[Sesquipedal]

Hello Hello!
 
New to the forum obviously.  Though I have been lurking for many years, reading this and that.
 
I bought a pair of ATH-M50's while I was in Japan.  Great price, reviews were good for starting cans, no amp is necessary, and burn-in is good.   
 
1 Year, into them, still love the sound.  I don't really want to throw in a few hundred to upgrade at the moment, so that being said since I love the look of these, I'd like to keep em around!
 
The reason I post this, is that a year later, I am starting to get fed up with some of the physical quality of said cans.
From what I read, this is normal for Audio Technica cans in general.
 
First:
The pads are really bad.  I liked them until about a month ago, where the cracks began to scratch the back of my ear when I first put them on.  I remember searching for this a while back on here, and found some threads, but nothing was really resolved.  Some additional vendors of the same pads were mentioned. 
 
 
http://tinyurl.com/6du69yj
 
Second:
Aesthetics perhaps, but the little metal coil that should support the plug and attached cord, has broken away from the plug and thus making it completely useless (though not entirely sure if it was necessary in the first place). 
 
 
http://tinyurl.com/6czsnn6
 
 
I was thus wondering what I can to alleviate these issues.
I don't mind at all to buy new parts.
 
The metal coil:  Should I be able to fit it back into the plug?  I tried for a long while but with no success.  If I don't put it back in, and just take it off, am I compromising the stability vs fixing it?
 
The Pads: Where could I buy GOOD quality pads for this model?  I know I could buy some through a parts vendor, but I really don't want to replace crappy pads with the same crappy pads.  Do I have any options of a custom can-pad maker?
I really don't mind to pay premium price for something made well in terms of pads for these cans.
 
 
Regardless, thanks for reading my first post, in hopes of a reply!

 

[LizardKing1]

I don't think I can help you much, since the pads are already cracking, but I have some SRH750 and every now and then I take the pads off and clean them with blue-and-white soap, it works like a charm. They become softer, not hard and uncomfortable. I got this advice from a guy selling leather boots, since leather works well with a neutral pH (~7), and although I can't confirm, I think the pads I'm using are real leather. Just a heads-up for anyone interested...

 

[Radioking59]

My year old M50 pads just cracked too. I sent a email to parts@atus.com last night. They responded first thing this morning and said it is $12 for the pair. Sent them the money via paypal, and got a message saying they will be mailed tomorrow.

It sucks that the pads are not better quality, but the headphones are definitely worth $12 a year imo.

 

[Sesquipedal]

LizardKing1: yes these are definitely fake leather.  Hmm.  Wish I was knowledgable in the ways of leather-working   I'd make my own pair!  Thanks for the tip though.  If I end up buying new pads of the same variety, I will apply your wisdom - but one question:
 
What is blue-and-white soap?   I googled, but only came up with the two colors mixed together, with no added benefit other than color...
 
Radioking51: Thanks for the tip - who is the company behind parts@atus.com?  atus.com redirects me to a highspeed internet provider.
 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Regardless, I would like to get some quality pads made for this model - is there anyone out there that knows a place to get some good leatherwork or some black cloth-pads made?  Surely anything is better than the fake leather that AT uses.  
 
As for the metal coil at the end of the Headphones - anyone know how to get it back into position? I tried force, and tried to kind of coil it back in, but nothing seems to want to go back in.  

 

[Sesquipedal]

Oh.  It seems to have weeded its way back in, at the expense of the tip of my index finger. If anyone else has that problem, once you get the very end of the coil inside, push that end in, then try to rock the coil back and forth to push more in, then you can twist the rest in if it doesn't all `pop` in after that.  
 
Only the pad issues remain!

 

[ssavage]

Buy Turtlebeach X11 pads! Fit like a charm.

 

[Radioking59]

atus.com is Audio Technica USA. I got it from here


http://www.audio-technica.com/cms/site/a7f6620987e7a786/index.html

 

[Blueiz]

Tell us more about these Turtle Beach pads...

 

[Sesquipedal]

Thanks for the explanation of atus.  Haha, I don't know why I was not able to decipher that.
 
ssavage: Turtle beach X11 you say...
 
They sure seem better when I look at the cost >.>
 
Thanks, cloth and all.   Looks like they have Canadian resellers for the pads as well.

 

[rhythmdevils]

cloth pads will definitely change the sound because they let air in/out (also why they are more comfortable). But it's not much of a risk at 2 dollars each.

I just ordered 3 different pairs of pads from them to padroll on my orthos or other phones.

 

[Sesquipedal]

Good point.   Bought.
 
I'll definitely use some hdef tracks and compare between the pleather and the cloth once they come in.  
If it's a sound I don't like, then I suppose I'll buy some more pleather ones.  
Just seems like a waste to have to spend money on something I know is not great quality.
 
In the meantime, I think I'll head down to a leatherworking store and see if I can custom order....
 
Also, rhythmdevils, I must say you are quite good at photographing your sexy headphones.

 

[rhythmdevils]

if you bring the pleather pads with you to the leather store, they should be able to cut them open and copy the pattern without too much problem, though that's going to be expensive and will ruin your current pads. If you do that, you should try memory foam for the inside. But be careful not to make them thicker than the originals or it will change the sound.

The cloth pads will probably have more treble and less bass unless they are sealed to airflow somehow.

AKG charges 25 for their pleather K240 pads which have remained completely unchanged for over 30 years which means it can't cost them very much to make them at all. They don't peal though, the foam inside wears out but the pleather is always intact even after 30 years.

 

[LizardKing1]

Blue and white soap is this ancestral thing our grandmothers (here, in the Old World) used to wash clothes:

Why is this awesome? Like I mentioned, neutral pH, great for washing leather (and probably pleather too).
 
Have in consideration that your current pleather pads are giving you a punchier bass experience and isolating a lot of noise, which you will miss if you start using cloth pads (although these are a bit more comfortable and don't make your ears sweaty).

 

[rhythmdevils]

I think leather will have a pretty close sound to pleather, closer than cloth anyways but I bet it's not exactly the same.