I remember coveting my friend's Porta pros in high school in the early 2010s. I remember thiking they were so cool and I'd remember all the tech bits about it and why they were better than Beats at the time (Dumb comparison, but it was high school).
Audiophile here. Koss has a reputation for being THE KING of making really affordable headphones for really cheap. Porta Pros are known for sounding dark. They have an emphasis on the bass and there's a bit of extra mid bass so they can sound a tad muddy. They also have a recessed treble. Sort of a downward tilting sound signature. It's a very unique sound signature that people really love. They definitely benefit from the Yaxi pads for giving you a bit more treble and balancing out the bass so all frequencies are better represented, while still keeping their unique tuning.
I've owned probably most popular open-back headphones up to around 350-400 dollars. Never in a million years did I think I would find my dream headphones for such a low price, and on-ear? I was never a fan of on-ear, after having bad experience when I was younger with painful ears. Yet, the Porta Pro's I can wear all day. The sound is exactly what I was looking for. Amazing!
If you break them you don't have to buy another pair, there's a lifetime warranty. I've been using them since the late 80s. I've bought a few pairs, and had many repaired or replaced. Best headphones for the money, there's a reason they're still in production.
Anyone on the fence: get off it! These phones are the real deal. I been buying these phones for at least 10 years, and no matter what other phones or buds I buy, there is always room for these. And never underestimate how great wired phones are. These are the physical embodiment of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Except… maybe put a Lightning connector on it…”
For 70 bucks you can get the utility model that has a thicker cable and is bundled with the apple lighting cable as well. Just make sure you’re buying the right one, but I’d say it’s worth for a much more durable cable that is detachable where they intersect.
I saw a girl wearing these today while visiting Paris and they immediately intrigued me. Didn’t know how they were called so I googled “y2k headphones” lol
I don't use Tiktok. I was building a 90s cyberpunk warcore outfit for a concert event and I thought "I wonder if there's some retro headphones out there" and found these. Never knew they were trendy.
Another great review Isaac!!! I’ve been fascinated by the resurgence of these headphones, and I think you nailed it with the 80s fashion coming back. I’ve been going back to wired, back to my iPod classic and I’ve missed it. Simple, just me and my music, no interference, no battery drops from AirPods, no annoying notifications
I recently found my old iPod Nano and I couldn't agree more. BUT I will probably be annoyed that a certain album or so isn't on there lol. I wonder how long I'd last. Surprised that it still works 16 years later!
I got them bc I saw someone on IG wear them and they looked cute. I am very particular with headphones as I want a certain sound, can't stand too much pressure on my head and need to be able to wear them for along time. I usually wear in-ears ona daily basis but when I'm at my desk at home I love these bc I still hear what's going on in the house but still get really clean sound. A lot of modern headphones have this weird, metallic sound to them but these give you that in-ear sound without being in.ear if that makes sense. Also the designis PERFECT for wearing glasses bc the pats have a gap exactly above the ear which is AMAZING.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I've never used earphones cos they hurt after a while since I wear glasses. Your comment has convinced me to get these!
The Porta Pros are great! I've had mine modded with Yaxi Pads, had them MMCX modded, and bought a better cable to replace the fragile one. Wavelet's AutoEQ for them also improved the tonality for my taste.
@viper They're great for the $20 I bought them for. Pads are $5, cable mod is $10 with the cable, Wavelet is free. All-in-all they're great for $35. 👍 Who the heck pays $100 for a mod for these?
hey for the bluetooth mod, do we just plug it in the mmcx socket and thats it? i was wondering if there was a way to make detachable wireless ones for a while now, thanks!
@@merandtheboys4893 Yes. I've got a new pair under the lifetime warranty 6-7 years ago because of an intermittent connection on one side, but since then I merely changed the foam earpads a couple of times since they tend to disintegrate after a couple of years. They are easy to find though and are pretty cheap.
I am using them for over 10 years :) Some bonus from me: Perfect for winter (still sound good even on winter cap). Perfect for summer (not heating around ear). Glasses/Sunglasses friendly. No pressure on frame. (LOVE IT) For me 10/10
Nicely done. May I suggest the Koss KPH40 ($40), which is also i part of the utility series (those were the ones on the left of the page you showed). They are not only open back, so you can be cognizant of the world around you, they rival, and possibly beat the Grado SR80X at $125. A simple search will provide you with all the reviews you want.
