[ZeNmAc]

So the pleather on my M50's headband is starting to flake off.  I'm thinking about contacting AT to get a new one but I heard they are expensive and mine still has a perfectly good cushion.  Any ideas for repairing it?  Should I wrap it in something?  Ideally I'd like to do that without ruining the audio-technica across the top.  My scalp is starting to get irritated so I'm going to try to do something.

 

[determinedd]

Black electrical tape along the under side? It will peel eventually. Sew on some more pleather or other fabric? Could be challenging but customization is cool.

 

[mono]

You know how to cut paper with scissors, right?  What if it was thicker paper, you can do that too?  Well, there's this thick paper like stuff but it isn't paper, due to growing on big animals that go "moo".  Take a piece of the animal (wait till it's dead, it's safer that way) and cut it to the shape you need, wrap it around the padding, and sew it.  If you want no external stitches, sew it inside out then twist it around the other way and stuff the padding in.
 
It's really that easy, string 'n glue type of tech, you just get what you want to cover the area and make it happen.
 
 

 

[ZeNmAc]

Quote:

You know how to cut paper with scissors, right?  What if it was thicker paper, you can do that too?  Well, there's this thick paper like stuff but it isn't paper, due to growing on big animals that go "moo".  Take a piece of the animal (wait till it's dead, it's safer that way) and cut it to the shape you need, wrap it around the padding, and sew it.  If you want no external stitches, sew it inside out then twist it around the other way and stuff the padding in.
 
It's really that easy, string 'n glue type of tech, you just get what you want to cover the area and make it happen.
 
 

Haha nice.  Question is where can I buy leather?  I don't exactly have any big animals that go "moo" living around here

.
 

 

[ZeNmAc]

Bump.  Thinking about getting some lambskin on ebay or something.  Any more suggestions?  Anyone taken the M50's apart (the top pad)?  Any suggestions on kind of leather to use?

 

[kalbee]

Get something that is thick enough.
Most of the more affordable lambskin on ebay are craft grade, and are quite thin. It's more suede than leather too, from what I've seen. With that said, get it too thin (and knowing that it's porous, i.e. suede), it can break more easily.
 
With that said, you can always just do two layers. You should try out with various (inexpensive) materials you have at home first, and experiment around.
 
Unfortunately I don't own a pair of M50 so I can't give you more concrete suggestions :S sorry. Though my JVC has the same type of headband (foam wrapped in pleather) and I would definitely go with something along the lines of tape for starters.

 

[ZeNmAc]

Quote:

Get something that is thick enough.
Most of the more affordable lambskin on ebay are craft grade, and are quite thin. It's more suede than leather too, from what I've seen. With that said, get it too thin (and knowing that it's porous, i.e. suede), it can break more easily.
 
With that said, you can always just do two layers. You should try out with various (inexpensive) materials you have at home first, and experiment around.
 
Unfortunately I don't own a pair of M50 so I can't give you more concrete suggestions :S sorry. Though my JVC has the same type of headband (foam wrapped in pleather) and I would definitely go with something along the lines of tape for starters.

 
Thanks for the input.

What about something like this?
 
I thought about fleece or something but it cant look too ridiculous since I wear them at work

.  I'm guessing fleece would be itchy too.

 

[kalbee]

I'd suggest something with less air gaps or pores. Fleece and polar fleece would both probably bbe comfortable at the beginning and become a disaster to clean on the long run.
 
The eBay link seems okay; I'm assuming the standard finish they say is the grainy leather one, which is quite fine. Remember that the item is half a square inch per list price, so make sure you will have enough material. The seller says there may be holes and such, which may get in the way from a one-piece construction.
Otherwise I remember seeing a Korean seller that had a wide variety of pleather. It's cheaper, but I imagine it to be harder to sow on nicely without keeping the holes from sewing so apparent. They also kind of look like sheets of polyurethane rather than actual leather-looking pleather, but the M50 pad is like that too right? Feel free to correct me if I am wrong

 

[Jcolon]

Quote:

You know how to cut paper with scissors, right?  What if it was thicker paper, you can do that too?  Well, there's this thick paper like stuff but it isn't paper, due to growing on big animals that go "moo".  Take a piece of the animal (wait till it's dead, it's safer that way) and cut it to the shape you need, wrap it around the padding, and sew it.  If you want no external stitches, sew it inside out then twist it around the other way and stuff the padding in.
 
It's really that easy, string 'n glue type of tech, you just get what you want to cover the area and make it happen.
 
 

You literally made my day. Thank you very much!

 

[kherman]

Black fabric from fabric store, black sewing thread and patience?
 
Might look stupid but the functionality is there.
 
I need to deal with this issue now.  Still no good solutions?

 

[nad1m]

Well, that's the end of my relationship with ATH. Since so many people here have these, here's a Oct 2017 response:

"An official quote can only be provided once we have your headphones – but I can say if you are out of warranty you will be responsible for shipping costs to and from us.


I couldn’t say what the shipping will be from you to us but from [X] to [Y] it could be close to 15$. If you refuse the repair, the estimate fee is 55$.


Bare minimum, just an estimate will cost close to 80$. From past repairs, the cost of the headband alone is close to 110$ and that does not include the tech labor of 75$/hr. Technically a repair could cost as much as replacing the unit.


Hope that helps.


Thank you,"