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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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: Rehearing my whole music collection...
Summary: 5 Stars
I've never been one to be a picky person for headphones or earbuds. I've used crappy headphones that have cost me 99 cents and I've been content to never explore other possibilities. Essentially, I've been getting the worst sound quality for my music for my entire 18 year life span. I suppose that this lack of curiosity rises from the fact that I have never been one to really hear my music on the move. In fact, the most expensive earbuds I have ever purchased cost me 20 bucks and they were some really crappy Skullcandy Ink'd Earbuds. To me they sounded like heaven compared to all the other headphones I had ever used. But alas, Skullcandy is nothing special after a few days. The earbuds popped and my music had this extremely annoying scratchy quality to it. I bought another pair of earbuds and the same happened after a bit of light usage. Then one day I sat down in my dorm and I decided "eff it, I'm gonna get me a pair of good headphones." When they arrived I immediately hooked them up to my mp3 player. I was so damn happy I got these headphones. I love them. The quirky 80's design, the way the music just sounds different. It doesn't have this distant and falseness to it anymore. My music sounds like music should. Beautiful. I've gotten some remarks from people about how weird they look, but hey being unique is never out of style. The same day I got them I asked a guy in one of my classes if I could borrow his Monster Beats. I listened to the same track with both headphones (Scott Pilgrim by Plum Tree) and I was not impressed by the Monster Beats. They had that same scratchy quality as my old earbuds. I put on my portapros and DAMN the difference was amazing. One thing that I do have a very slight problem with is the lack of noise cancellation (people constantly tell me that they can hear my music.) But, if you want beautiful sound for an affordable price get the Koss Portapro. You will not be disappointed. The lifetime guarantee also helps. ^_^Customer Review: A great set of headphones
Summary: 5 Stars
I am loving these headphones. It is a real pleasure to listen to music on them. When I listen to music using these headphones, I feel like my headphones have a subwoofer. That is, they serve the whole range of sound, not just the high end. A bass guitar shouldn't just be a low note, it has a certain physicality to it, and these headphones capture that.
At the same time that the bass is powerful, all the rest of the sound is really natural and fully realized as well. You might hear a small sound in a movie and wonder if the sound was real or if it came from the headphones.
I think these headphones sound fantastic. Some experts might know of better sounding headphones, but I'm willing to bet that they cost more. For example, the PortaPros are the 2008 editor's choice at CNET, and their reviewer was astonished at how great they sound.
The one sonic downside is, that they expose some flaws of lower quality mp3s. The files still sound great, but you can tell how crisp they might been if they were better encoded -- kind of like how people sound different on an old telephone as opposed to in person: on the telephone they might come through more clearly, but they don't have a whole lot of the bass of the sound. The telephone is like the cheap ear buds, and the in person is like the PortaPros.
These are very comfortable headphones, even wearing glasses, because the design takes a bit of the pressure off the ears, and puts it on the temples. That means your ear isn't pushed into your glasses as much as otherwise.
Overall, these headphones are great for people who don't have a ton of money and want to try high-fidelity sound at an entry level price. They're pretty leaky, so I wouldn't wear them around town and make everybody listen to my music. But, in my apartment, they are a great substitute for the full stereo when I want to crank up the volume and I don't want to annoy the neighbors.
Customer Review: My set is 15 years old and still sounds great
Summary: 5 Stars
After reading a few of these reviews which say these headphones are cheaply constructed, I had to post. As I type this I am listening to my set of Koss Porta-Pro I headphones which I purchased in 1989 and have been carrying all over the world with me ever since. They still sound awesome, and the only reason I logged onto Amazon.com to purchase a replacement is that the two large pieces of foam, which rest against the temples, have long since worn away and I thought it might be interesting to have that foam back.While they might look fragile, I don't believe they are. When folded up, they seem to resist destruction very well indeed! Mine came with some kind of carrying case but I lost this over a decade ago and the headphones are usually just chucked in my bag and away we go. Or they are lying around my room, or tossed in a drawer full of junk with no protection. I use them constantly and the only thing I've done to them is to replace the ear foam numerous times over the years with earpiece foam from Radio Shack.
