OVERALL
ALTERNATIVES
SPECS
VS AVERAGE
REVIEWS
Scored using Headphones Methodology v1.0
Headphones Methodology v1.0
Mathematical & Unbiased Scoring
Products in this category are scored under Frontum Headphones Methodology v1.0: technical specifications plus authentic consumer ratings, with 0% commercial bias.
Explore Headphones Methodology v1.0

Koss Portapro Ktc Review | 93 Data compared

Avg. price:~£70Form factor:on-earConnectivity:wiredBattery life:N/A hoursActive noise cancellation (ANC):no

Koss Portapro Ktc Review: Compare 93 technical specifications and user reviews to see how this product ranks in the Headphones category and whether it is worth buying.

5.0/10

Overall score

Score
5.0/ 10
✕
What it is
An overall evaluation of the headphones' quality, based on technical analyses and user reviews.
When it matters
When you need a quick reference to identify the best headphones on the market.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 97% of models
Score components

80%

5.0

Technical score

20%

?

User score

â–¼Worse than 97% of headphones
6.5

Value for money

Value for money
6.5/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator that combines the headphones' overall rating with their cost.
When it matters
When you are looking for headphones that offer a strong balance of performance, features, and price.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 91% of models
Score components

70%

5.0

Overall score

30%

10

Price

â–¼Worse than 91%
5.0

Technical score

Technical score
5.0/ 10
✕
What it is
An assessment of technical performance for products in the Headphones category across these key areas: Sound, Calls & Controls, Connectivity, Features, Battery, Design.
When it matters
When you want to compare headphones based on technical performance and available features.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 92% of models
Score components

52%

4.7

Sound

20%

4.4

Features

10%

8.1

Design

8%

4.6

Connectivity

6%

4.0

Battery

4%

8.0

Calls & Controls

â–¼Worse than 92%
?

User score

User score
8.0/ 10
✕
What it is
A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the headphones.
When it matters
When you want to understand how headphones perform in real listening and how reliable they are in terms of comfort, audio quality, battery life, and long-term use.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 58% of models
Score components

70%

?

User ratings

30%

?

Number of reviews

  • No image
No image
Where to buy
    N/A~ £70
Best rankings
Available: ranking among products currently available (including other versions of this product).All: ranking among all products in the database.
Loading category ranking...

Technical Specifications of pair of headphones Koss Portapro Ktc

Technical score
Technical score
5.0/ 10
✕
What it is
An assessment of technical performance for products in the Headphones category across these key areas: Sound, Calls & Controls, Connectivity, Features, Battery, Design.
When it matters
When you want to compare headphones based on technical performance and available features.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 92% of models
Score components:

52%

4.7

Sound

20%

4.4

Features

10%

8.1

Design

8%

4.6

Connectivity

6%

4.0

Battery

4%

8.0

Calls & Controls

5.0
User score
User score
8.0/ 10
✕
What it is
A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the headphones.
When it matters
When you want to understand how headphones perform in real listening and how reliable they are in terms of comfort, audio quality, battery life, and long-term use.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 58% of models
Score components

70%

?

User ratings

30%

?

Number of reviews

?
Popularity
Popularity
1.0/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator based on the number of reviews received by the headphones.
When it matters
When you prefer headphones that have already been chosen and reviewed by many other users.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 99% of models
Popularity:
Koss Portapro Ktc has a popularity score of 1 point, which is lower than that of 73.4% of products in this category.
1.0
Value for money
Value for money
6.5/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator that combines the headphones' overall rating with their cost.
When it matters
When you are looking for headphones that offer a strong balance of performance, features, and price.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 91% of models
Score components:

