Distinctions - Porta Pro hearkens back to a simpler time with a compact folding design. While not especially sturdy-feeling, the lightweight design of the Porta Pro contributes to a comfortable wear that allows for extended use with no repercussions. Built into the wired connection is a simple but effective volume control, microphone, all packaged with a multi-function button that can be used to activate Siri on Apple devices.

Criticisms - Koss’ build quality on the Porta Pro is unfortunately very lacking, evoking a delicate feel akin to disposable airline headsets. While the wired connection is part of the aesthetic within the retro style, 4ft cable corded headphones limit applications of the Porta Pros to mobile ones exclusively. Koss also unfortunately neglects the Porta Pro headphones’ actual audio quality, as the on-ear sound is middling, with the advertised to deeper and richer bass falling flat when compared to other headphones with wider range and stronger acoustics.

Distinctions - Porta Pro headphones make a tight build out of very light materials, leading to a product that is delightfully concise and light for travel and storage.

Criticisms - Lightweight materials are good for comfort during wear, but are wildly delicate in practice. Weak solder on wire attachments were ripped in one of our testing pairs when the attached phone fell and the headphones did not give. Limited flexibility on plastic components around speaker couplings also led to functionality-fatal damage during normal use. Plastic and foam are beneficial for weight reduction, but thinner materials and more intricate molding feel weak and are weak in practice, requiring significant extra care to prolong the Porta Pro lifespan.

Distinctions - The Koss Porta Pro headphones are designed to be visually appealing. Merging a retro ‘90s and early 2000s aesthetic with colors and materials often seen in currently popular thrifted or vintage pieces, the Porta Pro headphones are designed for those nostalgic for the more analog feeling from the turn of the century. Inclusion of idiosyncratic features like a folding design and ‘adjustable’ tightness of fit hearken back to somewhat gimmicky but largely charming innovations brought on by an evolving technological age. Most buyers of the Porta Pro will most likely be buying for aesthetic appeal, which is understandable from a visual perspective, as the unique shape and design are both distinct and appealing.

Criticisms - Many other color choices do constrict the usage of the Porta Pro headphones to environments that cater to the retro aesthetic Koss incorporates into the design. As the more probable usage of these are as a fashion or statement piece, this can be largely disregarded.

Distinctions - Koss equips the Porta Pro headphones with primarily plastic and foam, both materials that are easily recyclable.

Criticisms - The Porta Pro headphones are not durable by any interpretation of the word. Koss makes minimal efforts to compensate for this other than the carrying case, other than offering a limited warranty. The reality of the weak build, though, is that having a vulnerable product that you can have replaced with the same vulnerable product is not as appealing as it seems. The Porta Pro headphones are also not completely recyclable, requiring manual separation of electronic components from plastic housing before recycling is possible.

Distinctions - Porta Pro headphones are a refreshing aesthetic reflection on the more unique designs that make retro technology visually appealing and unique, offered with material and color contrast that rarely appears in the monochrome modern era.

Criticisms - Actual practicality for price is almost absent from the Porta Pro headphones, as the flimsy build and middling sound are not comparable to the quality provided by many price bracket peers. In the same vein, while contributing to a more ‘analog’ aesthetic, having wired headphones for on-the-go applications is impractical, with comparably priced bluetooth headphones offering better audio quality and more comfortable portability.