[new reformation]

I am starting this thread with the dual purpose presenting the mod I have implemented for my HP50's and to provide a space for mods that anyone else comes up with.
 
My mode is not dissimilar from many mods for other headphones but it has such a dramatic effect upon both comfort and sound quality that I would be remiss to refrain from sharing. 
 
––––––––––
 
The first step is to cut a strip of craft foam that measures: 10.5 cm in length X 8mm in height X 4mm in thickness.  
 
The reason that dense foam should be used instead of cotton or tissue is that the height of the lifted side can be adjusted very precisely.  If the angle is too steep/high the bass will be drawn out and highs will become splashy.   
 
 

 
 
 
Next, simply place this piece of foam under the headphone pad so that the foam runs along the bottom and the side that sits behind your ear (See picture below). 
 
 
 

 
You may be wondering why the bottom portion is lined with foam.  The reason is simply that the pressure applied by the  headband is greater at the top of the ear than at the bottom and by lining the bottom edge with foam a perfect seal is accomplished easily.
 
By using a dense foam the result is obvious in effect and professional in appearance.  The depth of the angle is actually greater than the image below shows, as when the headphones are worn the shallow side compresses fully and increases the angling effect.  
 
 

 
––––––––––
 
So what kind of effects does this mod result in?
 
•Comfort
 
The first thing that you will notice is that comfort is greatly increased. The cavity that sits on the ear is made considerably larger by the addition of the foam and lining of the bottom edge equalizes the pressure exerted by the headband.
 
•Sound
 
-Increased "air".
 
-Slightly decreased bass bloom, without a removal of bass presence.
 
-Increased perceived treble resolution.
 
-VERY natural soundstage and added realism.  These headphones already sounded natural, but after the mod the sound-field moves further outside the head while retaining precision. 
 
 
 
I won't labor the details here because this mod is so easy to do for yourself, but I can affirm that the improvement in sound quality is noticeable and positive.
 
Ask any pertinent question you think of and feel free to share any mods you have! 

 

[new reformation]

Wow... Awfully quiet here.  Come on guys, someone ought to be interested in improvements to one of the best closed headphones on the market. I even added pictures for y'all! 

 

[virgopunk]

Hi. I'm expecting a pair of Hp50s imminently. This a great mod since its non-destructive. I'll certainly be keen to try it. Can you give me more detail on the type of foam you mean? Where did you source it?
Thanks.

 

[new reformation]

Hey! Sorry for the delay in reply.  The brand of foam that I purchased was sold by Hobby Lobby under the name of, "Silly Winks Foam Sheets."  I assume that you could always use the more mainstream brand of Creatology, but the Hobby Lobby house-brand is high quality and will probably be cheaper.  The foam itself is a closed-cell design that is quite dense and typical of the kind used for craft projects.  
 
 
Let me know if you end up doing the mod and post what your thoughts!  I really can't see myself going back to stock. 

 

[ri-fi]

I actually made this mod as well tonight, independent of this thread. I only found it after looking for other hp50 mods. I was a little cheaper in my materials however.
 
I have been rather perplexed so far with the HP50s in what feels like a difference in pad seal over my left and right ears. I always end up feeling like the left ear cup sounds initially "deader" than the right, before I put on music. It seems to go away once there is sound in the cups, but my interest in this mod to was to see if I could equalize this feeling since I thought it might be due to the left ear cup sitting closer to my ear, or something like that. 

I cut six foam strips to layer one on top of the other. It is simple craft foam you can buy at any dollar store. I think I could fit another layer (so 7) but I will play with 6 for now.  I am not sure how long this foam might last, and if it will fall out overtime, but for 10 minutes of work I think this will make these can sit much niceer on my head. I will wait and see if I experience changes in sonic qualities.


update: after about 2 days with the pads, I have to agree with 'new reformation', I don't think I will go back to the stock pad setup. I am not sure if the sound signature has changed in the headphones, but it certainly hasn't been compromised by the mod.

 

[Johnny Jumper]

Getting mine today. I purchased some Brainwavz velour replacement pads because I don't like the feel of the pleather. What are the dimensions of the foam pieces youre using? I'm expecting the velour pads to lose some seal and the foam inserts might improve that.

JJ

 

[ri-fi]

Getting mine today. I purchased some Brainwavz velour replacement pads because I don't like the feel of the pleather. What are the dimensions of the foam pieces youre using? I'm expecting the velour pads to lose some seal and the foam inserts might improve that.

