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Koss Porta Pro - originals for a good price. Headphones on-ear Koss Porta Pro Classic - Reviews Koss porta pro remote reviews

I thought for a long time whether I should take on this review. Not because the Koss Porta Pro are bad headphones, on the contrary, they are very good in their price category. The main reason for my doubts was that everyone already knows about Porta Pro. But after a little thought, I decided that I still have something to tell about them, so read on, and I hope you will learn something interesting about the legendary model.

If you have not read my review of the Koss UR50 headphones, where I talked about the history of the company, I recommend reading the first half of it to understand the historical context and the role that Koss has played in personal audio.

In the early to mid-80s, the situation for Koss was very difficult. Row bad decisions, taken by a hired manager, almost brought the company to bankruptcy. This forced John C. Coss himself to return and take charge of the company, saving it from what appeared to be an imminent collapse. In those years, Sony with its Walkman player made a revolution, making audio truly portable. Koss also tried to release their own player, but the company was waiting for the failure due to delays in the start of sales. Despite this setback, Koss engineers realized that personal audio was the future and focused on creating good music for on-the-go listening. As a result, in 1984, Porta Pro was developed on the basis of KSP (Koss Sound Partner) headphones.

At that time, there were virtually no role models, there were no large Chinese factories offering hundreds of OEM models that you can take and stick your own logo on and sell. Unsurprisingly, the Porta Pro is innovative in almost every way, often compared to the Kalashnikov, as the Porta Pro has the same combination of simplicity and efficiency.

Based on the basic model, the company produces many similar solutions. The now discontinued Koss Porta Pro Jr, with a black/blue design and no "comfort zone" switch, was offered at a lower price and has now been replaced by the Koss Sporta Pro, which features the ability to wear it with a headband on the back of the head. Also now on sale there is an even more budget model - KSC-75, it is made without a bow at all, the headphones are simply attached to the ears with special “hooks”. All of these models use same driver and similar acoustic design (below I will explain why this is very good).

Not without experiments with design: there are models different colors, with a headset, and in honor of the 25th anniversary of the release of the model in 2009, the company released a limited edition Koss Porta Pro Anniversary Edition. It is this model that I got into my collection, and I will tell on its example.

Acoustic design: open
Ear pad type: on-ear
Mount: arc
Frequency range: 15-25000Hz
Impedance: 60Ω
Sensitivity: 101 dB/mW
THD:< 0,2%
Features: foldable design, ear cushion pressure regulator
Cord length: 1.2m
Plug: 3.5mm
Weight: 79g

Packing and scope of delivery

The anniversary edition comes in a solid double black cardboard box. An outer box made of ordinary black cardboard with silver embossing hides another one - made of thick cardboard.

Opening the second box, we finally get access to the headphones. Everything is neatly laid out in foam rubber, the company's slogan: "Hearing is Beieving" is applied on the inside of the lid. In addition to the headphones themselves, you will receive a leather carrying pouch, a 6.3 mm adapter and a commemorative coin dedicated to the anniversary.

The usual version of Porta Pro is sold in a transparent plastic blister, it does not look so stylish, but it allows you to save a lot on purchase.

Design and wearing comfort

The design of the headphones never ceases to amaze with its efficiency. The headband is made of two metal arms that move relative to each other, this simple mechanism allows you to easily adjust the size, achieving a comfortable fit. Of the minuses - sometimes this design can capture several hairs. In the regular version these plates are silver, in the anniversary and color versions they are black.

At the ends of the arc are black plastic ear cup holders, their characteristic shape has become calling card models. The design allows the arms to fold inward for transport, while the headband itself can be secured using a hook and loop on opposite ends (another example of a clever idea). Silver inserts complete the design of the headphones.

The ear cups are hinged for a better fit. The ear pads are made of foam rubber, they are put on the cup, covering it, and are additionally held by small pins on the outside of the cup. In the regular version, the cups are blue, in the anniversary version they are black, I personally like this option more.

