[rodbac]

My 35s are getting a little loose jointed so may be going back to Koss soon, and I got a deal on a pair of Portapros to take their place for a while.

Reading about them, it seems the consensus is that their bass is greater than the 35s. Now, knowing a little about this line, I've always assumed the differences between the 50s and the 35s (the only two in the line I've heard) was two parts fit and one part enclosure. Looking at the PPs, they almost look like a pair of 35s with a headband, so I ask:

What is it about the PPs that gives them more (maybe too much) bass compared to the 35s? Do they fit even more closely with the band? Is there something about the plastic pieces that makes them more boomy?

Thanks for any insight... -rodbac

 

[Bolt San]

Yep, they're held closer to the ears, and tighter, too.

 

[apnk]

I think the reason they have more bass is becasue the headband presses the drivers to the ears instead of the 35's just hanging there.

 

[rodbac]

Hm. Good enough, then.

I think the 35s sit tightly- I can't imagine what the PPs must feel like.

 

[Patrickhat2001]

The Portapro headband puts more plastic behind it the phones than do the KSC-35s clips and this increases the bass response. Also word on the street from another head-fi member who has disected both phones is that they have different cables. If you remove the actual phones from both the 35s and the PPs and hold them to your ears you'll observe that many of the differences in sound between the two phones are still there. Also install the Portapro's phones on the 35s clips and you'll notice how much more transparent they sound and vice-versa for putting the 35s phones on the portapro headband. The differences between these two phones has nothing to do with fit--they have to do with how the phones are held to the ear and (evidently) differences in their wiring.

 

[LTUCCI1924]

HI: I have the Koss75 and they didn't do it for me but when I pushed them with my fingers against my ears they sounded great.

So I just bought a portapro yesterday and wow what a difference because of the fit. They push against my ears and have great bass and mids,highs.

I am giving them a 100 hour burn in. Even though I had the 75s adjusted as close to my ear as possible they still don't sound like they do when pushed against my ear by hand.

The portapro do and now are my main home cans and there is a 75 ohm adapter from fixup.net for 20.00 that lets you put more power into them and tightens up the bass and smooth out the highs.

I feel that I want to make the portapros all that they can be and use a powerful amp and am waiting for the 75 ohm adapter to get here in a few days. It has been shipped.

The portapro with a lot of power from a amp makes them like a different can with great tight bass and very good mids and highs.

I find them as good or better than many full size cans that cost way more money. Also the portapro are so very ultra light and so very comfortable.

I have owned a hole lot of different cans and have settled on the portapro as my main cans.

Now that I realize that I am a bass head the portapro are just great for me.

 

[BowerR64]

The 75 ohm adaptor is for tube amps right? Im not sure i understand how the adaptor helps the sound unless your using a tube amp, then i can see how it helps.

 

[LTUCCI1924]

BoweR64
HI: How are you? The 75 ohm adapter don't even mention a amp to use with.

Here is what is on the web site about it.

08/22/04] This new adapter adds two 75.0 ohm resistors to your headphone's L and R channels. The resistors are precision film type, 1% accuracy - the best. All the contacts are gold plated. You can use these adapters with any headphone to reduce volume and/or improve sound. For example, when used with Koss KSC/35, the bass becomes well controlled and treble becomes clean; when used with Etymotic ER4P, the sound becomes equal to ER4S. It is so small (tiny), it will never be hassle to use.

I never had a tube amp and use my stereo receiver headphone jack that is solid state. Oh XIN who makes the 75 ohm adapter only makes solid state amps.

 

[appar111]

How much was the adaptor? I may have to pick one up for use with my Sportapros. I agree about the PP/Sporta's - they sound almost as good, if not as good as cans that are much more expensive-- very frustrating when you've spent, say, $150-160 on that pair of headphones!

 

[LTUCCI1924]

appar111
HI: How are you? The adapter cost 20.00 + 4.95 shipping. You can read about it and buy it at www.fixup.net

Go to cool stuff and scrool down to 75 ohm adapter. It comes in black or white.

 

[rodbac]

Quote:

Also word on the street from another head-fi member who has disected both phones is that they have different cables.

HEY- quit busting my chops...

(just kidding)

 

[Wodgy]

The cable is the only major difference between the KSC-35 and PortaPro. If you swap the KSC-35 drivers into the PortaPro housing, you don't get the same amount of bass as you had before. The only way to verify this is to try it yourself, otherwise you won't believe it.

 

[rodbac]

Uh, yeah. Thanks for the reply, Wodgy- I'll take it under advisement...

 

[appar111]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wodgy The cable is the only major difference between the KSC-35 and PortaPro. If you swap the KSC-35 drivers into the PortaPro housing, you don't get the same amount of bass as you had before. The only way to verify this is to try it yourself, otherwise you won't believe it.

I did try this when I had the KSC-35's, and the KSC-35 drivers sound exactly the same as the Portapro drivers when put on the Portapro housing... I think it's the pressure of the headband pushing the drivers more on the ears that causes the increase in bass.

 

[stet]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rodbac HEY- quit busting my chops... (just kidding)

LOL!