Small size, lightness, strong bass

strong bass, unremarkable detail, ugly

The Koss Porta Pro was recommended to me by several people
and so I went to listen to it myself. Considering its size,
it was the best in class. Considering prize, there were
several headphones that are cheaper and much better, if larger. The Koss suffers from fairly mediocre resolution
and detail, and somewhat stuffy bass, although not as atrocious as with most other small headphones. The bass is furthermore very strongly emphasized, which works in some listening situations but is very badly suited for general, home listening.

Similar Products Used:

Sporta Pro, various Sennheiser models

see below

see below

You are absolutely right about the cheesy temple adjustments on this headphone DaFe. Koss's Porta Pro Jr. hadn't got them and sold for $10 less, although the phone was otherwise identical. I suppose sales of the Porta Pro are doing well and Koss has decided that the Jr market should dispose of that extra ten bucks because the cheaper model is no longer available. It's still a very good phone, although it's price at $40 (at J&R) isn't quite the bargain.

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remarkable response, comfort, lifetime warrantee(!), portability, design

Price ($50+ for open air phones); Also, common to all open-air earphones, they don't isolate very well. Not everyone around you shares your musical tastes, as I have been reminded in quieter surroundings. However, I guess this is a mixed bag because you can still hear outside sounds necessary for survival (ie- traffic) provided you don't listen at eardrum-disintegrating volume levels.

I'm a medical student and I like listening to music while I study. I also have fairly diverse music tastes (beastie boys to brazilian, bebop to chamber music to funk and so on). Anyway, around the time I bought these, I had become fed up with how quickly I had been going through headphones. I decided to spend a little extra money on a good pair, enjoy my music more and hopefully they'd last longer too. What initially attracted me to these oddly shaped 'phones was their lifetime warrantee- repair or replacement of non-functioning headphones as long as the problems developed during normal use by a single purchaser. Not too shabby, and it's probably worth the steep (at least from a student's perspective) price by itself.

Well, I tried them in the store and I was immediately FLOORED! I bought them and after 2 months of constant listening I can honestly say that they still amaze me. I have no idea how such little cones can give such a wide frequency response. It's not that I hear the bass so much better than before, it's that the sound as a whole seems so crisp and so well balanced. I'm constantly hearing new things on cd's that I've owned for years (ie. individual bits of percussion or separation of instruments). I even listen at lower volumes now because I can hear everything at levels 2-4. There's no need to turn up higher to get better clarity. This will probably save some hearing in the long run although I still turn up sometimes just to get lost in the sound! I'm sure clearer headphones exist but I can't imagine they'd be this portable or anywhere near this price range.

On the comfort note, the porta pro is lightweight and extremely portable. It folds in on itself for transport at hinges above each earpiece and a built-in hook holds it shut in a loop. It also has a seemingly cheesy feature called "ComfortZone" which is nothing more than a little switch above each folding hinge. The switch has three gradations from "light" to "firm". At "light", the hinges swing open farthest and two cushions above your ears are the main points of contact with your head. This relieves most of the ear pressure and discomfort I associate with open-air headphones. At firm, the hinges don't swing out as far and most of the pressure of the earpieces is directly on your ears. I guess at this setting the sound may be a little bit clearer or the volume doesn't have to be as loud to get the same isolation.

Again this seems cheesy but, as I said in the beginning, I like to listen to music while I study. After 2-3 hours, the "light" function is a relief and reduces ear soreness.

Finally, there is some criticism on this page about the design (I think this more of a reference to overall "style"). They're sort of retro, cool in a "grandpa's cardigan and corduroys" sort of way. It would be annoying to accurately describe it here but their shape has definitely grown on me. They're different, unique even. One friend thought that I must have found them in my attic and couldn't believe I just bought them new. When he tried them out, it took me 45 minutes to get them back from him. They're a conversation piece, attention getting, and I give kudos to koss for distinctive design. That's my two cents.

I guess these are perfect for people who want portable, comfortable headphones but don't want to compromise the quality of the overall listening experience. Can't bring your stereo with you? Carry these. In fact, these give my stereo a good run for performance. Try them out in a store against your favorites and decide for yourself!