Remember the tag line from the movie Pet Semetery, "Sometimes dead is better". Well Koss kind went with that with these headphones, sometimes simple is better.
I have the porta Pro with the Yaxi orange Earpads for a while, not even knowing it was a trend. 😅 Love them. They're amazing phones. Upgraded my capsues to the Koss KSC75
I cannot find this version with the lightening port connector. Does any know where I can find this special edition utility model? I think he may have changed out the headbands.
They comfy only when you invest in Yaxi pads, with stock foam pads they might be uncomfortable after few hours of listening. With the Yaxi pads you might go all day without even realizing that you have them on the head.
I got the first pair in 2000-x, and I just bought a new pair a year ago because of the perfect high Ohm bassy sound. The old ones had 3 wire replacements, and I damaged the clip...15 years! Old!! Comfy on your head. Ears are not hot. Just let you know that they don't cancel the noise from outside, and people can hear what you are listening to.
Could well be down to the way music is mastered these days, for whatever reason music is considerably louder now than 20 years ago and that shows in the way music sounds through headphones.
@@IAmKye I'm still listening to the same songs from the same device as I was 20 years ago. These are still phenomenal headphones and even cheaper now after inflation than they were back then. But for certain some of the quality is lower.
He said Renaissance. Those of us that know have neen buying these for years. They dont ever really go bad. The cable rips. You open it up and Solder in a new one. The band looks funky but it creates the perfect pressure against your head for deep bass.
So I have the kph30i. I really do like them they have great sound when I’m watching movies at home. But the problem is, I recently took them on a road trip and was displeased as at full volume, I literally couldn’t hear anything over road noise. Was driving a 2018 Toyota Prius lol. Are the porta pros loud enough for car drives/ trains?
Anything and everything will bleed into your headphones if they're open back. That's just how open backs are. I'd suggest get some IEMs or if you really want headphones, get ones that are closed back.
Ha! I have been using these for 25 years. For many of those, they came with a lifetime guarantee so for $8 I could get a brand new pair. In all that time, I've compared them to dozens of other sets of headphones and these are always vastly superior - they leak sound very much so everyone around you will hear your music. Enjoy! The pair they sell now comes in a cool little case.
do you have any advise on how to increase the volume for the porta pros, i tried everything , but the moment i go outside it just isnt loud enough, when i insert it into my laptop, the volume is much better and ofcourse it gets louder. im using it on an iphone with the stock lightning adapter for it. any advise would be appreciated
I love the porta pro, but it's open, so it's barely useable in crowded places. You will always hear your surroundings, unless they hear you. A headphone amplifier will bring you any volume you need, but at the expense of your ears. Maybe you need isolation, like with the Sennheiser HD-25 in 70 ohm. Next level sound quality, all parts replacable, made in germany. 150 bucks, but a purchase for life.
His version is the Rhythm Beige limited edition, which is limited only when compared to the Porta Pro's production run (since 1984)-these limited edition ones have been in production since 2016. The utility version only comes in one color.
These headphones have been well known for as long as I can even remember. TikTok is not at all part of their popularity and I haven’t seen them on TikTok, not even once. I don’t think their popularity has increased or decreased.
Insightful review but I‘m abut confused here… how did you manage to get the limited beige edition ones with the lightning headphone jack? The cable on these kinda looks like the Utility version, but from what I saw on their website, the Limited Edition doesn’t offer this feature
It looks like he must have swapped out the earpieces and replaced them with the ones from the KPH40 Utility (they actually are interchangeable). He's definitely using a Utility cable @ 5:41.
hey i was wondering how did you connect the headphone to your phone, didn't the beige one comes in a 3.5mm jack connector? in the video it seems that you didn't use any dongle whatsoever
I've known Porta Pros from some article back in 2010 during high school years and out of the blue a friend of mine bought a pair but I'm pretty sure that unit was a knockoff but man, I've tried his and they were very comfortable and sounds okay. I bet the real deal will be more comfortable and sounds sweet. Now that I'm a working adult I can finally afford them haha 😂
Calling the PortaPros "TikTok headphones" made me irrationally angry 😭
Right 😭😭
They've basically been a staple for audiophiles forever
@@htsunmiku but at least now people can hear how good audio headphones are like, even though it's on the budget side of things.