The symmetrical Y-cable is one of the weakest points of the Porta Pro, I think all owners of these headphones will agree with this. Capable of surviving a nuclear blast or a short trip through space, ports are most likely to fail due to cable breaks near a plug or cup. In regular models, the cable is also the simplest, in rubber insulation, and in the Anniversary Edition - in cloth, which gives it a little strength.

In terms of comfort, Porta Pro is also unlikely to cause any complaints: they are light, almost weightless, movable cups provide a comfortable fit. There are foam pads on the inside of the headband. There are two knobs on the outside of the earcups for adjusting the pressure, although sound is best when the headphones fit snugly.

Since the headphones are open, the sound isolation is average. You can listen to them on the street, but noise will already interfere in transport, and there is a risk of quarreling with neighbors who are dissatisfied with the noise.

Sound

The following equipment was used for listening:

Macbook Pro early 2011
Yulong DA8 in HogMode as DAC/Amplifier
as a player
Fischer Audio Oldskool 33 1/3, AKG K702 for comparison
Recordings in lossless formats

As I wrote above - the headphones are open, their sound is warm, prone to darkness, a little detached. The bass is good given the price of the headphones, but when compared with more expensive models - with enough, it sometimes lacks clarity and pressure. The middle is well developed, but it is drowned out by the bass a little, due to this the sound on some tracks seems a little buzzing. The upper frequencies are not straining, relaxed, although sometimes they lack speed.

It is worth, however, to take into account that all these nitpicks are unequivocally leveled by the cost of the headphones. If you take into account the price tag, Koss Porta Pro sound more than good, and certainly beat almost all competitors in a similar price range.

Due to the open design, the sound is quite voluminous and the instruments are not badly positioned. I also like the energetic nature of these kids, they are well suited for music filled with life and "real" instruments.

Maud

The potential of the emitters used in the headphones is quite high, this can be heard from the careful study of the entire spectrum, the main problem- this is the bass, "fitting" on the middle frequency range. The second most important problem is the insufficient study of the upper frequency range, which deprives the sound of "air". This is largely due to the acoustic design of the headphones.

The fact is that a grille with very narrow slots and foam rubber ear pads are located on top of the emitter, it is they who dampen the upper and partially mid frequencies, leaving a lot of booming bass. It is not difficult to fix this, for this there is a so-called "Krummer mod".

Attention! Everything that you do with headphones - you do at your own peril and risk. This mod deprives you of the warranty, and if done carelessly, the headphones. Although if you do it carefully, then it does not present any difficulty.

Headphones for the mod will need to be disassembled, instructions with pictures are traditionally available on iFixit.

First you will need to remove the cups with emitters. They are held on by a simple latch, so to detach you need to put your fingers under the cup and pull it away from the mount.

The next step is to remove the ear pads. Everything is trite here, the main thing is not to tear them on the fastening pins.

The last step you need to take is to remove the black grill covering the aperture. It also rests on snaps, so carefully pry it off.

Now, using a drill, you need to make as many holes in the grate as possible. It is best to take a smaller drill first, then widen the hole with a larger one. You can see the configuration of the holes in the picture.

After that, carefully assemble the headphones back, except for the ear pads. In the middle of the ear pads, you need to cut a hole about half the diameter. You can do this roughly using a clerical knife, or you can find a suitable diameter tube and, sharpening it, cut a hole with it.

Another fun, but working option: instead of ear pads, pull on an elastic band for hair of a suitable diameter.

As you understand, the main goal of this mod is to remove as much as possible all possible obstacles between the emitter and your ear. As a result, the sound of the upper middle and HF range is greatly improved, the bass becomes not so booming and smeared.

Compatibility

Headphones, despite the impedance above average, are not very critical to the source. They play great from any source, although after the mod they are quite worthy good players the level of the same X3. I also want to note that the lower the output impedance of the player, the better bass control your Porta Pro will have.

conclusions

The most famous, best-selling, longest-running headphones are all Koss Porta Pro. If you are looking for over-ear headphones and are not burdened with extra money, then Porta Pro will be an excellent choice for you.