Similar Products Used:

Earphones of all styles (in ear, open air, closed) from just about every mass produced japanese company in the audio market

very comfortable to wear, very light and compact, nice open sound, easily driven by portable equipment, outstanding life-time warranty support

bass is somewhat excaggerated, foam pads get weared out rather quickly (but can be replaced as a pad of warranty)

I've been using these cans for the last three years. Since I walk a lot, I was looking for some nice comfortable cans for active listening. My problem is that I have very sensitive earlobs and also I don't like 'into the ears' type of models. It seems like PortaPro fits the bill rather nicely. They sit on my head very tight and snuggly and yet do not put any extra pressure on my ears. They are foldable so they fit in a pocket. Very low impedance and high sensitivity so they can be easily driven from the portable devices.

The sound is very nice, open, 'into your face' type, with somewhat excaggerated bass. This is ok for rock music, a bit less ok for jazz (but still fine). I wouldn't want to listen too much of a classical music with this cans, but then I find it is difficult to listen classical music while walking anyway, so it is not a problem for me.

The warranty policy is outstanding. After three years of active usage, the foam pads started loosing the foam, and the wires got exposed in few places. I've sent them to the factory three weeks ago (with a check for $5.00) and just received a completely new replacement. (I didn't register the cans when I've purchased it, so I"ve contacted Koss support first, and they told me not to worry about it, just go ahead and send them anyway)

One caveat: these cans do NOT protect against the background noise. They are ok in a bus, but not in a subway. Other than that, I can wear them for hours. No 'headhpone fatigue' symptom.

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Beyerdynamics DT231

small size

sound quality, durability

This is my true review of the Koss Porta Pros, I had posted various times under different names and conflicting opinions, but this is my true review:

The Koss Porta Pros were my first really good set of small portable headphones, and I thought they did their job well. But now that I have a pair of Grado SR-60's and a pair of Sennheiser HD 575's, the Porta Pros sound extremely muddy and distorted in comparison. What a piece of s***! Thick boomy bass that runs all over the music (and not being part of it), no mids, no highs. Worse, I can't turn up the volume of my Sony and Panasonic portable CD players beyond barely audible levels with the Porta Pros without severe buzzing on either channel; I don't have that problem at all with my other headphones. In this price range the Sony MDR-G72LP's aren't very good either, but at least they are better IMO than this archaic pile of cr@p; they have boomy mid-bass with no deep bass, some mids, and rolled-off highs.

Maybe I purchased a faulty set, but my advice is this: Stay away from any Porta Pro samples that were sold in packages labeled "Custom assembled in USA with domestic and foreign components". Older samples in nicer packages labeled "Made In USA" are much better; the current version is now made in China (but I am still uncertain of the current model's quality). So, my rating is for all of the Koss Porta Pros manufactured between 1996 and 1998 is an abysmal 1 star for both performance and value, since I can't go any lower.

Similar Products Used:

Grado, Sennheiser, Sony

Great bass, comfort

Pricey for portable headphones

I've had really good experiences buying products that have been recommended at AudioReview.com so when I wanted to buy headphones to go with my latest portable CD-player (a Panasonic SL-SW650V), I turned to the PortaPros after my first choice (the more stylish looking Koss KCS-35's) seemed hard to find in-stock.
So far, I'd say I've been satisfied with my PortaPros. One word of advice though, junk the headphone pads as soon as possible. They are awful and muffle the sound so badly that you feel like you're listening to a pair of $5 Coby headphones that you bought at the corner bodega. Without those pads, the sound really opens up. The bass is especially strong. It's loud and distinct- not just weak plucking sounds behind the treble, and also not muddy- you can definitely hear every bass note seperately and distinctly. I think the mid-range and treble is adequate too, but it just pales a little in comparison to the bass.
The PortaPro's looks are kind of retro, but I think they look decent. It probably helps that their blue-and-silver styling matches the color of my CD-player almost perfectly. Sometimes I even shorten the adjustable headband and wear it behind my head. The headphones are snug enough to allow you to do that without the unit slipping off your ears. And overall, the headphones are incredibly comfortable. They feel perfectly snug while never pinching your ears. They don't look as cool as some of the other headphones I've seen, but I don't think they'll embarass you on the street (at all), and the sound makes them a superior choice.
I know that Koss has a lifetime warranty, but something about the feel of these plastic headphones makes me think, "I paid $50 for these? Why?" They just don't feel like they cost a lot of money to make. Maybe that's just because Koss constructs them in an understated way, and I don't want to be a fool who puts appearance over quality, but all-in-all, I still think they're a little over-priced at $50. However, there is no doubt that their sound is very good, and maybe some time down the road when I need to use that lifetime warranty to replace them, I'll be glad I paid $50 for them.
Overall, you can't go wrong with these. Just rip those crappy headphone pads off as soon as you can.

