Rabbit
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Post by Rabbit on Jan 4, 2014 12:42:53 GMT
I was taking a look on the DIYAH blog today and noticed that Frans had posted a link to 'how to spot fakes'.
I have three here and they are ALL fakes!! They came via Amazon as well.
If the site is correct, the pads don't match the pressure pad, the pads themselves have a blueish tinge, and on the inside, above the pads is a number printed and mine has 4. (Should be 1) These are all signs of a fake.
I got a new pair a few years ago after my old ones started to sound mushy. I got them and they were sharper than my old ones which were knackered, but now, I don't think any of my Portas are the real deal ...... from Amazon!!!
So I may not know what a real Portapro sounds like!!
Who sells the genuine article in the UK?
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solderdude
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Post by solderdude on Jan 4, 2014 14:23:12 GMT
Amazon is known to sell fake PortaPros. These are licensed UK sellers: Hama (UK) Ltd. Website: www.hama.co.ukEmail: koss@hama.co.uk KONDOR Ltd. Website: www.kondor.co.ukEmail: tradesales@kondor.co.uk PortaPro:
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Rabbit
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Post by Rabbit on Jan 4, 2014 14:39:27 GMT
Thanks Frans. I have 3 of them and not really too fussed!!
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solderdude
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Post by solderdude on Jan 4, 2014 16:20:06 GMT
If you are willing to send one over I can measure them. There is not much info on measurements about these thingies and do wonder how much they deviate from the Koss thingies. Could compare them with KSC75 and KSC35 (and KSC50) Do they all sound similar ?
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Rabbit
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Post by Rabbit on Jan 4, 2014 16:32:18 GMT
They do sound similar Frans. It never occurred to me that they would be fakes since they came from Amazon. They were also better than my antique one which had become really muffled in the treble for some reason. One has fallen apart, which really surprised me. (There was mention of poor quality on Amazon\ The lugs on the back of the earpieces broke so they can't be attached, which is why I became suspicious.
I also have a fake pair of ipod buds, (The newer oval ones) if you can measure them and I think I might still have a fake Dr Dre from Tenerife!!
The other two are in one piece. I'll send them over. Keep them there, Frans. Save postage!! Then you can see if they're consistent as well. If you have a real one, then you could compare FR. If the real is better, then I may get one, but at a premium from those dealers. The second one doesn't look like they sell to the public actually and the first charge £39 for them.
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solderdude
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Post by solderdude on Jan 4, 2014 22:20:43 GMT
I can't measure earbuds nor in-ears as I would need a different rig for those. If they sound the same only one of them is enough, they will measure closely the same as well most likely. Cheapest I can get Koss (and hope they are real) is E 35.- , normal pricing is around E 39.- for those. The pictures on Amazon are misleading and seem to be of the real PortaPro. You can buy a SportaPro (they are cheap) and pull the drivers of those horrid headbands and clip them on the PortaPro headband. The SportaPro, PortaPro and KSC35 share the same driver, the PortaPro has a blue frame and the KSC35 and SportaPro have black frames. I have interchanged drivers from the SportaPro, PortaPro and KSC35 and the drivers I had here were indistinguishable when mounted on the same frame. For me the K35 (and 75) frame gave the best sound closely followed by the PortaPro. The SportaPro sounds CRAP. The drivers don't swivel on these and thus you get a bad seal with bad bass. Once the drivers are clicked on the 35 or PortaPro frame they sound excellent and 35 drivers on the SportaPro sounded horrible. I sold the SportaPro and PortaPro and kept the 35 (and bought a few 75's) The KSC75 driver is slightly different in sound and construction. The differences are shown in the measurements as well: diyaudioheaven.wordpress.com/headphones/measurements/brands-j-r/
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Rabbit
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Post by Rabbit on Jan 4, 2014 23:15:46 GMT
OK Frans, I'll just send one. Maybe you'd like to hear that Tascam while I'm at it as well? Changstar keep raving away about it. It's ok. Fit is not good since the headband doesn't go up far enough for me. Someone mentioned it on there and that could be why I'm not so keen. It doesn't fit me!!
I had a friend bring one over for me!!
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solderdude
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Post by solderdude on Jan 5, 2014 9:48:14 GMT
The TH02 would be really interesting to measure and perhaps to mod. At CS the hype seems over and it was measured by OJneg as well showing its problems. I don't think it can be improved that much 'mechanically' and as it has dips it also cannot be corrected passively ( I think) There is a big 'hole' around 4kHz where the hearing is sensitive and 'presence' should be affected. It consists of resonances mainly and distorts 5% at that dip ! The wiggles around 100Hz may well be the measurement rig. My ears are positioned relatively 'high' and some headphones (like T50P and Fostexes) need extra padding so they won't drop 'down' too much. The Beyer headband padding usually helps.
