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| Just got the all-black PP from Best Buy here. |
I bought these, wonderful deal, but right as the year changed I tracked down a pair of 25th anniversary editions, and I loved the way they were packaged. I like the chrome accents, and I proudly display them and their box at work where I use them.
I have a little hanger where I put the phones right above the box, behind my little music server, an old external drive and an E-MU 0202 USB. The drive, I lost the cover to, so had to make a label that clearly states it is my music drive. Before, I was accused of "hacking" a few times. These are legendary, and the 25th ed. phones are definitely a little better than the normal ones, probably better drivers as they don't seem to "wrinkle". They don't let down for their purpose, but even the cheap best buy pair is more than enough to impress mos
t people. The other day a Bose fanatic came by and I let him plug the 25ths into his iphone for a listen. He could not believe that something that was basically a foam earpad headphone right out of the 80s trounced his hundreds of dollars in Bose headphones, everything except isolation, really, but even he agreed, for that clarity, it is worth losing the isolation aspect for 98% of the time.
The standard PortaPro will get a little weird with bass because the diaphram touches the grille. I can hear this. The 25ths don't do it, but they have larger drivers that look like larger diameter drivers made for mounting to the gimbal of the PP.
Anyway, When I rediscovered these, it was fun, because it was a long time since I even gave a 2nd look to a foam earpad headphone like on an 80s walkman clone. I wish II knew about these back then, but I always picked up the sony sports band, basically earbuds with a band. It would wear out and I would get another. The Senn HD555s were the first phones that showed me there was hifi in this format. That was 10+ years ago, and to think I could have had very close to that 10 years before that for only 30-40, or like, 18 dollars for the best buy black versions. You can fix the
tizzyness with a mod to the grille. just be careful. The black ones won't ever perform like the 25ths or "normal" ones, but one can get close if you fix what causes the wrinkling. The black pair impressed Mr. Bose at work, he could not tell the difference. I could, but then I am not used to nothing but bose.
At least he does agree, if you can afford it, sony makes fairly good active noise cancellors. Still, he easily shells out the cost for the Bose OTE, I keep thinking why... i have like... well 6-7 really good sets that cost less and are placed in the audiophile catagory with the right setups. If he wants bass and comfort, I keep pimping the DT770s, or Shure 440s, and even Senn HD555s, if open is ok. Hell, My modded Aurvana Lives sound better than stock DT770s, AGK HD240s, and the Shure 440s, well, they are a lot like the Shures, once the Shures are EQed in. The 770s still have a wider headstage, but damn those Aurvanas are some good deals speaking of. Porta Pro normal/25ths for ultra light earpads and Aurvanas for closed cans, then SR60s for open over the ears.
I am an appreciator, if you can get the 25th anniversary set get them.
They really shine with amp - become much more controlled & clean. 