@@avendji absolutely. I'm over it now because I know it's for the better but yh....
Better basshead headphones!
Fuuuuck me too😢
IVE BEEN WEARING THESE SINCE 2018 EVERYONE IN HIGH SCHOOL MADE FUN OF ME NOW IM IN COLLEGE AND WHO’S WEARING THE 80S HEADPHONES NOW
I remember coveting my friend's Porta pros in high school in the early 2010s. I remember thiking they were so cool and I'd remember all the tech bits about it and why they were better than Beats at the time (Dumb comparison, but it was high school).
I've never liked the beige color way, but I've gotta say with the orange cushions they look pretty nice.
i wanted them so baad, but they all sold out ;(
@@Beholddog they’re back in stock, i’ve just ordered a pair last night
Audiophile here. Koss has a reputation for being THE KING of making really affordable headphones for really cheap. Porta Pros are known for sounding dark. They have an emphasis on the bass and there's a bit of extra mid bass so they can sound a tad muddy. They also have a recessed treble. Sort of a downward tilting sound signature. It's a very unique sound signature that people really love. They definitely benefit from the Yaxi pads for giving you a bit more treble and balancing out the bass so all frequencies are better represented, while still keeping their unique tuning.
god i fucking hate trends, been using these for 20 years now
Are those good ?
Compare to normal iPods
They're amazing and incredibly affordable, I can't recommend them enough. Some complain about the retro styling and comfort though
I've owned probably most popular open-back headphones up to around 350-400 dollars. Never in a million years did I think I would find my dream headphones for such a low price, and on-ear? I was never a fan of on-ear, after having bad experience when I was younger with painful ears. Yet, the Porta Pro's I can wear all day. The sound is exactly what I was looking for. Amazing!
then I guess you haven't got Seinheisser HD560s in hand...
@@1758they’re mid
the industry seems to be avoiding super light and comfy earphones, but a lot of us love them
i've been knowing about these ever since i became an audiophile and was surprised to see them around my school and youngters like me wearing them.
If you break them you don't have to buy another pair, there's a lifetime warranty. I've been using them since the late 80s. I've bought a few pairs, and had many repaired or replaced. Best headphones for the money, there's a reason they're still in production.
does the warranty apply to amazon or do you have to buy directly from their site? like how does it work i’d love to know more info about this
@@han1a It's been years, but when I did it it was $9 for return shipping, no receipt.
Anyone on the fence: get off it! These phones are the real deal. I been buying these phones for at least 10 years, and no matter what other phones or buds I buy, there is always room for these. And never underestimate how great wired phones are. These are the physical embodiment of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Except… maybe put a Lightning connector on it…”
For 70 bucks you can get the utility model that has a thicker cable and is bundled with the apple lighting cable as well. Just make sure you’re buying the right one, but I’d say it’s worth for a much more durable cable that is detachable where they intersect.
"Except... Maybe put a Lightning connector on it" ah yes, falling for the problem Apple created and wanted to sell you the solution for.
I saw a girl wearing these today while visiting Paris and they immediately intrigued me. Didn’t know how they were called so I googled “y2k headphones” lol
If Taka waititi was Mario, this guy would be Luigi
Hahahahahahahaha!!!!!!
I don't use Tiktok. I was building a 90s cyberpunk warcore outfit for a concert event and I thought "I wonder if there's some retro headphones out there" and found these. Never knew they were trendy.
