Koss KPH40 vs Koss Porta Pro

Short answer: the Koss KPH40, though neither ranks well in its class. It ranks #115 of 134 over-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 2.8/5, at $32.99; the Koss Porta Pro ranks #126, rated 2.4/5, at $32.99. The price gap is small enough that the sound-quality ranking should decide it. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 134 over-ear headphones, and the Koss KPH30i, ranked #67 at $23.99, is a better place to start if sound quality matters.

The Koss KPH40 is the better-sounding pick. It is one of the cheapest options in its class, and the open-back design gives a more airy, spacious feel than most closed budget headsets. Watch for: Sub-bass rolls off about 7 dB below target under 60 Hz, so kick drums and synth bass lack rumble.

What the Koss Porta Pro does well: A very cheap, lightweight open-back design dating from 1984. The tradeoff: A 16.8 dB dip near 3.6 kHz hollows out vocals and instrument detail, and treble from 6 to 10 kHz is about 6 dB low.

Buy the Koss KPH40. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Koss Porta Pro at the same price, which makes it the one to get unless you need something the other one does better.

Looking for alternatives? See the complete Headphones rankings.

Specifications Side By Side

Related Headphone Comparisons

More worthwhile head-to-heads for Koss KPH40:

• Koss KPH30i vs Koss KPH40
• HyperX Cloud II vs Koss KPH40
• Koss KPH40 vs Koss KSC75
• Koss KPH40 vs Razer BlackShark V2 X
• Koss Porta Pro vs Razer BlackShark V2 X

Prices on this page were last checked October 10, 2026 at 5:37 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.

The Two Headphones In Full

Koss KPH40: $32.99 Amazon eBay

Pros: It is one of the cheapest options in its class, and the open-back design gives a more airy, spacious feel than most closed budget headsets. Bass between 60 and 200 Hz sits about 2 dB above target and the lower mids are slightly full, which suits a warm, relaxed listener. Sensitivity of 101 dB at 60 ohms means a phone can drive it.

Cons: Sub-bass rolls off about 7 dB below target under 60 Hz, so kick drums and synth bass lack rumble. A 14.5 dB dip near 4.4 kHz makes vocals and instrument detail sound distant, and treble is about 4 dB low overall, so the sound is dark and muffled. Open backs also leak sound and offer no isolation.

Full Koss KPH40 review and specifications →

Back	Open
Connection	Wired
Deviation From Target	3.35 dB standard deviation
Driver Type	Dynamic
Form Factor	Over-ear
Frequency Response	15Hz - 25kHz (Manufacturer specified)
Harman Preference Score	54 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ)
Impedance	60 ohms
Sensitivity	101 dB SPL/1mW
Tonal Tilt	-1.21 (negative is warmer, positive brighter)

EQ preset to match the Harman target

Set a preamp of -6.1 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.

Filter	Frequency	Gain	Q
Low shelf	105 Hz	+7.5 dB	0.70
Peak	79 Hz	-7.6 dB	0.37
Peak	3,725 Hz	+4.9 dB	3.94
Peak	614 Hz	+1.5 dB	2.05
Peak	37 Hz	+3.9 dB	1.16
High shelf	10,000 Hz	+1.9 dB	0.70
Peak	7,429 Hz	+4.0 dB	0.78
Peak	5,445 Hz	-7.7 dB	4.24
Peak	1,941 Hz	-2.0 dB	2.35
Peak	1,012 Hz	+0.3 dB	1.84

• Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
  • AutoEQ results for the Koss KPH40 (oratory1990 measurement)
• Head-to-Head Comparisons
  • Koss KPH40 vs Koss KSC75
  • Koss KPH40 vs HyperX Cloud II
  • Koss KPH40 vs Razer BlackShark V2 X
  • Koss KPH40 vs Koss KPH30i

Koss Porta Pro: $32.99 Amazon eBay

Pros: A very cheap, lightweight open-back design dating from 1984. At 60 ohms and 101 dB sensitivity it runs easily from a phone. The warm tilt and a mild 2.6 dB bass lift suit listeners who like a relaxed, bassy sound.

Cons: A 16.8 dB dip near 3.6 kHz hollows out vocals and instrument detail, and treble from 6 to 10 kHz is about 6 dB low. Sub-bass below 60 Hz sits about 6 dB under target. The open back leaks sound and provides no isolation, and the HyperX Cloud Alpha is rated clearly higher at a similar price.

Full Koss Porta Pro review and specifications →

Released	1984 (42 years ago)
Back	Open
Connection	Wired
Deviation From Target	3.55 dB standard deviation
Driver Type	Dynamic
Form Factor	Over-ear
Frequency Response	15Hz - 25kHz (Manufacturer specified)
Harman Preference Score	46 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ)
Impedance	60 ohms
Sensitivity	101 dB SPL/1mW
Tonal Tilt	-1.50 (negative is warmer, positive brighter)

EQ preset to match the Harman target

Set a preamp of -7.9 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.

Filter	Frequency	Gain	Q
Low shelf	105 Hz	+9.2 dB	0.70
Peak	83 Hz	-8.7 dB	0.47
Peak	3,336 Hz	+4.3 dB	4.55
Peak	8,898 Hz	+5.8 dB	2.75
Peak	6,711 Hz	+4.5 dB	4.32
High shelf	10,000 Hz	+4.5 dB	0.70
Peak	4,725 Hz	-3.8 dB	6.00
Peak	1,892 Hz	-1.6 dB	2.53
Peak	658 Hz	+0.6 dB	1.45
Peak	2,756 Hz	+1.5 dB	4.62

• Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
  • AutoEQ results for the Koss Porta Pro (oratory1990 measurement)
• Head-to-Head Comparisons
  • Koss Porta Pro vs Razer BlackShark V2 X
  • Koss Porta Pro vs Koss KSC75