JJ

the dimensions for my foam pieces are: 2 and 5/8 inches long by 1/4 inch wide by 5/16 tall. Or for metric: 6.6cm long by 0.6cm wide by 0.8 cm tall. Hope this helps, but i'm so late posting you probably already have foam pieces you like. 

 

[Johnny Jumper]

Brainwav did fit. More comfort but the sound is not as rich. Thanks for the post.

 

[kuchumovn]

Inspired by your idea I made it too.
Not everywhere you can buy craft foam around here, so I used a chinese magnetic whiteboard eraser instead ($2).
It turned out this eraser is made of firm and dense "EVA foam" which is a good thing for cutting it different ways with a knife.
 

 
I cut a moon-shaped thing out of the foam and split it in half getting two pieces approximately 4mm thick.
The pieces shouldn't be too thick because there's not too much extra space under the pad.
The flush side of a piece goes faces the speaker.
The other (cut) side of a piece faces the pad.
 

 
Comfort has definitely increased, that's for sure.
My ears seem to be able to take more time with these headphones.
(I agree that these headphones (in stock) definitely aren't the most comfortable headphones on the market).

 

[ri-fi]

@kuchumoven
That looks like high quality foam, nice.

Little off topic, but how do you like the HP50s with the HERUS? I am mulling over getting one.

 

[kuchumovn]

@kuchumoven
That looks like high quality foam, nice.

Little off topic, but how do you like the HP50s with the HERUS? I am mulling over getting one.

Herus is a nice little fella, very cute and good sounding (detailed, lightweight, 3D).
What it's lacking is bass (maybe "subbass") and also highs are not recessed.
I prefer my Concero HP because it has those filters which are told to tame highs a bit, and overall has some good bass body.
HP50, compared to Fostex TH600, is not bright at all, but obviously lacks bass extension ("rumble"). Mids on Fostexes are recessed too, but the stage is enormous.
So, HP50 being combined with Herus really is not a bass lover's choice.
Otherwise it sounds good, detailed, lightweight and airy.
Therefore I listen HP50s with ALO Island which is muddy but gives significantly more dark sound so I can get my bass with HP50 at a price of a muddy sound.

 

[Cheffy]

Thought I'd add my 2 cents here. Having recently bought and been using the HP50s for a few weeks now, I was definitely experiencing some difficulties with both headband pressure leading to top of head pain and ear discomfort from the shallow pads. Nothing horrible, but it limited my listening to an hour or two at most and I often wear my headphones for at least 4-6 hrs a day at my desk. So I've tried a few things, and through some trial and error, I managed to reduce my discomfort immensely and find myself able to wear them for hours with no more sensitivity than from the most comfortable headphones.

Ear pads

I tried using my spare HM5 pads on these phones, and while they can be put on and "fit", it's clear that they're too wide to make a good seal. The round sides along the horizontal axis stick out too far and as a result the underside of the pads don't sit properly against the flat area around the driver. So while the opening is nice and wide, the super soft HM5 pads crush too much and my ears end up brushing against the drivers anyway. Worse, they don't make a good seal, so most of the sub/mid bass disappear, the mids become airy thin, and the treble too prominent (though not harsh).

I looked around for other pad options, but none really seemed like they would work though I couldn't tell without actually trying. Thing is, the stock pads are really nice - soft with enough firmness to not just crush flat. Problem is they're too shallow (about 18 mm deep) and the opening is a tad small (38 mm by 68 mm). Another 0.5 cm all around would be perfect for me and probably most people.

After doing some reading including this thread I thought I'd try adding something to increase the rigidity and depth of the cups. I tried a few things like some open-cell foam and closed-cell foam cut to shape, but wasn't satisfied with the sound and feeling. I even cut up a piece of memory foam shoe insole (unused of course). That gave a nicer cup and improved comfort but it made the bass far too boomy and muddy for my tastes (bassheads might like it though!).

Then I found a box of old computer cords ranging in shape and thickness and began making different shaped ovals by cutting into lengths the same circumference as the inside of the pads and taping the ends together into ovals. This was the best material that I'd experimented with by far. It was firm enough to raise the pads off the driver and create just enough space so my ears barely touched the sides of the cups. The dense material also made the least difference in sound compared to foam which absorbed too much noise, something I value a lot since I REALLY love the stock sound with these pads.