Oh man! Calling these one as "TikTok headphones" was criminal! 😂
Another great review Isaac!!! I’ve been fascinated by the resurgence of these headphones, and I think you nailed it with the 80s fashion coming back. I’ve been going back to wired, back to my iPod classic and I’ve missed it. Simple, just me and my music, no interference, no battery drops from AirPods, no annoying notifications
thanks for watching! yes exactly my thoughts
Cable also had no latency
I recently found my old iPod Nano and I couldn't agree more. BUT I will probably be annoyed that a certain album or so isn't on there lol. I wonder how long I'd last. Surprised that it still works 16 years later!
these are actually pretty recommended on /r/headphones cause they sound great for the price
any other home runs in this range? looking for a beater pair but not tryna look like a tiktok girl
@@eeelam3168 ksc75? They're more discrete and IIRC have the same driver as the porta pros
Wanted a pair of these for ages man
I got them bc I saw someone on IG wear them and they looked cute. I am very particular with headphones as I want a certain sound, can't stand too much pressure on my head and need to be able to wear them for along time.
I usually wear in-ears ona daily basis but when I'm at my desk at home I love these bc I still hear what's going on in the house but still get really clean sound. A lot of modern headphones have this weird, metallic sound to them but these give you that in-ear sound without being in.ear if that makes sense.
Also the designis PERFECT for wearing glasses bc the pats have a gap exactly above the ear which is AMAZING.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I've never used earphones cos they hurt after a while since I wear glasses. Your comment has convinced me to get these!
I just ordered a pair and I'm absolutely hyped
The Porta Pros are great! I've had mine modded with Yaxi Pads, had them MMCX modded, and bought a better cable to replace the fragile one. Wavelet's AutoEQ for them also improved the tonality for my taste.
@viper They're great for the $20 I bought them for. Pads are $5, cable mod is $10 with the cable, Wavelet is free. All-in-all they're great for $35. 👍 Who the heck pays $100 for a mod for these?
Add the TRN bluetooth dongle to your MMCX cable option and thank me later 😉 I have two more little mods on mine and now I will never get rid of them.
@@MrD2108 Already did about 2 months ago dude. 👍😁 It's more "Porta" now.
hey for the bluetooth mod, do we just plug it in the mmcx socket and thats it? i was wondering if there was a way to make detachable wireless ones for a while now, thanks!
@@dashfastanddieslow9659 Yep. I actually have an MMCX ended TWS adapter for IEMs that I use as a BT receiver when I want to go wireless.
Excited to see your channel grow. Great review with some solid opinions on the tech space today.
stop calling them by the name of that moronic social media.
I've upgraded my capsule using the KSC75 + Orange Yaxi Pads. Looks and sound great ! I have 3 PortaPros (And they have Lifetime Warranty). :)
forget about the lifetime warranty. They cost as much as getting a new one than to ship it back to them for warranty replacement.
i've been looking for this headphones for a w years and i didn't knew they're price, ty for info defenetly going to buy
This was review was REALLY GOOD. You definitely deserve more views. Good editing, review and video. THANKS
Glad you enjoyed it!
I really hope these don't become a dumb trend, been wearing them for years.
They’re so old school but the milenials are too stupid
@@jizzimmcguire yep
This didn't age well
enya fr the blueprint iykyk
Had mine for over 10 years. Guess that I'm a hipster now.
They still work well?
@@merandtheboys4893 Yes. I've got a new pair under the lifetime warranty 6-7 years ago because of an intermittent connection on one side, but since then I merely changed the foam earpads a couple of times since they tend to disintegrate after a couple of years. They are easy to find though and are pretty cheap.
Nice profile picture
I am using them for over 10 years :) Some bonus from me:
Perfect for winter (still sound good even on winter cap).
Perfect for summer (not heating around ear).
Glasses/Sunglasses friendly. No pressure on frame. (LOVE IT)
For me 10/10
Koss KPH30i's KPH40's KSC75's and Porta Pro's are all amazing. Love all of them.
Nicely done. May I suggest the Koss KPH40 ($40), which is also i part of the utility series (those were the ones on the left of the page you showed). They are not only open back, so you can be cognizant of the world around you, they rival, and possibly beat the Grado SR80X at $125. A simple search will provide you with all the reviews you want.
Shoutout to the Bladee & Ecco2k inclusion amazing album 😭
Production quality of this channel is absolutely incredible
Remember the tag line from the movie Pet Semetery, "Sometimes dead is better". Well Koss kind went with that with these headphones, sometimes simple is better.
