Koss Porta Pros Headphones
←← Take me back to the writings directory!Writing for this article started on August 22nd and was officially finished on October 2nd.
The Feel
Right out of the box, I noticed the Koss Porta Pros are very light. Similarly, when putting them on my head they exerted very little pressure on my head. This being said, even the light pressure of the Koss Porta Pros is exaggerated to hell by the thick-framed glasses I'm wearing as I write this. I find that if I wear these for an extended period of time without adjusting anything, I get a stinging pain around my ears where my glasses rest. Taking my glasses off alleviates the pain, but doing that isn't ideal since I kinda need those to see.
Fortunately, the Koss Porta Pros have an option to adjust the firmness of the headphones, even though they're already so light. On each ear of the headphones is a 'ComfortZone' switch that can be switched between firm, medium, and light — though medium might as well not exist since I've never gotten my headphones to sit in the medium position. Setting the headphones to light pressure offsets the pressure onto your temples, which has been a godsend for glasses-related pain.
Ease of Use
Aside from one very specific aspect about them, the Koss Porta Pros are just as easy to use as any other set of headphones. These things are wired, so these will reliably deliver sound without fear of your headphones dying (ahem, unlike Bluetooth). Putting these things on would also be as easy as cake, if only it weren't for the way you're supposed to adjust the size.
With the Koss Porta Pros, you adjust the size by sliding the two plastic sliders on the band of the headphones. Sliding them apart makes the headband smaller, and sliding them together makes them bigger. Super simple on paper if only they weren't so darn slippery. You could have the headphones be adjusted to the right size yet have them slip out of shape before you can reach to get them on your head. This mechanism gave me a great deal of frustration, and so what I used to do was put tape behind the plastic sliders to keep them from moving once I found the right size. I wouldn't recommend this since semi-permanently keeping them at one size compromises their portability. Since I've started living with these headphones, I think I've found the proper way to adjust their size:
- Slide the sliders on the headphone band together, such that they're touching.
- Put the headphones on your head, such that the 'ears' meet your ears.
- Reach up and slide the sliders apart until you've achieved your ideal fit.
Sound Quality
I'm not an audiophile, so this section is going to be rather short. To the untrained ear (like mine), these sound good. Videos I've watched about these headphones also point to the sound quality being rather good, though if you want specifics you're better off watching those videos.
I will also comment that these things are not sound-proof. Depending on who you are, this could be a plus or a minus, but if you're looking for a set of headwear you can use to escape a noisy environment, the Porta Pros may not be for you. Blasting your music may not be an option either (without becoming a nuisance yourself) since these headphones are susceptible to sound leakage.
Portability and Durability
Portability, it's in the name! In their folded position, these headphones can fit on the palm of your hand, being around 3.5 inches across. As mentioned before, these are also very light, adding no real weight to your every day carry (if you have an every day carry).
With its lightness though, it lends itself to being fragile. The most durable part of these headphones seems to be the metal band, but everything else is made up of plastic. If you're tossing these headphones into a bag, make sure it's not being placed under anything heavy or put these in a hard carrying case, otherwise these are definitely getting crushed.