Ah, funky headphone designs! They’re swamping the market right now, and though we’re tempted to call them ugly, we have to admit they’re certainly chic, and they make our headphone reviews more entertaining. At the forefront of the stereo headphones movement this season are the Koss PortaPros. This geometrically designed set of cans look like they waltzed straight out of the 1980s, and with good reason—they actually did! These headphones are an exact replica of the 1984 originals, which haven’t changed a bit since, and have been enjoying quite a comeback. For our full thoughts on this killer, 3D-enabled set of ‘phones, check below beyond the break!
Design and Chic Rating: 
Koss PortaPro Headphones
As mentioned, the Koss PortaPros headphones do have a distinctive, geometrically-influenced look that reminds us of the angular clothing and fashion from three decades back. That being said, they’re actually quite comfortable, due to a number of design elements introduced by Koss. First and foremost, the steel headband can be adjusted using two different sliders that adjust the initial tension. This keeps the ear-cups to your head in a tense fashion, but if you’re looking for a bit more in the comfort department, there’s also something that Koss is calling the “Comfort Zone.” Essentially, this involves three extra mechanical areas that let you adjust the tension of the earpieces themselves against your head. All in all, these stereo headphones work fantastically, and make it easy enough to find the perfect fit. The downside: There’s no locking mechanism, and these babies do like to slide around. However, we were quite impressed with the overall dynamic, and considering the headphones do feature that angular, folding look we’ve been seeing so much of lately, we can hardly knock the pair for their design.
Sound Quality Rating:
Keep in mind that the Koss PortaPros headphones were originally created several decades ago, long before the age of sound isolating headphones, or noise reducing output. What we mean is, the phones started to bleed out sound not too far along our iPod’s volume bar. They also didn’t do much to cancel out ambient noise. However, where they exceeded with flying colors is in actual sound production. We’d be hard-pressed to find a better set of headphones at this price range: A phrase we don’t get to mutter often. The highs were crisp and trebly, while the lower ends were surprisingly deep. All in all, the range could not be better, and no matter what genre we pumped through them, the Koss PortaPros behaved like true champions.
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Overall Value Rating:
Considering a pair of Koss PortaPros will cost you around $40 in today’s market, we can’t help but recommend the odd-looking cans. The sound is incredible, and the design—though quirky—is every bit as comfortable now as it was back in 1984. The headphones have a tendency to lose tension, and the noise cancellation is certainly subpar, but if you’re looking for a great set of folding headphones you’d be hard-pressed to find a better option.
