The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize portability and a built-in microphone for calls, the Koss Porta Pro with mic would meet those needs, whereas the Sennheiser HD 250BT offers a potentially longer battery life and may have better build quality. The Koss is on-ear and typically provides a more open soundstage, but may be less comfortable for long listening sessions compared to the around-ear design of the Sennheiser, which can also offer better noise isolation. The Sennheiser might also have more modern features such as Bluetooth 5.0 and aptX Low Latency codec, which are great for video and gaming due to reduced audio lag. 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 (with mic)
Very good for music
Advantages of the Sennheiser HD 250BT
Good for phone calls
Very good for TV and video
Very good for air travel
Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
8.2/10
6.5/10
The Koss Porta Pro (with mic) is very good for music, while the Sennheiser HD 250BT is only fair.
Gaming
8.2/10
8.8/10
The Sennheiser HD 250BT and Koss Porta Pro (with mic) are both very good for gaming, though the Sennheiser HD 250BT is somewhat better.
Phone Calls
6.1/10
7.2/10
The Sennheiser HD 250BT is good for phone calls, while the Koss Porta Pro (with mic) is only fair.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
6.8/10
8.1/10
The Sennheiser HD 250BT is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Koss Porta Pro (with mic) is only fair.
TV and Video
7.6/10
8.4/10
The Sennheiser HD 250BT is very good for TV and video, while the Koss Porta Pro (with mic) is good.
Noise Reduction
2.5/10
6.0/10
The Sennheiser HD 250BT is only fair for noise reduction, while the Koss Porta Pro (with mic) is poor.
Battery
N/A
25.0 Hours
The Koss Porta Pro (with mic) does not have a battery. The Sennheiser HD 250BT has 25 hours of battery life.
Cost
$60
$68
$50
$60
$70
$80
$90
$100
The Koss Porta Pro (with mic) has a price of $60 and the Sennheiser HD 250BT costs $68.
Build Quality
6.0/10
9.0/10
The Sennheiser HD 250BT has excellent build quality, while the Koss Porta Pro (with mic) 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."
"As a lightweight, robust audio provider with a long battery life, the Sennheiser HD 250BT offer a lot for their price: very good Bluetooth codecs, an app connection and an extremely understated design. These headphones may not be among the most comfortable, but they deliver adequate sound – without overdriving or distortion."
Get a great deal on the Koss Porta Pro (with mic) or the Sennheiser HD 250BT
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.
Give feedback
We're constantly perfecting our model
Earbuds or Headphones guides you might be interested in
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
113,900
Recommendations made
17,085
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.