Headphone replacement pads Velour vs Leather ?

[Earwax]

Interested if upgrading the ATH M50x ear pads would be a wise investment ?

Stock pads are mint as I was not enjoying these headphones until I started using the Fosi Audio DS1 Dac with the USB audio player pro app using Flac files. Now it`s love...

Would these larger pads with Velour drastically change the way they perform ?

The stock pads are to warm in hot summer weather for longer than a few songs, I don`t use air conditioning in my Condo and walking outside in the heat is bad idea.

Just for reference sake so you can see exactly what I`m considering. Very pricy that is why I`m here asking...

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00MFDX4YO/ref=ewc_pr_img_4?smid=A15PLPAN81GD6T&th=1

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[kemmler3D]

I don't think you should expect any drastic difference in sound, but if you are going from the leather-like material to velour, you may find the bass changes or decreases. Bass depends to some extent on the quality of seal around your ear, which becomes less airtight with a porous material. Probably won't be night-and-day, but you might lose some bass.

Porous pads can also absorb more high frequencies than non-porous ones, but it's not certain to have an effect as the treble may not be bouncing off the pad on the way to your ear in the first place.

 

[swamps]

I'm no expert on the M50 series but these aftermarket pads seem to be thicker. In general switching to thicker pads you should expect an increase starting from around 3kHz, something about 1~3dB.

Here is a great guideline: https://diyaudioheaven.wordpress.com/headphones/earpads/

 

[Earwax]

Curiosity got to me so after seeing the highly rated HD 600 headphones on sale taxes in $425 and easily returnable I jumped.

They come with Velour pads so I went ahead and ordered the Above Velour pads for my ATH M50X headphones to do a comparison.

If you already have the ATH M50X you should consider those style of pads, what I noticed or appear to be experiencing is the frequencies all of them high and low don`t get so boxed in allowing less harmonic distortion with more definition & clarity. It took about 30 minutes before I began to fully appreciate this new sound.

I enjoy the stock protein leather ( Plastic leather ? ) pads they compliment the design well but Velour is the clear win for preference of Music. Everything but rb&b ,hip hop or that kind.

From Bach to Metallica, NIN, Tool, Kiss, Queen, Super Tramp, Hewy Lewis & the News, Celin Dion, Aaron Tippen, very little Rap mostly a few Eminem songs & few other rap (Artists) and even some of Amirm`s speaker testing music and the list goes. on....

The HD 600 now don`t stand out as much against the ATH M50X and are much less deserving of the NONE SALE PRICE. They do have a frequency range from 12 to 40,500HZ compared to M50X at 15 to 28.000 HZ so that might be the difference I`m hearing.
They do also have a slightly larger sound stage affect than the M50X that may or may not appeal to all listeners but no doubt would get used to it`s not overly obvious.


Very Happy with the M50X I was in love even with stock pads After buying a Dac and using the a bypass Android app now I`m a bit confused how great they are performing not being specifically designed for Velour pads and all..

Music enjoyment can be a tool for relaxation, stress reduction and frustration management so I`m probably going to keep the HD 600 but to be honest the ATH bring me much joy seriously. Android App USB Audio Player Pro, Fosi Audio DS1 Dac, flac files and or Tidal in the app has changed my music experience for life.

Last night I used the M50X and once my ears and brain were accustom to the new frequency distribution of the Velour pads I didn't even want to put on the HD 600 to compare I was in Bliss brain terrain.

If you disagree with me 1st clean the wax out of your own ears :]

 

[Earwax]

Velour pads are also very much cooler heat build up is almost nothing, waiting for summer to eat me words :]