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Member Reviews: Koss PortaPro - Headphones ( semi-open )

BloodyPenguin

Inexpensive to the Max

Posted
By BloodyPenguin

Pros: Bass, Comfort, Sound

Cons: Hair Ripping, Short Cord

What can be said about these headphones that has not already been said in the 25+ years they have been in production?   Well, my girlfriend thinks they look silly...  And that for some odd reason makes me love them more.   Out of few phones I currently own, I always find myself reaching for these.    With the wonderful bass and full bodied sound comes the whole "PortaPro Experience". - First you try and squeeze them out of the tiny bag that Koss has provided. - Then you unroll, unhook and unfold them. - Next comes the pain of adjusting them on your head as they rip hairs out (surprisingly gratifying). - The plug, that Tiny little plug now...
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webspider

Best On-Ear for its price. Used the anniversary edition.

Posted
By webspider

Pros: light, timeless design from the eighties, very unique kind of sound signature, portable, lifelong warranty in the US, long warranty in germany.

Cons: tends to break, bass does overpower mids and highs if used at home without any mods, tend to rip out your hair or strangle you just for fun.

After my previous skullcandys my parents gave me as a present broke, I went to a store for electronic stuff in general and tested some headphones. The standard Porta Pro as well. The bass was cool, especially because it came out from nowhere.   Some days later I bought the anniversary edition in full black. Maybe the sound was a little bit better, I don't really know. First their design is really striking. I haven't seen such a headphone before, only earbuds, IEMs, over-ears, clip-ons and head-sets, but not this one. After adjusting the metal band to your head, there is almost no pressure. There were several times I totally forgot the headphones were still on my head. The less...
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King of Pangaea

SINCE 1986 AND STILL GOING STRONG

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By King of Pangaea

Pros: LIGHTWEIGHT, INEXPENSIVE, GREAT BANG FOR THE BUCK

Cons: NOTHING FOR THE PRICE

I bought my first pair of these when they first came out in about 1986 or so and have been using them for portable audio ever since. first with Aiwa Walkman tape players and now iPod Classic 160.  I have gone through a number of them since then, but the great thing about Koss, no matter what you may think of their cans today, is their lifetime warranty.  If the cable shorts out, or they otherwise break, or become unusable, just send them back to Koss with a check for $7.00 and they will fix (maybe replace).  Used to be $5.00.   Check with them for the current repair rate.   I've bought a few more pair, had several repaired by Koss, and been using ever...
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Griffith

Best low-end headphone I've ever used

Posted
By Griffith

Pros: Cheap, great vivid sound

Cons: Fold into a circular shape, rather than a flat one. Might pulls some of your hairs, specially if they are curly due to the metal band.

I picked these up when I was living in Belgium when I was looking for a cheap and durable portable headphone, that wasn't in-ear, and I was certainly not disappointed.   These headphones have almost the same level of clarity as my Grado SR125i but have a considerably more pronounced bass and are, quite simply, a lot of fun to listen to.   The form factor is quite interesting, because rather folding as most portable headphones, the PortaPro bend into a circular shape, around the size of a tennis ball, which makes them a bit inconvenient to carry if you intend on carrying them inside a laptop case.   I've used these headphones while riding a bicycle to work,...
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mrpetemd

Best for The Buck

Posted
By mrpetemd

Pros: Surprisingly well balanced SQ for the price but it needs an amp to really sing.

Cons: Speaker cables extremely fragile, especially at connection with drivers. (Sennheiser PX's have same fragility as well).Needs amp to tame the bass.

