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PC38X
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·

The EPOS PC38X, being more expensive, offers excellent overall sound quality, a better soundstage for immersive experiences, and high mic quality, making it a strong choice for gaming and calls. Its build quality is superior to the Koss Porta Pro, which is more affordable, portable, and foldable, suitable for listening to music on the go. However, both have minimal noise isolation due to their open designs. If budget is a concern and casual listening is the primary use, Koss may suffice, but for serious gaming, calls, and higher audio fidelity, the EPOS PC38X stands out despite its higher price. 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 EPOS PC38X
  • Best in class for music
  • Best in class for phone calls
  • Best in class for gaming
  • Excellent for TV and video
  • Good for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the Koss Porta Pro (with mic)
  • The Koss Porta Pro (with mic) has no clear advantages over the EPOS PC38X.

Key differences

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Music

9.5
PC38X
Porta Pro (with mic)
8.2
The EPOS PC38X is best in class for music, while the Koss Porta Pro (with mic) is very good.

Gaming

10.0
PC38X
Porta Pro (with mic)
8.2
The EPOS PC38X is best in class for gaming, while the Koss Porta Pro (with mic) is very good.

Phone Calls

10.0
PC38X
Porta Pro (with mic)
6.1
The EPOS PC38X is best in class for phone calls, while the Koss Porta Pro (with mic) is only fair.

Podcasts and Audiobooks

7.9
PC38X
Porta Pro (with mic)
6.8
The EPOS PC38X is good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Koss Porta Pro (with mic) is only fair.

TV and Video

9.0
PC38X
Porta Pro (with mic)
7.6
The EPOS PC38X is excellent for TV and video, while the Koss Porta Pro (with mic) is good.

Cost

$139
PC38X
Porta Pro (with mic)
$60
Product image
Product image

$0

$50

$100

$150

$200

The EPOS PC38X has a price of $139 and the Koss Porta Pro (with mic) costs $60.

Build Quality

8.5
PC38X
Porta Pro (with mic)
6.0
The EPOS PC38X has very 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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Noise Reduction

2.5
PC38X
Porta Pro (with mic)
2.5
The EPOS PC38X and Koss Porta Pro (with mic) are both poor for noise reduction.

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How the EPOS PC38X and the Koss Porta Pro (with mic) compare to other earbuds and headphones

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Spec Comparison

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EPOS PC38XKoss Porta Pro (with mic)
EPOS PC38XKoss Porta Pro (with mic)

GENERAL

Price
$139
$60
Brand
EPOSKoss
Release Date
September 1, 2020January 1, 1984
Form Factor
HeadphonesHeadphones
Connectivity
WiredWired

SOUND

Music Score
9.6/108.3/10
Phone Calls Score
10/106.2/10
Gaming Score
10/108.2/10
TV and Video Score
9.1/107.7/10
Exercise Score
4.5/104.2/10

FEATURES

Active Noise Cancelling
NoNo
Noise Reduction Score
2.5/102.5/10
Mic Quality
10/106.5/10

BUILD AND DESIGN

Build Quality
8.5/106/10
Comfort score
8.4/107/10
Weight (headset or single earbud)
249.4 Grams63.5 Grams
Microphone style
BoomIn-Line
Waterproof Rating
00

Shopping

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EPOS PC38X

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Dig into reviews and images

Everyday Listening

Ryan Soo | November 2021
"Lightweight and comfortable design, Mic arm with mute, Excellent tuning, Highly natural midrange voicing, Clean and separated bass, Solid soundstage dimensions. Combining all day comfort and integrated coms with a balanced and spacious sound from essentially any source, it is hard to deny the versatility and value provided by the PC38X."

Koss Porta Pro (with mic)

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Dig into reviews and images

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 EPOS PC38X or the Koss Porta Pro (with mic)

About EPOS

EPOS is a relatively new company with a very long heritage. Previously known as Sennheiser Communications, EPOS is the result of the joint venture between the German headphone manufacturer Sennheiser and the Danish Demant that sought to develop premium audio communication solutions. They specialize in two main product groups, enterprise communications and gaming communication headsets and processing devices.

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.

By the numbers

108
Earbuds and headphones evaluated
11,340
Earbuds and headphones stats compiled
15
Proprietary Earbuds and headphones ratings developed
122,900
Recommendations made
18,435
Consumer hours saved

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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