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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Koss Porta Pro headphones, being on-ear with an open enclosure, offer a spacious soundstage that's good for music listening at home, but they lack a microphone for calls and aren't suitable for noisy environments due to poor noise isolation. If you prefer a wireless option with good build quality, active noise cancelling for travel, and the convenience of a built-in mic for calls, the Soundcore Space A40 would be a better fit, despite being somewhat more expensive. However, the A40's lower latency also makes them more suitable for TV and gaming. Both provide a similar overall sound quality, but if portability and exercise use are important, the Soundcore's higher portability and sweatproof features make them the more versatile 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 Koss Porta Pro
Very good for music
Good for TV and video
Advantages of the Soundcore Space A40
Very good for air travel
Key differences
Music
8.2/10
7.7/10
The Koss Porta Pro is very good for music, while the Soundcore Space A40 is good.
Gaming
6.4/10
4.9/10
The Koss Porta Pro is only fair for gaming, while the Soundcore Space A40 is poor.
Phone Calls
4.3/10
4.8/10
The Soundcore Space A40 and Koss Porta Pro are both poor for phone calls, though the Soundcore Space A40 is somewhat better.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
6.8/10
4.9/10
The Koss Porta Pro is only fair for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Soundcore Space A40 is poor.
TV and Video
7.6/10
5.3/10
The Koss Porta Pro is good for TV and video, while the Soundcore Space A40 is poor.
Noise Reduction
2.5/10
9.1/10
The Soundcore Space A40 is excellent for noise reduction, while the Koss Porta Pro is poor.
Battery
N/A
8.0 Hours
The Koss Porta Pro does not have a battery. The Soundcore Space A40 has 8 hours of battery life.
Cost
$49
$80
$0
$20
$40
$60
$80
$100
The Koss Porta Pro has a price of $49 and the Soundcore Space A40 costs $80.
Build Quality
6.0/10
8.5/10
The Soundcore Space A40 has very good build quality, while the Koss Porta Pro has only fair build quality.
"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."
"The Anker Soundcore Space A40 is an excellent deal if you want affordable noise canceling earbuds with great sound. The baseline frequency response is enjoyable, and the many EQ presets to choose from plus the ability to customize your sound profile makes it good for pretty much anyone. The noise canceling is quite good, and the many ear tips to choose from ensure a good fit for the noise canceling and isolation to do its job."
Get a great deal on the Koss Porta Pro or the Soundcore Space A40
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 Soundcore
Soundcore is a sub-brand belonging to Anker Innovations. Starting in 2014, initially marketing wireless, Bluetooth, speakers, Anker now offers an array of, budget-friendly, wireless earbuds and headphones that directly compete, especially in the Active Noise Canceling field, with other brands several times as expensive.
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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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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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