[Undun]

Might have to pick up the perforated Auteur pads for these then... they haven't gotten much head time since I've had my LCD-5, but maybe pad swap can change that.

 

[Chris Kaoss]

Yeah.
Despite i own the SEM5, that is what's in my mind for quite a while.

Pad rolling with some solid ZMF pads might be a great opportunity to bump them to the next level.

Luckily, the SEM5 has one of the best mounting systems I've seen on a headphone. Not that glue thing, i'll never understand.
Why it's possible to use such a mounting system on a closed back w/o altering the intended freq response/ sound, and in contrast use glue to fix the pads on an open back? ^^
It doesn't make any sense.

My guess is, that the SEM5 was the next step after this glueing $#*! of the Master. ^^

 

[PhilRS]

Dear friends who still hesitate to change the original earpads on your SE-Master1, just do it. “But the original earpads are glued and I am afraid to ruin something!” Don’t be, you will realize that only a small section of the originals is glued and a small pull will unglue them. “And then what do I do?” Just replace the originals with better ones. In total, it is a 10 minutes job that even someone with no DIY skills like me can do.

 

[Evgeniy92]

One of these days I should get Dekoni TH900 Fenestrated ear pads, I will report about the changes in sound.

 

[fogwall]

One of these days I should get Dekoni TH900 Fenestrated ear pads, I will report about the changes in sound.

I found the stock pads of my TH900 too shallow. I replaced them with Dekoni hybrids, which offer more room.

I therefore doubt that the TH900 stock pads can compete with the SEM1 stock pads what regards comfort.

 

[Evgeniy92]

Finally got the Dekoni Fenestrated pads. I will write what I did. I carefully cut out the inner mesh with a blade, as it seems to me it is useless. I also made about 12 holes on the inside of the ear pads to unload the speaker as much as possible. The first time putting on is a little problematic, but then the skin stretches and is already very easy to put on. Sound changes as expected. Increasing the already transparent sound, which makes the vocals especially pronounced, clearer high frequencies without hiss, and finally removes the excess amount of sub and mid-bass, thereby not attracting too much attention to itself as it was before.

 

[fogwall]

Finally got the Dekoni Fenestrated pads. I will write what I did. I carefully cut out the inner mesh with a blade, as it seems to me it is useless. I also made about 12 holes on the inside of the ear pads to unload the speaker as much as possible. The first time putting on is a little problematic, but then the skin stretches and is already very easy to put on. Sound changes as expected. Increasing the already transparent sound, which makes the vocals especially pronounced, clearer high frequencies without hiss, and finally removes the excess amount of sub and mid-bass, thereby not attracting too much attention to itself as it was before.

So, a bit problematic with the initial attempt to fit the new pads then. Would have been interesting watching a video of the whole procedure. But your pictures are nice too...

Just wondering how Air Studios would feel about the altering of sound as a result, as they designed it with the original stock pads in mind...

 

[Evgeniy92]

Just wondering how Air Studios would feel about the altering of sound as a result, as they designed it with the original stock pads in mind

I don’t know how air studios will react to this, but they obviously went too far with the bass.

 

[Oregonian]

Today I did an experiment, since the stock ear pads are glued, I pushed them back and put the stock ear pads from Fostex TH900 in their place. To say that I was surprised is not a word. The sound became unrealistically crisp and clear, with unrealistic vocals that brought tears to my eyes. I don't know where the pioneer engineers were looking when they decided to equip them with stock ear pads, but they just don't allow these high-end speakers to reach their full potential. They just replay everything I've heard up to this point, all sorts of ADX5000, Utopia OG, Utopia 2022, HD800S. So guys, if you think that you are now listening to great sound with native ear pads, then you have not heard even half of what these headphones are capable of. Whoever breaks up with them or thinks of breaking up with them, you are making a huge mistake not realizing the huge potential.

Hmm..............makes me wonder whether the Lawton lambskin pads would be a good match for these...........and have a pair on both my MD-2000 and LA-7000 headphones that I could try. May do that and post up. I rarely listen to the Pioneer these days, not because I don't like them but been listening to HE-6SE and HE-500 via speaker taps.

Thanks for the idea. Would never have considered this mod.

 

[Oregonian]

Dear friends who still hesitate to change the original earpads on your SE-Master1, just do it. “But the original earpads are glued and I am afraid to ruin something!” Don’t be, you will realize that only a small section of the originals is glued and a small pull will unglue them. “And then what do I do?” Just replace the originals with better ones. In total, it is a 10 minutes job that even someone with no DIY skills like me can do.

I'm game. How do the Fostex/Dekoni pads attach to the Pioneer?

 

[PhilRS]

I'm game. How do the Fostex/Dekoni pads attach to the Pioneer?

Just the opposite of the way the original pads detach, though you do not need to glue the new pads. It really is that trivial.

 

[Oregonian]

Just the opposite of the way the original pads detach, though you do not need to glue the new pads. It really is that trivial.

Last question before I try it - the "glue" is left on the headphone when you remove the original pad?

 

[PhilRS]

Yes, but there is really very little of it.

 

[hillbilly559]

Finally got the Dekoni Fenestrated pads. I will write what I did. I carefully cut out the inner mesh with a blade, as it seems to me it is useless. I also made about 12 holes on the inside of the ear pads to unload the speaker as much as possible. The first time putting on is a little problematic, but then the skin stretches and is already very easy to put on. Sound changes as expected. Increasing the already transparent sound, which makes the vocals especially pronounced, clearer high frequencies without hiss, and finally removes the excess amount of sub and mid-bass, thereby not attracting too much attention to itself as it was before.

I just ordered the Dekoni Fenestrated pads. I can't see from your photos where you added the 12 holes, but am wondering if you noticed a difference with and without the additional holes?

 

[Evgeniy92]

I just ordered the Dekoni Fenestrated pads. I can't see from your photos where you added the 12 holes, but am wondering if you noticed a difference with and without the additional holes?

I made 12 holes on the back of the ear pads carefully with scissors. I did not compare the difference in sound, I just made holes and began to listen. But I'm not interested anymore. The other day I got a Fostex TH900Mk2 Pearl White and it turned out to be better than the pioneers in everything.