[crazyface]

I've got Grado 225's
 
I can't stand the foam, no hope for it, not gonna paint them or tape or  whatever. ;p  I just want some kind of pad I can put on there and not have to worry about little bits of it flaking off in a month or two.
 
Whatever changes the sonics the least (or, at least, for the better) and doesn't cost over $100....
 
thanks!!

 

[cel4145]

Sorry. I don't know. But check the Grado Mods thread: http://www.head-fi.org/t/119314/post-your-grado-mods

 

[ProtegeManiac]

  I've got Grado 225's
 
I can't stand the foam, no hope for it, not gonna paint them or tape or  whatever. ;p  I just want some kind of pad I can put on there and not have to worry about little bits of it flaking off in a month or two.
 
Whatever changes the sonics the least (or, at least, for the better) and doesn't cost over $100....
 
thanks!!

 
If it starts flaking within a month or two, it could be for two reasons that may still impact whatever material headphone pads you use. First, your sweat may really be too acidic; the other reason may be that you are simply putting too many hours on them. Chances are your alternatives might end up still having a relatively short service life because of these, and although they might last a little bit longer than Grados' foam, the cost of the alternate earpads might make them less economical than getting foam pads every two months.
 
That said people have replaced the earpads on Grados with a lot of pads, including fullsize circumaural pads mounted using an adapter that works similar to a spacer. This is primiarily for comfort, and secondly for isolation: where the spacer adds space on the Grado driver mount but still uses the same Grado or Sennheiser foam pad, using a circumaural pad transfers the pressure away from the earlobes, relieving discomfort as well as sealing up the surrounding area for better bass. Note however that it may change the sound considerably - I've listened to an SR225 with a spacer as well as a longer chamber, and the bass was overwhelming for me. A circumaural pad with the stock chambers might not have the same bloated deep bass, but it might impact how strong and forward the upper bass can be perceived, although it might benefit the lowest bass notes through isolation.
 
Oh and if you don't have the woodworking tools and skills, these aren't cheap: http://www.headphile.com/page15.html

 

[GREQ]

Wow, that is really quick for flaking.
Mine started flaking after one year, even with a few washes in between.

 

[kramer5150]

For starters, Grados are VERY sensitive to pad changes.  Theres no way around this... changing pads WILL change the sonics.  You are altering the acoustic air chamber between the driver and eardrum.  In so doing you either more-directly or less-directly couple the eardrum to the driver diaphragm.
 
I have always found the S-cushion pads last a lot longer than the L-cushion that come OEM on the mid-high end Grados.  YMMV I guess... depending on your body chemistry.
 
I stack up rings of foam inside them to help space out the drivers a bit.   It also increases comfort by alleviating pressure off the little cartilage "nub" thing in the center of the ear.
Heres a 5-6 year old pad that I use on my SR60i (shown on the RS1)