Similar Products Used:

Various tag-along earphones that came with portable CD-players, old Sony studio headphones

Bass, no distortion except at ungodly levels, comfortable, price

Design

I was going to buy the Sennheisser 570 until I came across this product. I listen to rock and at my loud volume levels they are perfect (for torture test I used Filter - Welcome to the Fold). They come with a gold plated end, and 1/4 adapter. Got mine from http://members.aol.com/headphone2/
and got it when they said. If you are going to buy these headphones buy it from them. They are very helpful. Got mine for $44.59 + 5.35 shipping.

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sennheiser, kenwood

Excellent bass, price/performance

A tad muddy

I am on my second pair in 5 years but because of my own doing not from product fault.
In between I shopped around for 2 weeks. I didn't want to spend much more than $70.00 and I ended up coming back to these. I tried the Grados' which were so damn uncomfortable and they didn't not have a sense of air and seem to bite in the highs. I tried Sony's and Sens. in the under $100.00 price range and they could not compete in the bass area. Yeah the Koss could be a little more open and a tad less muddy but they are very good for only $50.00. I find the top end mellow but not dull. Weather I'm using them with my home system (over $9,000.00) or just a cheap portable, they sound great. I did hear a pair of Sony's that did compete, but they were twice the money. I'm a bass nut but I also know what's accurate and when I would listen to head phones that claim "super bass" I was like, where? My friend bought me a pair of $70.00 Coby studio headphones and I was comparing the two and the Koss had better bass and it seemed to lend more body to things like snare drum and tom hits. you could tell the tones. With the Cobys they all sounded the same.
I'm not saying that these are the "end all" in headphones but if $50.00 is your price range, you'd be hard pressed to beat them. Especially if you like bass.

Similar Products Used:

Coby, Sony, Sennhieser, Grado, Denon, Kenwood,JVC

strong base, comfortable, great warranty service

can be a little muddy and have a tendency to develope a buzzing sound

I originally got my firt pair of the porta pros in 1993, and have continued to love them since. I've actually gone through three pairs of them in the last 8 years, which I don't think is that bad. I spend $5 for warranty replacements, and Koss sends me a new set. Yes, these may not be the best headphones out there, but their damn good, and if it only costs me $5 every 2 to 3 years to get a new set, who am I to complain?

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n/a

Ugly, seem cheaply made, not enough ambient noise isolation for jet plane listening; your seat neighbors will hear your music and give you dirty looks, especially on overnight flights

I purchased these headphones to replace the cheap junk headphones that came with my Sony MZR50 Minidisc recorder. They are way superior to any of the OEM phones that have come with any of my minigear, which includes also a Sony TCD100 DAT recorder and Sony D465 CD player. Although I still use these phones occasionally, I recently bought a pair of Grado SR60's for $70 that have sound that is far superior to the Koss Portapro's. If I had known his before, I would have splurged initially for the Grado's- better, cleaner bass and highs, although the Koss phones are marginally more comfortable. I plan to take the Koss phones and leave them at the office.
I initially bought the Koss phones for airline travel but they don't filter enough of the background jet noise to make them worthwhile. For that purpose, I recently started using the Koss "the plug" in the earbuds with replacement white plugs from Etymotics- these give great isolation from jet noise and reasonable sound quality for about $15, but the bass is a little boomy. They had to be broken in for about a week at full volume prior to sounding decent, however.

Similar Products Used:

Grado sr60, Koss "the plug"