Cons: Fragile, can only be purchased at koss.com at a premium, poor warranty
Paid $52 CAD (incl. shipping) at koss.com.
Looking to buy the PortaPro but are willing to pay extra for something special? The KSC35 not only has the PortaPro drivers, but trumps them in virtually every way. It's lighter, the bass is less overpowering because the pads don't clamp down on your ears, and it actually fits in its carrying bag quickly, whereas the PortaPro needs a bit of shoving in. You are literally paying a premium for two hard plastic earclips, but it's these earclips that set the KSC35 apart from the PortaPro and the KSC35's less expensive relative, the KSC75.
One weakness is that the earclips are fragile. Mishandling may cause them to break off the driver and ruin the plastic nudge on the driver. If this happens, you cannot use the lifetime warranty, as Koss will replace your KSC35 with the cheaper and inferior KSC75. Instead, purchase a PortaPro, then switch the headband with the earclips. Always store these headphones in the carrying bag when not in use.
Comfort is acceptable, as the hard plastic earclips are more secure than the rubber ones of the KSC75, but you may experience slight soreness as the plastic pinches your ears.
Back in the early 2000s, this was Head-Fi's value headphone of choice. Then it was suddenly discontinued in favor of the short-lived KSC50, which was heavier, didn't secure to the ear as well, and sounded worse because of its enclosure. During this time, people paid up to $100 for this headphone on eBay. Now it's available again, but only on koss.com at a price that's significantly higher than a PortaPro at retail. So while it doesn't hold much value compared to the KSC75 and PortaPro, it is the Koss portable of choice for those who are willing to shell out extra.
