Okay, here we go.
I just got these headphones today, and they are by far the best $30 headphones with the worst earpads.
Now that I have your attention, these earpads are stiff and I can imagine they'll mold into the shape of my head like the ATH-A900X earpads.
The RP-HTX7 earpads give off a recessed midrange but punchy bass. Maybe similar to the A900X (thus why I ordered alpha pads for them, and hope they come in the mail soon).
So I decided to take off the earpads from an old headset, the "Soundblaster Tactic 3d Wrath wireless headset". The earpads on these are soft, and about half a centimeter wider in width compared to the HTX7 earpads. So instead of slipping the fabric underneath the plastic ring that clips to the headphone, I wrapped it around the earcup instead.
The result?
Bass is a bit muddy, but definitely more sub bass. There however is LESS punchy bass, maybe even less punchy than the AKG Q701's. However the sub bass is twice more than before, it sometimes even bleeds a little into the midrange.
HOWEVER! The midrange is a lot smoother, compared to before. The HTX7 has a dip somewhere in the 1khz range that makes female vocals sound a bit nasally. I'll be honest and say the mids are even comparable to the A900X with the replaced earpads on the HTX7.
Anywho, with the stock earpads, they sound great. Punchy bass, recessed mids, and a selective (but sparkly) range of highs.
The reason I bought these headphones is because of an anime girl from Hanasaku Iroha.