How to clean Headphones Velours

[jerg]

I think the only relatively long-lasting "pad" solution I've seen are the ones used on the HD800s, that use a more rubbery than foamy material, and that applies pressure over such a large area so evenly there is barely any depression stress on the pads when you wear the headphones. More high-end headphones should use that.

 

[Kukuk]

Quote:

 
I guess this is one of the reasons when I buy used headphones, most of the times the pads are in such dismal state....
 
Pads' integrity varies depending on the materials it is used. Grado flat ones and expensive p/leather with good damping materials may last several years (like many of Japanese ones), but cheap vinyl pads and those German velour pads with weaker damping material, in general, are not designed in that way.
 
It also varies that the condition the pads are being used. OP may used the headphones all the time, or maybe he is not. Also the chemicals naturally applied (i.e skin oil) are the factors. Force applied by headband also varies depending on individual's head size. The fact is, however, velour used for those pads is not known for its durability.
 
My experience with all of these Sennheiser pads and Beyer pads on headphones I frequently use; even with routine washing, velour pads are eventually worn out; not just only surface, but the damping materials themselves also collapse inside, making the pads 'thinner'. Same goes for my friends' ones. I haven't seen any velour pads last longer than 2 years for regularly used headphones. Most of time, if they use headphones regularly, those pads are crushed inside and become nearly-non-functional at a year or a year and half.
 
I can't tell detail because OP's picture camera angle is rather bad to decide things, but my guess is damping materials are pretty damaged and surface color is changed a lot. It does not just mean the pads are dirty; there has been chemical processes already being done on the pads; washing will make those pads 'white' it won't be even close to the original state. OP may get satisfying result only if damping materials are somewhat still strong enough, otherwise replacing pads is usually recommended to do so.
 
 
And no, it is not absurd at all. 23.5 EURO for entire year is nothing.  If you can't save 0.06 Euro per day for pads, and If you are in such poverty, it's better to sell off the headphones and use the money for better purpose.

 
Man, you must make Beyer and the like good amounts of money on selling people pads they don't need.
 
I've washed tons of pads, and not one, not a single one has had the materials wrecked. In fact, they usually come out of a wash just like they came out of the box when I first got them.
 
It's terribly irresponsible to recommend spending money to fix a problem on what's normally a simple fix.

 

[wnmnkh]

Quote:

 
Man, you must make Beyer and the like good amounts of money on selling people pads they don't need.
 
I've washed tons of pads, and not one, not a single one has had the materials wrecked. In fact, they usually come out of a wash just like they came out of the box when I first got them.
 
It's terribly irresponsible to recommend spending money to fix a problem on what's normally a simple fix.

 
Spreading claims that defy common sense and laws of physics is not only terribly irresponsible, but also quite disservice to both OP and people reading this forum looking for information.
 
We are not talking about some dirty pads used for mere several months. We are talking about the pads used for a whole year. Claiming that regularly-used velour pads, exposed by bad condition (as OP wrote) for a long term, will be 'just like they came out of box' by washing,  we might as well as claim that pigs can fly because both arguments clearly violate fundamentals of physics.

 

[streetdragon]

personally i don't see how buying pads ONCE a year can be so terribly bad, since it would a just a drop in our sea of expendature. well it depends on how bad the pads are, if not fixable by cleaning by all means buy new ones. they are ment to be replaced anyway

 

[Kukuk]

Quote:

 
Spreading claims that defy common sense and laws of physics is not only terribly irresponsible, but also quite disservice to both OP and people reading this forum looking for information.
 
We are not talking about some dirty pads used for mere several months. We are talking about the pads used for a whole year. Claiming that regularly-used velour pads, exposed by bad condition (as OP wrote) for a long term, will be 'just like they came out of box' by washing,  we might as well as claim that pigs can fly because both arguments clearly violate fundamentals of physics.

 
Your claims are just totally bull. Next you'll recommend using power cleaners and silver cables and all that hooey for headphones just because there's "science" to back up any benefits. The reality is, actual affect on sound is negligible at best.
 
Sometimes I forget where I'm at, though. The head-fi community loves to spend money needlessly, and wanting to so much as try to clean something is below the average head-fier.
 
OP, just try giving them a thorough cleaning. If you feel they don't come anywhere near clean enough, or if you feel it wrecks the sound (

), then consider buying new pads.

 

[wnmnkh]

Quote:

 
Your claims are just totally bull. Next you'll recommend using power cleaners and silver cables and all that hooey for headphones just because there's "science" to back up any benefits. The reality is, actual affect on sound is negligible at best.
 
