28 out of 28 people found this review helpful.
Fold and go with Koss PortaPro Headphones
Date of Review: Mar 11, 2002
The Bottom Line: These are lightweight, comfortable, folding headphones with very good sound and a good warranty. Although a little expensive, they are a good value.
Why I was looking for headphones
I recently purchased these Koss PortaPro headphones after destroying 3 pairs of headphones in a year. I listen to audio I've downloaded to my HP Jornada 548 as I drive to and from work and walk between buildings at work (1/4 mile each walk usually a couple of times per day). I am a great beta-tester because I tend to be rough on equipment and break anything I'm carrying easily. The last pair of headphones died when I severed the cord as I was getting out of the car. My other headphones gave out as the wires slowly frayed at the plug. So far the Koss PortaPro headphones have been reliable with very good sound quality.
Although they are a bit expensive (SRP $49.99), the warranty, sound quality and ease of use make them a good value. When I was shopping for headphones I was looking for full headphones (I hate earbuds) that were foldable and easily carried. The Koss PortaPro headphones meet all these criteria and come with a carrying case.
Warranty
I was also happy to see that they came with a lifetime warranty because I'm so hard on headphones. When I went to the Koss website to register my warranty, http://www.koss.com, I was pleasantly surprised to find how easy it was to register (http://www.koss.com/koss/kossweb.nsf/HomeWarranty). I'm assuming that I'll have to use it at some point because I tend to be so hard on equipment. If they replace the headphones, the extra expense up front will be worth it. The terms of the warranty and how to use it were easy to find on the website and straightforward. I don't have to send in the register receipt, just $6 for shipping and handling and the headphones to Milwaukee, WI. You can also get warranty information by calling 1-800-USA-KOSS.
Features
While I was at the Koss website, I had fun looking through the Koss Stereophones Museum (http://www.koss.com/koss/kossweb.nsf/homeMuseum). I was surprised to learn that the Koss PortaPros have been in production since 1984. The styling is modern enough that they could have been introduced this year. They are foldable and have a pressure adjustment at the temple for fitting your head as snugly or loosely as you like. They also come with a pouch for a carrying case. They are very easy to store as I'm going into a meeting or home for the evening.
Sound
Although I am not an audiophile and I'm usually listen to spoken word recordings rather than music, I can tell that the performance of these headphones is much better than my old ones. The sound is much clearer. Also, these headphones are louder on the third setting of my HP Jornada than my old ones were cranked all the way up, so I don't have to use as much battery power to listen to audio on my PDA.
The only thing I really miss is having a volume control on the cord. Because these don't, I have to make all of the volume adjustments on my PDA which a bit of a hassle if I suddenly want to stop and talk to someone between meetings.
Overall
Overall, I would recommend Koss PortaPro headphones to anyone on the go who wants a full headband headphone.
