I have basically nailed down my options between these two, which ones would you recommend? Which ones are better at what?
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Headphones: Sony MDR-V6 or Koss Portapros?
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Hope I caught you before you made the purchase. I'd say to look at the tech specs and see which one has the best freq response. Anything less than 20Hz - 20kHz is unacceptable. I'm personally rocking with the Sennheiser HD-280's. They got issued to me when I started school, and they're the best I've heard in that price range.
I've been into audio for over 40 years and I say your statement is completely bogus.
Look at your headphone's frequency response, it's well over 10 DB down at 20khz.. Don't go by manufacturers specifications. Go with what sounds good to you. I wont recommend speakers or headphones because it's all a matter of personal preference. I owned the HD280 for about 2 weeks and sold them. I personally don't like the Sony's either. Like I said, don't take my word for it, use your own ears...
Edit: I own the Sony V6's in excellent condition. I will gladly sell them for $40 to you as long as you're within the CONUS. BTW, a fellow audiophile who owns the Koss's, say's they're excellent for the money. I can't vouch for that since I've never heard them..
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I'm going with the Koss Portapros since I am kind of running out of money for college. I will ask for the MDR-V6s for Christmas and hand down the Koss's to my brother.
I absolutely LOVE retro designs, both the Koss Portapros and MDR-V6s haven't changed a bit for 20+ years which is pretty damn neat.
I will post my opinion on the Koss Portapros once I get them in this thread, then come Christmas time and I get the Sonys I will post my opinion on them again in this thread for people in the future that were in the same situation I was in.
I absolutely LOVE retro designs, both the Koss Portapros and MDR-V6s haven't changed a bit for 20+ years which is pretty damn neat.
I will post my opinion on the Koss Portapros once I get them in this thread, then come Christmas time and I get the Sonys I will post my opinion on them again in this thread for people in the future that were in the same situation I was in.
I used to love the PortaPros, used them for years, but they're a pain to handle and use.
At some point I bought the Senn PX100 but hated the sound and gave them away. Then later I bought the Senn PX100-II and haven't looked back: better sound (to me) and much more practical.
I don't know the Sony but I sure would consider the Senn PX100-II, this really is a fine headset.
I also use the Grado SR60 but those are much less convenient obviously.
At some point I bought the Senn PX100 but hated the sound and gave them away. Then later I bought the Senn PX100-II and haven't looked back: better sound (to me) and much more practical.
I don't know the Sony but I sure would consider the Senn PX100-II, this really is a fine headset.
I also use the Grado SR60 but those are much less convenient obviously.
Porta Pro blues
In my experience the Porta Pro is uncomfortable. Their two-position settings for earpiece pressure would not lock into place or me. For my purposes -- listening while working out in a gym -- the Sennheiser PX100 was much better.
I agree with the poster who discounts claimed freq reponse. In addition to his point about dodgy claims, let me add this: you might (by age, excessive exposure to high volumes, DNA) be incapable of hearing certain frequncies, so theoretically better ratings are irrelevant. Especially those highs.
In my experience the Porta Pro is uncomfortable. Their two-position settings for earpiece pressure would not lock into place or me. For my purposes -- listening while working out in a gym -- the Sennheiser PX100 was much better.
I agree with the poster who discounts claimed freq reponse. In addition to his point about dodgy claims, let me add this: you might (by age, excessive exposure to high volumes, DNA) be incapable of hearing certain frequncies, so theoretically better ratings are irrelevant. Especially those highs.
The Portapros are kind of goofy looking, but they sound great for the cost and they're more portable (albeit a little more fragile) than the Sonys. I don't think this is the best comparison, because the Sony cans are twice the cost of the Koss. I alternate between the Portapros and a set of Sennheisers and have no complaints with either, though the MDR-V6 has great reviews.
One thing we should mention to anyone buying headphones for iPods or other small players is impedance. This number should be in the specs, and should be checked out. I'll leave it to others here who know more about audio gear, but IIRC higher impedances can both drain batteries faster and rob the earphones of some performance. Right?
Ditto, especially on female vocals. And this is with a Woo Audio WA6 tube headphone amp and a Cambridge Audio Azur 550C CD player. I'm not a fan at all. On the other hand, my Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro's sound truly amazing..