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ATH M30X
Company ProductName Specs




Porta Pro (with mic)
Company ProductName Specs




What we think

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The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·

If sound quality is your top priority for music, the Koss Porta Pro offers slightly better performance for music listening. However, if you frequently use headphones for calls or gaming, the Porta Pro also comes with a mic which could be beneficial for these activities. The Audio Technica ATH M30X provides better noise isolation, making them preferable for noisy environments or air travel, but they lack a built-in microphone. Regarding comfort, both are quite comparable, but the Porta Pro is significantly lighter and more portable, which could be advantageous for on-the-go use. Neither has wireless capability, so consider if this is a dealbreaker. The Porta Pro has an open design that can leak sound and let in ambient noise, so if you need privacy and don't want to disturb others, the closed design of the ATH M30X is a better choice. Give Feedback

this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Audio Technica ATH M30X
  • Good for air travel
Advantages of the Koss Porta Pro (with mic)
  • Very good for music
  • Very good for gaming

Key differences

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Music

7.6
ATH M30X
Porta Pro (with mic)
8.2
The Koss Porta Pro (with mic) is very good for music, while the Audio Technica ATH M30X is good.

Gaming

6.6
ATH M30X
Porta Pro (with mic)
8.2
The Koss Porta Pro (with mic) is very good for gaming, while the Audio Technica ATH M30X is only fair.

Phone Calls

4.3
ATH M30X
Porta Pro (with mic)
6.1
The Koss Porta Pro (with mic) is only fair for phone calls, while the Audio Technica ATH M30X is poor.

Noise Reduction

6.0
ATH M30X
Porta Pro (with mic)
2.5
The Audio Technica ATH M30X is only fair for noise reduction, while the Koss Porta Pro (with mic) is poor.

Cost

$89
ATH M30X
Porta Pro (with mic)
$60
Product image
Product image

$40

$60

$80

$100

$120

$140

$160

The Audio Technica ATH M30X has a price of $89 and the Koss Porta Pro (with mic) costs $60.

Build Quality

7.2
ATH M30X
Porta Pro (with mic)
6.0
The Audio Technica ATH M30X has good build quality, while the Koss Porta Pro (with mic) has only fair build quality.
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Key similarities

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Podcasts and Audiobooks

6.9
ATH M30X
Porta Pro (with mic)
6.8
The Audio Technica ATH M30X and Koss Porta Pro (with mic) are both only fair for podcasts and audiobooks.

TV and Video

7.9
ATH M30X
Porta Pro (with mic)
7.6
The Audio Technica ATH M30X and Koss Porta Pro (with mic) are both good for TV and video.

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How the Audio Technica ATH M30X and the Koss Porta Pro (with mic) compare to other earbuds and headphones

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Spec Comparison

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Audio Technica ATH M30XKoss Porta Pro (with mic)
Audio Technica ATH M30XKoss Porta Pro (with mic)

GENERAL

Price
$89
$60
Brand
Audio TechnicaKoss
Release Date
January 1, 2014January 1, 1984
Form Factor
HeadphonesHeadphones
Connectivity
WiredWired

SOUND

Music Score
7.7/108.3/10
Phone Calls Score
4.4/106.2/10
Gaming Score
6.6/108.2/10
TV and Video Score
7.9/107.7/10
Exercise Score
4.3/104.2/10

FEATURES

Active Noise Cancelling
NoNo
Noise Reduction Score
6/102.5/10
Virtual Surround
NoN/A
Mic Quality
N/A6.5/10

BUILD AND DESIGN

Build Quality
7.2/106/10
Comfort score
7.4/107/10
Weight (headset or single earbud)
220 Grams63.5 Grams
Microphone style
N/AIn-Line
Waterproof Rating
00

Shopping

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Audio Technica ATH M30X

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Dig into reviews and images

Soundguys

Jasper Lastoria | August 2023
"The Audio-Technica ATH-M30x is a great choice for anybody that needs a decent set of over-ear studio monitors. While the frequency response is not totally spot on, it works for basically every situation reasonably well. The sound quality and reasonably good comfort promote its candidacy as a great pick for $69 USD."

Koss Porta Pro (with mic)

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Headphones.com

Sebastian Taboada | February 2022
"It’s clear to see why these have been such a popular choice amongst listeners for nearly four decades. It’s a charming pair of headphones that delivers a truly enjoyable listening experience and one that I think punches well above its weight."

Get a great deal on the Audio Technica ATH M30X or the Koss Porta Pro (with mic)

About Audio Technica

Audio Technica is a 60-year-old, Japan-based, professional audio equipment manufacturer. They started off making phonograph cartridges and have expanded their scope of products ever since to include extremely popular models of microphones and headphones. They have been the official audio equipment supplier of several editions of the Summer and Winter Olympics and every edition of the Grammy Awards since 1998.

About Koss

Koss is an American headphone manufacturer established in 1953. In 1958, they created the first set of stereophones, that is headphones with stereo sound, and in 1984 they released the world-famous Porta Pro, a set of on-ear headphones that has remained essentially unchanged for more than 30 years and that is still made, sold and loved by many audio enthusiasts around the world today.

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Why trust us

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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.

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Earbuds and headphones stats compiled
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About the Earbuds or Headphones team

Joe Golden, Ph.D

CEO and Earbuds and Headphones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.

Jason Lew

Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.

Chandradeep Chowdhury

Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.

Luis Torres

Earbuds and Headphones Expert
Luis is a Mexico-based headphones expert. He’s been making headphone recommendations for five years and has close to 100 pairs in his personal collection.

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