Dekoni pads for Sony WH1000XM2

Peddler

1000+ Head-Fier
Pros: Huge improvement in comfort. Doesn't effect the sound character.
Cons: Expensive for what it is.
Introduction

Firstly let me state up-front that I absolutely love the Sony WH1000xm2 headphones. Whilst I'm more than comfortable with the notion that there may well be better, more accurate headphones out there, I just love the sound character of the Sony's.

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The only problem that I have with them is their fit. I know that there are some people who can get their ears to fit inside the ear cups but that's just not going to happen with me. As a result they tend to start to get uncomfortable after about 30 minutes of use. Whilst I'm aware that this is very much a First World Problem, it's something that bugs me nonetheless .

I've been aware of the Dekoni's for quite some time but always felt that they were prohibitively expensive - bordering on downright decadent considering what the raw materials cost has to be. However curiosity and a few extra quid in my bank this month tipped the balance - so I ordered the Pleather version. I’m based in the UK and so ordered them from Mark Dolbear at Electromod https://www.electromod.co.uk They arrived next day - many thanks for the prompt service Mark.

Fitting

Removing the old pads is pretty easy. A fairly firm twisting motion upwards on one side does the trick. I found that installing the new pads required a fair amount of pressure to get them to click into place - once in place, gently pulling straight up all the way around the pads is a good way to ensure they're fitted correctly. There's no problems getting the headphones to fit in the case with the new pads on.

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Fit and Feel

The Dekoni's definitely feel plusher than the original pads. They kind of remind me of the massive headphones of yesteryear - like sinking into a bath of custard. I wouldn’t describe the fit as overly ‘roomy’ but it’s definitely an improvement on the original pads. I still find myself making micro adjustments to the fit from time to time - but I suspect that this is more a case of me getting used to the new feel - none of my other headphones fit like these do.

Effect On Sound/Noise Cancelling

The good news is that these pads don’t really make much of a change to the character of the sound. Perhaps the sound stage is very slightly deepened but it’s a pretty subtle effect. To be honest, I rarely use the active noise cancelling on the Sony’s as I’m usually listening to them at home and it’s simply not required. I honestly can’t say that I’ve noticed a difference when I did try it though.

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Conclusion

Let’s face it. These are damned expensive. I was very hesitant to purchase these simply because I felt that they were poor value for money. The truth is that these pads improve the comfort of the Sony WH1000xm2’s considerably. Whether this is worth the £50 that they cost is very much down to personal preference. For me, the Sony’s are one of the nicest headphones I have ever heard. I always keep them in their case when they’re not being used and I would be heartbroken if anything happened to them. The only thing that I really didn’t like was their uncomfortable fit and these pads definitely address this - and they do it very nicely indeed. Highly recommended. One star removed because of price.
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