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Koss PortaPro DJ Headphones with Case| Manufacturer: | Koss | | List price: | $49.99 |
| Our price: | $39.49 that is 21% off! |
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| Koss PortaPro DJ Headphones with Case |
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Average rating:  |  |
Very good for the money but not perfect |
First of all I've owned 6 pairs of these over the last twenty years or so, so I do like them, but they aren't perfect.
My biggest beef is the the hinge for the 'comfort zone' pads, all 3 pairs that I've broken have snapped here, once just from putting them on on a really cold day! Not the end of the world now that Koss has the lifetime warranty, but who needs the hassle of shipping them off and spending the $6 to get them replaced, not to mention being (potentially) without phones for a few weeks. Fold these up and put them in your pocket and I guarantee they WILL break eventually. I could definitely live without that feature to get more durable phones.
For the money the sound is outstanding. You can't compare these to HD600's, they are in a totally different price range, and designed for a different purpose. I've gone through my audiophile stage and now I'm not trying to find every possible detail in the music, I just want to enjoy well rounded, smooth sound, and these deliver. Bass is very good, quite deep and well controlled, and the highs are nicely smoothed out, not harsh, which I really appreciate when listening to cd's. They will take any volume level I've tried without any distortion/buzzing etc.
If you're going to be very active these might tend to slip off, you may want to consider some canal phones (I've got Sony Fontopias, the're ok, very comfortable but the PortaPros sound way better).
The PortaPros let sound in from your environment so you aren't totally cut off from what's happening around you like with canalphones, but that could be a disadvantage if you are looking for something to use on the plane/train etc.
There is a reason Koss has been able to sell these pretty ugly phones unchanged for over twenty years. I'd give these a 5 considering the price if it weren't for the weak hinge. |
| Koss PortaPro DJ Headphones with Case - Koss |  |
Instructions might be helpful |
I thought the Koss KTXPRO1 were good, and given that the specs are nearly identical, I thought there would not be as much difference as there was. The frequency response sounds about the same - maybe a bit more treble from the Portapros. But the big difference is the extra detail and clarity of the Portapros, which are a fully open earpiece design, like many Sennheisers. The Portapros also use a ball joint to attach the earpiece, like the Sennheiser. The Portapros are a bit more efficient than the KTXPRO1 - good if you have a low-output portable.
But when you get a headphone with this much detail, be careful judging it. If your source has distortion, you will hear it more with good headphones than bad. Plug the headphones into a good sound source after breaking it in to see what it really can do.
Unless I missed something, there were no instructions with these headphones. Most people will probably figure out some of it by trial and error. But there are a few observations I have made that might be useful.
First, break the headphones in gently. About 95 percent of the break-in occurs in the first hour. But don't feed them a loud source with a lot of bass probably for the first 10 to 30 hours. I noticed some distortion on some signals in the first few hours that eventually went away. I think these drivers are pretty stiff. It is possible to blow them with too much bass - more than you would normally listen to - based on my experience with the KTXPRO1. So it is probably better to be gentle at first. Turn off the bass boost - which you shouldn't need with these headphones, anyway. And turn off the ESP on your portable CD player while you're at it, which can create distortion.
The Porta-Pros go so deep in the bass that you may hear some near-infra-bass background noise that is sometimes an artifact of older recordings, as well as odd recording studio sounds, like the noise of a violinist's feet on the wood platform she was standing on. On one recording there is an ocassional thumping sound that I thought at first was coming from downstairs. At least that's what happens when I use it with my Citizen CD-140.
There are two oddities about this design. There is a three-position switch for headphone pressure on each side. Bending the headphones closed resets them to firm. And the metal band slides in a sort of circular motion continuously, rather than the usual up and down with clicks of most headphones. So you put the headphones on and slide them down into position on your ears. Then you slide the switches to the position you prefer. The firm postition puts more pressure on your ears, the light position puts more pressure on your temples through the pads. I fiind the medium position balances this pressure more comfortably.
The funny thing about this is that the firmness also has a subtle effect on the sound. The firm position has a warmer sound, and the light position a more airy, open sound. I generally prefer the medium position, but find that it is worth adjusting the pressure depending on the recording. There was an older recording where the strings sounded to stringy in the light position, but sound better in the firm position.
You can also use the band position to fine tune the pressure, and the sound.
Because the headphones don't retain their postions when you take them off, you need to make a note with your fingers of where they headpieces sit along your ears so you can reposition them next time. But first you need to find where they sound best. With any headphone the position makes a difference in the sound; there is usually a sweet spot where there is the most bass and treble, and clarity. With the Porta-pros, there is less difference than most, at least for me. The bass and treble stay about the same, but there is a spot where the sound is the clearest. So remember where your sweet spot is.
There is one slight design flaw that others have noted. The bent metal hook for folding the headphones together touches the top of my right earlobe, which isn't too bad. But for some ears, this might be a problem. I might bend mine closed more.
While the PortaPros are relatively comfortable, I find the pressure a bit more than I prefer. This may decline as the metal band ages. On the other hand, hooking it together, it seems, might bend the band a bit tighter.
The KTXPRO1 is an excellent alternative at less than half the price that has one advantage: a volume control. It might be better in inclement weather than an open design like the PortaPros.
I also bought the Sennheiser PX 100. The Koss Porta-Pros are a thousand times better. The Koss have the detail of the Sennheiser, and more, and even better stereo imaging - both strengths of the Senns. But the Koss wipes the floor with the Senns when it comes to bass and treble, which is limited only by your source equipment. And the Koss are virtually devoid of coloration, unlike the Senns. If you do an A-B comparison of the two, I bet you will not want to listen to the Sennheisers again. I've got two pairs of Sennheisers, and I don't understand why some people seem to worship them.
One other piece of advice that some may be skeptical of: Get some Caig Deoxit or other Caig contact cleaner - they have a variety - and put a drop or two on the headphone plug and work it around on the contact of your player. You don't need to use much. Even with new headphones this will improve the sound noticeably. The Caig formula, besides removing oxidation, bonds with the metal to improve current flow. I have used the stuff for more then 10 years, and it works. Other contact cleaners I have used do not do this. I find there is more treble and the headphones even seem to sound a bit louder - not surprising since Caig says a flashlight will be brighter after you treat the battery and battery holder contacts.
As to the headphones being ugly, all I can say is they look fine in my hand. As to how they look on my head, I don't know and I don't care. |
| Koss - Koss PortaPro DJ Headphones with Case | |
KOSS PORTAPRO IS A WINNER |
| I have had a pair of Koss PortaPro headphone since they came out about 20 years ago. They are the best. I believe they were once top-rated by CU. They have wonderfull bass, clear sound, are comforable to wear. They are low priced. They have a life-time warrenty for $6 S&H repair or replacement by Koss. How may other headphones have this? You will be very happy with the PortaPro. |
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