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So after spending several weeks on this forum, I decided to take the plunge. I moved away from my Audio Technica safety net and purchased a set of T50RP's. Now it is just a matter of finding the best replacement pad choice. I am looking for the best bang for my buck (if possible). Im running into a price range some where near 80 dollars. I would like to keep it lower than that if possible. Right now I am looking for insight/suggestions.
Runners up are:
Audeze LCD-2 Pads
Denon lawton audio Pads (has anyone used these on a T50RP?)
Fischer FA-003 Pads (I hear these are a pain to put on). I hear these are made by Yoga?
The Fischer Knockoffs brainwavz HM5 pads
Hifiman (if someone can name a specific pad/model)
Beyerdynamic Leather Pads
As secondary notes:
I considered the Beyerdynamic gel pads, but I don't think I could handle the feel of the pads. Maybe with the Sock mod, but Im' afraid I will lose the isolation, soundstage, etc. due to loss of the seal (which is why these pads are probably amazing in the first place). I could be wrong, but this is my assumption.
I also considered the Stax O2, but 160 dollars for pads is a bit outrageous for me right now (talk to me in a year, I might change my mind).
I am also open to any suggestions, so please feel free to comment. Also thanks in advance for any suggestions or direction you can give me.
My humble opinion, others can chime in:
LCD pads: I never tried these on the T50rps, but they are a lot squishier than I would have guessed from pictures. I doubt they will give you what you are looking such steep a price. That said, I was told by an LCD3 owner that Audeze changed the "stiffness" of the pads because owners were complaining of a suction or "tunnel" effect --- like their brains were going to be pulled out through their ears! I would love to see this... or here it? You can get brown LCD2 pads on ebay for a little cheaper, but I rather make my own before spending that kind of cash.
Denon pads: If J$ was still around, I would have tried out his pads... no comment otherwise.
Fischer, HM5, Yoga, etc: These are all the same pads; they are all pleather. This was confirmed, sorry, I don't have a source, though.
If there is a difference between versions, please correct me.
Hifiman: The standard Hifiman pleather pads look nice on the internets, but they
feel super cheap and personally, I find them uncomfortable (on Hifiman cans). Since they are circular where the T50rps are more oval shaped, I would imagine getting a good seal would be difficult. I would recommend their velour pads in any case, they sure make HE-500s sound much more luscious.
Beyer: I cannot comment on SQ effects, but I would imagine being circular, like Hifiman's pads, would make a perfect seal very difficult.
As many know, I highly recommend the Shure srh1440/1840 velour pads. I also recommend stacking them on top of the stock pads. When I first started out listening to headphones, the ATH-AD700 was the only sound signature I was familiar with. I loved its sound stage and detail, while having very little bass, but I was okay with that. If you are looking for a similar sound with slightly better bass, my setup is a great transition. If you are looking for thumpin' bass, then my setup probably is not your best option. (I just got my Measuring kit in the mail from BMF. I need to learn how to use it and will have some free time Thursday, so hopefully I will have some measurements up soon enough for my setup.)
Nanjirou, there are tons of options, so there is no one solution. I would advise not to buy a ton of pads until you know what sound signature you are trying to achieve, as well as knowing/trying different mods. Most mods are based off of the srh840 pads, so changing pads on specific mods could alter the sound in a not so positive way.
