Need headphones with soft pads - but which one to go for?

chaoshead

Member
Im in need of new headset since the one's i got now, Seinnheiser HD201, got...hmm..."rubbery" pads on them, which makes this annoying sound against my glasses from time to time.. I'd like some kind of headphones with pads like on this picture: pldosfkdsflksdl — imgbb.com

Any suggestion on good/workable headphones with such pads?

Price: around $50, plus minus.

Are there any good alternatives for me?
 
Ha, So I'm not alone!

Glad you posted because the headphones in the picture are Beyer DT series. I have 770s and they are the only headphones I have which make that annoying sound!
I ended up putting a little tab of smooth tape where they would contact my glasses.

That all said, I have Sennheiser HD280s and HD201s and never had the problem with either of those.
 
I know the problem. With my Senn's, the problem solved itself. The plastic gave way after years. I should get new pads and I've promised myself the velvet ones.

Whenever it really annoyed me, I just put on the Jecklin Float. Looks silly, but is very comfortable. You just don't want to do any head banging with these... :D

888jecklin.promo_.jpg
 
AKG K92s Mine are presently back at AKG service for an intermittent R/H driver but that is, I hope a rare, one off fault.
Very comfortable and VERY sensitive! Under a nifty here.

Dave.
 
Ha, So I'm not alone!

Glad you posted because the headphones in the picture are Beyer DT series. I have 770s and they are the only headphones I have which make that annoying sound!
I ended up putting a little tab of smooth tape where they would contact my glasses.

That all said, I have Sennheiser HD280s and HD201s and never had the problem with either of those.

Hmm weird. i guess i will stick to my Senn 201's for now then, heh. When i become rich, then i can go for those $150-headphones. ;) How much better are those 280s than the 201s? Thanks again for advice, man!

AKG K92s Mine are presently back at AKG service for an intermittent R/H driver but that is, I hope a rare, one off fault.
Very comfortable and VERY sensitive! Under a nifty here.

Dave.

what you mean by very sensitive? as in the break fast, or? :o pardon for the noobie question..
 
Hmm weird. i guess i will stick to my Senn 201's for now then, heh. When i become rich, then i can go for those $150-headphones. ;) How much better are those 280s than the 201s? Thanks again for advice, man!



what you mean by very sensitive? as in the break fast, or? :o pardon for the noobie question..

"Sensitivity" of headphones is the dB Sound Pressure Level given for a specific input signal. That signal is generally given as a voltage, almost always one volt rms* and for the K92s that is 113dB SPL for 1V. Other makers might use "dB/mW (1/1000 watts). That figure is pretty high, most headphones are in the 100dB/V region.

High sensitivity is not of itself a sign of quality but handy to have! I am clinically deaf (have 2 aids) but I only need the volume slider on this HP laptop to get adequate level on Radio 3 e.g with it at around 50%. My Sennheiser HD448s need the VC flat out for not quite as much level. The 448s are decent mid priced phones but I much prefer the K92s, better bass.

On a similar note, loudspeakers have a sensitivity specc' (often wrongly called "efficiency". Wrong because that is the ratio of output POWER to input power. Next to impossible to measure speaker power!).
Given from: SPL (dB) for 1 watt at 1mtr. The input is sometimes given as 2.83Vrms which is 1W into 8 Ohms because the ACTUAL power being absorbed by the speaker is unknown due to the jazzing about of its impedance.

The SPL of any speaker (at 1mtr) can be found from: SPL =log W x10+S where W is the power input and S is the given sensitivity. E.g. the ubiquitous V30 given 0.1 watts still delivers a chavvy awakening 90dB SPL!

*rms. The way voltages are normally presented, mains volts, signal volts etc. The alternatives are "peak" and "peak to peak" (as you would see on an oscilloscope) but these are rarely used EXCEPT when gear makers want to fool you!

BTW, got the K92s back. Might actually be a new pair, got another 1/4" to 3.5mm adaptor. Happy bunny.

Dave.
 
