Another cool drop, Koss Portapro

If I didnt spend so much on cans already this year I'd be in for that.
I just spent $400 on building materials for a renovation. Not to mention the portable AC I had to buy. My partner is footing the bill for paint. If I didn't have so much on my credit card this would be a no brainer.


A real update would be a wireless version!

Yeah but where are you gonna put batteries? My wireless headphones were designed with that in mind. There was already room for all the extra equipment in the ear cups. I don't think you could preserve the aesthetic and make it wireless.
 
Probably right, but some companies have done wonders in bringing out wireless versions that were just a bit thicker than the originals. AKG with the Y50 and Y50BT come to mind. Of course they might have designed the original with the eventual WL version in mind. I don't think Koss was thinking decades ahead when they designed the Porta Pro.
 
Probably right, but some companies have done wonders in bringing out wireless versions that were just a bit thicker than the originals. AKG with the Y50 and Y50BT come to mind. Of course they might have designed the original with the eventual WL version in mind. I don't think Koss was thinking decades ahead when they designed the Porta Pro.
That's funny because I have the Y50BT and was referring to them. After the Samsung Galaxy S8 came out people got the free entertainment bundle with it which included the Y50BT. A lot of people are selling them now. I got mine a few months ago for $50 unopened (clear packaging). I like their mids and I like their battery life.
 
Another coincidence, I was actually thinking of picking up a pair. The C50BT which is the identical Canadian Costco version often pops up for sale at decent prices.

I really like my Urbanite XL WL for the office, terrific sound with great battery life and freedom to move around. I have used them for travel but they are bulky. I just picked up a pair of Monster Clarity HD in ear WL and they are great for portability but the 6 hour battery life does not cut it for intercontinental travel. Any other thoughts or comparisons on the AKG?
 
I am really tempted. My exposure to the Porta-pros is limited to the limited edition version (I have the beige ones). I like the finished on the Porta-pro X.

MUST RESIST !!
 
Haha, the drop is back on and I couldn't resist. It's my first massdrop purchase, I'd been stalking the Portapros for a couple of weeks when I saw the drop.com page. They are improved over the stock version with a thicker cable, strain reliefs and black on the stainless steel headband. BTW, apparently the Amazon version is not sold by Koss, and is a cheaper version.
 
Quite a few products that Drop sells are versions that are only available through Drop.

I have had a pair of Porta Pro's for several years. They were ~$35 when I bought them from Drop. IMO they sound fairly decent especially for the price. They are also very light, easy to wear and reasonably comfortable.

FWIW: My current headphones of choice are HiFi Man HE4xx (from Drop) for home use and Monolith M300 iem's for on the go use.

Monoprice has open box M300's for $49. IMO they are definitely worth the extra $20 over the Porta Pros. They are also reasonably efficient for planar transducers.
 
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Thanks, Monoprice keeps coming up with interesting products. My portapro infatuation has to do with nostalgia, however, so Monoprice just won't do!

That said, I was surprised at how well the Portapros do in various reviews around the net. Youtube has several guys that also rave about them. Zeos, Josh Valour, metal571 among others. I know, hardly objective or scientific, but they all talk about the sound being way better than it has a right to. Relaxed highs, very nice midrange and surprising bass.
 
Whenever I read a headphone review that talks about a "soundstage" my eyes glaze over and my attention goes elsewhere. IME headphones do not produce any sort of soundstage. This is especially apparent when comparing the sound to a pair of speakers that produce a soundstage.

With that said, the Porta Pro's are IMO a bargain. They produce better than decent sound for very little money.
 
Well, all we can do is go by our experiences in life. I am relatively new to headphones. Wait, more specifically I am new to headphone amps. As a kid I had the walkman and tried different phones on it. I was pretty dead on the headphone front after that until I bought a set of the noise cancelling bose about a decade ago. Then about 2 years ago I bought some Nad phones and started experimenting with headphone amps.(I've since bought the Grados and a used pair of Sony 7506) The Schiit Magni was decent, but my jaw didn't drop until I tried the Vali 2. Like a kid in a candy store, I sold that and bought the Schiit Asgard.

Anyway, I've kind of decided that to spend hundreds on phones is silly. So I decided to go the other way and see what it's like at the bottom end of the marketplace these days. To my surprise, I noticed that those old Koss headphones I remember from the 80s(when my buddy had them) are still in production and considered legendary. Those in the know suggest that the Portapro has been improved and has evolved. They are made out of Mylar now among other improvements.
 
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PortaPros are great portable headphones, especially for the price (and they're ridiculously cheap S/H).
They're also quite fun to mod if you're so inclined.
The larger Yaxi pads really takes them up a couple of notches, IMO.
Well worth $12 shipped directly from Japan. I have them on several pairs.
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Here's a pretty good review: https://theheadphonelist.com/yaxi-ear-pads-for-koss-porta-pro-review/
 
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Breaking development, I picked up a pair of the Portapros locally. This is what can happen when I start reading up on a product and get on youtube, listening to reviews, start price checking online and then look for them in some random store that just-so-happens to carry headphones!

Anyway, I won't see the massdrop Koss PP until at least the 3rd week of May, who can wait that long? They really are great headphones, btw. They pull off the trick of being warm sounding but still giving good detail. I immediately liked them better than some Bose phones that were originally about $150, and my Nad HP50. They're so easy to wear, very light on the head. Definitely going to be my goto for jogging.

That reminds me I spent almost 200 on a pair of Bose in ear headphones several years ago, and found them lacking when comparing to my other headphones. These Koss also stomp all over them. I've been looking at mods, I'll have to try some of those pads, virak.
 
PortaPros are great portable headphones, especially for the price (and they're ridiculously cheap S/H).
They're also quite fun to mod if you're so inclined.
The larger Yaxi pads really takes them up a couple of notches, IMO.
Well worth $12 shipped directly from Japan. I have them on several pairs.
image.png

Here's a pretty good review: https://theheadphonelist.com/yaxi-ear-pads-for-koss-porta-pro-review/

The pads on the PP's are so much nicer and more comfortable than the stock pads on my Grado SR100's (pads were replaced) I've never thought abought changing them. Perhaps it's time to give some others a try.

I just checked Amazon. The Yaxi pads are $12 + $4.99 shipping. If I didn't have phones I'm happy with I'd be on them. I will keep them in mind.
 
Some are saying that Grado bowl pads are a good fit as well. I never experienced discomfort with my Grado SR125e, maybe that would be an option too, as long as one doesn't find the Grado's uncomfortable.
 
Just to add to the base of knowledge, some have also tried Sennheiser HD414 foam pads with great success.
 
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