[sonick]

so just playing with my SR80's today, trying to make them more comfortable. i'd like to try the 414 pads, don't wanna bother doing it online from the states.

so i went to radioshack (well, TheSource in canada now) and picked up a set of replacement earpads. these ones here: http://www.thesourcecc.com/estore/Pr...roduct=3308221 since i could not find the ones mentioned in other threads up here in canada.

i installed them a few minutes ago, they are more comfortable (the driver no longer touches and crushes my ear), and provided a bit bigger bass than i remembered before. i then put in the bowls on top of the RS pads. it feels pretty good. softer/more comfy where my ear touches the driver, and more sturdy on my head with the bowls (it felt a bit less secured with only the RS pads).

i haven't had any critical listening, but from what i hear, it feels slightly warmer, bass is a bit boomy though... high detail is still superb, but is missing a bit of that 'airy-ness' to it. could be placebo though, i need more time comparing the two.

i'd think it'd be kinda like a combination of the bowls and comfy pads.

the radioshack pads are fairly thin (maybe 2-3mm, you can see light pass through if you hold it up) so i don't think its too detrimental to the higher frequencies.

i think they look pretty good too!

Pics here (hope they are clear enough): http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=...&x=0&y=-2eoy51

 

[sonick]

i just did the nickel-mod to the RS pads; cutting a nickel sized hole in the middle of the pad.

opened up the highs a bit... but still very comfortable, not a hint of ear soreness!

screw finding the 414 pads, these will do just fine.

 

[kramer5150]

Nice mod... I'll have to try it on my MS2.
Ive never liked how the bowls seem to fit a little loose and sloppy.

Nice find,
Garrett

 

[saturnine]

Am I the only one who finds the RS pads uncomfortable? They are just a bit too small and scratchy IMO. I just tried the bowls-over-RS trick, and the bowls just wouldnt stretch enough...I was afraid they would tear...

 

[sonick]

the thing is i don't think these RS pads are the ones everybody has mentioned before in other threads...

as i said before, these pads are very thin and flexible. the bowls fit over them quite well, and provide a snugger fit (not as loose like how kramer said)

on the package they are described to "Fit Panasonic Shockwave and VMSS headphones"

 

[saturnine]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sonick on the package they are described to "Fit Panasonic Shockwave and VMSS headphones"

Ahh, not the ones I'm thinking of then. Gonna head out to RS and grab a pair tomorrow. Thnx!

 

[sonick]

Quote:

Originally Posted by saturnine Ahh, not the ones I'm thinking of then. Gonna head out to RS and grab a pair tomorrow. Thnx!

np... although looking at the RS USA website, i can't find the product... hope you are able to find it in the states.

ive uploaded a picture of the RS pad itself not-installed, so you can see what the pad looks like. you can see that the hole is much larger relative to the entire pad, compared to the RS pads previously mentioned in other threads.

 

[mrarroyo]

Well, I wish I had seen that before I spent $$$ on the flat pads. I just received them today and they do make the Grado (SR-125) more confortable by a large margin. However the highs are gone!

I will be doing back and forth over the next few days and will know better then.

 

[Jahn]

i know of only one pair of rat shack pads that fit - what's the model number of the ones you have?

 

[sonick]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jahn i know of only one pair of rat shack pads that fit - what's the model number of the ones you have?

the part number is 3308221, HOWEVER, this is for RADIOSHACK CANADA (now called The Source by Circuit City), which is different than US part numbers.

i am not sure if RadioshackUSA carries this, as i know that RadioshackCANADA never carried the exact selection RS-USA did.

 

[kin0kin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrarroyo Well, I wish I had seen that before I spent $$$ on the flat pads. I just received them today and they do make the Grado (SR-125) more confortable by a large margin. However the highs are gone! I will be doing back and forth over the next few days and will know better then.

ugh yeah, and the lows appear. And I prefer that over the bowl

 

[sonick]

after listening to several hours straight, my ears are nowhere as sore as they would be without the RS pads.

with the nickel mod, the can still retains high end detail and airy-ness, but also provides slightly more bass, although slightly less tight IMHO.

 

[MdRex]

Thanks Sonick, I took my KSC50 drivers pad and reverse them onto the bowl pads and put them onto the SR60, they are super comfy and the bass is back. The top end is more detailed than stock comfies.

Cheap and effective.

 

[Cerebral_Mamba]

Quote:

Sonick i installed them a few minutes ago, they are more comfortable (the driver no longer touches and crushes my ear), and provided a bit bigger bass than i remembered before. i then put in the bowls on top of the RS pads. it feels pretty good. softer/more comfy where my ear touches the driver, and more sturdy on my head with the bowls (it felt a bit less secured with only the RS pads).

The whole idea behind the Bowl pads is that its outer ring shoud rest on your ears and no part of your ears should be touching the driver (unless you have small ears). This is done to take the driver further away from your ears and also gives the space required for ...................... that gets the high frequencies out well and adds soundstage and instrument seperation. I know showing your ears completely inside the Bowls realy help reduce pain on ears and stuff.. but thats just not how the bowls are ment to be used. Your ears should not be touching the drivers, the outer ring of the bowl should rest on your ear-reflecors

.

 

[Kram Sacul]

This mod seems like an awful lot of foam between you and the driver.