[Patrickhat2001]

As is common knowledge around this forum the Koss KSC-35s and PortaPros share the same drivers, yet sound quite different from each other. The commonly accepted hypothesis is that they sound different because the clips of the 35s hold the drivers a wee bit further away from the ear than the headband of the Portapros which presses the drivers onto the ear. Personally, I accepted the idea that the drivers of the each phone were the same but I never accepted the idea that the difference in sound was due to the distance of each phone’s drivers from the ear. On my ears the 35s fit is snug and the drivers are held directly onto my ear at no more distance (actually no distance at all, they are snug) than the headband of the PortaPros when holding its drivers to my ears. The headband of the PortaPros does hold the drivers with a negligible amount more pressure on my ears, however. (I bend the headband of my PortaPros in order to prevent them from strangling me when I wear the them around my neck.--because of this their headband is not as tight as the stock PortaPro headband).

Furthermore, the clips of the 35s do not hold the drivers at a different angle from my ears than the headband of the PortaPros--another hypothesis which has been brought up as to the difference in sound. I’ve checked the fit of the 35s in the mirror and with me they hang directly onto my ears and do not at an angle any different from how the PortaPros drivers sit on my ears. On my ears the drivers of the 35s are directly parallel to the plane of my ears. As for differences in the positions of the drivers on the ears I’ve finickied around with the PortaPros to make sure that their drivers sit in the same position as the 35s drivers and the differences in sound still remain.

Upon removing the drivers from the headband of the PortaPros and the ear-clips of the 35s and A/Bing each pair of drivers by holding them lightly to my ears (with my fingers around the circumference of each driver) there is a noticeable difference in the sound from each The drivers of these phones are not the same. I repeat, they are not the same! Actually each phones’ drivers end up keeping much of their signature sound. The bass from the PortaPro drivers is still too boomy can get in the way of the music and the midrange also seems slightly recessed. The 35s sound as musical as ever with everything in a much better balance and with more detail when compared to the PortaPros.

Tomorrow comes the putting on of KSC-35 drivers onto the PortaPro headband and vice-versa. Early reports suggest that the black drivers of the 35s paired with the PortaPro headband make one bad ass looking package while the blue PortaPro drivers on the 35s ear-clips are dead cute--we’re taking Eggo level cuteness here. J

As for know I can say that no matter what information Koss has given the Headwize/Head-fi community regarding the drivers of these two phones they are not identical. We have been duped. More as it develops.

 

[usc goose]

cool. thanks for the heads up.

 

[D-EJ915]

so how do they compare sonically, like which has more bass, etc...??

 

[Rizumu]

Hmm, interesting. I should have tried this before. I'll try A/Bing them as you have and see if my findings agree. At least you've given me a reason not to sell my Portapros

 

[geraco]

Quote:

so how do they compare sonically, like which has more bass, etc...??

He already answered that here:

Quote:

Actually each phones’ drivers end up keeping much of their signature sound. The bass from the PortaPro drivers is still too boomy can get in the way of the music and the midrange also seems slightly recessed. The 35s sound as musical as ever with everything in a much better balance and with more detail when compared to the PortaPros.

Later.

 

[hawkfire]

Actually,

I dispute this claim that the drivers for the sportapro and ksc-35 are different.

They may sound different BUT....................

Upon taking apart and actually dissecting the individual earpieces,

I have found that they are indeed identical down to the koss OEM part number.

The only difference found between the two particular sets is in the gauge copper wire used for the ksc 35 and sportapro.

Upon visual examination, both wires appear to be the same diameter BUT...................

The sportapro has a thicker copper wire compared to that of the 35.

And the KSC-35 has a thicker wire insulation but a thinner wire than the sportapro.

Methinks actual wire impedance has to do with the difference in sound.

EG: the use of an aluminum based wire vs copper OFC with the Etymotics ER4-P ETC.

 

[MacDEF]

Quote:

Originally posted by Patrickhat2001 The drivers of these phones are not the same. I repeat, they are not the same!

They are identical. There is no difference at all in the drivers themselves. As someone else mentioned, they may use different wiring, which could potentially affect their sound a bit, but the drivers themselves are identical. Check out the part numbers.

Also keep in mind that with inexpensive headphones, the variance in sound between different samples is likely to be quite large, so just because they sound a bit different doesn't mean they're different by design. Two PortaPros have a good chance of sounding slightly different, as well.

