[BujuFriday]

Hey all,
I got the new(ish) Phiaton chord MS530 headphones for Christmas and I really like them, with one exception. After wearing them for more than about an hour, they really start to hurt my ears. I realized that the reason they hurt is because the foam padding is really thin and my ear starts to press directly against the hard plastic of the driver. I can pop the whole pad off and replacing the foam under the leather is pretty simple.

My question is,
What is my best option for adding more padding and where is the best place to buy it? I was thinking about like 1/4-1/2 inch high density foam cut to the same shape as the current foam pad? But I like the sound quality of the headphones now, so I want to avoid drastically changing that and thought maybe such a dense foam might cause drastic changes. The current foam is a thin, airy foam, like a slightly thicker version or what covers large floor speakers.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Mutnat]

Hi there!  Hey sorry I don't know the answer to your query, but I'd be curious if you could share some additional impressions!  I'm really looking for a set of BT cans with aptX, multipoint connectivity, and good sound quality.  So far, the only other options I've found are the Nokia Purity Pro by Monster, and the Creative Aurvana Gold or Platinum, but both seem nearly impossible to get ahold of in Canada or even the USA.  I just recently heard about these Phiaton's and they seem to meet me needs too, and are actually available or available soon... but I'd love to hear more impressions about them first.

 

[BujuFriday]

Sure. If you have any specific questions let me know but here is a little review:

If you are mainly interested in BT and sound quality, I think these are a good choice. The blue tooth works really well, connects easily, and I really can't hear any difference in sound quality when i plug in vs. BT. In other words, the BT sound quality is great.
As far as sound quality goes, I haven't heard the others you mentioned but I can say the sound on these is great. It took about 5-10 hours of listening for them to really sound good (I wasn't super impressed out of the box). I have actually noticed that I think the sound is a little bit better with the NC turned on. I know this contradicts the norm, but it seems this way to me. I listen to everything from classical to rap and these respond well to it all. You can hear the subtle sounds of fingers sliding on the strings in quiet acoustic pieces, but there is also solid, well defined bass in heavier music.
For NC, there are definitely better out there. I haven't used them on a plane yet, but I did bring them to best buy and try them with the Bose airplane simulation thing and I could still hear some of the airplane noise (probably 70% reduced) but I didn't have music playing. I was curious to compare them to the Bose QC15 while I was there and the Bose cancelled 100% of the airplane noise, but the Phiatons did have noticeably better sound quality in multiple genres.
My only issue with the Phiatons is what I stated in the post. I really with these were over the ear instead of on ear. These are slim, so they don't look huge when wearing them, but they are on the heavy side (Bose Qc15 are much lighter for comparison) and they do hurt my ears after about an hour. In other words, I never forget that I am wearing them. If I can find a way to modify the pads, or even better, if Phiaton makes an over ear replacement pad (or more comfortable on ear pad) then I will really enjoy these a lot more.

 

[Mutnat]

Thanks very much, that's some great information.  Noise cancellation isn't a huge priority for me, I'd mostly be using them at home and at the office.  Have you been able to check for sound leakage at all, like can others around you hear much sound when you're listening?  I'm pleased to hear they sound better for SQ than the QC15's.  I have a pair of the 15's and I actually like the way the sound for the most part, so a step up from that would be nice, plus the convenience of cutting the cord.  I think a local shop is planning to carry these soon so hopefully I can go by and audition them a bit, and check for comfort issues.  Barring anything dramatic, these might just be my next cans!

 

[BujuFriday]

There is some sound leakage when the volume is turned up (probably above 50-75%). I don't think it is terribly noticeable unless you were in an extremely quiet environment and were listening fairly loud.
The sound leakage might also be more of a problem for me than others because of the fitment issue, but I'm not sure.

I ordered mine from Head Room, which gives a full refund within 30 days. I called them and told them my issue and they gladly extended the 30 days to give me time to see if I can sort the problem rather than return. Might be worth checking them out and trying them for a few weeks, since a couple of minutes of trying them in the store wouldn't have exposed my problem.

 

[Mutnat]

Thanks Buju... I hope you're able to figure out and resolve your fitment issue.  Please keep us posted whether you're able to keep them or have to return them. 

 

[Mutnat]

Hey were you able to resolve your fit issue?  Did you modify the padding at all?  I picked up a pair this past Saturday and I'm really enjoying them, though I can see what you are talking about.  The sound isn't fatiguing on my ear drums, which is nice--in fact, they sound pretty fantastic with most material.  But after wearing them for "a while", they do push on part of my ear a bit too much and can get uncomfortable.  I'd be curious how you made out.

 

[thevanquish]

I'm also curious if anybody has ever modified the ear cushion for this ms 530?
 
Just got it, and so excited to use it for my trip.
The headphone is pretty heavy (obviously because it's wireless) and the foam padding is not the greatest. Very thin padding on the top part of the cushion, and yes, it hurt my ears after using it for a while.