70%

5.0

Overall score

30%

10

Price

6.5
Active noise cancellation (ANC)
no
This pair of headphones does not support active noise cancellation. 27.5% of headphones support active noise cancellation.
Driver type
dynamic
Driver size
34 mm
Market range: <10 mm – >50 mm
This pair of headphones uses a driver size of 34 mm, smaller driver size than 73.7% of headphones and equal to 0.2% of headphones.
Number of drivers
1
Market range: <1 – >4
This pair of headphones uses 1 drivers, fewer drivers than 4% of headphones and equal to 96% of headphones.
Lowest frequency
15 Hz
Market range: <5 Hz – >20 Hz
This pair of headphones reaches a lowest frequency of 15 Hz, lower lowest frequency than 58.3% of headphones and equal to 5.8% of headphones.
Show more
Noise-canceling microphone
yes
This pair of headphones supports a noise-canceling microphone. 61.1% of headphones support noise-canceling microphones.
Can be used as a headset
yes
This pair of headphones is headset-ready, 84.8% is not. 15.2% of headphones can be used as headsets.
Number of microphones
1
Market range: <0 – >4
This pair of headphones has 1 microphones, more microphones than 26.9% of headphones and equal to 50.9% of headphones.
Boom microphone
yes
This pair of headphones includes a boom microphone. 86.5% of headphones have a boom microphone.
Microphone SNR
?
Show more
Connectivity
wired
This pair of headphones supports wired connectivity, less flexible connectivity than 49.2% of headphones and equal to 50.8% of headphones.
Bluetooth version
N/A
Maximum Bluetooth range
N/A
Audio latency
N/A
Multipoint support
no
This pair of headphones does not support multipoint. 30.6% of headphones support multipoint.
Show more
Ambient sound mode
no
This pair of headphones does not offer ambient sound mode. 24.9% of headphones support ambient sound mode.
EQ support
no
This pair of headphones does not support EQ customization. 23.2% of headphones support EQ.
Companion app
no
This pair of headphones does not work with a companion app. 21.6% of headphones support companion apps.
Adjustable ANC levels
N/A
Voice assistant support
yes
This pair of headphones supports voice assistants. 39.2% of headphones support voice assistants.
Show more
Battery life
N/A
Battery life with ANC
N/A
Charging time
N/A
Quick charge
no
This pair of headphones does not support quick charging. 33.1% of headphones support quick charge.
Battery capacity
N/A
Show more
Brand name
Koss
Form factor
on-ear
Weight
67 g
Market range: <14 g – >340 g
This pair of headphones weighs 67 g, lighter than 80.3% of headphones and equal to 0.1% of headphones.
Acoustic design
open-back
Clamp force
8.5
Market range: <2.5 – >6.1
This pair of headphones has a clamp force of 8.5, higher clamp force than 98.9% of headphones.
Show more

Koss Portapro Ktc vs the average pair of headphones

246810TotalDesignSoundBatteryConnectivityCalls & ControlsFeatures
  • 69.3% lower weight
    This pair of headphones is lighter than the average pair of headphones (67 g vs 218 g). The average pair of headphones weighs 218 g.
    67 g vs 218 g
  • Clear call microphone
    This pair of headphones offers a clear call microphone, while the average pair of headphones does not. 39% of headphones support noise-canceling microphones.
  • Direct 3.5 mm plug
    This pair of headphones includes a direct 3.5 mm plug, the average pair of headphones does not. 39.8% of headphones have a 3.5 mm male connector.
  • In-line controls
    This pair of headphones includes in-line controls, the average pair of headphones does not. 36.6% of headphones support in-line controls.
  • Foldable design
    This pair of headphones has a foldable design, the average pair of headphones does not. 48.3% of headphones are foldable.
  • 5,000 Hz higher treble extension
    This pair of headphones has a higher highest frequency than the average pair of headphones (25,000 Hz vs 20,000 Hz). The average headphones reach a highest frequency of 20,000 Hz.
    25,000 Hz vs 20,000 Hz
  • Quick mic mute
    This pair of headphones includes a quick mic mute, the average pair of headphones does not. 29.3% of headphones support a mute function.
  • Open-back design
    This pair of headphones uses an open-back design, while the average pair of headphones does not. 9.1% of headphones have an open-back design.
  • 69.3% lower weight
    This pair of headphones is lighter than the average pair of headphones (67 g vs 218 g). The average pair of headphones weighs 218 g.
    67 g vs 218 g
  • Foldable design
    This pair of headphones has a foldable design, the average pair of headphones does not. 48.3% of headphones are foldable.
  • Open-back design
    This pair of headphones uses an open-back design, while the average pair of headphones does not. 9.1% of headphones have an open-back design.
  • 5,000 Hz higher treble extension
    This pair of headphones has a higher highest frequency than the average pair of headphones (25,000 Hz vs 20,000 Hz). The average headphones reach a highest frequency of 20,000 Hz.
    25,000 Hz vs 20,000 Hz
  • 3 Hz lower bass extension
    This pair of headphones has a lower lowest frequency than the average pair of headphones (15 Hz vs 18 Hz). The average headphones reach a lowest frequency of 18 Hz.
    15 Hz vs 18 Hz
  • Direct 3.5 mm plug
    This pair of headphones includes a direct 3.5 mm plug, the average pair of headphones does not. 39.8% of headphones have a 3.5 mm male connector.
  • Clear call microphone
    This pair of headphones offers a clear call microphone, while the average pair of headphones does not. 39% of headphones support noise-canceling microphones.
  • In-line controls
    This pair of headphones includes in-line controls, the average pair of headphones does not. 36.6% of headphones support in-line controls.
  • Quick mic mute
    This pair of headphones includes a quick mic mute, the average pair of headphones does not. 29.3% of headphones support a mute function.
  • Boom microphone included
    This pair of headphones includes a boom microphone, the average pair of headphones does not. 13.5% of headphones have a boom microphone.
  • No passive noise reduction
    This pair of headphones does not offer passive noise reduction, while the average pair of headphones does. 82.6% of headphones have passive noise reduction.
  • 1.49 % higher distortion
    This pair of headphones has a higher total harmonic distortion than the average pair of headphones (1.8 % vs 0.3 %). The average headphones have total harmonic distortion of 0.3 %.
    1.785 % vs 0.3 %
  • 6 mm smaller driver size
    This pair of headphones has smaller driver size than the average pair of headphones (34 mm vs 40 mm). The average headphones use a driver size of 40 mm.
    34 mm vs 40 mm
  • Fixed cable
    This pair of headphones has a fixed cable, while the average pair of headphones has a detachable one. 62% of headphones have a detachable cable.
  • 4.2 higher clamp force
    This pair of headphones has a higher clamp force than the average pair of headphones (8.5 vs 4.3). The average headphones have a clamp force of 4.3.
    8.5 vs 4.3
  • No battery indicator
    This pair of headphones does not show battery level clearly, while the average pair of headphones does. 56.3% of headphones have a battery level indicator.
  • 5.87x less popular
    Koss Portapro Ktc is less popular than the average pair of headphones (1 vs 5.9).
    1 vs 5.87
  • 11.3% worse value for money
    Koss Portapro Ktc has worse value for money than the average pair of headphones (6.53 vs 7.3).
    6.53 vs 7.27
  • 5.87x less popular
    Koss Portapro Ktc is less popular than the average pair of headphones (1 vs 5.9).
    1 vs 5.87
  • 11.3% worse value for money
    Koss Portapro Ktc has worse value for money than the average pair of headphones (6.53 vs 7.3).
    6.53 vs 7.27
  • Fixed cable
    This pair of headphones has a fixed cable, while the average pair of headphones has a detachable one. 62% of headphones have a detachable cable.
  • 4.2 higher clamp force
    This pair of headphones has a higher clamp force than the average pair of headphones (8.5 vs 4.3). The average headphones have a clamp force of 4.3.
    8.5 vs 4.3
  • Tangle-prone cable
    This pair of headphones uses a tangle-prone cable, while the average pair of headphones is easier to manage. 64.2% of headphones use a tangle-free cable.
  • No passive noise reduction
    This pair of headphones does not offer passive noise reduction, while the average pair of headphones does. 82.6% of headphones have passive noise reduction.
  • 1.49 % higher distortion
    This pair of headphones has a higher total harmonic distortion than the average pair of headphones (1.8 % vs 0.3 %). The average headphones have total harmonic distortion of 0.3 %.
    1.785 % vs 0.3 %
  • 6 mm smaller driver size
    This pair of headphones has smaller driver size than the average pair of headphones (34 mm vs 40 mm). The average headphones use a driver size of 40 mm.
    34 mm vs 40 mm
  • 1 dB/mW lower sensitivity
    This pair of headphones has a lower sensitivity than the average pair of headphones (101 dB/mW vs 102 dB/mW). The average headphones have sensitivity of 102 dB/mW.
    101 dB/mW vs 102 dB/mW
  • No battery indicator
    This pair of headphones does not show battery level clearly, while the average pair of headphones does. 56.3% of headphones have a battery level indicator.
  • 4 older release date
    This pair of headphones was released earlier than the average pair of headphones (2012 vs 2016). The average headphones were released in 2016.
    February 2012
    2012 vs 2016