Competition

You have a chance to see for yourself the veracity of this review, since Koss gave us the opportunity to give some of the readers Sporta Pro headphones (and almost everything written about Porta Pro applies to them), so we will hold a simple raffle.

There were a lot of participants, so we collected all your links to social networks, removed duplicates from them and got a list of unique posts in in social networks. Next, using the generator random numbers chose one link and identified its author. Thus, the winner is our reader with the nickname Pioneer_93. Congratulations!

Koss porta PRO has been on the market for more than 25 years and during this time the model has not lost its fans. People buy headphones, break them a couple of years later and buy the same model again. What attracts them? Comfortable headband and ear pads good sound music tracks and movies, as well as the ability to combine headphones with various transmitting devices.

Design and ergonomics

Taking the Koss porta PRO out of the box, you may be surprised to feel their lightness and, as it were, fragility. But this laxity and looseness is deceptive. In fact, headphones can please with durability and practicality. Fragility and a feeling of fragility arise due to the fact that all elements of the device are not tightly fixed, retain mobility.

Due to the mobility, the possibility of an anatomical fit of the headband on the head of any diameter is achieved. The height of the headband is adjusted by moving two plastic adjusters along the metal shackle. In the middle, the regulators meet - at the maximum possible width of the headband.

Users note that it is advisable to adjust the height of the headband before you put the headphones on your head. Otherwise, there is a risk of grabbing hair and pulling out a good tuft when removing the headphones or setting the desired arc width.

Headphones with open cups and over-ear cushions do not provide a high degree of noise isolation. There is definitely nothing to do with them in the subway, the rumble of the train will drown out any melody. But on a busy street in these headphones you can hear a car coming from behind, a cyclist approaching.

Other design features:

possibility of compact folding;
the presence of a symmetrical wire to both headphones;
L-shaped plug with more than 90 degree rotation for comfortable installation.

A distinctive feature of headphones from Koss is the presence of foam rubber ear pads and special temple supports on the cups. In the area of the stops there are also external regulators that help to set the force of "pressing" the cups to the ears.

This is what Koss porta PRO differs from the Sporta model of the same manufacturer. The Sporta model does not have a regulator, which is probably why it is considered that the sound in them is worse.

Speakers in the ear pads are attached to the cups movably, scroll on the hinges. This allows you to immediately conveniently attach the headphones to ears of any size.

The owners of the device note that even with prolonged use of the headphones, there is no discomfort in the ears, the scalp does not sweat, the headband does not rub the head and does not put pressure on the top of the head. Ergonomics are on top, single complaints arise from users who wear headphones on their heads for more than 4 hours.

Compact folding is another plus of these headphones. The cups rotate on hinges, fold inward. This opens the hooks with which the ends of the headband are connected.

This prevents the earphones from being unintentionally opened. Some difficulties arise with wires that become stiffer in the cold. In order not to tear them, it is better not to use the device at -20.

The kit also includes a leather-look sheath, which is tightened with ties. Although it looks very small, the folded headphones just fit in it.

Since the cover is soft, it can be easily placed in a bag or pocket. Moreover, given the normal strength of the headphones, you don’t have to worry that somewhere they will be pressed against books or the bag will not be neatly placed, thrown.

Available functions

The functionality of the headphones is minimal, their task is simply to reproduce sound.

But they can work with various devices:

push-button telephones;
smartphones on Android based, iOS or Windows Phone;
music players;
laptops and PCs.

The 7 Best Koss Headphones

Headphone owners note that they are well suited for listening to audiobooks, as they clearly and clearly reproduce human speech. It is also convenient to use the device to listen to podcasts on the way to work or on a walk.

For sports, Koss porta PRO is not very suitable. According to users, when moving, balanced cables are very in the way. Hands get confused in them, sometimes by accidentally pulling the cable, you can rip the headphones off your head.

Cyclists and joggers who appreciate the dynamics of melodies and sound detail speak positively about the device.

There are also rave reviews from cinephiles who praise the headphones for their good fit. Even after several hours of using the device, there is no headache, no feeling of heaviness.

