Massdrop x Koss Porta Pro X Headphones

How are these headphones this good at this price point? I have $230 Bose headphones that are baby talk compared to my new Porta Pros. I was excited to get these but was skeptical about them performing as well as seemingly every Porta Pro owner is claiming. Well I can attest that they are every bit as good as everyone is saying. It is simply amazing that Koss is able to make headphones with higher quality audio than headphones 10 times their price. Highs and mids are clear. But the bass. The bass. It's so rich! I've never had headphones able to get as low as these. It's not muddy nor does it overshadow the highs and mids. It's witchcraft to be able to get that kind of bass out of drivers so small. Seriously, Koss used black magic to manufacture these. Sure there are head phones out there that are better. But they are, without a doubt, much more expensive. These are stupid good. So good. So good. To not get these headphones would be a travesty. Especially when they're only $25. If you pass these by, you'll regret it. One day, hopefully years from now, you'll be on your death bed surrounded by loved ones. Your children will ask you if you have any regrets. And you'll reply, with a tears in your eyes, that you never bought Koss Porta Pro X Headphones.

I already have a pair of the [original] Koss Porta Pros. Besides that, I have the HD6XX, He400i, EMU Teaks, Focal Elex, Takstar Hi2050. I've had Sennheiser HD8DJs, M-Audio HDH50s, Pioneer DJ500s, Panasonic RP-HTF600s, American Audio HP550s, Audio Technica M50Xs. Of all these headphones, if I talk of value, nothing comes close to the Porta Pros. That is why when I saw a discount on MD and one that will ship right away, I had to go for it. The Porta Pros Xs: Are identical in almost every way - they do have a thicker, more solid cable, a more solid connector and an inline mic. Are, just as the originals, comfortable and forgettable. Have that great low-end, same as the Porta Pros. Are light and almost weightless, yet still solid for the form factor. Have a great sound-stage, better than almost any closed back cans (including hundreds of pricier ones), and competitive with many open and semi-open cans. The best thing is that the mids and not too far out and still forward, while the staging is still outside of the cans. Have a thick and meaty sound - many full sized headphones that I've had in my time didn't. Those Takstars up there don't, and they have 53mm drivers. Don't have too much sibilance. Probably the only on-ear I can or want to wear. Otherwise I wear full sized headphones. Audio fidelity OTG - this one pair of audiophile pair of headgear you can actually pretty conveniently take with you OTG. Now there are some cons too, like with everything else: Feel a bit flimsy sometimes and will need some care - but audiophiles do care for their gear anyways unlike people who don't really give a shit, and for the price, you can't really expect beryllium frames and titanium cups. Build is better than a lot other cans at this price, maybe even higher priced cans. A little dark - the highs feel a bit rolled off. Personally, that's a good thing for me as I can raise the volume without them becoming piercing up there. Not isolating. But then again, true audiophile gear has to be non-isolating as it has to be a) natural sounding, 2) airy and open, 3) have great sound-stage and so be open to deliver so. Also, people are gonna hear what you're hearing on louder volumes, so keep that contained in public, and probably keep it even lower in the office. Do I recommend these cans, and especially Drop's variant? Yes. If the prices are not too far apart (maybe $5-10 difference overall), they're worth it. Are the Porta Pros worth it, regardless? Every damn penny. It's worth having just to be astounded by how close it sounds to your $200, $500, $1000 cans. It's a keeper, regardless of what else you have. Why did I buy another one? I got $20 off my purchase. And these sure are worth a personal insurance policy in case my existing pair breaks. I don't wanna be Porta-less at any given point. If you want that casual timeout with them every now and then, and those 1000 dollar cans are a little too far for you to reach or a little trouble to put on right now, just grab those Portas on your desk. And always keep em there. That's what I do. If you wanna go portable and want an "audiophile" experience OTG with minimal investment, I can't think of anything else. Needless to say, these, to me, sound superior to any other in-ear headphone form factor gear. Ever hear of a sleeper car (Q-car); a car that has high performance and an unassuming exterior? A modded Toyota beating a Porsche in drag race? That's what these are. PS: TWO IMPORTANT TIPS FOR OWNERS: Some of you may have heard or even had this issue: the metal bands of the headphones catch you hair sometimes. Really hurtful. Solution: on top exposed side of the one of metal bands, actually between the two sliders which come together to increase the length of the band, I'm using a black vinyl sticker. This strip is where the sliders will slide to come together. You can DIY cut it so that blends in well with the band and does not appear funny. How this helps is that it adds friction to the band strap and the sliders will move with much difficulty, but that will help you have them stay out at your desired spot. For me it really helps, and when I move the cans to take them off, they don't retract so quickly, and help avoid capture any of your hair. There's the Yaxi Pads for these. Those cushions are much thicker than stock and also tame down the front-forward sound or any shouty-ness. Been using them with better comfort. I recommend them if you think they justify your wallet.