My third set of these classics due to the weak speaker cable connection to the drivers which breaks if you just think about it! Koss should have addressed this long ago by adapting the, IMHO, much more substantial cable it uses on its extension cable w/volume control. It is not much heavier.   The issue with bass quality can be controlled with an amp which sharpens/tightens the bass response. Doing so really opens up the midrange and treble and widens the soundstage. It gets even better with a DAC in the chain. I use a NuForce Icon uDAC2 with my laptop (running JRiver Media Center 16) and a NuForce Icon Portable with my Sansa Clip+.The DACs sharpen the focus, add depth and...
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jgray91

My vacation-acquired PortaPro [UPDATE: Now with HD414 + bass lens(!) impression]

Posted
By jgray91

Pros: Affordable for the sound quality; foldable into a really compact size

Cons: The cloth cable has a tendency to twist while folding the Pro; the open design is not good for noisy/very quiet environs

  This is my first 8 hours of my portapros impression (on a intercity bus, in less than ideal environment for an open can. EDIT 1: this was on the day of purchase).   First thing that stands out: separation of a song's different elements. Made me hear more, yet still sounds fun and engaging. Prominent trumpets, horns, cymbals, etc. Those high notes sounds almost intruding in certain parts of a song. Vocals are slightly recessed compared to other elements. Bass is adequate, but not always. Bass guitars and similar sounds (cello, etc.) sounds great, but kick drum, impact bass and the like almost as if its not enough for me, and I'm not a basshead in any way. String...
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GREQ

Unbeatable at the price point

Posted
By GREQ

Pros: Everything

Cons: Nothing at this price

The following review is based only on the trivial amount of money one must put forward for a pair of these headphones. I won't compare these to my AKG, Grado or Senns cans because it's just a different market. (bought in UK, hence the low price compared to the U.S.)   Design is amazing. Folding mechanism and materials are brilliant. A full metal headband that works this well could ask for more money. Cable seems just as flimsy as any other brand over twice the price - the lifetime warranty puts my worries at ease.   Comfort is exceptional. They're super lightweight so the slight clamping sensation might be off-putting at first, but I quickly forgot about it after 5...
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colgatetotal

Good value freely available.

Posted
By colgatetotal

Pros: Lifetime warranty, lightweight

Cons: Slightly overpowering bass, high counterfeit rate

This is a timeless classic, although lately it's been outclassed by others at the same price point. But the main advantage is that the PortaPros are readily available at a local shop for less than the MSRP. However, if the price is too good to be true, it probably is! Be aware that there are counterfeits being sold: http://loveray.blogspot.com/2010/12/how-to-identify-fake-koss-porta-pro.html   As for the sound, expect an above-average amount of loose bass, which smears the other frequencies a bit. Of the KSC35, the KSC75, and the PortaPro, the PortaPro has the most bass because of how the driver is clamped to your ear. This extra bass works when listening to music outside, but...
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kaixax555

Amazing retro headphones

Posted
By kaixax555

Pros: Punchy bass, great soundstage, light, comfortable fit

Cons: Open design, flimsy feeling, clips yank on hair

Went to buy them at the suggestion of my friends. I could not believe how long this headphone was produced, 24 years and counting!   Would like to talk about the design first. Having a retro style look, it sure looks ugly to me at first, but I loved it when I saw it in person. Perhaps it might turn a few heads around when you wear it outside, but well, who cares? The folding mechanism is quite cool and makes the PortaPro a really portable headphone.   Comfort is amazing, the ComfortZone pads take away pressure from the ears and allow me to wear it hours at a time. The pad is adjustable to different levels of comfort and the headband is adjustable as well. However, my...
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sbm168

BASS-o- philes only

Posted
By sbm168

Pros: Price, Sound, Retro Design

Cons: Bass Boomy and slightly Muddy, You get what You pay for

Fantastic cheap Headphones despite the bass.  However do not expect them to sound as stellar as people rave them to be. The are a great deal for people who like bass heavy heeadphones and dig the design. The adjustable slides pich hair and they leak ALOT of sound. If you like lots of bass, like the quirkey design, and have no money, then go ahead buy 'em.   I have the REOs and love them. I listened to my friends Koss.
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Where to Buy It

HeadroomKoss PortaPro - Headphones ( semi-open ) at HeadroomSee It »
Amazon.comPorta-Pro Folding Headphones at Amazon.comSee It »
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