Наушники — Koss Porta Pro Limited Edition Rhythm Beige

Rhythm Beige is one of two colourways of the Porta Pro Limited Edition, an on-ear wired model made by Koss of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the firm behind the SP/3 stereophone of 1958. The original Porta Pro appeared in 1984 as a portable design, and this edition grew out of a fan vote on five colour concepts. The ballot ended in a tie, so Koss chose to make both finalists, Black Gold and Rhythm Beige. Koss lists it at USD 59.99 and ships it only from its own web store, in special direct-to-consumer packaging.

Key specs that matter

Dynamic elements with voice coils wound from oxygen-free copper drive the earpieces. Koss publishes a response of 15 Hz to 25,000 Hz, an impedance of 60 ohm and a sensitivity of 101 dB SPL. The cord runs to 1.2 m and terminates in a 3.5 mm plug. Koss notes that the edition is more than a colour change, as it adds an inline microphone with a remote and an attenuating volume control on the cable. Two carrying options come in the box - a newly designed hard compact case plus the familiar soft pouch. A Limited Lifetime Warranty from Koss applies.

Engineering and use context

Adjustable temporal pads sit above the ear cushions and take some of the clamping load off the ears, spreading it towards the sides of the head during long sessions. The cushions are lightweight open-air foam, so outside noise passes through and the wearer stays aware of traffic, announcements or conversation nearby. That hear-through behaviour also means the Porta Pro leaks audio to people close by, which matters in a quiet office or library. The frame collapses for carrying, and the rigid case added for this edition protects the folded headband in a bag. With the microphone and remote on the cord, the headphone can take calls and control playback on a phone without being unplugged. The Porta Pro platform has stayed in the Koss catalogue for four decades. In 2018 the company released a Bluetooth Porta Pro Wireless on the same 1984 layout, and in 2024 that wireless version marked the 40th anniversary of the design.

Pairing

The published impedance and sensitivity figures let a phone, laptop or portable player drive the Porta Pro to useful levels from its own headphone socket, so no separate amplifier is needed for everyday use. Since the microphone and remote share the one plug with the audio, a phone or tablet with a headset socket gives access to calls and playback control, while a plain headphone output on a hi-fi source simply leaves the microphone unused.

Alternatives

Another on-ear option from Koss is the Porta Pro Wireless, which carries the 1984 layout over to Bluetooth.