[DrBenway]

A newly posted CNET review of the PortaPros raves about their SQ. Aside from the fact that the PPs have been my go-to portables for about 10 years, and the fact that I am a major PP chearleader, I am amazed at a mainstream online review of a pair of cans that actually focuses on WHAT THEY SOUND LIKE. Not what colors are available. Not whether they will impress your friends. Not whether they are availalable encrusted with (@#!!%&!!) Zwarovski crystals. WHAT THEY SOUND LIKE!!

Major kudos to Justin Yu (reviewer), and Jasmine France (editor) for bucking the prevailing trends.

Somebody pinch me, really.

 

[shigzeo]

am i spamming another thread just because i have had too much to sip?

indeed, great news i guess? i love them but i don't really care too much that cnet loves them. they are worthy phones and impress me with everything other than comfort.

oh yes and by the way drbenway, cheers!

 

[DrBenway]

Quote:

Originally Posted by shigzeo /img/forum/go_quote.gif am i spamming another thread just because i have had too much to sip? indeed, great news i guess? i love them but i don't really care too much that cnet loves them. they are worthy phones and impress me with everything other than comfort. oh yes and by the way drbenway, cheers!

Well cheers back at you, Shigzeo! I guess I shouldn't be concerned about what the mainstream media thinks. After all, I have Head-Fi, don't I? But they have real clout with consumers, and I love the idea that some neophyte might read the CNET review, try the PPs, and then end up here! I love it when the mainstream defies expectation!

Sorry for all the exclamation points!!

 

[captian73]

the thing is, like headfi, cnet is seen as an expert and authority on ...everything it reviews.

 

[Shahrose]

actually jasmine france is not a good reviewer. she looks at superficial things like colour and style as you mentioned; everything from mp3 players to headphones. i stopped reading cnet reviews because of her and some other reviewers who don't evaluate and explain what's actually needed to be reviewed. the ratings on cnet are messed up. there are some good reviews though, but cnet's mostly filled with misleading info imo.

to their credit, Justin's review of the portapros the OP linked us to is not bad, i enjoyed reading that. he could have talked a bit more about sound though, oh well.

 

[DrBenway]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shahrose /img/forum/go_quote.gif actually jasmine france is not a good reviewer. she looks at superficial things like colour and style as you mentioned; everything from mp3 players to headphones. i stopped reading cnet reviews because of her and some other reviewers who don't evaluate and explain what's actually needed to be reviewed. the ratings on cnet are messed up. there are some good reviews though, but cnet's mostly filled with misleading info imo. to their credit, Justin's review of the portapros the OP linked us to is not bad, i enjoyed reading that. he could have talked a bit more about sound though, oh well.

I agree with everything that you wrote. But I can't resist praising CNET for this review, even if it is the exception that proves the rule. Here's hoping that we will see more like this in the future.

P.S. CNET regularly publishes reviews by Steve Guttenberg, whose verities as a reviewer are not in question. Yes, he's in the minority there. Yes, he has to toe the line. But his reviews are leagues better than the general run of stuff that they publish. And he often sneaks in commentary that is of use to people who care about sound.

 

[synaesthetic]

As much as I've tried to like the Koss 50-ohm drivers, the same issue still remains. =P If it doesn't isolate it's useless to me portably!

 

[DrBenway]

Quote:

Originally Posted by synaesthetic /img/forum/go_quote.gif As much as I've tried to like the Koss 50-ohm drivers, the same issue still remains. =P If it doesn't isolate it's useless to me portably!

I don't know if I would say useless. IEM's have their place, especially on noisy commutes or in quiet office situations. But the same argument applies to Grados. When I talk to people who like the PortaPros and who want to go to the next level, I always recommend SR60s, which also offer virtually zero isolation.

Yes, there are situations where the PortaPros and the SR60s are less useful because of the isolation issues. But for me, the SQ trumps that limitation.

Makes the world go 'round, no?

 

[Tomikans]

i want to get some portapros.. maybe after i get my re2's

 

[DrBenway]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tomikans /img/forum/go_quote.gif i want to get some portapros.. maybe after i get my re2's

Go for it. You WILL be assimilated into the PortaPro nation. No biggie, just a fact.

 

[dgbiker1]

Nice to see one of the very few decent CNET reviews is for the PP. I certainly laughed at "Released 4/16/2008"... what??? Just a couple decades off I guess

Shouldn't surprise me from the same people that reviewed OSX 10.4 ~2 years after it came out.

 

[jamato8]

If I had to choose one phone and could have nothing else, and could have a few for backups I would choose. . . . . the Sony R10's but if they weren't available then I would go with PortaPros, what the heck.

 

[uraflit]

cool beans!

if they sound anything like the ksc75 or 35s, they get a thumbs up from me too!

 

[Sweet Spot]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrBenway /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't know if I would say useless. IEM's have their place, especially on noisy commutes or in quiet office situations. But the same argument applies to Grados. When I talk to people who like the PortaPros and who want to go to the next level, I always recommend SR60s, which also offer virtually zero isolation. Yes, there are situations where the PortaPros and the SR60s are less useful because of the isolation issues. But for me, the SQ trumps that limitation. Makes the world go 'round, no?

But not at the expense of others around me, that's for sure. I'm entirely SICK of having to hear other's music glaring out of their buds and such when I'm trying to read a book. (Yes, a book every now and again vs. listening to music) Hell, even when I'm using my Panasonic cans (I listen at the lowest volume possible) I can usually hear some jack hole's music just making them go deaf. I wish more people were aware of this, and bought in ear canal phones, so that they could go deaf all by themselves...

 

[Jahn]

he used the word "cans." he's ok in my book. I guess one of our Head-fi inside secrets will be a mystery no longer!