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: Koss PortaPro, 25 Years of Excellence
Summary: 5 Stars
After twenty-five years in production, and five years of absence of ownership, the Koss PortaPro headphones still kick ass. I've encountered no headphone in their price range that unseats them from their highest of pedestals. The Sennheiser PX100s come very close with superior comfort and a more streamlined design but simply don't have the same passion in their reproduction of music.
Before I had my Sennheiser HD600s, my Grado SR60s, any of my Shure, UltimateEars, EtymoticResearch or Klipsch headphones, I had these Koss PortaPros, until their untimely loss while moving from California, back to Missouri.
My new set arrived today with only a change in packaging from when I bought mine my junior year in high school. There's a sort of comfort in that, just as the Klipsch Heresy speakers I have still sold today have changed very little since mine came off the assembly line around 1984.
I must say, I have never gotten so many compliments on the looks of my headphones and there hasn't been a day of wearing the Koss's out that I didn't get a compliment. Today I was told at Starbucks, while paying my rent, at Kaldi's Coffee and at an art gallery that my headphones were cool looking, awesome, really interesting etc.
I'd recommend these headphones to anyone who needs a great set of headphones for an unbelievable price. Only $[...] on Amazon and they out perform several $100+ headphones out there. Only two warnings. They are open headphones so you won't block out any outside noises and people can hear what you're listening to. Second, their headband catches on your hair if it's long, and even mine sometimes. Other than that, amazing.
If you are in the market for a sub $100 on-the-ear, open-air headphone, this is the one I'd recommend. I got mine from Amazon.com with free shipping for under $35. It's a steal and it feels oh so good to have them back.
Customer Review: Surpassed my already high expectations
Summary: 5 Stars
I love to hear music and have become an intensive user of mp3 players and in particular headphones. I've started a couple of years ago a search for those that provided an optimal balance in terms of prolonged use, quality of sound and price. I cannot simply use the typical headphones provided with iPhone or iPod or any other MP3 player since their below par sound quality does not make justice to music and in fact lead me to take them off due to getting tired of the sound.
One year ago I acquired a set of Senheiser PX100 which I had read more or less everywhere where excellent. And indeed they proved excellent and their worth and are definitely very good alround in terms of sound quality, quality of built, storage for portability and price.
Still, I felt sound could get somewhat better, without moving to a different price point, so I decided to give it a go to the Koss PortaPro, another set which is commonly referenced in most media and internet sites as the best balanced portable headphones around, par with the Sennheiser PX100.
I must say that given all the reviews I read, my expectations were high and in the end I was surprised by the Koss PortaPro in terms of their sound capabilities. They have a very ample range, a surprisingly good spatial sound distribution for a price which is unbeatable, and can be used for hours without making your head file like a dump. I simply love these and use them now.
Compared with the Sennheiser PX100, my opinion is that Koss PortaPro is a slightly better on sound performance. It is definitely a slight difference, for the better on range and easiness on prolonged use, and a tad worst on portable storing. The PX100 fold into a hard case which provides far better protection than the "bag" provided with the Koss PortaPro.
Even though overall difference may be nil for a lot of people I guess, I definitely prefer the sound of the Koss PortaPro.
Customer Review: I heard things I didn't even know were there in songs I have heard dozens of times.
Summary: 5 Stars
For one, the bass on these headphones is absolutely phenomenal. As are the highs. And they can be ear shatteringly loud if that floats your boat, which happens to be a sea I take my yacht in frequently. The wider frequency response allowed by the magnetic strength of neodymium is not just a meaningless spec booster meant to make the product artificially more appealing. It is certainly true that human hearing does not range down to 15Hz or up to 25kHz, but it would sort of follow that if they can do 15Hz, then they will do 30Hz very well, and if they can do 25kHz, then they will do 16kHz very well. And those are frequencies that are within hearing range, well, at least the bass. And you can definitely hear that bass.
I am hearing bass lines that I thought were mixed in too low to hear in general. Do you know how that feels when all of sudden you hear a new instrument in a song you've listened to dozens of times? It is absolutely glorious. You fall in love with the song all over again.
Also, the stereo separation on these, for whatever reason, lets you distinguish between parts in the music like a beast. Again, falling in love all over again.
This effect is so dramatic that when you get these(which please for all things holy do so as there are no better headphones for this price, perhaps equally good, but not better, no way), go back and listen to some of your lesser liked albums from your favorite artists, usually the newer ones as it seems to go. You will understand why they released it "even though it was a terrible album". It's probably because as bands get more prestige and the resultant giga-money, they can afford better and better production quality, which lets them add in things that a typical car stereo just cannot reproduce noticeably.
They leak sound. Meh. That's obvious. They're on ear. lol
Excellent buy. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.
Customer Review: Much better than I expectced
Summary: 5 Stars
I have never had headphones as good as these, so this probably isn't the best review. I ended up paying about $50 for mine, with duties and shipping and handling and everything. Totally worth it. I'm listening to Radiohead's The King of Limbs right now and hearing things I've never heard before with any stereo system or stock earbuds. I actually had a pair of Skullcandy Titans, which were isolating buds that looked kind of cool, but ended up breaking within a few months of using them.
These don't feel like they're going to break. They're a little smaller than I expected, and the actual cans are a bit wobbly, but that's all how it's supposed to be. They really are amazing.
The only downside would have to be the fact that you're going to want to delete all your 192 kbps music, because these things really highlight the compression, the bad quality. On the flip side, they really highlight the good quality in good quality audio.
Also, the style. I, for one, love it. Other people, not so much. I'm a big geek who thinks the retro '80s Tron look is pretty cool, so these are a total hit - not a miss - with me.
Tip: They have a little hook on either end of each metal band. They hook into each other so that you can make them into a nice little circle without any problems at all.
Another tip: The Comfort Zone thing doesn't slide properly unless you actually push the phone in or out a bit. The principal of comfort zone is that the angle is changed, and loosening just makes it straighter. To loosen it, you have to pull it into a bit of a straight angle and then adjust the slider, which is no problem once you've got the hang of it, and that's why ease of use is just OK. You kind of have to figure a few things out.
Overall, excellent. I'm leaving them on tonight in hopes that by burning them in, they'll be even better in the morning. They probably will be!
Customer Review: If you seek comfort above all, this is an excellent choice
Summary: 5 Stars
I've had a terrible time finding headphones that I can wear for more than 5 minutes. First, I wear glasses, so that rules out a lot of "over the ear" headphones because it pushes the frames right into the sides of my head. The alternative, then, would be to use earbuds. I can't use earbuds though, because the insides of my ears are extremely sensitive due to multiple infections as a child. I didn't think I had an alternative. Fortunately, I came across these.
For comfort, these things are a dream. I actually forget that I'm wearing them sometimes, which is a first for any headset I've owned. The pressure is applied above the ears as much as I'd like (it's adjustable) and I can change how much pressure is on my ears and the side of my head.
Durability-wise, they *seem* to be fragile--specifically, the part where the speakers connect to the headphone frame--however I've often stuffed them in my coat pockets (yes, they're that small when folded up) where they've been squished against my shoulder bag and I've dropped them several times. It's all part of being a klutz. I have yet to do any damage to them, however. That's more than I can say about my portable MP3 player.
Complaints: The bag seems a bit small, even with the "correct" way you put them in. I would've liked it if they made the opening a touch bigger so you could slip them in and out more easily. I've stopped using it altogether, but I use them every day for at least an hour so it doesn't matter too much for me.
As for quality of sound, they've been excellent for me. I listen to a wide variety of classical, rock, and world music, and it's handled all of them quite well. I don't know how this would compare to, say, a $100+ headset, but for the price listed or under I think it'd have to be the best out there. For comfort, I'm not sure if these can be beat.