[cam94z28]

I've had my HD212's about as long as you, and I've had Zero cable replacements. The outer layer of the earpads is starting to flake off though. I hope they don't end up looking like yours. I was thinking about buying them again also. I don't have the complaints most people here have. They just seem to do everything adequately.

The only cans I've heard on your list are the K81DJ's, which I haven't had for long. In stock form they actually have MORE BASS than the 212's, but in a bad way. The lows are boomy and bloated, the lower midrange sounds extremely boomy and fake on some songs, to the point of annoyance. There seems to be a hole between the extreme low bass, and the upper mids. After I removed the 1/4" thick foam piece in the center of the earpads (very easy to do), they improved greatly. The bass is more controlled and articulate, but still goes just as low. The mids are no longer boomy, but the highs are now sibilant. Everything just sounds much more balanced, open, and less closed-in. If I could find something to put in place of the stock inserts that would leave the bass alone, and tame the highs a bit, they would be the perfect cans.