones are by far worth the investment. They don't block sound coming in or going out (the open design is one reason for the quality), but I don't blare the headphones, and, as a result, most people outside of two feet away from me will not hear it.
As for my critique of sound quality, one aspect stands out: the balance. Although the size of these headphones prevents ear-busting bass, as some people like, the even, thorough response at all frequencies gives the sound, bass included, some depth I've never heard in most of the music I play. Snare drums, trumpets, and voices are more convincing than in my $125 6x9 car speakers. And at a third of the price!
As for me, my next major purchase of headphones will be Grados. If these sound this good at the price I bought them, I can't imagine the sound quality of a pair of SR-125s! However, for those nervous about venturing into good sound quality due to the price, these headphones are a great starting point, especially for laptop and mp3-player users.
EDIT: Almost one year later, I'm still impressed with these phones. I have an external USB sound card (with built-in headphone amp) for my PC now, and the sound feels even more dynamic. Lastly, let these phones break in for about 50-100 hours before giving your final verdict; they get better with time.
Customer Review: FINALLY! A pair of headphones that lives up to the reviews!
Summary: 5 Stars
I just got these headphones today and I am AMAZED with how it sounds. I have spent so much money on headphones and have had over 10 in the past two years. I got smart after a while and decided to start reading reviews before buying them. Sadly, I was disappointed most of the time when I received the product.
I have to say that these live up to the reviews! I was torn between the Sennheiser PX100'S and the Koss Portapro. I decided to go for these because of the unique look (yes I dig the design!) and because I had had Sennheiser's before and wanted to try something new. Sennheiser is a great brand of headphones and I really loved the pair of HD 497's that I had. But after a a year and a half of using them the cord connecting one of the ear pieces frayed. This was after much wear and tear. Since then I haven't had a nice highish-end pair of headphones I wanted to try the Koss Portapros and I am very please. The bass is nice and warm and they sound great with my Zune. It is difficult to find a pair of headphones to bring out the sound that the new generation Zune offers. Since the device does not have equalizers, you can't control what you want to hear. But the Portapros brings out such a great range I don't need the equalizer! That said, I do like my bass a little more than the average user so this was perfect for me. Comparing them to my Brookstone Earbuds they do sound better all around.
They are also VERY comfortable. My beef with them is that the cords going into the buds seem a little weak and that they might fray after a while. It also becomes cumbersome to re-adjust the head piece every time you put on the headphones because when you take them off, they shrink back. I also feel like they probably shouldn't be thrown into a bunch of other things for fear of them breaking but time will only tell how they handle. However, I do think the design looks cool and I have never seen anything like them before! They are so old they are in! I highly recommend the Koss Portapros!
Customer Review: Excellent headphones for portable electronics
Summary: 5 Stars
These headphones are an amazing value and very well designed. The headphones are small, yet the design is such that they firmly yet comfortably fit on your head. There is a small button allowing adjustment of how much pressure is exerted. The drivers are nicely padded and there are pads that sit on the temple, ensuring that the drivers sit parallel to the ears.
The sound is superb, especially considering the size of the phones. The bass extension is very good and satisfying, much better than comparably sized phones. The overall sound is neutral and non-fatiguing so that you can listen to them for hours at a time without getting tired.
One thing to note is that headphones typically are "open" or "closed" design. A closed design uses heavy pads to block out external noise and are meant for use in noisy environments. Open headphones, like the Koss PortaPros, are designed for use in quiet environments. So if you want phones for use in the subway or the airplane, these are not designed for that type of use.
Another very important feature of Koss phones is the lifetime warranty. I have had my Koss PortaPros for over 10 years now. I have accidently snagged the wires and ripped one out. I sent them back to Koss with a check to cover the nominal shipping and handling charge(see their website for details), and they promptly refurbished my headphones, and even put on new pads to replace my old pads! Other manufaturers would have forced me to buy a new pair of phones. So if you expect your phones to take some punishment during use, the lifetime warranty is a big plus.
Those interested in small, open style phones may also want to check out the Sennheiser PX100, which delivers similar performance, though the PX100 has less prominent bass and more mid-range; the typical Sennheiser sound. Both are excellent values but in my mind, the extra bass output and lifetime warranty make the Koss phones a slightly better deal.
Customer Review: Worth every penny
Summary: 5 Stars
I shopped alot before I decided on these headphones i read all the reviews here as well as on many other sites. To tell you the truth I found the hype hard to believe for a product that has remained unchanged since the 80's . I rated these babies a 5 star for the sound quality and price it helps if you have a headphone amp if your using small devices to run them like IPOD but not mandatory they get pretty loud without my amp and probably would protect your hearing better without it. I can tell and improvement with the amp but it sounds really good just plugged straight into the IPOD . I really like these over my VMODA bass earplugs for certain activities like exercise the bass buds sound better on alot of things without the amp especially but if you walk or ride with the buds in your hear the wire rubbing your clothes it amps up your breathing etc. plus if your walking like I do where people bike or drive you cant hear them coming up behind you , not a problem with the porta pros on. I have to point out that you can hear them if your sitting or standing next to someone wearing them so if your listening to somethiing loud and dont want to disturb others around you they dont work well for that like on a plane, bus, in a car so there are some limitations to it. people made alot of issue with the retro style either for or against. In all honesty they really dont look all that odd on your head and are quite comfy the fact that they fold up to carry in the bag is nice but they are still bulkier than a pair of ear buds. alot of people reviewd them as being studio quality monitor headphones this to me seems a bit much but they are definately on par with any headphones I tried while looking for a new set.I even felt they rivaled the bose over ear set although the noise cancelation you get from the cup does make the bose sound better on some stuff. I would say you cant go wrong with this headphone set especially for small devices like IPODS and the like.