Or rather, theyre nothing more than that, only done better than the competition.
Today, Porta Pros are readily available worldwide and come in a range of colors.
Theres even a Bluetooth version if you cant stand the wires.
Koss
“Im on my second purchase of Porta Pros now,” software marketing directorCaroline Lee told Lifewirevia email.
“Tiny, lightweight, and comfortable to wear.
They would be great for running or in the gym.
Daniel Näb / Flickr
Plug in the headphones, and you forget you’re wearing them.
They look great, very retro and cool.”
Comfort
Unlike Caroline, Im on my fifth or sixth pair of Porta Pros.
The headphones themselves are quite robust.
The weak point is where the wires enter the earpieces.
One good yank, and you’ve got the option to break a connection.
First, theyre comfortable.
“They stay more comfortably on the head without it slipping and falling.”
Sound
Sound-wise, these little things are fantastic.
Lively, clear, with plenty of bass, but never muddy or overwhelming.
They have a clear, responsive sound reminiscent of fancy electrostatic speakers.
Plug in the headphones, and you forget you’re wearing them.
They look great, very retro and cool.
The other aspect of the sound comes from the open design of the speakers.
I like them for working and for wearing around the house, because I dont feel isolated.
This open design makes them useless on the subway, though.
Youre better off with some AirPods Pro for that.
Modding Scene
As befits any cult hardware, theres a healthy modding scene for the Porta Pros.
The only recommendation I would make is to buy some kind of carrying case to keep them in.
Stylish
The final reason Porta Pros are so cool is that they look great.
Or rather, they have a cool retro style.
I prefer some of the non-standard colors.
The stock black and blue is a little dull.
Fortunately, there are plenty of options.
Just remember to buy a USB-C or Lightning-to-jack adapter, or you wont be able to use them.