Hmm weird. i guess i will stick to my Senn 201's for now then, heh. When i become rich, then i can go for those $150-headphones. ;) How much better are those 280s than the 201s? Thanks again for advice, man!

Honestly, they're not even comparable.
The 201s have been fine for use with the laptop but they're not balanced cans for assessing anything.
The one thing they have over bigger cans is that they're very light, so I could see someone using them for editing where assessment of tone+balance isn't in the equation.

They're not exactly flimsy, but one of the size adjusters broke on my 201s and I have to tape it in a fixed position, and after a few years the cable plastic/rubber started to degrade and I had to replace it.
OK, I might have stood on them, but I've stood on my 280s plenty of times. :p

The jack broke too, thinking about it. Can't remember exactly how but connection on one side became intermittent.

The cushioning that touches your head degraded on both but, to be fair, that was after 4-5 years of heavy use, and a a spot of duct tape sorts that out.
 
DT100 or 150s with the velvet eardads - mega comfy.

pardon, but those are a tad bit too much for my budget.. unfortunately.. thanks for the tip, though

"Sensitivity" of headphones is the dB Sound Pressure Level given for a specific input signal. That signal is generally given as a voltage, almost always one volt rms* and for the K92s that is 113dB SPL for 1V. Other makers might use "dB/mW (1/1000 watts). That figure is pretty high, most headphones are in the 100dB/V region.

High sensitivity is not of itself a sign of quality but handy to have! I am clinically deaf (have 2 aids) but I only need the volume slider on this HP laptop to get adequate level on Radio 3 e.g with it at around 50%. My Sennheiser HD448s need the VC flat out for not quite as much level. The 448s are decent mid priced phones but I much prefer the K92s, better bass.

On a similar note, loudspeakers have a sensitivity specc' (often wrongly called "efficiency". Wrong because that is the ratio of output POWER to input power. Next to impossible to measure speaker power!).
Given from: SPL (dB) for 1 watt at 1mtr. The input is sometimes given as 2.83Vrms which is 1W into 8 Ohms because the ACTUAL power being absorbed by the speaker is unknown due to the jazzing about of its impedance.

The SPL of any speaker (at 1mtr) can be found from: SPL =log W x10+S where W is the power input and S is the given sensitivity. E.g. the ubiquitous V30 given 0.1 watts still delivers a chavvy awakening 90dB SPL!

*rms. The way voltages are normally presented, mains volts, signal volts etc. The alternatives are "peak" and "peak to peak" (as you would see on an oscilloscope) but these are rarely used EXCEPT when gear makers want to fool you!

BTW, got the K92s back. Might actually be a new pair, got another 1/4" to 3.5mm adaptor. Happy bunny.

Dave.

interesting how the differences are, i must say. thanks for that one, dave. and you certainly got m e curious on that K92 now... hehe.

Honestly, they're not even comparable.
The 201s have been fine for use with the laptop but they're not balanced cans for assessing anything.
The one thing they have over bigger cans is that they're very light, so I could see someone using them for editing where assessment of tone+balance isn't in the equation.

They're not exactly flimsy, but one of the size adjusters broke on my 201s and I have to tape it in a fixed position, and after a few years the cable plastic/rubber started to degrade and I had to replace it.
OK, I might have stood on them, but I've stood on my 280s plenty of times. :p

The jack broke too, thinking about it. Can't remember exactly how but connection on one side became intermittent.

The cushioning that touches your head degraded on both but, to be fair, that was after 4-5 years of heavy use, and a a spot of duct tape sorts that out.

that is interesting reading. thanks for clearing it up for me. didn't know that part. hmm... what you reckon about me getting either 280s or that above-mentioned K92 that Dave got? Or is there a better one for me than those 2? i mostly use them for watching movies, video editing and ofc voice acting/dubs.
 
I chose the K92s because many years ago I had a pair of 600 Ohm K60s, one of the first really high quality headphones, at least anything available to the general public. There followed a plethora of crap headphones as the transistor amplifier became the norm (it is technically difficult to put a headphone feed on a valve PA) . I bought the Senny 448s some years ago. Good but not outstanding. The K92s I bought on the strength of the old K60s and because the price was right (abt £50) . I have since found several glowing reports.

