[jclyle]

Hi-
I got a new pair of HD-650's today. They are a very tight fit. Can the headband be stretched so they are more comfy to wear? I'm sure over time they will bend a little to fit my head, but after 20minutes of wearing them I have a dull headache from the pressure on the sides of my head.

Thanks for any info-
Carter

 

[QQQ]

It can't, carbon fiber either holds it shape or breaks.
Earpads and metall parts will loosen up a bit overtime.

 

[jclyle]

Thanks for the heads up on the carbon-fiber construction

 

[tennisplyr3]

this happened to me for the first week. crazy pressure from the clamp that gave me a headache... my advice... don't try to stretch it using your hands... you'll break the headband at the top.

what i did was...

i used 2 tissue boxes + placed the headphones over them to stretch it out (your standard oblong tissue boxes)... for extra stretching, i placed an altoid box in between the tissue boxes. i left it there for 2 days, and they're the most comfortable headphones i've ever worn. i unplugged the L/R cables when i did this though.

also, you can add more altoid boxes for your desired amount of looseness. they're now so loose, they fit the bunny on the left...

 

[hanalei mike]

I did bend them, I grabbed the top of the band, hands beside each other, thumbs touching, and gently bent up at the mid point. I had to do it a couple of times over a few days, it had a bit of memory, but it worked for me.

 

[kontai69]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tennisplyr3 /img/forum/go_quote.gif don't try to stretch it using your hands... you'll break the headband at the top.

In addition, the paint on the inner edge of the headband tends to crack and or chip when too much stretching is done. Mine did so after a while.

After repeated wearing the pads compress a little, making the pressure less.

 

[mchang]

Suggested by other member, and worked for me:
-extend the cups all the way out
-GENTLY bend the METAL bars out (I GENTLY flexed and released, repeat)

 

[OptionTrader]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tennisplyr3 /img/forum/go_quote.gif what i did was... i used 2 tissue boxes + placed the headphones over them to stretch it out (your standard oblong tissue boxes)... for extra stretching, i placed an altoid box in between the tissue boxes. i left it there for 2 days, and they're the most comfortable headphones i've ever worn. i unplugged the L/R cables when i did this though. also, you can add more altoid boxes for your desired amount of looseness. they're now so loose, they fit the bunny on the left...

Clever idea. Back when I was breaking in my HD-600s, I would clamp them around one of my thighs whenever I would think about it. I would also do it when a listening session was interrupted by a call or someone walking into the room bugging me about something.

 

[jclyle]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I've gathered a few accent pillows and have the headphones opened up with the pillows between the cans. Hopefully this will gently stretch them out.

 

[ADD]

Not wanting to go off on too much of a tangent, but a qustion for those of you who did something to relieve the tension on the HD650 headband. I am just wondering how an untouched (i.e out of the box) pair of HD650 compares to an out of the box HD580, HD595 and HD555 in terms of clamping tension?

The reason I ask is that according to Sennheiser, the clamping tension of the HD650 is 2.5N versus 3.5N on my HD555. Yet I find the tension on my HD55 incredibly low and the feel incredibly comfortable (and it felt this way right out of the box) - so much that I would almost use the word "perfect".

So I just wonder why a phone with much less tension than mine would drive people to intervene to relieve the headband tension. I'm not trying to argue with doing it, I am just trying to understand why it would feel so tight when the technical specs say that the clamp force is actually very low.

 

[Fitz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tennisplyr3 /img/forum/go_quote.gif my advice... don't try to stretch it using your hands... you'll break the headband at the top.

But I thought Sennheiser headbands were very strong...?

 

[hanalei mike]

I am just trying to understand why it would feel so tight when the technical specs say that the clamp force is actually very low.[/QUOTE]

uh...my head is bigger then yours?, 7 7/8", I mean, gs-1000's actually fit me.

 

[feifan]

Bending by hand is risky especially if you're heavy-handed.

I'd go with those who suggest placing them over something that provides a gradual stretch over time. A mannequin head like the one in my avatar does the trick without visible effects on the pads. The 650 went from snug to comfortable in short order.

 

[OptionTrader]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ADD /img/forum/go_quote.gif So I just wonder why a phone with much less tension than mine would drive people to intervene to relieve the headband tension. I'm not trying to argue with doing it, I am just trying to understand why it would feel so tight when the technical specs say that the clamp force is actually very low.

It's a personal "comfort" issue. Some people are just more sensitive to others when clamping something over their cranium.

 

[Duggeh]

The metal bands which retract and extend to change the fit size, those can be gently bent to reduce pressure. The plastic bit at the top (its not carbon fibre) cannot, it will snap.

The tissue box / stack of books / someone else with a big head stretching technique also works.