The only negative is that you can’t watch movies in a room where someone is sleeping, as low sound insulation lets all sounds out.

Sound playback

The sound is almost perfect. And not only for headphones in the price range of 2,000 - 3,000 rubles. Users actively compare the quality of playback of melodies with monitor headphones, being surprised that small overhead "ears" are able to compete with professional equipment.

Some experts note that the point here is most likely in the "floating" speaker, not tightly fixed on the cup.

Be that as it may, the reviews of the owners of the headphones about the sound quality are mostly positive:

"Velvety bottoms. Listen to pop music, like rap. The tops are not very distinguishable, but the middle is alive. Great for watching movies, clearly convey special effects. In the subway, however, you can’t watch videos, the noise interferes. ”
“I want to take out the sound quality as a virtue. Mids and lows are well defined. There's a bit of a lack of treble, but the scene still feels great."
“Bass is good, mids and highs are also flawless. For home or office - ideal, can be used for listening voice messages, but the microphone will have to be purchased separately.
“For walks in the forest, houses and runs are good. The high sensitivity of the speakers allows you to use them even with old phones. Perfectly recreates a wide stage and quite decent vocals. Bass has to be adjusted in the equalizer.

The bottoms, by the way, in headphones are not so good as to be admired. The reason is the lack of sound insulation. To fully experience the power and depth of rock compositions, it is better to purchase full-size monitor headphones, such as Technics. And Koss is more of a casual option for unpretentious music lovers.

conclusions

Poor sound insulation, which users often mention, is a design feature of Koss porta PRO. And, if you want to enjoy great music in Everyday life, you should put up with the background "behind your back".

Optimally, these headphones are suitable for people who love hiking and cycling, as well as music lovers who prefer to go to school to music, work to their favorite tunes. The foam earbuds are not very durable, but a spare set of ear pads can be purchased separately.

Thematic materials: 12 best headphones for sports
. 17 best vacuum headphones
Top 5 Bone Conduction Headphones
Top 6 Audio-Technica Headphones
. 6 best in-ear headphones
. Top 7 Koss Headphones

Users call Koss porta PRO legendary headphones. And they mean not only the “longevity” of a single design and construction, but also sound quality that remains consistently good and an ergonomic fit that makes the headband suitable for any head.

It all happened suddenly. Before these headphones, I had a similar model of this company - Koss Sporta Pro. They served me faithfully, they repaired them for me for two years for free, when I accidentally tore their wires, or they broke from wear, but then the warranty ended and independent repair attempts began. Initially, everything was fine, but the moment came when they refused to be repaired. One speaker stopped playing. I tried to solder the plug and the speaker itself did not work. And to hell with them, I thought, probably their time has come. They were already soldered, the speakers were weak, I wanted something new. But here there was a small problem, which was the price. Looking for something new, I was not ready to give almost 1 thousand UAH (about $40-45) for the same ones that I once took for 250 UAH (about $10-12, at the current exchange rate). And this is considering that this instance is inexpensive.
Periodic visits to sites only disappointed with their prices. The option with some Chinese company fell away immediately, since there is a very big risk of buying something inappropriate. It might be good, but it's not the right one. And once again, climbing on eBay, in search of something branded, but cheaper than ours, I accidentally stumbled upon this lot.
Almost everyone has probably seen and heard this model, so I was sure that they suit me. Soon I began to terrorize the seller. First, I studied the lot in detail, and then more than once asked the seller whether it was the original or good copy whether it is the original, and so on. The seller tore the hair on his chest, assuring that this is the original, and that he himself does not like fakes. After thinking and poraskinuv all the pros and cons, I still dared to place an order. This was prompted by the description of the lot, which stated that it was the original, the seller’s persuasive words about the same, and also good job customer protection service, which is a level higher than on Ali. As it turned out, everything worked out well, and my worries were superfluous.

