Koss "Porta Pro" On Ear Headphones

These are really good, mind blowing actually. I am not a technical expert on sound but I am a simple lover - not huge enthusiast - of sound, whether be in music, games, TV, or radio. With Koss Porta Pro Stereo headphones, the sound is not only richer... much richer, but it is quite loud as well. So much so that I had to turn the volume of most of my devices considerably lower than what I was used to with some other earphones and headphones. The first obvious plus point for me is that all those movies played from DVD that have louder music and much lower voices now run with a smoother music/voice mix.I first tried them on some youtube videos. The sound quality and the way I could feel the different sounds and voices was brilliant. Then I played some games and it was even better. For example I tried it while playing Divinity: Original Sin and the voices and specially the ambience was unbelievable. Feeling the sound of the wind in the desert, the splashing sound of the waterfalls, the birds chirping gleefully in the jungle, etc. is all extra ordinary and really increases the gaming experience considerably more and makes it very atmospheric. I really just went back to many other areas I already had explored just to "see" how the sound works and it was amazing and worth doing - considering the long loads I had to suffer every time, but that's not the headphones fault, isn't it? :)Lastly I tried some of my most-heard and close to my heart mp3 songs from a decade ago that I always thought that I now know every tune, sound, vibration, etc. of. But I was proved so wrong. The way now I could hear different instruments, the way the voice was coming and mixing with the music, the way sounds from different instruments were coming not just from left-right but also from the all sides of the left-side or right-side up and down, was extraordinary, difficult to explain. It's even better than my 5.1 surround sound speaker system, and I am not exaggerating here.The way they fit-in so easily on my head and equally on my 5-years old one is also a huge plus. They fit in quite naturally, and there are no settings as such where they would click forever, they just go back to normal position once you take them off and then anyone else can take them on as they please. I also found that their size is quite deliberate and they could easily be used with any device like PC, laptop, or tablet without a problem. THey are already quite small yet they are still foldable, amazing.The only one slight "issue" is that the length of the wire/cable is not that long so if you want to plug them directly to the back of your desktop/tower PC in the headphone/speaker out on the sound card itself, you'll have to be hugging your desktop/tower (almost literally. Also they are not usable with a TV because then you'll have to sit only inches away from it. An extension cord could have been thrown-in as a measure. This is a minor nag however as you can purchase any extensions yourself according to your needs.Overall brilliant quality and excellent value for money. Two thumbs Up!

Finally, I have found headphones that sound great and feel comfortable. I've bought many different headphones over the past two years, trying to find a pair that don't feel uncomfortable after 30 minutes of continuous listening. Below are two recently purchased headphones I own:Sennheiser PX200: They didn't give their full potential because they sit too light on my ear. They do sound great if you push them close to your ear though.Sony MDR-V300: Sound good with lots of bass, but sometimes I feel like I'm listening to music through a wall and they feel uncomfortable after a 30 mins. For the cheap price they're good.The Koss Porta Pro Stereophones are mind blowing. I really can't express enough in words how good these are and they sound even better now I've run them in. The sound is outstanding with superb clarity and bass. I personally don't think the bass is over done at all, it sounds well balanced. I mainly listen to Progressive, Uplifting, Melodic Trance, for example: Puma White - Copenhagen (Original mix) & Mike Foyle vs. Signalrunners - Love Theme Dusk. These headphones sound great with other genres too and really bring the music alive. The Porta Pro's sound magnificent when used with a computer installed with a decent sound card, but they also sound great with MP3 players. I use these with my Creative Zen Touch and they are far better than the supplied in-ear headphones.These headphones look very retro cool and in my opinion they are very cool indeed. They are the most comfortable headphones I have ever worn (I've had them on for 3 hours and I'm feeling no ear discomfort at all) and I guess thats why the design has never changed since 1984. They look quite fragile at first but they are actually pretty sturdy.The Porta Pro's fold to fit in a small pouch embossed with KOSS which looks rather nice along with a 6.3mm Gold Plated Adapter which is a handy extra.Overall, If your looking for awesome quality and great value portable headphones that sound absolutely fantastic and feel great whether you're travelling, at work or chillin' at home then look no further than the Koss Porta Pro Stereophones.★ UPDATE August 2013 ★I've been meaning to update my review for the last few years and finally here it is.I must have about 5 pairs of these floating around now, along with my preciously preserved KOSS Porta Pro 25th Anniversary edition set stored safely in a secret underground bomb proof safe.I've accumulated quite a large collection of different headphones over the years and have reviewed a few here on Amazon. I no longer use the PortaPro everyday as my main home listening headphone, but they still accompany me on trips abroad, because they're great for the beach, as the unique comfort setting helps alleviate any ear pressure and discomfort caused by sand and seawater, and also allowing me to wear sunglasses comfortably. These are not great for commuting because of their open backed design.For home listening, I decided it was time to move up to some Sennheiser HD650's powered by a Graham Slee SOLO SRGII amp, which is quite a big jump, but they are the perfect headphone for home listening, offering superior quality sound matched with supreme comfort. Obviously, the Porta Pro can't compete with the HD650's, but they have a similar balanced and neutral sound signature which I always desire in headphones. My other recommended headphones, are the well reviewed and great sounding Audio Technica ATH-M50, which I mostly use for travelling.UPDATE Oct 2013: I'm now using the superb sounding Noontec Zoro as my portable headphone of choice, as the M50's are a little bulky for travelling.UPDATE August 2014: I'm now using the superb V-MODA XS. These are amazing!One important omission from my original review is the eventual occurrence of rattling emitting from the drivers (know as Grattle). This is caused by hair becoming trapped in the driver, which then produces annoying rattling sounds. To fix this, you'll need to take off the ear pad, then pop off the plastic driver cover (this is quite hard to do, but be persistent, as the PortaPro are very robust) and then use a rocket blower to remove the hair, you can also use a cloth or soft brush (like a Lenspen brush) if necessary, but be careful not to damage the driver.Even after seven years, the KOSS Porta Pro sit graciously on my headphone wall of fame and I can continue to highly recommend them for those looking for the best sounding, most comfortable and great value ultra-portable headphone money can buy.