Since many AIs and just about all laptops have pretty feeble headphone amps the high sensitivity of the phones is an advantage in keeping distortion low from such less than stellar amplifiers. For anyone with '20-20' lugs they will startle!

Dave.
 
I chose the K92s because many years ago I had a pair of 600 Ohm K60s, one of the first really high quality headphones, at least anything available to the general public. There followed a plethora of crap headphones as the transistor amplifier became the norm (it is technically difficult to put a headphone feed on a valve PA) . I bought the Senny 448s some years ago. Good but not outstanding. The K92s I bought on the strength of the old K60s and because the price was right (abt £50) . I have since found several glowing reports.

Since many AIs and just about all laptops have pretty feeble headphone amps the high sensitivity of the phones is an advantage in keeping distortion low from such less than stellar amplifiers. For anyone with '20-20' lugs they will startle!

Dave.

hey, i read that the noise leakage for AKG K92 is very bad. like, is it very loud so people around me can easily hear me, or? what's your experience in that area? if i'd go for a step UP from that, which headphones should i then go for?
 
If you like the HD201's why not just replace the ear cushions? I replaced some worn out cushions on a pair of Sony 7506's with an aftermarket brand that are more comfortable and seal to the ear better. Some cushions may alter the sound of the headphones. The old ones may come off hard and as well new ones may feel like they are going to rip stretching them on.

Not the only ones available on the internet, but an example....
Amazon.com: Replacement velour earpads ear pad cushion cover pillow for Sennheiser HD180 hd201 headphone headset: Home Audio & Theater

The cushions for above did not include any reviews. The link below is for same style cushions for a different Senn model from the same seller...
Amazon.com: Replacement Velvet Earpad for Sennheiser HD418, HD419, HD428, HD429, HD439, HD438, HD448, HD449 Headphone Velvet Ear Pad / Ear Cushion / Ear Cups / Ear Cover / Earpads Repair Parts: Home Audio & Theater
 
hey, i read that the noise leakage for AKG K92 is very bad. like, is it very loud so people around me can easily hear me, or? what's your experience in that area? if i'd go for a step UP from that, which headphones should i then go for?

I can listen to music while wife watches TV and although I get a bit of telly she has never complained of me "squeaking"! The TV is maybe 1.5mtr from me and about 3mtrs from wife. and I am about the same from her, i.e. 3mtrs.

So, not brilliant isolation but I did not need that, if YOU do you might find the comfort factor is a tricky one to square with isolation? You need dense materials, heavy and a good seal on the ears, tight clamping.

Dave.
 
If you like the HD201's why not just replace the ear cushions? I replaced some worn out cushions on a pair of Sony 7506's with an aftermarket brand that are more comfortable and seal to the ear better. Some cushions may alter the sound of the headphones. The old ones may come off hard and as well new ones may feel like they are going to rip stretching them on.

Not the only ones available on the internet, but an example....
Amazon.com: Replacement velour earpads ear pad cushion cover pillow for Sennheiser HD180 hd201 headphone headset: Home Audio & Theater

The cushions for above did not include any reviews. The link below is for same style cushions for a different Senn model from the same seller...
Amazon.com: Replacement Velvet Earpad for Sennheiser HD418, HD419, HD428, HD429, HD439, HD438, HD448, HD449 Headphone Velvet Ear Pad / Ear Cushion / Ear Cups / Ear Cover / Earpads Repair Parts: Home Audio & Theater

that would be another solution yes. i wil lsee what i will do. thanks for the tip, man.

I can listen to music while wife watches TV and although I get a bit of telly she has never complained of me "squeaking"! The TV is maybe 1.5mtr from me and about 3mtrs from wife. and I am about the same from her, i.e. 3mtrs.

So, not brilliant isolation but I did not need that, if YOU do you might find the comfort factor is a tricky one to square with isolation? You need dense materials, heavy and a good seal on the ears, tight clamping.