As for originality, I do not want to paint a lot here. I can only say that I compared them with the original ones, no differences were noticed, they sound the same as the originals, but there would be no such thing in a copy. Plus, there are popular examples on the Internet on how to distinguish an original from a fake. They also passed this test. Here's the first link I found for an example:
Characteristics:

Headphone type: open
Frequency range: 15 - 25000 Hz
Headphone impedance: 60 ohm
Sensitivity: 101 dB

The packaging here is standard, with the inscription “listen to music in your iphone” (in the originals, this is the inscription), but as I understand it, the old revision. Since the new one uses a slightly different, cardboard one.

There is even Russian text on the box:

In addition to the standard equipment: a pouch and an adapter, the seller also put gifts that people wrote about in the comments. This is a pair of ear pads, a fabric harness with Velcro, and some other evil piece of iron. As I understand it, this is a wall hook for headphones. It would seem a trifle, but it's nice, especially the ear pads, for which they take a lot of money from us. Although, I ordered 5 pairs of these for myself a long time ago, for only 1 dollar.

The headband of the headphones is made of metal. The edges are carefully sanded.

The rest is plastic, the design is light. It sits on the head normally, firmly, although after a long time the head may get a little tired.

Size adjustable:

With the help of these two "sliders", which, in my opinion, lack a cushioning lining, for example, like the AKG K403.

They can also be fastened into a single ring for easy transportation. For this, a bag is included in the kit, but it is difficult to put them in there, but in everyday life such a bag will come in handy.

The headphones have two positions, this is firm-strong, I would call it ordinary, and light-light, when the headphones are slightly moved apart, and do not press so hard on the ears. In the photo, this difference is not particularly noticeable, so I did not take a photo, but in reality there is a difference. The sensations are not cardinal, but there is less pressure on the ears, and greater audibility of the environment.

The design, as I said, is made of plastic, pimply texture, with the designation of the left and right earphones. Also, a metal screw is screwed on the left side, as I understand it, rummaging through the Internet, a microphone is attached there.

I didn’t manage to disconnect the speakers from the structure and get to their insides, they sit very tightly, and this is a big plus, since in my past headphones this place has weakened over time. In the place of contact with the temples, there are foam softeners.

The place where the wire is soldered to the earpiece is collapsible, so in case of a breakdown (as I often did, the wire caught on my knee when I tie the laces, and then a sharp jerk upwards), they can be disassembled and soldered. Inside the place of soldering, the wire is tied into a knot, and is touched by a special stopper so that it is not so easy to tear it off.
The quality of the speaker landing site is good, there are no burrs. But in copies everything looks much sadder there.

Photo without ear pads. As you can see, the ear pads will not fall off by themselves, as they cling to the plastic antennae with their material.

The plug is straight. Previously, they produced L-shaped ones, then they began to make straight ones. On my last headphones, the last time I was given an L-shaped one, and it was the most unkillable plug, I even tried to break the wires at the end of the warranty period so that they could fix them for free for the last time, but it wasn’t there ... In general In general, the quality of the wire here is good, the wires are soft, unlike the old oak ones that were in the early versions.
Attention question?! Who knows how to protect this plug from kinks, and how it can be "wrapped"?
The seller also has options for headphones with a microphone, and with a wire in a fabric braid.

Sound:
I'll try to somehow convey my feelings in more detail. The headphones sound good, very noticeable bass, soft, without rattling. Doesn't strain your ears. The mids are also on the level, the voice is natural, there is no feeling of excess or shortage. But the high frequencies here are a little lacking, everything would seem fine, but that very “squeak” is missing, I would like a little more high ones. In general, I am satisfied with the sound, everything is soft, pleasant.

Conclusions:
Ultimately, I was very pleased with the purchase. I bought original headphones from a good company, with good quality, for a small price. The downside in this situation is the lack of a warranty card. It is clear that no one would send them back to China, but I think it would be possible to agree to fill it in your city and make a seal. The seller has many variations of these headphones to choose from: different colors, with and without a microphone, with a fabric braided cable. Offline you can find places with a price close to this, but not cheaper, and some are much more expensive, so I consider the purchase successful. If I forgot to add something, please ask.
And in the end, I would like to ask if there is an alternative to these headphones for a similar price? But of the same type, that is, overhead, not vacuum.