I have found that if one side or another begins buzzing, the problem has always been debris between the speaker and the inside of the foam earpieces. This begins to happen when the foam deteriorates and breaks up, but all that is required to restore sound quality is to remove the foam, vacuum the debris (crumbled foam or bits of human hair (gross)) out of the earpieces and reassemble with new foam for best results.
These headphones are awesome. People are always telling me they're the best sounding headphones those people have ever encountered, and it's a fact. You will not be the least bit unhappy with these.
BTW I do not listen to music quietly, I blare it. I suppose they are not as good as some other headphones at confining the sound to just the wearer, and for this they might not be the best choice on a plane or train. But as many times as I have overloaded them in 15 years of use, they have not blown.
Customer Review: Great headphones!
Summary: 5 Stars
I'd been looking for some comfortable, affordable headphones that provide great sound and came across the reviews for these Koss PortaPro Headphones. The reviews do not lie...these are absolutely perfect for my purposes.
I use these with my MP3 and PMP players, as well as my Blackberry Curve if I'm listening to music on it, and have found the sound to be phenomenal. Now, I'm no audiophile but these definitely give me more detail than previous headphones I've owned so I'm very happy with them. They are also extremely comfortable...I needed some over-the-head phones because I've always found earbuds and over-the-ear phones to be painful after awhile (I wear glasses, which are a definite factor). These have been very comfortable on my ears and I can wear them for hours. I have not had the hair catching issue that some people mention, so I've been lucky with that as well.
Definitely worth the price, and if they ever break down I know Koss will provide me with a new pair. I know they may look a little strange, but I've never had people comment on that - they just want to know if they are good and what kind they are.
The only con is I wish the wire to connect to my devices was a little longer - not a lot, but just a few inches to provide a little extra give. However, most headphone wires are WAYYY too long, so this is a very minor con.
These are not noise-cancelling phones, and they were not purchased for use on planes (I have some foam ear buds I use for that purpose) so I can't comment on how they would work in that situation - I think too much noise would definitely get through. So just use these in everyday situations (walks, in cars when others are driving, etc.) where it is actually a good thing to hear some of what is going on around you for safety purposes.
All in all, I am very pleased with this purchase and highly recommend these headphones to anyone.
Customer Review: "appropriately ugly"
Summary: 5 Stars
When I read the reviews of this product at goodcans.com (great place for info on headphones for any price range) I was excited. Could there really be a great sounding headphone for under $50?
Then I saw them on amazon. My first thought was, "Man are they ugly." They almost looked cheaply made and poorly designed. I decided to trust my british friends at goodcans.com who ranked them the overall best headphone for under $50 and best portable headphone over all price ranges. I bought them and anxiously awaited their arrival.
When they showed up I felt a little better. Seeing them I realized they had a more retro feel to them like something out of the 80's. I appreciate the lack of cosmetic additions and things that only make a headphone heavier, bulkier and more expensive. It seemed as though all the value had been put into sound instead of shiny plastic decals.
When I gave them a try, I was astounded. I've heard better sounding headphones before, but not in a portable form or for this cheap. The bass was amazingly clean and the treble wasn't too shabby either. The clarity and crispness would beat much more expensive headphones I've had in the past. They're really comfortable too. The temple pad, while it may mess up my hair do, makes them more comfortable on the ears and also helps balance out the sound.
I've read lots of reviews here saying that they are cheaply made and break easily. I contribute that to clumsiness rather than product quality. I bring them to and from work every day on the bus. I take them on and off at least 2 dozen times a day. I've had them for almost 3 years now and after using them pretty much all day at work, at the gym and on the bus, they haven't broken nor have I heard one note of distortion. Even if they should break someday, Koss has a lifetime warranty to replace or fix them.
Take care of them and they'll last for years.