[pk4425]

Companies coming up with revolutionary next level driver technology and design yet can’t figure out a way to secure an ear pad in place other than glue?? I don’t care what everyone says but glueing earpads to get a good seal is pure bs.

Dan Clark Audio and Audeze want a word with you. Both claim they can't get proper seal for adequate bass without using adhesive on their pads.

I won't rip either company. I have owned/enjoyed headphones from both companies, but it is odd how they insist glue is the only engineering decision that can ensure bass while other companies can do it with clip-on or twist-on pads.

 

[ThEvil0nE]

Dan Clark Audio and Audeze want a word with you.

As long as they're buying coffee

 

[Beagle]

Dan Clark Audio and Audeze want a word with you. Both claim they can't get proper seal for adequate bass without using adhesive on their pads.

I won't rip either company. I have owned/enjoyed headphones from both companies, but it is odd how they insist glue is the only engineering decision that can ensure bass while other companies can do it with clip-on or twist-on pads.

Then they really need to redesign their headphones. Relying on pads and how they adhere to a listeners head is unreliable.

 

[Hifiearspeakers]

I just ripped my LCD-4z pads off, and put the new ones on in like 5 minutes. So easy! I don’t get what all the fuss is about.

You just voided your warranty. That’s what the fuss is about

 

[ThEvil0nE]

Both claim they can't get proper seal for adequate bass without using adhesive on their pads.

I won't rip either company. I have owned/enjoyed headphones from both companies, but it is odd how they insist glue is the only engineering decision that can ensure bass while other companies can do it with clip-on or twist-on pads.

Obviously, they have to back their decision anyway possible. While the consuming masses in this or any other hobby are too compliant specially the hardcore fan fanatics. Not to sound hypocritic as I am in the retail industry, I myself can be as brand biased (in general) as the next person.

 

[thermos]

You just voided your warranty. That’s what the fuss is about

Oh! Got it

 

[Hifiearspeakers]

Here is a frequency response of the ZMF Caldera and Hifiman Susvara. Notice that phenomenal sub bass extension all the way down to 20hz? Neither of them have glued/adhered on earpads.

 

[Patrick415]

I recently replaced the pads on my LCD-2 Classic. It uses the same method of attachment (ring of double sided adhesive tape)

Best practice for replacement:
Hold the earcup firmly in one hand and pull the pad away with the other.
The goal is to do this with no contact with the driver.
Clean the surface with an alcohol wipe, before lining up the new pads.
The actual process is easier than anticipated.

 

[bonnei100]

Apparently some users have done DIY pad replacement on legacy Audeze models. The question begs: would they do that on the latest models as well - from the MM series and up to the TOTL? And what would Audeze say in relation to warranty requirements? The LCD 5 is listed at $4500 - in this country the price is north of $6K. DIY could turn into a very costly adventure.

Sadly Audeze is not very informative - here or elsewhere - on important questions raised by potential MM-100 buyers since the launch.

One user used a hair dryer to soften the glue. What could that possibly do to the ultra-thin diaphragm w/micro-etched traces? Pulling or ripping the pad away from the earcup also seems risky and I'm afraid many users would make a mess of it.

 

[marekm]

Yet another take on cabling:


This cable should be Ok.

 

[Audeze]

You just voided your warranty. That’s what the fuss is about

This is false.

Replacing your pads is not going to void your warranty.

Replacing your pads with aftermarket pads incorrectly installed and causing damage the the drivers or other aspects of the headphones are not subject to a warranty claim.

If just replacing pads was terms for voiding warranty, we wouldn't be selling our official pads on our accessories page.

Here in Norway there is one authorized Audeze distributor, the Njål Hansson company in Oslo. Other dealers offering Audeze headphones on the internet or from stores get their headphones from this distributor. The Danish Hi-Fi company, Hi-Fi Klubben, has a chain of stores in Norway as well. As far as I know they get theirs from Denmark?

Whether or not Njål Hansson and Hi-Fi Klubben have trained service personnel authorised by Audeze to replace glued-on earpads without severing the warrenty I don't know - but I doubt it. Any damage or sound quality degradation would likely then be on you. Prying off the MM-100 pads without damage might not be an easy task. I will check with Njål Hansson on Monday.