I plan to buy +27 Add to favorites Liked the review +2 +29

Headphones Koss Porta Pro do not need a special introduction. For the past three decades, they have been one of the most popular models among inexpensive mass headphones. The model turned out to be so successful that the design of the first serial copies does not differ from the Porta Pro currently produced. And decent sound quality allows the headphones to look decent to this day.

The Koss Porta Pro Wireless headphones are the wireless version of the legendary model and are designed to make it easier to use the headphones with mobile devices via a Bluetooth connection.

Koss Porta Pro Wireless completely repeats the design of the wired model, the Bluetooth module and the battery are located on a short wire connecting the headphones to each other. This may seem contradictory, since the concept wireless connection eliminates the use of wires in principle. However, it is thanks to this solution that the Porta Pro Wireless headphones were able to maintain the authenticity of the design, which combines simplicity and convenience.

Specifications Koss Porta Pro Wireless

Headphone type: dynamic, on-ear
Construction: foldable
Connectivity: wireless, Bluetooth 4.1, aptX
Frequency response: 15 Hz - 25 kHz
Driver Size: 38mm
Sensitivity: 111dB/mW
Built-in battery: lithium-ion
Working time: more than 12 hours
Connector for connection: Micro-USB
Extras: built-in microphone and remote control
Weight: 79g
Package contents: USB cable, carrying case

Official product page:

Design and features

For those who see the Porta Pro for the first time, the headphones will seem tiny. In fact, they are not so small; for an overhead model, their size is rather typical. The slim design gives the headphones a miniature look.

The headband is made in the form of two metal plates that move relative to each other. With their help, the planting depth is regulated. The bulk of the parts are made of plastic, so the headphones are very light, their weight is only 79 g. At the same time, they are held on the head very firmly and relatively comfortably.

You can slightly loosen the clamping force with the help of special limiting latches that slightly change the angle of the earpiece relative to the headband. There are two positions that are not significantly different visually, but very tactilely distinguishable when placing the headphones on the head.

The cups are fixed on the headband with a hinged mount. It allows the earpiece to freely take the required angle of inclination, snugly fitting to the ear of any shape. The cups are round in shape and wrapped with a layer of soft foam rubber. For additional comfort and even pressure distribution, the headphones have an additional foam cushion.

Koss Porta Pro Wireless headphones have an open design, rear end The cup has many holes. Here the membrane of the maximum allowable size is used, its diameter is 38 mm. The membrane itself mechanical damage covered with a plastic grate. Claimed sensitivity for on-ear headphones is quite decent, 111 dB.

The remote control and the battery are located on the wire. The wire is short, but its length is enough for the neck placement. The control panel with a built-in indicator and a microphone is located at the right earpiece. The indicator is non-switchable, when the headphones are on, it flashes at intervals of once every 5 seconds with a bright blue light. The remote control is equipped with rubberized buttons and allows you to adjust the volume and activate the Mute mode. For control by touch, the power button has a protruding tubercle. Here, in the remote control, there is a Micro-USB connector for charging the built-in battery.

Porta Pro Wireless uses lithium ion battery, allowing you to use the headphones for more than 12 hours of listening to music. We were unable to measure exact time earbuds, but we confirm a long battery life from a single charge. The USB cable for charging is already included, but the adapter will have to be borrowed from some mobile device.

The headphones have a foldable design that allows you to place the cups inside the headband. In such a folded state, the headphones easily fit into a special zippered case, which is included in the kit.

Wireless connection of headphones to mobile devices occurs in the usual way and is no different from pairing other Bluetooth devices. Headphones go into pairing mode with a new device after holding the power button. Koss Porta Pro Wireless claims to support Bluetooth version 4.1 and aptX.

Frequency response measurements

During the measurements, we used a hardware-software complex of our design. Also used was the Brüel & Kjær 4153 - Artificial Ear/Ear Simulator (IEC 60318-1), which emulates the acoustic impedance of the ear in accordance with international standards.