Sometimes I forget where I'm at, though. The head-fi community loves to spend money needlessly, and wanting to so much as try to clean something is below the average head-fier.
 
OP, just try giving them a thorough cleaning. If you feel they don't come anywhere near clean enough, or if you feel it wrecks the sound (

), then consider buying new pads.

 
.....You could do some research on my opinions on silver cables and power cleaners. It's easy, you could go profile on my page and search with my ID here and you did not have to make such a embarrassing, ignorant post you just made. It also shows you that you don't do any proper research, only making claims without any evidence.
 
It is like of you are the ones ruining this forum severely, if you ask me.

 

[Armaegis]

Just a bit of soap and water semi-regularly will help to maintain pad life. Don't let them get grungy before cleaning, and rotate them as well so the padding wears more evenly. 
 
As long as the pads are comfortable and not degrading, you won't have to replace them, and they should last for quite some time. 
 
Quote:

is cyberclean a good way to remove dust from the valour pads?

 
I wouldn't recommend it. You might just wind up with a mess if that gunk sticks to the fibres. Soap and water is a simpler solution. 

 

[Kukuk]

Quote:

 
.....You could do some research on my opinions on silver cables and power cleaners. It's easy, you could go profile on my page and search with my ID here and you did not have to make such a embarrassing, ignorant post you just made. It also shows you that you don't do any proper research, only making claims without any evidence.
 
It is like of you are the ones ruining this forum severely, if you ask me.

 
I think you missed the point of my post. It wasn't to say you absolutely will recommend silver cables and things, it's to illustrate the point of how absurd recommended buying new pads (of the same type) for the sake of sound is.
 
And I don't see how recommending using your own two hands to fix a problem over spending money is ruining the forum. (Though, if you mean ruining the sense of elitism carried by many people on the forum, you just might be right.)

 

[jwusoccer]

Quote:

Before tossing money around, I'd recommend just cleaning them with laundry detergent.
 
I've owned a few pairs of headphones that use velour pads, and cleaning them was simple:
Get a small dish with hot water in it.
Add some laundry detergent.
Mix it up.
Smoosh the pads in the water/detergent solution, letting it suck up and push out the solution.
After doing that a few times, do the same thing in clean water.
Squeeze all the excess water out.
Set them on a towel or something to air dry them.
 
They come out good as new!
 
To remove the ear pads from the DT770's, just pull on them. They have a little lip that goes around the outside of the cup, and that's what holds them on. (When you take the pads off, you'll see.)

Sounds interesting! I'll keep this in mind for when i need to wash/replace mine.

 

[wnmnkh]

Quote:

 
I think you missed the point of my post. It wasn't to say you absolutely will recommend silver cables and things, it's to illustrate the point of how absurd recommended buying new pads (of the same type) for the sake of sound is.
 
And I don't see how recommending using your own two hands to fix a problem over spending money is ruining the forum. (Though, if you mean ruining the sense of elitism carried by many people on the forum, you just might be right.)

 
Because it is terribly wrong and harmful (like you just made another person thinking washing makes 'good as new' above) to spread false information without proper knowledge and research.
 
You can call elitism all day, but Head-Fi has previously suffered too long and too many from false information past decade (as early as HD590 bashing, Patrick and his ridiculous cables, Singlepower debacle, and the list goes on forever) and we don't need another false information which will influence users on sound quality of their headphones.
 
 
Since you are downright refusing to learn by yourself, I will link you some articles and pictures.
 
http://www.sony.com.sg/corporate/resources/en_SG/images/product_press_releases/september08/290908_MDR-XB_DVS1.jpg
 
 
When engineering a new headphones, pads make a huge difference on sound of the headphones, and it is not unusual, like Sony's XB case, they heavily focus on developing new headphone pads (thus very weird, a huge pads on XB series) to make sound right. Same goes for many manufacturers.
 
