my 2 year old headphone sounds different from exact same new pair? Is it cause of break in or pads?

[knkkskknk]

So I got a 2 year old pair of 500$ headphones here, the pads are a lot softer and the sound is more open/soundstage/music more direct

then I put on the brand new pair I just received
Pads are harder, (this is obvious) but the sound is muffled, less opened,feels like theres a film over the sound instead of "raw"

The old pair:

I can hear highs, distortion in compression, and, and "punch" of instruments alot better, and is more direct

The new pair:

Feels like same sound signature, but harder to hear distortion, less direct, highs are harder hear, sounds a bit more "bassier", a bit further back / distant

Is this normal? is it cause of the pads?

BOTH sound GREAT, there's no defects I believe, it's just strange going to the new one after using my old one so long and hearing these differences...

ALSO It could very well be placebo effect, but I tried constantly switching and noticed same thing lol

Is this normal?

 

[solderdude]

swap the pads and you will know.

 

[fpitas]

They may have changed the design, too. That happens.

 

[fishergod]

You cannot expect a headphone you bought 2 years ago and a brand new one should sound the same. 2 years is a lot of use age for an headphone.

 

[Deleted member 48726]

You cannot expect a headphone you bought 2 years ago and a brand new one should sound the same. 2 years is a lot of use age for an headphone.

Why?

 

[fishergod]

Why?

All headphones are prone to defect even if you buy it new.

 

[solderdude]

All my headphones I still own, some for over a decade, still sound and measure the same. With a fresh set of pads that is....

Wireless/BT/ANC headphones exempt, the batteries don't last as long and electronics sometimes breaks.
Drivers may well be blown someday because of misuse.
Foam, pleather, leather, cloth etc do wear.

 

[threni]

All headphones are prone to defect even if you buy it new.

You could buy two at the same time and one could be faulty. The question seemed to me to be more about what happens to a pair of headphones in two years.

 

[MAB]

You cannot expect a headphone you bought 2 years ago and a brand new one should sound the same. 2 years is a lot of use age for an headphone.

I fully expect a headphone to sound the same new or old.
If there is a difference:

• Different pads.
• Imagination, and you wouldn't be able to tell if the headphones were blind swapped.
• The old headphone is worn out. (For instance, run near thermal/mechanical limit at maximum power for hundreds of hours).
• One is broken/defective.
• The manufacturer changed spec.
• Company has large random and/or systematic manufacturing tolerances.

All these can be measured exactly with varying degrees of difficulty. As mentioned, easy to determine the pads to first order.

 

[fishergod]

I fully expect a headphone to sound the same new or old.
If there is a difference:

• Different pads.
• Imagination, and you wouldn't be able to tell if the headphones were blind swapped.
• The old headphone is worn out. (For instance, run near thermal/mechanical limit at maximum power for hundreds of hours).
• One is broken/defective.
• The manufacturer changed spec.
• Company has large random and/or systematic manufacturing tolerances.

All these can be measured exactly with varying degrees of difficulty. As mentioned, easy to determine the pads to first order.

I understand you correctly. I don't expect old or new to sound much different, only that there is this feeling you get from new headphone, that an old one don't give you.

 

[fishergod]

You could buy two at the same time and one could be faulty. The question seemed to me to be more about what happens to a pair of headphones in two years.

True, you are very correct. Well, if an headphone is bought new, after 2 years if the headphone is well used and maintained it should still work perfectly and be in great shape too.

 

[MAB]

I understand you correctly. I don't expect old or new to sound much different, only that there is this feeling you get from new headphone, that an old one don't give you.

Yes. And if the pads have aged due to use, that will affect the sound quite a bit. I have multiple pads for a couple of my headphones, just for fun...

 

[fishergod]

Yes. And if the pads have aged due to use, that will affect the sound quite a bit. I have multiple pads for a couple of my headphones, just for fun...

Exactly my point. Best antidote is to have multiple pads.