Replacing the pads on a Maxwell they would likely be able to do - but most likely not on the MM-100s. I guess the situation in other countries around the world would be much the same? This is why I call glued-on plastic (?) earcups a bad idea on a professional headphone, be it from Audeze or not - see post #943 above.

I agree with marekm that sending cans back to Audeze for repair is "hardly a customer-friendly option" - and could turn into a very costly adventure on top of the already inflated price we have to pay for these headphones overseas.

Look at our Dealer/Distributor list:

https://www.audeze.com/pages/european-distribution

The ones in every region marked 'distributor' is trained on doing certain procedures. And as mentioned above, replacing pads via official parts is not terms to void warranty. Incorrect installation due to negligence may be subject to review if it causes damage.

Please understand there is a difference between changing out the pad with our official pads using instructed methods and when we say pad rolling can lead to voided warranty due to using aftermarket pads that if installed incorrectly may damage something on the headphone. For example, if using an aftermarket pad with zero escape for air, leading to damaging the drivers when excessive air pressure is applied during installation of these types of earpads. You, the customer are the cause of that damage, and is not covered under warranty.

 

[Hifiearspeakers]

This is false.

Replacing your pads is not going to void your warranty.

Replacing your pads with aftermarket pads incorrectly installed and causing damage the the drivers or other aspects of the headphones are not subject to a warranty claim.

If just replacing pads was terms for voiding warranty, we wouldn't be selling our official pads on our accessories page.



Look at our Dealer/Distributor list:

https://www.audeze.com/pages/european-distribution

The ones in every region marked 'distributor' is trained on doing certain procedures. And as mentioned above, replacing pads via official parts is not terms to void warranty. Incorrect installation due to negligence may be subject to review if it causes damage.

Please understand there is a difference between changing out the pad with our official pads using instructed methods and when we say pad rolling can lead to voided warranty due to using aftermarket pads that if installed incorrectly may damage something on the headphone. For example, if using an aftermarket pad with zero escape for air, leading to damaging the drivers when excessive air pressure is applied during installation of these types of earpads. You, the customer are the cause of that damage, and is not covered under warranty.

You are wrong. I used to own the LCD 4Z and decided to change the pads. Your company told me I HAD to ship my headphones back to you all to install the new pads YOURSELVES or else I would be voiding my warranty. So I sent them to Audeze and they redid the ear pad change.

So get your facts straight before you start in with your spin.

It is/was company policy for the user to not be allowed to change their own pads for the premium line of LCD’s including the MX4, LCD 4, and LCD 4Z. That policy may have changed now, but it was absolutely the policy a few years ago.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

You are wrong. I used to own the LCD 4Z and decided to change the pads. Your company told me I HAD to ship my headphones back to you all to install the new pads YOURSELVES or else I would be voiding my warranty. So I sent them to Audeze and they redid the ear pad change.

So get your facts straight before you start in with your spin.

It is/was company policy for the user to not be allowed to change their own pads for the premium line of LCD’s including the MX4, LCD 4, and LCD 4Z. That policy may have changed now, but it was absolutely the policy a few years ago.

I'll post as myself to be a bit more candid, but I work customer service and deal with customers buying and replacing the earpads themselves on a daily basis, many, many times.

This will not void warranty.

Edit: You ARE correct in that, at one point 4z, and 4 were required to be sent in. This is no longer the case.

Now, under normal circumstances, customers do not need to send their units in. They can opt to, and we will do the work for them if they'd like, however.

I apologize for any confusion there. That was before my time.

 

[Hifiearspeakers]

I'll post as myself to be a bit more candid, but I work customer service and deal with customers buying and replacing the earpads themselves on a daily basis, many, many times.

This will not void warranty.

Edit: You ARE correct in that, at one point 4z, and 4 were required to be sent in. This is no longer the case.

Now, under normal circumstances, customers do not need to send their units in. They can opt to, and we will do the work for them if they'd like, however.

I apologize for any confusion there. That was before my time.

No worries! Thanks for the clarification because I wasn’t aware that Audeze ever changed that policy.

 

[ThEvil0nE]

if using an aftermarket pad with zero escape for air, leading to damaging the drivers when excessive air pressure is applied during installation of these types of earpads.

And I thought the choice of using double sided tape to attach earpads is to insure a good seal