Koss KPH30iW On-Ear Headphones, in-Line Microphone and Touch Remote Control, D-Profile Design, Wired with 3.5mm Plug, White and Blue

Edit: Put these in my bag, broke after a week or so. Bummer.Ok, Koss, kinda quirky, kinda cool. They don't seem to be on the same path as the other headphone makers.First, yes, if you like the Porta Pros, you are going to like these. They are light, sound warm, fun, wired, have a control button on the cord, and mic.Mic: I'm not so sure about the mic. People say my voice isn't that clear with it. I just talked with someone on these to test, and they said they could hear me fine. So maybe the mic is good. It's going to take more testing.Price: These things are a steal. I've spent 3 x as much and gotten much less fun.Weight: These things are the "set and forget" headphones. You will forget you are even wearing them.Sound: Bassy, but with good overal, details and warm sound. (Not "flat" -- hey that's cool, if that's your thing.) I really enjoy the sound. And I feel like I've been chasing the right sound for me, and this is it. (Not that I'm not going to continue my headphone hobby-- but if I was going to commit to one sound for life, this might be it). I think if I had just bought these (and not the umpteen other pairs) I'd be happy and just enjoy the music and not chase that last esoteric bit of great sound.Cord: Yes, it has that plug reinforcement. The cord is thick, but "wrinkled" out of the box. Other headphone cords (that part that goes to the earcups) feel thicker and more premium, but come on people, these things cost less than my daily starbucks habit (kinda). I would worry that if I break these, it will be the cords. (But hey, Koss has a lifetime warranty on these things, that I've not used, but others swear by).The cord length is just about perfect for walking around, I haven't tried these running, which I do with porta pros, but I think they will work. The cord is "asymmetrical" with different lengths to each side, but it works well. The way the "legs" are set up they slide through these ended sliders, I don't feel like they are over extended and break like other headphones have before.The headpiece feels comfy. I have to slide the earphone "legs" out to max length (I got a big head) but it works.Cups/earpads: The pads are not quite as cush as the portapros (at least subjectively), but they feel sleek, providing sonically invisible cushion and my ears feel great. Portapros seem to have aftermarket options if you want to replace or hotrod them, but I haven't checked on that with these. The "D-shaped" earpieces fit over my ears well. They are also comfy. The portapros have these sort of "ball connection" than can sometimes click loose or break--as if held by friction-- these seem more solid and durable.Headband: The headband fits, its the right size, seems durable. And the silicon top part of the band is an added (but not weight adding) luxury over porta pros.Looks: Of course this is all subjective, but this aspect more so. I like them. I got the gray. They are interesting looking, but business like, tech, interesting, unique, but also professional. There is something about Koss that is visually distinctive from all the other headphone makers out there. Lots of stuff looks the same, with common-looking parts.Koss really stands out from that crowd. I would describe this look as 50s space (alt history) program, plus a bit of the 80s New Wave, thrown in.Now that I have these I have to keep myself from wanting to by the other models that are in other (ooh pretty) colors.Summary: In general. I'm very happy with these. They are great allarounders. They sound good. They feel good. They are quality and they seem well made. These would be the headphones I'd put on around my neck as I ventured out during my day, and catch tunes, a call, or a podcast as required. I wouldn't hesitate to take them on an extended trip across the country, or the world). I wouldn't worry about losing them, or breaking them. Because they are super affordable. And they sound nice. Sure some sound leaks, yep, but the "soundstage" is wide, I have better situational awareness, and I don't listen at super loud volume. So the leaks are not noticeable to others. (Not like those weirdos who use their phone speakers to jam out in public.)Buy these, enjoy them, live long and prosper.

While I wouldn't classify myself as being an audio snob, I do have decent collection of various headphones (some are good, some are meh), which include but are not limited to the Sennheiser HD598 & HD700, Epos G6 Pro, HE400se, V-Moda Crossfade Wireless and two generations of Skullcandy Crushers (1st + Evo). Most of my wired audio is hooked up to the Sennheiser GSX 1000 DAC/AMP, nothing fancy but geared towards computer use (Music, Gaming and productivity use).The Koss KPH30i headphones are by far one of my favorite. I'd put them up their with my Sennheiser HD598s in terms of sound, not the same but they hit in the same general ball park. If I had to explain the difference between the two, the Senns are more punchy and warm, while the Koss headphones are buttery smooth and warm.They work extremely well for gaming with the GSX 1000's virtual surround, and for music the audio just melts into your ears assuming its the right genre. I'm talking about new retrowave and anything with a bit of synth in it. Lo-fi is great. 80s Metal works well. In fact almost everything from the 80s will sound awesome. Some examples include Michael Jackson's Billie Jean, Wang Chung's Dance Hall Days, Duran Duran's Rio, Oingo Boingo's Weird Science and Billy Idol's White Wedding to name a few.Comfort wise, they are so light I forget that I am wearing them. Default pads are uncomfortable, so I highly recommend slapping some Yaxi pads on them OR Grado G cushions.In short, I highly recommend these. They are not going to be the best headphone money can buy, but they will hit well above their weight class, so much so I find myself wearing using them more than any of the other headphones I have on hand.If I was in the market for a pair of Sennheiser open backs, I would buy these first as they get you close to that territory for very little money, and more importantly they are addictingly fun. They lose a bit of detail, but offer up a buttery smooth experience that is both warm and slightly intimate.Note: The headband is not the most sturdy. It will probably break at some point. If that happens, or the wire goes out, before you chuck them in the trash remember you can replace the headband and even mod the cables to be detachable. Its extremely easy and cheap to do, and there is a ton of content available showing how to do this. These are heavily moddable headphones.