Those manufacturers also understand there are people like you refusing to replace the pads when needed, thus unintentionally ruin the sound experience themselves. They tried things like headphones without using pads as essential sound-related materials, result are things like AKG K1000 and Sony F1 headphones, links below
 
http://www.enjoythemusic.com/superioraudio/equipment/0903/akgk1000.htm
 
http://www.amazon.com/Sony-Full-Open-Air-Headphones-Impedance-Compensator/dp/B000095SA1/ref=pd_sxp_f_pt
 
Change of the sound by pad deterioration are measurable and audible. Here is the measurement of pads; a new ones to 6 years old pads, showing the change of the sound as times goes on with usage of headphones (the above ones are the oldest to bottom ones being the youngest.) Those links are in Japanese, by ryumatsuba.
 
http://www.geocities.jp/ryumatsuba/column63.html
 
Not just for aged pads, there are also comparison charts by same website with different pads on same headphones, dealing mostly Ultrasone ones below.
 
http://www.geocities.jp/ryumatsuba/column41.html
 
http://www.geocities.jp/ryumatsuba/column44.html
 
http://www.geocities.jp/ryumatsuba/column49.html
 
Here is another graphs from goldenears (Korean site this time) focusing on 3 Beyer pads.
 
http://goldenears.net/board/index.php?mid=ST_KB_byGE&page=2&document_srl=512638
 
At same site, there is an article with measurements on damping effect on headphones by pads. By surprise, it also changes impedance of the headphones a bit as well.
 
http://goldenears.net/board/GR_Headphones/1887315
 
 
 
This is objective manner not subjective one. It is measurable and can be proven that older pads WILL change the sound as those measurements faithfully prove.
 
Until you can prove that your washed pads are as good as new one and guarantee nearly identical sound, I highly recommend you to stop spreading claim that does not have any viable evidence attached.

 

[Eargasmo]

you know how i prevent premature earpad wear?
 
I Shower.

 

[Kukuk]

Quote:

 
Until you can prove that your washed pads are as good as new one and guarantee nearly identical sound, I highly recommend you to stop spreading claim that does not have any viable evidence attached.

 
The problem with your links are none of them deal with the issue at hand. Comparing pads of different types is not at all the same thing as comparing two of the same pads, in like condition (Not torn, flaking, etc), where one has simply been washed. Your argument here is literally "I have a lot of irrelevant links, you have none, so you're objectively wrong."
 
If we want to try to speak objectively, I'd say it's much more logically sound to say "wash the pads, and if it does change something, buy new pads." than saying "Buy new pads, don't even attempt to wash."
 
I don't think it's doing anyone any harm in telling them to wash earpads before buying new ones. And if they don't hear a difference between cleaned and new pads, what harm has been done? How is that a detriment to the community?

 

[wnmnkh]

Quote:

 
The problem with your links are none of them deal with the issue at hand. Comparing pads of different types is not at all the same thing as comparing two of the same pads, in like condition (Not torn, flaking, etc), where one has simply been washed. Your argument here is literally "I have a lot of irrelevant links, you have none, so you're objectively wrong."
 
If we want to try to speak objectively, I'd say it's much more logically sound to say "wash the pads, and if it does change something, buy new pads." than saying "Buy new pads, don't even attempt to wash."
 
I don't think it's doing anyone any harm in telling them to wash earpads before buying new ones. And if they don't hear a difference between cleaned and new pads, what harm has been done? How is that a detriment to the community?

 
With your counter logic on my links being irrelevant, I can make a claim like......
 
 
"Hey, that's wrong!  What you saw me was gasoline being flammable by fire!  We are handling diesel!  It's irrelevant!"
 
 
 
I will let you figure out rest. By the way, your counter logic also relies on the assumption that damping materials cannot be / have not been damaged, which is just not true at all and defying common sense and science.
 
 
 

"wash the pads, and if it does change something, buy new pads."

 
Had you said this much earlier, I might not need to waste my time on this thread. And no, I never told OP to "don't even attempt to wash". Read again. I saw the picture, figured damping/construction materials already damaged beyond trying reuse it, thus I recommend replacing the pads. If they were like less than 6 months old and/or had much less wear, I would probably recommend clean them thoroughly and use them again. But we are talking about pads which is more than a year old, and was used in rather bad condition according to OP, with picture to inspect.

 

[streetdragon]

in short: pads wear out, washing can help keep them clean but will not repair them. if the pad is damaged, disfigured (how?) or too old, and you don't like them, replace them. as old pads tend to be softer or be flabby causing the driver to sit closer to your ear, affecting comfort and sound

 

[chewy4]

Quote:

With your counter logic on my links being irrelevant, I can make a claim like......
 
"Hey, that's wrong!  What you saw me was gasoline being flammable by fire!  We are handling diesel!  It's irrelevant!"
 
 

 
Diesel fuel is significantly less flammable than gasoline. If you throw a match in it, the match will go out.
 
Terrible analogy good sir.