AT M50 sound great but clamp pressure too high. Need alternatives please!

[Dubear]

So I visited a guitar center to try out several head phones to find the right set for me. I narrowed my final selections from the various headphones I tried to the following 3 so you all have a better idea of what I'm looking for (hopefully)

AT M50: liked the sound of these the best. I like the punchy bass and the v shape response didn't bother me much. The issue I found was the clamp strength was too high. I felt discomfort in my jaw as well as noticeable heat in my ears after only 5 minutes of use.

Krk kns 6400: liked the clarity and soundstage. Seemed like everything was super accurate. Bass was a bit weak for me though.

Shure 440: I thought these had the best balance, but I think these lacked a lot of detail that I heard from the Krk


Ideally I was hoping for suggestions on a set that is close to sounding like the m50s but with less clamping strength. I have a pretty small head so I was surprised at how uncomfortable they were. Or am I completely missing something by being noob and don't know that there is a way to mess with the tensile strength?


I'm using these just for listening during long trips so I was looking for suggestions that don't require an amp, are comfortable enough to fall asleep with, and Portable (I love the detachable cables!). Also, I'd like to stay under the $150 range. I was directed here by a friend when I told him I was looking into buying a pair of over the ear headphones since I'm going to start traveling a lot soon, so I apologize if I am not giving enough/pertinent information. I tried my best to read over the beginner guides and stuff before posting and visiting Guitar Center.

Thanks in advance!

 

[GaryWA]

The M50's are incredibly uncomfortable for me as well, which is which they were gifted this Christmas. Did they not have a Beyerdynamic DT770 to listen to? I had the 880's and they were very comfortable, even the "pro" version which has more clamping force than the "premium" line.

 

[Dubear]

No they didn't, they said they just sold out of the 770s. How are the cloth/velour pads though? I have never tried anything other than leather/fake leather pads but I fear that cloth material would make my ears hotter faster.

 

[GaryWA]

The velour pads are great, they're very soft and don't overheat at all. The only problem I can foresee is the cups are rather shallow and the tips of your ears hit the inside foam, which might be a deal breaker. I actually overheated in the M50's more than any other headphone. I couldn't use them more than 10 minutes like your before ripping them off my head.

 

[Dubear]

I guess I'll try and find a guitar center with the 770s then. Thanks! Any other suggestions since they are a little over what I'd like to spend? I am intrigued by the creative aurana lives, but they don't carry it at guitar center.

 

[Trunks159]

Just buy velour pads: 
http://www.amazon.com/Beyerdynamic-Velour-Earcushions-MDR7506-Headphones/dp/B0016MF7W2/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1388960584&sr=8-4&keywords=m50+velour  (not velour in the pic they are velour)
 
It works wonders!

 

[Dubear]

Does buying those pads alleviate pressure from the clamping though? And do those pads fit the m50?

 

[adisib]

If you get pads that are thicker than the standard, it might alleviate some of the clamping problem, but I heard leaving them around a tissue box or something for a while will help fix the clamping problem. Different pads may change the sound slightly and the amount of isolation. The clamping annoys me too, as I care about the comfort more than the isolation, but they seem to be getting better with use and I wear them for hours non-stop and for most of the day without much of a problem. I heard the pads lose softness over time though, so replacement pads would probably be a good thing.

 

[Trunks159]

They do fit the M50.  To loosen the clamp, I'd simply stretch the headband.

 

[Dubear]

Oh that's good to know. I never owned a pair of over the ears so I wasn't sure if the clamping strength ever weakened with use or stretching. I'm just worried that I won't be able to return them if they end up still being too tight after stretching them for a week or more since comfort is a big deal for me. How easy is changing the pads btw? I'm a but cautious to do any diy since this would be my first pair.

 

[Dubear]

They do fit the M50.  To loosen the clamp, I'd simply stretch the headband.

What would you say is the best method to stretch it?

 

[Trunks159]

The headband is an arch.  Slowly stretch it to strive to make the band horizontal.  Some headphones will snap if you don't do this carefully, but ime the m50 can handle it.  I do this with really most of my cans. 

 

[Dubear]

  The headband is an arch.  Slowly stretch it to strive to make the band horizontal.  Some headphones will snap if you don't do this carefully, but ime the m50 can handle it.  I do this with really most of my cans. 

How long would you say you need to stretch them before they are adjusted permanently? Sorry for all the questions, and thanks for answering them all!

 

[Trunks159]

Doesn't have too much to do with time length, it matters how far you extend them.  Just try it.