Great review! I just ordered a pair for my walkman (currently using the cheapest ones Sony makes and hoping these ones will sound better).
They will, I'm shure of that.
Ive heard about these for about 4 years, they are a popular replacement for walkman headphones, so i got a pair for my units
Fresh review of koss porta pros from my man Canoopsy! Thanks for the review and I always desired to buy one some day 😭😍
🙏🙏
I have the porta Pro with the Yaxi orange Earpads for a while, not even knowing it was a trend. 😅 Love them. They're amazing phones. Upgraded my capsues to the Koss KSC75
awesome analysis. my friends had these in school in the 00's.
I cannot find this version with the lightening port connector. Does any know where I can find this special edition utility model? I think he may have changed out the headbands.
They comfy only when you invest in Yaxi pads, with stock foam pads they might be uncomfortable after few hours of listening. With the Yaxi pads you might go all day without even realizing that you have them on the head.
BLADEE!!!
DRAAAAAAIIIIIIINNNNNN GANNNNGGGGGG
They seem incredible.
they are!
I got the first pair in 2000-x, and I just bought a new pair a year ago because of the perfect high Ohm bassy sound. The old ones had 3 wire replacements, and I damaged the clip...15 years! Old!! Comfy on your head. Ears are not hot. Just let you know that they don't cancel the noise from outside, and people can hear what you are listening to.
I didn't know these were big on tiktok lol I just ordered some before seeing this. Nice drain gang cameo for a half second there too.
i got the koss porta pro x (that drop used to sell), and it has been my daily driver for a year now. it's that good
Those things look ancient fr
Also wires from both headpieces in pure pain
blade?? DRAIN GANG
Great vid!! What are these like for video editing?
not the best choice imo but still useable
The design hasn't changed but the sound certainly has. Still great for the price. But all the pairs I had in the 90s were much nicer.
Could well be down to the way music is mastered these days, for whatever reason music is considerably louder now than 20 years ago and that shows in the way music sounds through headphones.
@@IAmKye I'm still listening to the same songs from the same device as I was 20 years ago. These are still phenomenal headphones and even cheaper now after inflation than they were back then. But for certain some of the quality is lower.
I did not know that canoopsy had another channel! It was recommended by RUclips!
ok done im sold
Are those aftermarket ear cushions?
Yaxi Pads
Cuz it's a damn good product
He said Renaissance. Those of us that know have neen buying these for years. They dont ever really go bad. The cable rips. You open it up and Solder in a new one. The band looks funky but it creates the perfect pressure against your head for deep bass.
Are they decent for modern metal music? Enough bass etc?
Thanks 👍
them weighing nothing makes for a good candidate for vr
So I have the kph30i. I really do like them they have great sound when I’m watching movies at home. But the problem is, I recently took them on a road trip and was displeased as at full volume, I literally couldn’t hear anything over road noise. Was driving a 2018 Toyota Prius lol. Are the porta pros loud enough for car drives/ trains?
Anything and everything will bleed into your headphones if they're open back. That's just how open backs are. I'd suggest get some IEMs or if you really want headphones, get ones that are closed back.
bro tested them with bladee 💀
Lo-tech and offline is the new luxury.
They have been around before you were born.
One thing they may not tell you: don't try adjusting the headband with them on your head. They will try to rip hair out.
Three or four years ago I thought I was the only dumbass using those and all of a sudden they popped up everywhere tf
hi, how is it that your model has the lightning conductor i thought they all came with the audio jack?
Where and how did you get the beige utility version. I really want the beige with the lightning cable but I can only find the black ones
Ha! I have been using these for 25 years. For many of those, they came with a lifetime guarantee so for $8 I could get a brand new pair. In all that time, I've compared them to dozens of other sets of headphones and these are always vastly superior - they leak sound very much so everyone around you will hear your music. Enjoy! The pair they sell now comes in a cool little case.
do you have any advise on how to increase the volume for the porta pros, i tried everything , but the moment i go outside it just isnt loud enough, when i insert it into my laptop, the volume is much better and ofcourse it gets louder. im using it on an iphone with the stock lightning adapter for it. any advise would be appreciated
I love the porta pro, but it's open, so it's barely useable in crowded places. You will always hear your surroundings, unless they hear you. A headphone amplifier will bring you any volume you need, but at the expense of your ears. Maybe you need isolation, like with the Sennheiser HD-25 in 70 ohm. Next level sound quality, all parts replacable, made in germany. 150 bucks, but a purchase for life.
