[Achilles2205]

Earpads of Headphone HIFIMAN HE-400 began to come off. I am not able to put them back in place. The sides of the leather attached to the CAN could not hold the earpads tightly and it is letting them loose to come off very easily. Is there any tactic to put the Earpads back to the Headphone.

 

[Polifel]

I'm not sure could it be simple fixed or not, but as far as i know earpads of Hifiman HE series are replaceble. On my HE-4 currently they looks pretty used but still not enought to replace.

 

[CEddy10165]

I don’t know if understand the problem you’re describing or not. I fixed my stock pads by taking them off and fastening the edges of the material down on the back with a glue gun.

If not, replacement pads are available on amazon.

 

[GREQ]

Sounds like you're having trouble with the ridiculous mounting ring system.

You should be able to insert 3 of the tabs without much trouble, the fourth and final one takes a bit of wrestling to get in, and usually needs to be carefully and gently bent in towards the middle of the cup, but only slightly or it will snap, then press the tab down into the lip/ring that holds the mounting ring.

 

[genck]

I would complete remove them and first make sure none of the 4 tabs are snapped off, if they are you can buy new ones here: https://store.hifiman.com/index.php/earpad-mounting-rings.html and then you simply remove them from the stock pads and replace them, only the focus pads have the rings glued on.

If they aren't then remount them, they aren't hard to put on and there are a few videos on youtube showing how to do this.

edit: just realized the OP is kinda old

 

[Achilles2205]

Sounds like you're having trouble with the ridiculous mounting ring system.

You should be able to insert 3 of the tabs without much trouble, the fourth and final one takes a bit of wrestling to get in, and usually needs to be carefully and gently bent in towards the middle of the cup, but only slightly or it will snap, then press the tab down into the lip/ring that holds the mounting ring.

Nope. I don't have much trouble with the mounting ring. The ring is fine though as you said the last tab needs a little wrestle to get in. The end of leather pad/cup that was connecting with the mounting ring got detached. Now I am not pretty much sure of how the ear cups were connected with the ring by hifiman. There is a small piece of leather skin that goes around the ring the other side of leather skin is too small to be able to glue its edge with the edge of ear cup. I had no other way but to glue the ear cup directly with the ring. For such a good headphone, the ear cup should have been much better.

 

[Achilles2205]

I would complete remove them and first make sure none of the 4 tabs are snapped off, if they are you can buy new ones here: https://store.hifiman.com/index.php/earpad-mounting-rings.html and then you simply remove them from the stock pads and replace them, only the focus pads have the rings glued on.

If they aren't then remount them, they aren't hard to put on and there are a few videos on youtube showing how to do this.

edit: just realized the OP is kinda old

I just glued the ear cup to the ring for time being. The leather ear cup in my HE 400 doesn't look that great as the one in my Denon AHD2000. AHD2000 looks great and cosy.

 

[GREQ]

Nope. I don't have much trouble with the mounting ring. The ring is fine though as you said the last tab needs a little wrestle to get in. The end of leather pad/cup that was connecting with the mounting ring got detached. Now I am not pretty much sure of how the ear cups were connected with the ring by hifiman. There is a small piece of leather skin that goes around the ring the other side of leather skin is too small to be able to glue its edge with the edge of ear cup. I had no other way but to glue the ear cup directly with the ring. For such a good headphone, the ear cup should have been much better.

You don't need any glue at all to hold the pads in place.
I agree, it's a stupid system, but adding glue will just ruin the headphone even more.

 

[Achilles2205]

You don't need any glue at all to hold the pads in place.
I agree, it's a stupid system, but adding glue will just ruin the headphone even more.

The ear pads and mounting ring were both attached by some means and I am not sure what was that. As they got deattached, I had no other option but to use glue to stick the ear pads to mounting ring. As far I could see, using glue does not affect the headphone in any way and it can stay as long as it can until I buy a new ear pads that come along with mounting ring.

 

[GREQ]

The ear pads and mounting ring were both attached by some means and I am not sure what was that. As they got deattached, I had no other option but to use glue to stick the ear pads to mounting ring. As far I could see, using glue does not affect the headphone in any way and it can stay as long as it can until I buy a new ear pads that come along with mounting ring.

If course you had options... you could have put it back on the way it was supposed to be put on:
- squeezing the mounting ring into the earpad (it's a tight fit, but it fits)
- mounting the mounting-ring to the headphone with the ear pad already attached.

Adding glue will only make a mess, destroy the value of the headphone and leave torn bits of pad on it when you take off the old pad.
There is always a correct way of doing things, and an incorrect way. I won't make that choice for you.

Notice in the video how the person is 'pinching' two of the mounting tabs into place, as the other two have already slotted in without extra effort.

 

[Achilles2205]

If course you had options... you could have put it back on the way it was supposed to be put on:
- squeezing the mounting ring into the earpad (it's a tight fit, but it fits)
- mounting the mounting-ring to the headphone with the ear pad already attached.

Adding glue will only make a mess, destroy the value of the headphone and leave torn bits of pad on it when you take off the old pad.
There is always a correct way of doing things, and an incorrect way. I won't make that choice for you.

Unfortunately I was not able to do this step i.e. "- squeezing the mounting ring into the earpad (it's a tight fit, but it fits)". I tried watching those videos during my original post and they all had those earpad already attached with the mounting ring. I have uploaded few pictures of my headphone I shot at that time. You will be able to see in one of those pictures the mounting ring and ear pad kept next to each other. I was not able to squeeze the ear pad to the mounting ring in any way as the foam on the ear pad has to fix or sit onto the top portion (shown in pic) of mounting ring and finally I used glue to stick the foam to the ring.

About this step - i.e. - mounting the mounting-ring to the headphone with the ear pad already attached, I could manage to do this.

 

[genck]

Those aren't stock pads, stock pads have a lip that the ring goes under. Using glue to attach the ring to the pad is not a big deal, it's what the focus pads do.

 

[GREQ]

Clearly the pads have aged to the point where the lip of the pad has broken off.
If we had known since from the start, it would have been much easier to understand the issue.

You need new pads.

Those aren't stock pads, stock pads have a lip that the ring goes under. Using glue to attach the ring to the pad is not a big deal, it's what the focus pads do.

Of course it's a big deal, that's what makes pads harder to change, easier to damage permanently and puts more money in manufacturers pockets because they make it harder for people to buy cheaper replacement alternatives.
For example, the community is literally tearing it's hair out every time Audeze brings out another headphone with glued-on pads. Just causes more frustration than anything.

 

[genck]

I said glue on the ring to the pad, not on the ring to the headphone cup. The rings are replaceable, I'm not sure why you're confused.

 

[GREQ]

I said glue on the ring to the pad, not on the ring to the headphone cup. The rings are replaceable, I'm not sure why you're confused.

I didn't say anything contrary to what you said. I'm merely stating that the use of glue on earpads is an archaic practice from the 70 and 80s and doesn't belong on any headphone, let alone anything over $50.
Gluing the pads to the rings makes them just as likely to fail faster and prevents easy re-use of the rings in future.
Just because something is replaceable doesn't make it ok either, why create more waste plastic than necessary?