Short answer: the Koss Porta Pro, though neither ranks well in its class. It ranks #203 of 216 over-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 2.4/5, at $39.99; the Sennheiser HD 450BT ranks #204, rated 2.3/5, and costs $69, so there is little reason to consider the other one. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 216 over-ear headphones, so if sound quality matters, consider the Superlux HD 660 Pro 150 Ohm instead, ranked #57 at $34.
What the Koss Porta Pro does well: A very cheap, lightweight open-back design dating from 1984. The catch: 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.
Why pick the Sennheiser HD 450BT: Wireless with active noise cancelling, about 30 hours of battery and Bluetooth 5.0 with SBC, AAC, aptX and aptX Low Latency. Watch for: A deep 15.7 dB dip near 4.4 kHz and presence about 8.5 dB low make vocals recessed and distant.
Buy the Koss Porta Pro. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Sennheiser HD 450BT and costs less, which makes it the one to get unless you need something the other one does better.
Still deciding? The full Headphones rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Koss Porta Pro | Sennheiser HD 450BT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $39.99 | $69.00 |
| Ranked | #203 of 216 in Over-Ear Headphones | #204 of 216 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 46 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) | 44 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 3.55 dB standard deviation | 3.64 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -1.50 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -1.56 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 34 Hz (-7.8 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+2.1 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wireless and wired |
| Back | Open | Closed |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Impedance | 60 ohms | - |
| Sensitivity | 101 dB SPL/1mW | 108 dB SPL (1 kHz, 0 dBFS) |
| Frequency Response | 15Hz - 25kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 18Hz - 22kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Weight | - | 0.5 lbs (238 g) |
| Active Noise Cancelling | - | Yes |
| Battery Life | - | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 5.0 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX Low Latency |
| Built-in Microphone | - | Yes |
Related Headphone Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for Koss Porta Pro:
- HyperX Cloud II vs Koss Porta Pro
- Koss KPH40 vs Koss Porta Pro
- Koss KSC75 vs Koss Porta Pro
- Koss Porta Pro vs Razer BlackShark V2 X
- HyperX Cloud II vs Sennheiser HD 450BT
Prices on this page were last checked October 11, 2026 at 4:59 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.
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The Two Headphones In Full
Koss Porta Pro: $39.99 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 |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 34 Hz (-7.8 dB at 30 Hz) |
| 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
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Sennheiser HD 450BT: $69.00 Wireless Amazon eBay
Pros: Wireless with active noise cancelling, about 30 hours of battery and Bluetooth 5.0 with SBC, AAC, aptX and aptX Low Latency. It also has a wired mode and a built-in microphone at a modest price. Bass from sub-bass through 200 Hz is within about 1 dB of the Harman target, which suits warm tastes.
Cons: A deep 15.7 dB dip near 4.4 kHz and presence about 8.5 dB low make vocals recessed and distant. Treble from 6 to 16 kHz is also 4 to 7 dB under target, so the sound is dark and lacks sparkle. The HyperX Cloud II is rated higher for less money.
Full Sennheiser HD 450BT review and specifications →
| Released | Feb 2020 (6 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Active Noise Cancelling | Yes |
| Back | Closed |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX Low Latency |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Connection | Wireless and wired |
| Deviation From Target | 3.64 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 18Hz - 22kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 44 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Sensitivity | 108 dB SPL (1 kHz, 0 dBFS) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+2.1 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -1.56 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0.5 lbs (238 g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.4 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 | -2.7 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 2,417 Hz | -4.2 dB | 0.56 |
| Peak | 3,855 Hz | +8.3 dB | 1.65 |
| Peak | 151 Hz | -3.0 dB | 1.14 |
| Peak | 6,571 Hz | +3.5 dB | 1.15 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | +5.6 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 8,215 Hz | -2.8 dB | 4.27 |
| Peak | 374 Hz | +0.9 dB | 2.79 |
| Peak | 656 Hz | -0.6 dB | 2.31 |
| Peak | 41 Hz | -0.2 dB | 1.75 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons