[lpan]

Quote:

Had you said this much earlier, I might not need to waste my time on this thread. And no, I never told OP to "don't even attempt to wash". Read again. I saw the picture, figured damping/construction materials already damaged beyond trying reuse it, thus I recommend replacing the pads. If they were like less than 6 months old and/or had much less wear, I would probably recommend clean them thoroughly and use them again. But we are talking about pads which is more than a year old, and was used in rather bad condition according to OP, with picture to inspect.

 

You don't clean them. You throw them away and buy new velour pads. It's 1 year old and it is pretty safe to say they reached the end of their lifespan.

 
You were rather single-minded with your initial statement, jumping to the premature conclusion (which may or may not be wrong) that his pads were unusable in need of a replacement.
 
As for the OP, he should probably try washing them and then see afterwards if the sound is lacking, before deciding whether to replace them or not.

 

[wnmnkh]

Quote:

 
 
You were rather single-minded with your initial statement, jumping to the premature conclusion (which may or may not be wrong) that his pads were unusable in need of a replacement.
 
As for the OP, he should probably try washing them and then see afterwards if the sound is lacking, before deciding whether to replace them or not.

 
You indeed have a point on it. Perhaps that very first sentences are a bit too rigid.
 
Still, even in OP's descriptions implies that there had been damages done on the damping side (with he mentioned the pads became 'hard'), but indeed your criticism has a point.

 

[wnmnkh]

Quote:

 
Diesel fuel is significantly less flammable than gasoline. If you throw a match in it, the match will go out.
 
Terrible analogy good sir.

 
Terrible analogy indeed!...... only if I had said throwing a match. 

 

[WhiteCrow]

I have had the same pads on my grado's for almost two years, wash them, good as new. I can't imagine Velour pads being more fragile then these. As for the pads affecting sound, I find that the position of the pads and how they compress affects the sound more.

 

[wnmnkh]

Quote:

I have had the same pads on my grado's for almost two years, wash them, good as new. I can't imagine Velour pads being more fragile then these. As for the pads affecting sound, I find that the position of the pads and how they compress affects the sound more.

Grado pads are far stronger than velour pads from German ones. My MS2 are now more than 5 years old, and still working very well even today (and MS2 are the ones I use frequently.) Very simple to clean as well.

 

[WhiteCrow]

Quote:

Grado pads are far stronger than velour pads from German ones. My MS2 are now more than 5 years old, and still working very well even today (and MS2 are the ones I use frequently.) Very simple to clean as well.

damn, I think I have to listen to some blindguardian with them now.

 

[rogerroger]

Vacuum the pads with the pet hair attachment from your vacuum cleaner before washing. This removes most of the dust and all of the hair which makes washing more effective. In fact after a quick vacuum just wiping with a damp cloth is good enough.
 
If the pads are old or the material inside feels worn consider replacing them.
 

 

[Overwerk]

Quote:

 
I guess this is one of the reasons when I buy used headphones, most of the times the pads are in such dismal state....
 
Pads' integrity varies depending on the materials it is used. Grado flat ones and expensive p/leather with good damping materials may last several years (like many of Japanese ones), but cheap vinyl pads and those German velour pads with weaker damping material, in general, are not designed in that way.
 
It also varies that the condition the pads are being used. OP may used the headphones all the time, or maybe he is not. Also the chemicals naturally applied (i.e skin oil) are the factors. Force applied by headband also varies depending on individual's head size. The fact is, however, velour used for those pads is not known for its durability.
 
My experience with all of these Sennheiser pads and Beyer pads on headphones I frequently use; even with routine washing, velour pads are eventually worn out; not just only surface, but the damping materials themselves also collapse inside, making the pads 'thinner'. Same goes for my friends' ones. I haven't seen any velour pads last longer than 2 years for regularly used headphones. Most of time, if they use headphones regularly, those pads are crushed inside and become nearly-non-functional at a year or a year and half.
 
I can't tell detail because OP's picture camera angle is rather bad to decide things, but my guess is damping materials are pretty damaged and surface color is changed a lot. It does not just mean the pads are dirty; there has been chemical processes already being done on the pads; washing will make those pads 'white' it won't be even close to the original state. OP may get satisfying result only if damping materials are somewhat still strong enough, otherwise replacing pads is usually recommended to do so.
 
 
And no, it is not absurd at all. 23.5 EURO for entire year is nothing.  If you can't save 0.06 Euro per day for pads, and If you are in such poverty, it's better to sell off the headphones and use the money for better purpose.

there are people, the majority of people, as stupid as it may sounds cus I am not the kind of guy that likes to go with the flow---that expects to buy a pair of cans and be done with it. Maybe the more people like you promotes the nececesity of getting replacement pads regularly as some sort of necessary maintenance fee, sure, 
 
but I hate paying for maintenance, I would rather use things as if they can last forever. I don't buy into the whole routine payment thing, hellno. I am not a WOW player.

 

[Schonen]

Quote:

 
Spreading claims that defy common sense and laws of physics is not only terribly irresponsible, but also quite disservice to both OP and people reading this forum looking for information.
 
We are not talking about some dirty pads used for mere several months. We are talking about the pads used for a whole year. Claiming that regularly-used velour pads, exposed by bad condition (as OP wrote) for a long term, will be 'just like they came out of box' by washing,  we might as well as claim that pigs can fly because both arguments clearly violate fundamentals of physics.

Yea, well, I wash my DT990pro pads too and am not about to go through the hassle of having to order them from beyer in the USA and having them shipped to Canada, after customs dings me I am looking at $50.00 just for pads. One day I will have to buy new pads but every year? NFW.

 

[Jeff Guidry]

My only concern about washing my Beyerdynamic velour pads is possible shrinking that might make them harder to fit back on to the cans after drying.  Even a hand washing and air drying can cause uneven shrinking, especially with a piece that was never intended to be washed (like those velour pads).

 

[MrTechAgent]

  My only concern about washing my Beyerdynamic velour pads is possible shrinking that might make them harder to fit back on to the cans after drying.  Even a hand washing and air drying can cause uneven shrinking, especially with a piece that was never intended to be washed (like those velour pads).

Well using your finger and some tape can do the trick , although you may loose some fibers during the process but it works for me .........

 

[wnmnkh]

 

   
Spreading claims that defy common sense and laws of physics is not only terribly irresponsible, but also quite disservice to both OP and people reading this forum looking for information.
 
We are not talking about some dirty pads used for mere several months. We are talking about the pads used for a whole year. Claiming that regularly-used velour pads, exposed by bad condition (as OP wrote) for a long term, will be 'just like they came out of box' by washing,  we might as well as claim that pigs can fly because both arguments clearly violate fundamentals of physics.

Yea, well, I wash my DT990pro pads too and am not about to go through the hassle of having to order them from beyer in the USA and having them shipped to Canada, after customs dings me I am looking at $50.00 just for pads. One day I will have to buy new pads but every year? NFW.

 
It's your choice. You do not want to spend money on new pads then go for it. No one forced you to buy new pads.
 
What I do not want to see is making false claims that velour pads are back to normal condition if it is washed. It simply does not.
And '1 year' is tentative term. Of course you do not need to replace pad that often if you do not use the headphones regularly. Since my last post in this thread, I have not replaced any of my Beyers' pads because I hardly use them these days => much less wear to consider buy new pads.
 
Actually you would not make such comment if you read stuffs carefully, as well.

 

[2leftears]

Well using your finger and some tape can do the trick , although you may loose some fibers during the process but it works for me .........

If it is just dust you are trying to lift off the velours, try the sticky side of sticky pads / Post-Its instead of tape. Sticky enough to lift all the dust, but not so sticky that it lifts off too many velours fibers.

I use this all the time on some of my older camera lens hoods that have a velours anti-reflection coating. Works a treat.

 

[Headzone]

I remember there was some youtube video that explained pretty well how to clean velours, but I couldn't find it now. 
 
Btw, if they smell bad, putting them in the freezer for a day can help kill the bacteria and the smell

 

[MrTechAgent]

If it is just dust you are trying to lift off the velours, try the sticky side of sticky pads / Post-Its instead of tape. Sticky enough to lift all the dust, but not so sticky that it lifts off too many velours fibers.

I use this all the time on some of my older camera lens hoods that have a velours anti-reflection coating. Works a treat.

That actually sounds pretty reasonable , I'll try that , Thanks !!