Frequency response graph of Koss Porta Pro Wireless headphones

Our measurements well illustrate the main points in the sound of the Koss Porta Pro Wireless headphones: a rise in the lower mids and a slight indentation in the highs. If you can use an equalizer, you can slightly improve the sound. Suppressing the rise around 100 Hz and softening the peak at high will help to even out the timbre a little. This will be enough.

sound

Headphones Koss Porta Pro Wireless play quite well, for a mass model the sound quality is at a high level.

The sound of Porta Pro Wireless has the bright and open character of more expensive models. Most of all, Koss headphones captivate with an even timbre balance, without distortions in any frequency range. This does not tire your hearing and allows you to listen to music comfortably for a long time. Due to good detail and intelligibility at mid frequencies, it is pleasant to listen to music in headphones. The rise in the lower midrange region is quite smooth and does not look like a critical drawback, and if it is equalized a little, the sound of the headphones improves noticeably. As for the high-frequency range, despite a slight accent and a peculiar character, there is no poisonous shade in the sound, which is characteristic of many budget models. Low frequencies in Koss Porta Pro Wireless also look decent. Given the overhead design, the bass in the headphones is enough. It can be said that lower case The headphones sound quite delicate. It does not have a booming character and does not dominate, like closed headphones.

Headphones fully open at medium volume. At a low volume level, the overall intelligibility is slightly lost, and at a high volume, distortions already appear. Of course, no one interferes with listening to music in extreme modes, it's just that the emitters best sound the entire frequency range at an average volume level.

It is also worth noting the unpretentiousness of the headphones in relation to the accuracy of the location on the ear. The headphones themselves are small, and there are always some difficulties in how to place the cup on the ear. Fortunately, the sound does not change even with a significant displacement of the earpiece. Thus, the low weight of the headphones, good fixation on the head and the lack of influence of the position of the cup on the sound make it possible to successfully use the Koss Porta Pro Wireless on the move.

conclusions

The legendary Koss Porta Pro earphones have received the long-awaited version of Porta Pro Wireless. Headphones with Bluetooth are not inferior in quality to the original model and look like a full-fledged alternative to the wired version. Porta Pro Wireless headphones are very light and fit comfortably on the head, have good quality sound and are perfect for active users mobile devices, since in addition to the wireless connection they have the functions of a headset. It is also important that the Wireless version is affordable, like the original Porta Pro.

Modern realities dictate a frantic pace of renewal model range, because progress does not stand still, new technologies appear every year. Yes, and to sell a product presented in the past is not a trivial task, the buyer is chasing new products. But there are also timeless classics! KOSS Porta Pro are headphones with a 30-year history, which are still in production and are in enviable demand. Today we have to understand the secrets of the success of the model on the example of a limited series created specifically for Russia - KOSS Porta Pro Casual Edition.

Specifications

Headphone type: on-ear.
Fastening method: headband.
Type of emitters: dynamic.
Type of acoustic design: closed.
frequency response headphones: 15 - 25,000 Hz.
Impedance: 60 Ohm.
Sensitivity: 101 dB.
Format sound scheme: stereo 2.0.
Headset connection: 3.5 mm (3-pin).
Cable: fixed 1.2 m.
Weight: 79 g.
Features: foldable design, comfortZone suspension adjustment.

Equipment

Headphones are delivered in a small cardboard box, decorated in light colors. It's nice that the company took care of the Russification of the inscriptions that describe key features models.

Inside - a plastic pedestal, for convenient pulling a rope is provided. In addition to the headphones themselves, the package includes a transport bag. The packaging was made by people for whom attention to detail is not an empty phrase, the contents look more than presentable.

Appearance and design of headphones

I think the design of the KOSS Porta Pro when it was released in 1984 was quite bold, even futuristic. Over the past decades, appearance has become the epitome of classics. The test turned out to be the Casual Edition, decorated in blue-brown tones. The color scheme reflected the combination of jeans and leather, which is so deeply embedded in our lives. This made me take a fresh look at the classics of the model, refreshing its appearance.

