[rmkjr]

Best pads for Cascade, made a headphone another lvl, comfort,stage, keeper for sure.
What are you using to drive them?

Hiby RS6 line out to a Cayin C9 in class A solid state mode. Cayin’s 4.4mm interconnect and a 4.4mm Audiophile Ninja to the Cascade. Apple Music

 

[Gymboy]

Thats great gear and power, Cascade scales well and answers with quick transients when juiced well.
I am runinng it with M17 and it sings gloriusly, but if underpowered sound can get messy.

 

[Shane D]

Finally picked up a set of XL pads that CA had in stock last week. Everyone here was right! Enjoying the physical extra space as well as the bit extra soundstage. Out of the 4 pads I have tried (original, original with white filters remove, cloth, and XL) these are my favorite.

I enjoyed them for many months, but then found them just too messy.
Now I am back to the stock pads and find them excellent.

For me it is:
Stock pads - clean and bassy

XL pads - big and bassy. Does get old though.

Cloth pads - makes them a different headphone and kills the Cascade magic. If you only keep two or three headphones in your collection, kind of nice to have the option for variety.

 

[Gymboy]

I enjoyed them for many months, but then found them just too messy.
Now I am back to the stock pads and find them excellent.

For me it is:
Stock pads - clean and bassy

XL pads - big and bassy. Does get old though.

Cloth pads - makes them a different headphone and kills the Cascade magic. If you only keep two or three headphones in your collection, kind of nice to have the option for variety.

These are definitely a keepers, like HD800S, one has massive low end, one enormous stage/details. As you said, variety.

 

[Zabens]

I enjoyed them for many months, but then found them just too messy.
Now I am back to the stock pads and find them excellent.

For me it is:
Stock pads - clean and bassy

XL pads - big and bassy. Does get old though.

Cloth pads - makes them a different headphone and kills the Cascade magic. If you only keep two or three headphones in your collection, kind of nice to have the option for variety.

I agree 95%. The og pad is magical, the XL is better for movies and the cloth are pretty good in the summer but loses that amazing slam. I only have 2 headphones, the Cascade and the Ananda and that's perfect for me (I'm an iem fan) so having the extra pads goes a long way to match the mood.

 

[davixx500]

So what’s the consensus here regarding the filters? Do most people here just run no filters?

 

[obstacleofaffliction]

So what’s the consensus here regarding the filters? Do most people here just run no filters?

While I only pull out my Cascades on occasions when I want a through ear cavity massage, I have never used the filters. Even when I listen to them on a more regular schedule, I just didn't feel the filters were necessary as pad swapping did so much. In fact, the filters remain in the box, untouched.
Time for one of those massages.

 

[NickleCo]

My god these are so sibilant with certain genres but are so good for others. It's virtually unlistenable on kpop but on stuff like americana/folk these are well put!

 

[Gymboy]

My god these are so sibilant with certain genres but are so good for others. It's virtually unlistenable on kpop but on stuff like americana/folk these are well put!

What are they being driven with? Mines with M17 overhead ear mode gain and XL pads are brilliant.

 

[NickleCo]

What are they being driven with? Mines with M17 overhead ear mode gain and XL pads are brilliant.

Off my cayin n8. With stock pads on 4th filter

 

[Gymboy]

N8 should be a good source, go with max output pwr.

 

[NickleCo]

N8 should be a good source, go with max output pwr.

Yep but no need to go max power. This thing can cause burns if i go max everything. I reckon i can even use it to iron out clothes if need be lmao.

 

[Gymboy]

Yep but no need to go max power. This thing can cause burns if i go max everything. I reckon i can even use it to iron out clothes if need be lmao.

I am pushing mine Cascade with 1.5W gain as driver is better controled and tighter, regarding loudness I could go low or mid as M17 is one of strongest DAPS regarding output power. Line in this setup is Litz Silvers 4.4mm.

 

[NickleCo]

I am pushing mine Cascade with 1.5W gain as driver is better controled and tighter, regarding loudness I could go low or mid as M17 is one of strongest DAPS regarding output power. Line in this setup is Litz Silvers 4.4mm.

M17 is really a marvel to gawk at but honestly ive never been a fan of fiio house sound. Its too digital sounding for me.

 

[Gymboy]

M17 is really a marvel to gawk at but honestly ive never been a fan of fiio house sound. Its too digital sounding for me.

I agree, I do like sound of DX312 a tad better, sounding more organic and lush but technicalities and power output of M17 is out of the world competing with best DAPs out there on the market. M17 paired with proper planar as LCD2 2021 CB or high impendance HD800S is a wonderful, while Cascade would be nicely singing on DX312.