I’m confused. Are your headphones the beige ones but the utility version? Your cable looks different
His version is the Rhythm Beige limited edition, which is limited only when compared to the Porta Pro's production run (since 1984)-these limited edition ones have been in production since 2016.
The utility version only comes in one color.
Bro the wireless design is weird? How can you drop em down on to your neck if the cable is in the way?
People generally use headphones on their head and not on their neck. Also, don't buy the wireless version.
I'm buying the ksc75 and pair them with the Porta Pro bands. Saved a lot of money
These headphones have been well known for as long as I can even remember. TikTok is not at all part of their popularity and I haven’t seen them on TikTok, not even once. I don’t think their popularity has increased or decreased.
Were the headphones in your vid modded to work with iPhone ?
They really look amazing! I might get one.
I have a lot of Headphones, Koss Porta Pro is the best ratio price and quality sound
@@rapalma38 Eyo thanks a lot for the tip!
“ hey guys, canoopsy here.”
where did you get your sofa - I'm interested...
Are these the porta pro "Utility" with the limited edition rhythm beige chasis/frame?
Looks like it
Insightful review but I‘m abut confused here… how did you manage to get the limited beige edition ones with the lightning headphone jack? The cable on these kinda looks like the Utility version, but from what I saw on their website, the Limited Edition doesn’t offer this feature
He's using a 3.5mm to lightning adapter you can see in the background @ 4:54 that it is just the regular cable
It looks like he must have swapped out the earpieces and replaced them with the ones from the KPH40 Utility (they actually are interchangeable). He's definitely using a Utility cable @ 5:41.
how do you have beige ones with the utility feature i cant find them 😩
Tiktok headphones
BE SO FUCKIN FR 💀💀💀💀💀
How do you have the utility version in beige?
ordered a pair of the massdrop collab and some yaxi pads. super excited to use them when they come in
draiinn gannggg
great review, I'm really excited to get them!!
3:02 DRAIN GANG
ur videos r so cool
Great video ! I can't wait for more wallpapers to use on my pixel 6 pro !
This pisses me off so much
Why , are these bad ?
@ no they are amazing. I just can’t believe someone called them TikTok headphones. They are Koss PortaPros . Koss makes amazing inexpensive headphones
have a look at the kph30i's they sound pretty good
im using Sennheiser HD 6x0 series headphones that have not changed their design since 1997
hey i was wondering how did you connect the headphone to your phone, didn't the beige one comes in a 3.5mm jack connector? in the video it seems that you didn't use any dongle whatsoever
I just got the apple 3.5mm to lighting converter and it works perfectly!
@@torink8229 I meant the one that you used in 3:16, it looked like you didn't use any converter (?)
@@yodapratama3779 the utility version has a lightning jack iirc
Retro headphones with cassette Walkman
They have a lifetime warranty!!
Such good review!! I might buy them
I had a pair of them in the 90's they were ok to wear sound was ok we had sony aiwa Panasonic other brands
It is really annoying hearing people calling these tick tock headphones as ive had my ones since 1986 way before we had idiots dancing to gay songs
I've known Porta Pros from some article back in 2010 during high school years and out of the blue a friend of mine bought a pair but I'm pretty sure that unit was a knockoff but man, I've tried his and they were very comfortable and sounds okay. I bet the real deal will be more comfortable and sounds sweet. Now that I'm a working adult I can finally afford them haha 😂
Enya STARTED THE TREND
Best headphones if you wan't to be able to hear stuff around you. If you want to get rid of city noise they are the worst.
Yeah noise cancellation prob wasn't a thing much when they were designed... they look great though!
Canoopsy
canoopsy
canoopsy
canoopsy
I am surprised that the porta pro got big and not something like the JLab rewinds or KPH30i