[drwlf]

  I've been pad rolling like a madman with my HE-400is and HE-400s.
 
I've tried:
 
- Velour
- Focus Pads
- ZMF Ori
- Ether C angled ear pads
- Alpha pads (genuine lamb-leather)
 
After testing all of those I found that the Alpha pads sound best on the 400i and the Ether C sound best on the 400s.
 
I've been avoiding the Brainwavz HM-5s because of the horror stories about getting the rings to fit.
 
Has anyone compared the HM-5z to the Alphas?  I'm wondering if its worth trying one more set of pads if they trump the Alphas.
 
BTW, I'm driving my 400is via active-ground balanced mode from a TEAC UD-503 as a headphone amp which is in turn fed from Resonessence Herus+ as a DAC to the TEAC's line-in.
 
Sounds amazing.  Its funny that the little Herus+ sounds better than the DAC in the UD-503!

Haven't compared them myself, but as the Brainwavz are rather cheap, and nowadays you can just buy the rings separately: http://store.hifiman.com/index.php/earpad-mounting-rings.html
Up to you if it's worth a listen I guess.

 

[dimensiid]

HE-500 with ZMF Ori Lambskin Pads...great comfort, awesome sound!
 

 

[ThurstonX]

  HE-500 with ZMF Ori Lambskin Pads...great comfort, awesome sound!

 

Spoiler: Photos

 

 
Thanks for posting the photos.  I wonder if they'd work on the HE-560, et al., with the narrower clearance under the yokes.  Anyone try them with newer HiFiMAN cans?

 

[gug42]

@dimensiid : what is the impact on sound ?  can you compare it with focus pad ?
 
Really beautifull by the way !  :love:
 
Thx !

 

[dimensiid]

   
Thanks for posting the photos.  I wonder if they'd work on the HE-560, et al., with the narrower clearance under the yokes.  Anyone try them with newer HiFiMAN cans?

 
They should work...the Ori Pads fit perfectly on the Hifiman cups.
 

  @dimensiid : what is the impact on sound ?  can you compare it with focus pad ?
 
Really beautifull by the way !  :love:
 
Thx !

Thanks! 
 
Previously I used Brainwavz angled pleather...the stock pads sucks!
Compared to the angled Brainwavs, more impact and bass punch with the Ori pads, better clarity too. Sound stage has also improved slightly because the stiffer foam on the pads are keeping the drivers a bit further from your ears.
Comfort also increased twice fold...awesome!
Dare I say...the Ori Pads give you a slightly more Audeze-like presentation to the HE-500.
 
I don't really like the focus pads...they tend to soften the bass and mellows out the overall sound. With the focus pads, IMO the focus is on the mids

 

[gug42]

Hello

Thank you for your answer ! How are the trebble ?

I have the focus pad and agree about the mid centric.
Well bass punch and clarity, need a try ! Moreover so nice looking

Thx for sharing

 

[dimensiid]

Treble is great and well extended...and the midrange magic of the HE-500 is also kept intact.

 

[ThurstonX]

Got the ZMF Ori Lambskin Pads yesterday.  It's a tight fit due to the yokes, but they work fine on the HE-560.  I wouldn't say I have a small head, so they should work even better if your HE-560, et al., don't have to stretch width-wise as much as mine do.  The leather is fantastic (soft and supple) and the foam is the most comfortable I've come across.  All that helps the pads slip under the yokes without getting caught or wedged too tightly.  I ended up reversing the stretch of the spring steel in the headband a bit to get more compression and seal.
 
NB: If you're using these or any angled pads on the HE-560 or other HFM cans with those cups, you'll want to line up one of the tabs on the mounting rings with the stitching that marks the thinnest part of the pads (or bottom stitching; most angled pads have some stitching that can be used as a guide).  This is due to the redesign HFM did to prevent the pads from spinning freely once mounted.  Not an issue with the HE-500-style cups.
 
I've been listening to my "new" HE-5LE almost exclusively for the past few weeks, so I don't want to comment too much on the sound, but they make the HE-560 pretty euphonic by comparison.  The HE-5LE are now my detail kings with the HM5 angled leather pads (also comfortable).  I'll have to try the Oris on the HE-5LE.  Zach may be getting a repeat order this week 

 
Thanks, @dimensiid, for the recommendation.

 

[LarsHP]

Looking forward to your detailed comparisons between ZMF Ori and Brainwavz HM5 angled leather pads!

 

[ThurstonX]

  Looking forward to your detailed comparisons between ZMF Ori and Brainwavz HM5 angled leather pads!

 
Can't promise too many details, but since you mentioned it, I'll try to make some mental (or actual) notes and post them here.  The comparison will only be on the HE-5LE, at least for starters.  I can't recall if the HM5 angled fit the HE-560.  I doubt I tried, since my Audeze Vegans were taped to the HE-560, and I wasn't ready to remove them, as reattaching would be a total PITA.  Fortunately, that's now moot 

 
It's almost like summer here today, so maybe a little warm for vigorous pad rolling, but later in the week looks better.

