[swmtnbiker]

Quote:

Originally Posted by will75 So I guess I need to order the pads for the HF-1 directly from Beyer. If I do it via headphile I would have to pay for the wood part also. Am I correct here?

You can't just attach the Beyer pads directly to the HF-1 (or any other Grado/Alessandro). They don't fit. That's why, among other reasons, Larry at Headphile does what he does.

 

[PFKMan23]

Order from Beyer.. no. The C pads are a Headphile product so if you want them you have to order straight from Headphile. They are using the Beyer pads, but the C pads would be direct from headphile. Although you could custom rig it yourself I suppose.

 

[Icy006]

Quote:

Originally Posted by will75 Can I just order the pads alone for the HF-1 or do I need the more expensive package to fit them on the headphones? Thanks!

The C-Pad concept is a custom wooden adapter that allows the Beyer pads to fit Grado cups, as some fellows have mentioned in posts above. Beyer pads dwarf little grados, and require the adapter to be used.

Larry at Headphile makes two versions. One is for most Grados that have a plastic or metal driver housing (All SRs and MS1/MS2). This version uses friction to 'snap' the adapter on the cups. It works well.

The other version is meant for wooden driver housings, or any of the uber-cans (HP-1000s, PS-1). This one uses a removable tacky material to affix the adapters, ensuring that not a scratch or nick could befall your babies. The HF-1, though it is in the lower-cost category, should use this type due to its wooden driver housings.

I'm using the friction version of C-Pads on my HF-1, because it's all I happen to have. I cringe a little pushing it on, but the housings don't seem to have gotten damaged.

 

[daba]

Are the C-pads flush with your head? I use some with my HF-1's and that's a big turn off for me.

 

[flecom]

am i missing something, why does a round piece of wood and a replacement beyer pad cost $100?

i would love to put C pads on my HF-1's becuase i cant stand to wear them for more than 10 mins (horrible pain in my left ear after 10 mins) and love wearing my DT990's cause they are sooooooooooooo comfy... but not worth $100 for a $200 headphone

 

[daba]

The Beyer pads cost $33 factory direct -- and the wood, which is cut, polished, and cured from a raw block, who knows. You're paying mostly for the workmanship and atop that a premium.

 

[Salt Peanuts]

Quote:

Originally Posted by flecom am i missing something, why does a round piece of wood and a replacement beyer pad cost $100? i would love to put C pads on my HF-1's becuase i cant stand to wear them for more than 10 mins (horrible pain in my left ear after 10 mins) and love wearing my DT990's cause they are sooooooooooooo comfy... but not worth $100 for a $200 headphone

The pads alone cost little over $33 from Beyers. Then shipping (in con US, IIRC) is included with C-Pads, which costs ~$5. That leaves $62 for rest of the C-pads, including profit. Quality woods are not cheap, neither are decent tools required to work with woods. Skills required to produce the quality offered by Headphile is worth far more than minimum wage and working/finishing woods takes a good deal amount of time (sanding, coat of finish, another coat of finish, etc.) - which you would know if you ever worked with wood for any extended period of time. Considering all of this, the price for a pair of C-Pads is more than justified, IMO.

 

[atx]

Quote:

Originally Posted by flecom am i missing something, why does a round piece of wood and a replacement beyer pad cost $100?

LOL! I've been wondering that myself ! For that matter, I've always wondered why people would buy $200 cables for a $300 headphone--- just to reduce capacitance and resistance in order to hear better treble/bass.

It's like getting your gas tank replaced and customized in order to get more octane out of the fuel, but all you need to do is buy fuel with more octane!! (i.e. just get an amp with more treble and bass)

 

[Jahn]

you can also wonder why we pay over 25 bucks for a pair of foam flat pads for grados, but why ask why?

 

[jparris1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by flecom i would love to put C pads on my HF-1's becuase i cant stand to wear them for more than 10 mins (horrible pain in my left ear after 10 mins) and love wearing my DT990's cause they are sooooooooooooo comfy... but not worth $100 for a $200 headphone

I can go one better. I am using them on my MS-1s (purchased used for $90). So my Cpads cost more than my 'phones. To me it's completely worth it becasue I love the sound but can't tolerate any of the other pads for very long. Even the modded Senn 414s drove me crazy. With the Cpads I can wear them for hours. I rather have a hundred dollar phone with hundred dollar pads and love the sound and comfort than have 200 dollar phones that I can only wear for half an hour (if that). YMMV.

