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Porta Pro
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HD 400S
Company ProductName Specs




What we think

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

The Koss Porta Pro offers a more spacious sound with its open-back design, suitable for home use where noise leakage isn't an issue, but provides minimal isolation from external noise. It's lightweight and foldable, enhancing portability. On the other hand, the Sennheiser HD 400S, with its closed-back design, better isolates listening and reduces sound leakage, making it more versatile for use in public settings or while traveling. They also include a microphone, which is great for calls, and they are noted for higher comfort level. If you prioritize immersive open-back sound and portability at a lower price, then the Porta Pro may be the better choice. For a more isolated listening experience, versatile use, and integrated microphone with a slightly higher price point, consider the HD 400S. 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 Koss Porta Pro
  • Very good for music
Advantages of the Sennheiser HD 400S
  • Very good for phone calls
  • Very good for gaming
  • Good for air travel
  • Good for podcasts and audiobooks

Key differences

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Music

8.2
Porta Pro
HD 400S
7.1
The Koss Porta Pro is very good for music, while the Sennheiser HD 400S is good.

Gaming

6.4
Porta Pro
HD 400S
8.6
The Sennheiser HD 400S is very good for gaming, while the Koss Porta Pro is only fair.

Phone Calls

4.3
Porta Pro
HD 400S
8.2
The Sennheiser HD 400S is very good for phone calls, while the Koss Porta Pro is poor.

Podcasts and Audiobooks

6.8
Porta Pro
HD 400S
7.6
The Sennheiser HD 400S is good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Koss Porta Pro is only fair.

Noise Reduction

2.5
Porta Pro
HD 400S
5.3
The Sennheiser HD 400S and Koss Porta Pro are both poor for noise reduction, though the Sennheiser HD 400S is somewhat better.

Build Quality

6.0
Porta Pro
HD 400S
8.5
The Sennheiser HD 400S has very good build quality, while the Koss Porta Pro has only fair build quality.
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Key similarities

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TV and Video

7.6
Porta Pro
HD 400S
7.6
The Koss Porta Pro and Sennheiser HD 400S are both good for TV and video.

Cost

$49
Porta Pro
HD 400S
$50
Product imageProduct image

$0

$10

$20

$30

$40

$50

The Koss Porta Pro has a price of $49 and the Sennheiser HD 400S costs $50.

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How the Koss Porta Pro and the Sennheiser HD 400S compare to other earbuds and headphones

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Spec Comparison

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Koss Porta ProSennheiser HD 400S
Koss Porta ProSennheiser HD 400S

GENERAL

Price
$49
$50
Brand
KossSennheiser
Release Date
January 1, 1984January 1, 2019
Form Factor
HeadphonesHeadphones
Connectivity
WiredWired

SOUND

Music Score
8.3/107.2/10
Phone Calls Score
4.3/108.2/10
Gaming Score
6.4/108.7/10
TV and Video Score
7.7/107.7/10
Exercise Score
4.2/104.2/10

FEATURES

Active Noise Cancelling
NoNo
Noise Reduction Score
2.5/105.3/10
Virtual Surround
N/ANo
Mic Quality
N/A8.5/10

BUILD AND DESIGN

Build Quality
6/108.5/10
Comfort score
7/108.4/10
Weight (headset or single earbud)
63.5 Grams213 Grams
Microphone style
N/AIntegrated
Waterproof Rating
00

Shopping

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Koss Porta Pro

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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."

Sennheiser HD 400S

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Headphone Dungeon

Jim | August 2022
"Sennheiser has done it again. The HD 400S performs well beyond its price range and is one of the better budget model headphones I’ve tried. It has very few bells and whistles and offers a simple means of listening that still delivers amazing clarity and quality. If you need a good first pair of headphones or need something that you can take out of the house, then the HD 400S is definitely for you."

Get a great deal on the Koss Porta Pro or the Sennheiser HD 400S

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.

About Sennheiser

A family-owned company, Sennheiser is a German, high fidelity, audio equipment manufacturer founded in 1945. Their consumer audio division is now owned by the Swiss hearing aid and cochlear implant manufacturer Sonova. Sennheiser offers a wide variety of, very high quality, audio equipment solutions, from headphones to earbuds, full sets of monitoring speakers, amplifiers and microphones. They also make what is widely regarded as the best, and most expensive, headphones in existence, the HE-1 Orpheus, costing a whopping $59,000 dollars.

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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

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Earbuds and headphones evaluated
11,340
Earbuds and headphones stats compiled
15
Proprietary Earbuds and headphones ratings developed
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Recommendations made
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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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