[Kevin Brown]

I've been trying the yellow Sennheiser pads with my HF2's (no qtr mod, just stock).  With bowls, I think the HF2's are a hair too bright, so I'd EQ them, and bowls don't work with my ears for comfort anyway.  Comfies are the most comfortable, but the bass is increased so I'd have to EQ there.
 
But with the 414 pads, I don't need to EQ at all.  (Less bass with the 414 pads than comfies.)
 
But the 414 pads are way too "scratchy".  I don't know how else to explain it.  Every 15 or 20 min, I have to take the HF2's off and scratch my ears and the sides of my face where they contact.  They've gotten a bit better over the week, but yesterday I had enough and went back to comfies with a little EQ.
 
Anyone know of a way to decrease the scratchiness of the 414 pads w/o affecting their sound?
 
Maybe wash them?

 

[meltie]

Just use them for a couple of days, they lose the itch over time. At least they did with me.

 

[Kevin Brown]

I did try that.  I tried for about a week, 2 - 4 hrs per day.  The itch did decrease, but not enough.

 

[bbophead]

When I had 414s in the late 70's(?), they were like a godsend.  Think what we thought was good sounding but an evil necessity, Koss PRO-4AA.  They were closed, heavy, uncomfortable and sweaty.  They sounded pretty good until you had to tear them off your head, screaming.  That would take all of about five minutes.  Then the 414 came along and we were amazed.  God, it didn't hurt so bad anymore.  But, time marches on.  I still have a pair of 414 Sigs, a re-issue in honor of the originals.  No way would I put those pads on my Grados.  Yeah, they are itchy and I really don't like the way they sit on my ears.  I give 'em about ten minutes before the hand comes up and rips them away.  Gimme G-Cushs every day.  IMHO, of course.

 

[Kevin Brown]

I tried the jumbos.  Most comfortable Grado pad ever.  The reduction in low end response actually helped my HF2's, which are a little bass heavy IMO, but I didn't care for the sibilance that was added.  But really, it was worth it to buy them and compare.  The soundstaging is extremely different than any other Grado pad.  And Cee Tee here really likes them with his HF2's.

 

[bbophead]

I took my set to a meet recently, 325is plus Peachtree Nova or Yarland, and people were intrigued that Grados could have that kind of soundstage.  I agree, $45 takes them a long ways.