 

[swmtnbiker]

Quote:

Originally Posted by flecom am i missing something, why does a round piece of wood and a replacement beyer pad cost $100? i would love to put C pads on my HF-1's becuase i cant stand to wear them for more than 10 mins (horrible pain in my left ear after 10 mins) and love wearing my DT990's cause they are sooooooooooooo comfy... but not worth $100 for a $200 headphone

It seems to me you've answered your own question - the added comfort and changes in sonics aren't worth the cost to you.

 

[flecom]

you can buy the beyer pads for like $20 if you special order them at a guitar center... and i dont see how two small pieces of wood can cost that much to make?

and no its not worth $100, id rather go get a hole saw and make it myself

oh and no need for everyone to get so touchy, i was just stating an opinion, no need to jump on me

 

[ScubaSteve87]

I give you Scuba Steve's in-depth analysis on the whole pad situation:

Currently there are really 3 kinds of pads, Bowls, Flats(Grado Flats and 414), and the C-Pads. With my 325i I could not stand the Bowls. I had the same problem where my ears started hurting because of the harsh highs. I bought the flats and they were much better but still I gave up. Then along came the HF-1 and I just got them yesterday. They arn't burned in or anything, but I started out with the bowls and all I can say is MUCH better than the 325i. No pain in the ears, still a little harsh, but not a Grate-O sound. The flats are sooooo bassy. Its really nice for some rap and hiphop, but for classical or some rock I am actually preferring the bowls which, after the 325i, I thought I would never say in my life. I am even considering getting rid of the flats, idk yet, but If I do I will invest the money in some C-pads. The look sooo comfortable and I don't really get irritated by the Grado's comfort level, but I think I would still enjoy it. As for the cost? Welll from previous arguments I can see why they cost $100 dollars, but if you don't want to spend that much, why not buy them from the other guy making custom modded beyer wood pads? O wait, you can't, look larry has got the market cornered, so just accept it. Plus I really see C-pads as an investment. They sell REALLY quick on the FS forum. If you don't like them or get tired of them, just sell um. I think you will make a good portion of your money back

 

[flecom]

or i could get a set of beyer pads from my closet and $10 in wood from home depot and make them myself? which is what im gonna do thanks

and i dont have an issue with the sonics my issues with the HF-1 is physical pain from the pads not becuase of the highs or whatnot

 

[Icy006]

Quote:

Originally Posted by flecom or i could get a set of beyer pads from my closet and $10 in wood from home depot and make them myself? which is what im gonna do thanks and i dont have an issue with the sonics my issues with the HF-1 is physical pain from the pads not becuase of the highs or whatnot

More power to ya. I would be interested to see pics and thoughts on what you come up with.

But ya know, wiith products like C-Pads, it's easy to criticize, because it can come across as a cheap piece of wood you can make in five minutes. In actuality, there are a lot of important factors that go into it:
* Wood type - minimize resonance
* Soundboard number / spacing - One soundboard and keep the pads directly next to your ears and maximize the gutteral impact, or two soundboards for a little more soundstage? Or another method entirely?
* Ports - Present or not, if so, how big and how many?
* Screen material - beyer pads have an open middle, do you want to include a screen material for protection and/or sound diffusion? What type works best?
* Coupling - how to attach to Grados, in a way that will last the test of time and not damage your headphones?
* Workmanship - let's not have this fall apart in five minutes

Surely more I've missed. I don't doubt a cheap, suitable pair can be made in a relatively short amount of time, for those who aren't too picky. Speaking only for myself, though, I know if I attempted this I would be fiddling for quite awhile to get it just so, and that $100 for C-Pads would start to look mighty tempting. And that's just for functional versions. Makin it look good too, Larry provides some exotic woods like Padauk and Bubinga and what-have-you. Some of those beauties are a bit tricky to work and finish.