Dave.

well, any ideas on how the isolation would be compared to the headphones i have now (sens 201hd) - cuz the isolation on these headphones is actually quite okay. i like it. so if the K92's are better isolated than these, then it's a safe buy. either way, it DOES seem to be THE choice for under $50, for sure. :) thanks
 
any ideas on how the isolation would be compared to the headphones i have now (sens 201hd)

HD201s won't compare with 'real' headphones in terms of isolation.
My 201s finally gave up last night and I switched to 280s for laptop use. Feels like you're underwater or something. :eek:
 
Search Amazon for 'velour earpads' and then read reviews to see which ones really fit, and comments about how much they alter sound.

I got a pair for my ancient Sony V6s after having the original and their [Sony] replacement sets disintegrate over the years. I just love them, and they haven't started leaving bits of black, fake leather, stuck to my ears and head.

You might end up having to buy headphones to fit the pads, or you can just jump to the DT770s, which were pretty darn comfy out of the box for me.
 
HD201s won't compare with 'real' headphones in terms of isolation.
My 201s finally gave up last night and I switched to 280s for laptop use. Feels like you're underwater or something. :eek:

yes, here we are with the 280s again, hehe. I've been wanting to get these for a long time now, ever since you mentioned them in an earlier thread. So they are that good in terms of leakage, huh? that sounds brilliant. might have to go for these instead of the K92, although that's almost half the price of 280s.. hehe. but then again; i know you're a fan of 280s, so i have to remember that as well. ;)

Search Amazon for 'velour earpads' and then read reviews to see which ones really fit, and comments about how much they alter sound.

I got a pair for my ancient Sony V6s after having the original and their [Sony] replacement sets disintegrate over the years. I just love them, and they haven't started leaving bits of black, fake leather, stuck to my ears and head.

You might end up having to buy headphones to fit the pads, or you can just jump to the DT770s, which were pretty darn comfy out of the box for me.

i also read good things about these, but a tad bit over the budget for me, unfortunately. :/
 
If the HD201 model was without issue for a significant timeframe, replacing pads could be an option as Mark above mentioned. (By the way, cleaning pads in a way other than recommended can break down pads' material, maybe making them "rubbery" or other damage.)

After I did not find pads (for your HD 201 model) on a couple major retailer sites, I went to the Sennheiser website and found a pair of HD 201 pads for $11: Sennheiser OP - HD 201 - - Ear cushion HD 201. However, I saw a new pair of HD 201 headphones (at a major online retailer) on sale for $20.--something to consider if your set is older.

Based on the link you provided of what appears to be velour pads (if I am not mistaken), you could email Sennheiser @ Headphones - Sennheiser and ask if the velour covers for other models would work with your HD 201 model.

I did a product search on the Sennheiser site and could not readily find velour covers specific for your model but a more thorough search might produce results. If not available, please keep in mind the shape of the headphones (the portion that covers the ears) can be of slight but significantly different shape and size (maybe making the velour covers for other models not usable for yours). Therefore, I would ask the manufacturer if velour covers for another model would fit your HD 201 model before going this route as a possible, possible but not certain solution with glasses.

I hope this gives you some options if your are satisfied with the model you have, other than the issue with pads.

I must defer to other more experienced members if your are interested in different models.

Welcome to your Home Recording forum--JeffF.
 
Last edited:
I recently have spent more time working with my home set up, and had a set of Sennheiser HD25 I-II's. These were OK, but after a few hours got uncomfortable and hurt my ears.

Two days ago, I got some Audio Technica M50X's. I was torn between these and the Dt770- you will need to get some velour pads though if you really want them.

I am very happy with the M50X, they are much more comfortable than the HD25's. Even with the pleather pads, they are nice, although I may upgrade to some velour ones in the future.

I checked some audio samples before I bought these ( I know, not the best, but just an idea as I couldn't try them both out). I preferred the sound of the M50X, as the Dt770 seemed like the treble might get a bit fatiguing on my ears after a while.

They are also great for normal listening, not just monitoring. I would say the isolation is around on par with my HD25's, the HD25 may have a slight bit more but this could be in my head.

I really recommend them.
 
Back
Top