Your mileage might vary, but I found the best diameter for round cords was about 4-5 mm. Thinner sounded more or less the same but left my ears just grazing the driver and pressing the edges. Thicker improved depth (and soundstage a little), but filled in too much space in the lip under the pads and my ears would now touch the cord sometimes. It also made the pads too firm, negating some of the comfort from increased depth. However, I also tried a flat cable that was about 3.5 x 6.5 mm. This was the best of both worlds - it increased the depth of the cup enough to completely keep my ears off the driver, but was narrow enough that my ears wouldn't touch the cable. And best yet, it was acoustically perfect - it added a touch of sound space without diminishing the mids, and may have even increased the punch in the sub-bass response a little without muddying the sound. Highs remained crisp but not harsh, and mids stayed perfect.

Here's an image of the cut flat cord beside the phones:




http://imgur.com/a/LqOzc

Note how the cord itself is thinner in width than height/depth. You can't see the duct tape when they're under the pads, but I've since put black tape over it anyway so it's totally invisible. One last note: I had to cut the length of the cords shorter than I originally thought. If the circumference is too big, they push the sides of the pad out and the inside of the pads just sort of presses inwards too much. It also makes them too stiff. That said, better to cut them a touch long and shorten as necessary of course.


Headband

I've temporarily affixed an aftermarket replacement headband padding for a sennheiser598/600. It's a knockoff available on amazon, but it's a really good one and cheap at about $4 apiece. They come as four pads attached to a plastic strip. I originally bought one to put on my HM5 which had a terribly uncomfortable headband, but ended up buying a couple extra just in case - glad I did.

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00XBOM9QU...m=A3DWYIK6Y9EEQB&pf_rd_r=FDGCFE6WQG7C29DFHQDK

The band gives people problems mostly because it's so flat. As a result it puts a lot of pressure on a small spot right at the top of your head instead of distributing over a curved area like other headphones, despite being really light weight and reasonably padded. I think this spot is also just extra sensitive for a lot of people - so kind of a design flaw. So to offset this, I cut the strip holding the pads in half and moved the middle pads further apart, leaving a 3ish cm gap where the headband would normally contact my head.



http://imgur.com/a/1fQZO

The pads distributed the pressure of the band instead either side of the pressure point and over a bigger area. The centre of the band still touches my head since these pads flatten out a lot, but now the pressure is reduced. As a result I now get zero pain and can listen to them for hours without discomfort.

Final notes

The headband pad mod needs some more attention. I don't want to use double-sided tape because the adhesive will eventually melt the pleather (like it did on my HM5s, but I don't care how those look). I'm thinking some kind of black velcro zip ties, but haven't found the right ones yet. I'm open to suggestions on how to best secure these.
EDIT - I've since been using 1/2" wide velcro straps that work perfectly.

With the flat cord mod for the ear pads, I achieved nearly perfect fit. I'd still prefer the inside circumference of the pads to be a little bigger. My ears just touch them and that can still lead to some sensitivity although it takes wearing them for at least 4 hours before they begin to notice it. So I'm still keeping my eyes (or should I say ears!) out for potential replacement pads and I'm open to suggestions on that end.
EDIT - I've since switched back to a 4 mm regular cable. 6.5 mm was too tall, and it made the cushions a little too firm.

Anyway I hope that helps anyone that was looking for some specific suggestions on how to remedy the comfort problems many people experience with these otherwise amazing phones. They simply sound too good to let some discomfort prevent me from using them on longer listening sessions.

EDIT - My phones developed some serious problems with noise from plastic rubbing in the hinges. Made wearing them a chore and unpleasant. I've since done the "blu-tack" and lubrication mod that has resolved most of this. See this thread for more info.

 

[xxAMAROKxx]

More variants of HP50 pads here:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Rep...pair-Parts-for-NAD-VISO-HP50/32831121006.html

 

[Cheffy]

More variants of HP50 pads here:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Rep...pair-Parts-for-NAD-VISO-HP50/32831121006.html

These look like brainwavz pads that are just labelled as being specific to the NAD VISO HP50. IME, the brainwavz pads are not a good fit with the HP50s, and they significantly degrade the sound.

 

[BaTou069]

These look like brainwavz pads that are just labelled as being specific to the NAD VISO HP50. IME, the brainwavz pads are not a good fit with the HP50s, and they significantly degrade the sound.

I ordered those AliExpress pads and threw the original ones into the trash since the leather was chipping of for a long time already and making me all dirty.
I can confirm that they degrade the sound, makes it sound farer away, more dull, less bass, less everything.
Has someone a good alternative recommendation?
Thx