 

[erikzen]

Quote:

Originally posted by hawkfire I dispute this claim that the drivers for the sportapro and ksc-35 are different.

Sorry to nitpick but you do mean the PortaPros, don't you? Does this also mean that the SportaPros, PortaPros and KSC-35 all have the same driver?

 

[hawkfire]

Yes,

The Ksc-35, Sportapro and Portapro all use the same transducers.

They all have the same Koss OEM part number.

The oem number is stamped in white on the transducer frame to the right of the solder leads.

The only difference seems to be in the wiring and the transducer casings.

The sportapro and portapro use an identical transducer casing and wire.

The back casing is slightly thicker than the one used for the KSC-35 and seems to be reinforced better at the ball joint itself.

The KSC-35 uses a thinner transducer casing.

The actual copper wire used with the KSC-35 is thinner as well, but the wire insulation makes it appear just as thick as that of the portapro and sportapro ones.

Hasnt anyone noticed how the wire for the KSC-35 SEEMS stiffer in relation to the Sportapro/Portapro line and how the wire always seems to fail on these earphones just below the wire cover on the transducer housing itself?

Or how the KSC-35 wire seems to really stiffen with age?

These wire problems do occur with the Portapro/Sportapro line but are much more common with the KSC-35.

Methinks its still the actual wire itself that makes the difference between the 3 models of Koss earphones as line resistance does play a big part in how one will percieve the tramsmitted sound.

How did I come to this conclusion?

Simple.

Take a transducer from each earphone and desolder them.

Then get some OFC copper wire and use some silver solder and attach them.

Then test.

Its funny how all three sound the same and lose the individual characteristics that each earphone is known for by doing this.

 

[Beagle]

Quote:

Originally posted by MacDEF They are identical. There is no difference at all in the drivers themselves. As someone else mentioned, they may use different wiring, which could potentially affect their sound a bit, but the drivers themselves are identical. Check out the part numbers.

Yes, they are indeed the same drivers.

 

[MD1032]

I thought the KSC-50's had a titanium coating the 35's did not!!! Perhaps the portapro has the driver the 50's has and the sound is being changed by the titanium.

http://www4.head-fi.org/forums/showt...?threadid=1568

 

[hawkfire]

Just how do the KSC-50s apply to this thread?

 

[MD1032]

<complete look of disbelief on his face>

Listen, here's a translation of the above, just for you.

Supposedly, the drivers in Portapro = drivers in Sportapro = drivers in KSC-35 = drivers in KSC-50.

If the drivers in the KSC-35's are different, then perhaps the KSC-50's drivers, the titanium-coated ones, are used in the portapro, making them in turn different from the KSC-35's, which might still be using the old clear-plastic drivers. This would explain the slight difference because titanium does affect sound, which is why many times speakers or headphones are coated with them.

 

[hawkfire]

UHMMMMMMMMM,

You can look with disbelief all you want, but fact remains fact.

The KSC-35, Sportapro and Portapro have the SAME OEM part number on the transducer.

The KSC-50 has a DIFFERENT OEM part number and is a different transducer although they have a SIMILAR shape and appearance.

Titanium film and magnet being the two most obvious differences.

This is from actually owning and taking these apart.

NOT SPECULATION or in your words, "supposedly."

SO, I ask again.

How does the KSC-50 fit into this thread?

 

[hawkfire]

One other thing,

MacDEF had the right idea, but he didn't know why the difference in sonic signature between the portapro and KSC-50 driver.

I will explain this.

The KCS-35, Sprotapro and Portapro line tranducers use a cellulose based diaphram for thier drivers.

The magnets used are Samarium Cobalt.

The KSC-50 line uses a MYLAR (titanium) based diaphram and Neodynium magnet for their drivers.

Now, tell me, where is the LOGIC in using a CHEAPER transducer (KSC-50) in a higher end KOSS product such as the Portapro knowing that the sound quality will suffer as a result of a cheaper manufactured transducer?

This is the kind of confusion that results when people take too much stock in marketing hype such as "titanium coating" etc when in reality, you are getting a cheaper and much inferior product although it does sound more expensive and "technologically advanced."

The price difference between the KSC-35 and KSC-50 is a dead giveaway in itself as these companies are in business to improve thier PROFIT MARGINS and not necessarily IMPROVE thier product lines.

Like I stated earlier, the drivers do indeed APPEAR the same.

But same APPEARANCE does not = SAME PERFORMANCE.