Best Headphones for Music
Koss Porta Pro

#6 overall · open-back on-ear wired

Koss Porta Pro

Cheapest genuinely musical headphone you can buy for home listening; a spare-pair favourite.

BargainHomeNo ampUnder $100
Owners on record
13
Threads
7
Say they own it
5
Check price on Amazon · $40
Own these? Vote

Typical price, checked Sep 2026. Koss lists it at $49.99 on koss.com; Amazon showed $39.99 on the check date.

Why people like it

  • Sound far better than the price and the 1980s looks suggest
  • Very light on the head; several owners wear them for years
  • Easy to drive from a phone, no amp needed
  • Some owners keep them alongside much pricier sets as a daily driver

What owners complain about

  • No isolation at all; open on-ear design leaks sound both ways
  • Build is basic; one owner says the Bluetooth version is poor
  • On-ear pads can get uncomfortable after a few hours for some

Where opinions split: Everyone agrees they are a bargain; the split is whether an on-ear with zero isolation is usable outside the house.

The 8 sources

Owner = the person says they use it. Recommendation = passed on without saying so. Dates are when the thread started.

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