Koss Porta Pro Limited Edition On-Ear Headphones, in-Line Microphone, Volume Control and Touch Remote Control, Retro Style, Includes Hard Carry Case, Wired with 3.5mm Plug, Rhythm Beige

I had a pair of Porta Pros all the way back in the mid 80's that I bought mostly because of their unusual design, but I soon came to love them for their amazing sound quality, especially considering the ridiculously low price. I enjoyed those little suckers for many years, maybe 15, until they finally decided to get up from my office desk and go home with someone else. Fickle bastards. So it's been at least 15 years since we parted ways and I'd all but forgotten about my old pair of Porta Pros, but while I was recently hunting around for a new pair of headphones to replace the latest set to also elect to be adopted by a stranger I stumbled upon this Amazon page, and I was reminded of the great times I'd shared with that long-ago-runaway pair. A true Hollywood romance in the making, aye?The Koss Porta Pros I just received have better sound quality than I remembered of my long gone originals, even before being properly broken in. The critical mid range where vocals and guitar and piano are most present is truly wonderful; rich, full, crisp & detailed. Sibilance and other anomalies are nearly nonexistent, while ambiance, atmosphere & sound stage are impressive. The upper frequencies are likewise well fashioned, supplying ample shimmer & sparkle, but not brittle. As pleasant as the upper range is, it should only improve after 50 or 100 hours of break in. Now the bass is a mixed bag. It definitely pumps out a full heavy thump if that's what you demand of your skull speakers. I prefer less bass than is the current fashion, although a pair of cans that can deliver brain rattling sub sonics is not contrary to my ethos. I just don't need it as desperately as younger ears do. That said, I could hope for better low end definition in these Porta Pros. Bass drums and low end cello's sound a bit muffled and soft, lacking natural acoustics. This, too, may change as they break in, I'm hoping. The bass isn't BAD or even disappointing, it's just not quite as competently executed as the rest of the sonic spectrum. I only make this point to assist those of you who are in the market for bass monsters, which these are not.Fit is also a mixed bag. They're so light that weight isn't a consideration even after a few hours of constant use. However, the thin foam ear pads provide the absolute minimum of cushioning, and within 30 minutes of use I became aware of a very dull ache on various points on my ears. The headset's pressure can be adjusted, and set on "Light" they are slightly less tight on the head and ears, but I may have to try releasing some of the pressure by carefully bending the metal headband by opening them up wide, repeatedly. I'm going to wait to attempt that delicate operation in case they ease up on their own from use. If I do have to adjust them I'll be careful not to over-bend them; the thin metal bands might lose their elasticity if I overdo it.The cable is very thin, but it seems durable enough, not chintzy, and it transmits zero noise to the ear pieces. The plug end is reinforced nicely with the cable extending at a 45 degree angle which I feel is the best formation to reduce wear & tear on that critical point. The in-line volume slider works very well and does not change adjustment on its own as I first feared it might. The microphone is, um, adequate. Not great. It's actually pretty bad if you're speaking with any wind or background noises. If you hold the mic right up to your mouth and speak more quietly it's intelligible and passable. I left a few messages on my home answering service testing different conditions, and holding the mic almost to my lips produces the least annoying, most clear sound.Their appearance is just as distinctive & unusual as they ever were, which I like, especially now with the classy Shiny Gold & Matte Black styling. The included semi-hard zip-up case is a very welcome & useful addition, and the soft leatherette pouch is a pleasant bonus. So far, I'm more than pleased with this latest iteration of that trusted long lost friend, and I'm guessing they're just as happy to be reunited with the older, better version of me. Sure they are...

I just really don't like earbuds, but I needed something more portable than my Sennheiser or Grados. I didn't even consider that these might give those cans a run for their money in terms of sound quality. But, the Porta Pros absolutely blew me away. First off: the soundstage on these is amazing. I listened to some Oscar Peterson trio and I swear I could pin-point where Ray Brown on bass and Ed Thigpen on drums were playing in relation to Peterson's piano (at least in my head), it was like they were all there in the room with me, the sound was so clear, vibrant, and nuanced. My Sennheiser and Grados have been collecting a lot of dust lately, cause I just love the way these sound so much.I was a bit concerned about comfort and build quality, but my fears were allayed. Despite being on-ear, I can wear them for hours without any discomfort, and the pressure is adjustable. I wear glasses, and the gap between the pads allows my glasses to sit without having to adjust them (which I can't say for any of my other on-ear or over-ear headphones). Build quality-wise, these feel incredibly solid for a combo of plastic and metal.I fold them up and take them on the road with me. While not as compact as a set of earbuds, they are still incredibly small for headphones. I also needed something that would double as a headset since I do a lot of Zoom for work. While not perfect, these work in a pinch. Folks can hear me fine on the other end. The biggest issue being that moving around the mic can knock against my shirt and cause noise, so I have to be conscious of that to avoid annoying my listeners.I added some orange Yaxi pads to these and the comfort did go up a notch or two. I loved them so much, I got the version they have on Drop.com as well (those have stock pads still, which work fine). You can't go wrong with either, but I like that these came with a hardshell case and in-line volume, so in that regard they may be slightly better value.PS I don't know why they want me to rate noise cancellation on here, these do not seem to be noise cancelling at all. Which is what I want since I use them portably and want to be able to hear what's going on around me. It is easy to hear with these on. There is a bit of sound leakage, but they aren't as bad as my Grados, so as long as you aren't blasting them, you shouldn't disturb people around you too much.

Pros:1. Really light weight2. comfortable out of box, but you can replace ear pads to make it even better3. Amazing sound - pumpy lows+bass, clear mids and highs4. The folding mechanism and case make it easy to travel with.5. IN-line microphone and volume controlCons1. Build quality is not that great (but you are paying a fraction of the other competitors with similar sound profiles)2. The cable is quite delicate