 

[ThurstonX]

  Looking forward to your detailed comparisons between ZMF Ori and Brainwavz HM5 angled leather pads!

 
Here's a quick comparison of the ZMF Ori pads and the HM5 angled leather pads.
 
The HM5 pads are more angled, being thicker in the back and thinner in the front.  This is probably more pronounced in practice, as the HM5 pads use stiffer leather, and possibly stiffer foam.  The Ori pads with the lambskin (currently all that's available) and the foam they use win out in terms of comfort.  Being softer, they should compress more, bringing the cups slightly closer to one's ears.  Sound-wise they're basically the same in a cursory listen.  If one is scientifically inclined, one could, no doubt, find differences worth mentioning.  Not my bag, baby.  I'm all about maximizing listening pleasure.  Never even bothered with the Sound Science forums herein 

  Truly, I used a standard set of test songs of varied character and could not detect any notable differences in a single pass with each pair of pads.
 
I couldn't mount the HM5 pads on my HE-560 due to a few factors I can't be bothered to correct right now.  Certainly they can be mounted, but I can't speak to that pesky problem of clearance under the yokes.  The Ori pads are so comfortable on the HE-560 that I won't be trying others anytime soon.  So, listening comparisons were done with the HE-5LE.  They really are exceptional cans, once properly modded IMO.  They're more balanced and detailed than the HE-560, which I prefer over the HE-500.  That I scored a pair for $350+ just shows great deals can be had if one is patient, and a bit lucky.
 
So, if I were debating between the Ori pads and the HM5 angled leather pads, I'd spend the extra $10 or whatever and get the Oris.  This is not meant as a knock against the HM5 pads.  Indeed, I won't be ordering another pair of Oris immediately, if ever.  For me, being able to roll both pairs on two of my three HiFiMAN cans is great, and that I've FINALLY found a pair of GREAT pads that can be mounted and unmounted on the HE-560 with relative ease makes the Oris an absolute must-have, and a bargain to boot.  I'm not joking when I say I've probably spent more on pads than the bloody HE-5LE 

  But that's this hobby/passion for ya.

 

[dimensiid]

Nice write up @ThurstonX..
Good to hear that you're enjoying the Ori pads!
BTW, the HM5 angled pads you're using for comparison...are they the lambskin ones or the pleathers?
I'm considering to upgrade my HE-400 with Ori pads...but I might just wait for Brainwavz to release their new line of round pads...Brainwavz angled round lambskin pads should be awesome (and slightly cheaper),

 

[ThurstonX]

  Nice write up @ThurstonX..
Good to hear that you're enjoying the Ori pads!
BTW, the HM5 angled pads you're using for comparison...are they the lambskin ones or the pleathers?
I'm considering to upgrade my HE-400 with Ori pads...but I might just wait for Brainwavz to release their new line of round pads...Brainwavz angled round lambskin pads should be awesome (and slightly cheaper),

 
The real sheepskin leather HM5s (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01J53WTUQ), which should explain why the Oris, being lambskin, are softer.  I have the pleather version, and a few other HM5 pads, but the sheepskin leather are the best.  The pleather have more cushion, but in my testing I just didn't like the sound.  And pleather is just nasty in comparison to real leather.
 
Like I said, if I had to choose, I'd spend the extra $10 and get the Oris... but if you're curious and like to experiment and roll different pads, you should get the HM5s to have the options.

 

[ThurstonX]

A quick followup on this topic.  I did manage to get the HM5 angled sheepskin leather pads on the HE-560.  It's important to get the mounting rings inserted so the tabs are at the Top, Bottom, Front, Back, as the HE-560 has a locking groove in the cup to prevent slippage.  Once I got that done the pads were still getting stuck under the yokes a little too much for a worry-free comfortable fit.  Looking at the yokes I decided they could be:
 

• Thinned with a couple grades of sandpaper
• The sharp edges rounded with the same
• Oiled (I used Wahl trimmer oil, as it's really fine and has no real odor)

 
It only took a period of hockey to do the sanding, so not a huge investment of time.  I could have gone thinner, but what I did seems to have worked.  I actually prefer the HM5 pads on the HE-560, as the glare in certain frequencies in certain recordings is reduced to the point it's not a distraction.  Also, the freedom of movement of the cups is far greater with the HE-560 as compared to the HE-500, HE-5LE, et al., style cans.  That extra movement lends itself to the steeper angle of the HM5 pads as compared to the Oris.
 
Lastly, both sets of pads can be rolled across all three HFM cans with no hassle.

 

[LarsHP]

Thanks for your comparisons between the HM5 and Ori pads. I looks like they are quite close in terms of sound. Since I already have the HM5 (angled pleather) pads, however modded with cloth on the inner "walls" in order to absorb high frequency reflections, I feel it might not be worthwhile to buy the Ori pads.
 
However, since the opening in the Ori pads are notably larger, this could give a little lighter and more open or spacious sound. But you don't seem hear this?