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Post by MaN227 on Jan 10, 2014 11:52:53 GMT
I'm shocked why would anyone "fake" a REALLY already cheap headphone that has been around for decades? posting pics would be very helpful, this is real that is fake sorta thing you say from Amazon. I have to ask was the order fulfilled by amazon or one of the many many sellers there? my guess is that your orders were not fulfilled by amazon but a seller on amazon, if that makes any sense to u
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solderdude
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Post by solderdude on Jan 10, 2014 16:07:25 GMT
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Rabbit
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Post by Rabbit on Jan 10, 2014 16:32:21 GMT
It was thanks to Fran's posting of that link on the DIYAH Blog that I found out all THREE of mine were in fact fakes and I haven't heard a real Portapro. (Other than my original) The fakes are ok but I never knew or even dreamt that Amazon would supply fakes. I found out recently via some ipod buds that one guy was writing about on here by accident.
What he was describing and the graphs I saw definitely didn't match mine. I then suspected something was wrong. I bought a real one from an Apple store and the difference was massive and what I was hearing, was exactly what the guy was describing. Comparison to the fake showed just how bad the fake was. It looked right, but the sensitivity and the sound were awful.
I wrote to Amazon and told them that they were fakes - no reply.
That got me suspicious of the portapro so I checked on the blog, knowing that there was a link to a fake one. (The link above) All my Portapros are fakes!! Having said that, they at least don't sound nasty, but it is funny that I haven't heard a real one!! (Other than my original)
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Post by MaN227 on Jan 10, 2014 23:16:25 GMT
thanks for sharing the Link Frans. (very informative)
I know you must be angry Ian, or at least bummed about it. I know I would be very upset to find that out.
I assume LE to be limited edition Mick?
I'm still rather shocked that there would be fakes for such a headphone that has been around for decades. I can understand it with the "beats" as they are quite popular but the portapro lol wow.
so according to the photos at link this guy is selling fakes, as it does not say listen to music on your iPhone* on front .... ?
eBay item number: 151141569800
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solderdude
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Post by solderdude on Jan 11, 2014 9:14:34 GMT
The problem with some sellers is that they simply put pictures of real PortaPros on the add. I would only buy them from authorised sellers or directly from Koss. Other possible fakes (aside from the millions of beats) that can be found are copies from some I-stuff, Audio Technica ATH-ES3, ATH-ES55, ATH-ES7, ATH-FC700 (all non expensive nor very popular headphones and current models) and Sennheiser IE80 for instance. The difficult part of 'listen to music on your iphone' part is that the PortaPro has been around LOOOOONG before the iphone existed and if someone bought old stock it may still be genuine. On the other hand the seller is honest and mentions no-where these are GENUINE PortaPros. Also he states they are brand new and unopened and thus the originals would have 'iphone' bit in there. I say... skip this one (and most others on fleabay and Chinese vendors as well as Amazon) Should you want them order them, do this directly from Koss, lifetime warranty as well ! do NOT go for the SportaPro (Owned both at the same time. Drivers sound the same but the headband of the SportaPro, and the way it presses against the ears, differs enormously and causes sound to leak (bass mainly) because the pads aren't properly pressed against the ears which is ESSENTIAL for a good sound. This also means SQ depends MUCH on the shape of the Pinna. This last bit (and the fakes around) account for some bad reviews. If you do not mind earclips (takes some getting used to but personally love them and prefer over PortaPro) the KSC35 and KSC75 are great ! The KSC35 is more 'stealthy' (all black) but the earclip is plastic and 'sharp' so discomfort may set in soon. The KSC75 is silverish and has sligthly different driver (but sounds very similar) but has a bend-able earclip made of soft silicone and is more comfortable. To create a cheap headband headphone you can buy the SportaPro or KSC75 and buy a cheap headphone that uses the same clips (plenty of info on the web) and put the drivers on that headband and you have a GREAT headband headphone ! www.head-fi.org/t/232714/simple-ksc75-to-headband-mod-easy-as-pie-pics-56k-maybe/195great cheap little headphones and will never part with them ! Should you have a fake PortaPro and unable to return it, simply buy a pair of KSC75 and clip those drivers on the fake headband or find a genuine SportaPro and put those drivers on the fake PortaPro headband.
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solderdude
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Post by solderdude on Jan 11, 2014 9:36:24 GMT
Also... with some of these headphones after some time one of the drivers may start to 'rattle' with the bass. Don't think it is faulty... simply remove the foam (they disintegrate after a few years anyway) and remove the hairs stuck on the inside of it and put them back on.. fixed. Earcushions can be bought cheaply and when the 'quarter' mod is done the problem doesn't occur either.
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Rabbit
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Post by Rabbit on Jan 11, 2014 17:18:04 GMT
Those two companies are a bit difficult to get to. I'm not sure that they deal with public sales or are basically distribution companies. I left a message with one concerning fakes today so I'll wait to see if they get back to me.
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