The design remained unchanged. The basis is a metal headband, to which a suspension made of semi-gloss plastic is attached. The material has a pleasant to the touch texture, which plays beautifully in the light. An important accent is chrome-plated metal inserts with a painted model name. A small screw on the left hanger completes the retro look of the model and helps to distinguish the left speaker from the right one on the move.

KOSS Porta Pro - on-ear headphones. Headband adjustment is carried out by two metal plates that move freely relative to each other. To fit the headphones, you need to spread the headband to the extreme position with the help of plastic tips, and after putting it on, adjust the size in accordance with the volume of the head.

The second detail that provides a comfortable fit is foam inserts in the temporal region. The pressure exerted on the ears is adjusted by changing the angle of the suspension, relative to the headband. Only three positions, the adjustment range of a couple of degrees is impressive. The solution can only be called unique!

The picture is completed by a hinge with which the cups are attached to the suspension. The adjustment range is wide enough to ensure a precise fit. We have to admit that the foam rubber ear pads look rather archaic, but there are no complaints about the material, the ears do not sweat. The only thing in which foam rubber loses to leatherette is in wear resistance, the lining will have to be changed periodically. Fortunately, due to the prevalence of the model, there are no problems with finding spare ear pads.

In general, the ergonomics of KOSS Porta Pro was a real revelation for me, the design breaks the stereotypes about the inconvenience of miniature on-ear headphones. Once you choose the right combination of settings and you don’t want to say goodbye to the headphones. Due to the precise adjustment of pressure on the ears and lightness, only 79 grams, the concept of fatigue during wear simply does not exist.

The company's engineers did not forget about the convenience of transportation. The suspension is equipped with a swivel mount with a lock and folds into the inside of the headband. For greater compactness, a hook is provided. When folded, the headphones can easily fit into a fist, as well as in a complete leatherette case. You can carry KOSS Porta Pro not only in a bag or backpack, the headphones will not take up much space in a pocket of a winter jacket. You can fold the headphones without fear for the safety of the structure, because the cable is routed for each channel separately, and the metal plastic of the headband is quite flexible.

Connection

Cable - weak side KOSS Porta Pro. It seems to me that a model of this class and sound level is worthy of a modern braided wire. But buyers are waiting for an ordinary cable with a length of 1.2 meters in a rubber braid. The connection is carried out by 3.5 mm, the L-shaped plug is a big plus for reliability.

sound

Sound is the main highlight of KOSS Porta Pro and the reason for its high popularity. The model is famous for its excellent low frequencies. The bass sounds punchy and rich. There is a sense of volume that most compact headphones lack. Even at maximum volume, lows sound detailed and without a hint of wheezing. This character, combined with compact body- the merit of the open design. Radiators do not need an acoustically well-thought-out space inside the cabinet.

As a result, KOSS Porta Pro cope with electronic music rich in low frequencies with a bang, the compositions sound really driving! But the company's engineers did not stop there, fans of rock and other genres saturated with instruments will appreciate the well-developed middle, which gives the sound the necessary dynamics.

As you know, emitters dynamic type, which form the basis of KOSS Porta Pro, are not able to play the entire frequency range equally well. Therefore, the owners of fine hearing, who are used to enjoying the most subtle notes, will notice the littered highs. Equalizer to a greater extent corrects the current situation. And the headphones do not pretend to be the ultimate Hi-Fi solution.

With all the advantages described above, the open design is fraught with some nuances. First of all - the complete absence of passive noise isolation, which causes discomfort in public transport you have to turn up the volume. The latter entails the risk of disturbing people around, the sound from open headphones easily breaks out and covers the room.

Summing up

KOSS Porta Pro Casual is, first of all, an interesting sound that will appeal to an admirer of most musical genres. Complementing the picture is a successful design that has all the necessary features, despite the compactness of the case. It is also impossible not to note the remarkable design, the headphones look more than original. All of the above are the very success drivers that have allowed KOSS Porta Pro to successfully march on the compact headphone market since 1984. Adequate price and correct positioning made the model legendary and incredibly popular!

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