Video reviews

Hands-on testing, unboxing, and real-world video evaluations

Not graded yet

Third-party reviews

What customers like about Koss Portapro Ktc

  • Exceptional audio quality for the price, featuring a warm, balanced sound profile and impactful bass.
  • Highly portable and lightweight design that remains comfortable for extended listening sessions.
  • Integrated Apple-compatible inline remote and microphone for convenient playback control and calls.
  • Open-back design provides a decent, airy soundstage compared to typical budget on-ears.
  • Legendary lifetime warranty offered by Koss ensures long-term support for the product.

What customers don't like about Koss Portapro Ktc

  • Significantly more expensive than the standard non-KTC Porta Pro model.
  • Flimsy build quality with a thin metal headband that can occasionally snag or pull hair.
  • Open-back design lacks noise isolation and leaks audio, making them unsuitable for loud or quiet public environments.
  • The 'ComfortZone' adjustment sliders are often cited as being ineffective or difficult to use.
  • Inline remote buttons lack tactile distinction, making them hard to navigate by feel alone.

Verdict

The Koss Porta Pro KTC (Koss Touch Control) is an upgraded version of the iconic 1984 on-ear headphones, specifically designed for Apple devices with an integrated three-button in-line remote and microphone for call and music management. These open-back headphones feature rigid Mylar elements and oxygen-free copper voice coils that deliver a remarkably wide frequency response of 15–25,000 Hz, 60-ohm impedance, and a sensitivity of 101 dB SPL. Their standout characteristics include the unique 'Comfort Zone' temporal pads that allow for adjustable pressure against the head, a lightweight 67-gram collapsible frame for extreme portability, and a warm, bass-rich sound profile with a surprisingly spacious soundstage. While they are highly praised for their long-term comfort and lifetime warranty, notable drawbacks include a lack of passive noise isolation due to the open-air design, significant sound leakage at higher volumes, and a somewhat flimsy build quality that can occasionally catch or pull hair.

Compare Koss Portapro Ktc with other products in the Headphones category

1Product to compare no. 1
VS
2Product to compare no. 2
VS
3Product to compare no. 3 (optional)

Graphic comparison of Koss Portapro Ktc and other products in the Headphones category

No results found