[makne]

For sound quality, I found that angled leather or pleather pads give the best results. Flat velours (HM5) are not much better than the stock ones imo.
Both leather and pleather are very comfortable, honestly I can't tell much of a difference once they're on my head.

You can fit HM5, ZMF etc. on the rings that are inside the stock pads, but I recommend removing that ring and putting the pads over the cup itself. This way you don't have to stretch the pads so much. The left pad will cover the 3.5mm hole so you'll have to cut a small hole for it or stretch the pad around it, but no major issue really

 

[Cruelhand Luke]

[QUOTE="Justin Hood, post: 13732811, member: 483284" If I can find pads and the housing (want to be able to return them to stock), I'll try the replacement.[/QUOTE]

'returning to stock' is as simple as putting the old pads back on, so this barely even qualifies as a 'mod'. You simply pop off the old pads rings and all, toss them back in the box and forget about them. Going back to stock you just pop them back on.
here are some pad options:
NVX angled pleather. Identical to the HM5 pads a lot of people get, but softer and more cushy. (my personal favorite) $20
https://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_66627_NVX-XRE100A.html
HM5 round pleather: $30
| https://www.brainwavzaudio.com/coll...s/headphone-memory-foam-earpads-xl-pu-leather
Senitek cloth/velour/pleather: $11-15.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071X2K9YQ/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I24MTM5KVXGHI1&colid=1UL2BBD8Y4EZF

and for the lowest price option that I might vouch for. (I haven't used these, so I don't know how good the pleather is) $9.00
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N6DLLMN/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I3OCXO9YSQBP3N&colid=1UL2BBD8Y4EZF

 

[Cruelhand Luke]

For sound quality, I found that angled leather or pleather pads give the best results. Flat velours (HM5) are not much better than the stock ones imo.
Both leather and pleather are very comfortable, honestly I can't tell much of a difference once they're on my head.

You can fit HM5, ZMF etc. on the rings that are inside the stock pads, but I recommend removing that ring and putting the pads over the cup itself. This way you don't have to stretch the pads so much. The left pad will cover the 3.5mm hole so you'll have to cut a small hole for it or stretch the pad around it, but no major issue really

I second all of that.....especially about the angled pleather being the best for these...I tried everything but just plain old velour (because I suspected, as you said, that it would be very similar to stock) of all the different pad options these really sound the best imo.

 

[tamio]

Tried to replace pads... I found it so impossible, is there any tricks to do it?
Should I order pads from ebay? The price is lower so I worry about the real/fake issue

 

[jimmers]

Tried to replace pads... I found it so impossible, is there any tricks to do it?
Should I order pads from ebay? The price is lower so I worry about the real/fake issue

I replaced my pads with pleather ones this afternoon,wasn't hard - just application of brute force and ignorance, snapped off the originals and worked on the HM5 pads, started at one side and just worked around from there in both directions.
After all the love shown here I was a bit disappointed , there was more obvious bass but upper bass sounded "cardboard" i.e. instead of having the decaying timbre of a drum it sounded like banging on a cardboard box. Also the balance was off compared to what I am used to, I guess I'll put the originals back on and have a new listen as I haven't used them for a while.
My experience and opinion.
YMMV etc.

 

[makne]

Tried to replace pads... I found it so impossible, is there any tricks to do it?
Should I order pads from ebay? The price is lower so I worry about the real/fake issue

Put your finger inside the cup and push out from the inside. Stretch the pads, be patient.

 

[Justin Hood]

When I first read this thread, someone cross purposed some closed cell foam tubes, that they put under the existing pads. THey had an array of all different diameters.

Was that someone here, anyone remember what those were?

 

[VRacer-111]

I replaced my pads with pleather ones this afternoon,wasn't hard - just application of brute force and ignorance, snapped off the originals and worked on the HM5 pads, started at one side and just worked around from there in both directions.
After all the love shown here I was a bit disappointed , there was more obvious bass but upper bass sounded "cardboard" i.e. instead of having the decaying timbre of a drum it sounded like banging on a cardboard box. Also the balance was off compared to what I am used to, I guess I'll put the originals back on and have a new listen as I haven't used them for a while.
My experience and opinion.
YMMV etc.

Not alone, in my experience with the HM5 Hybrids, the sound was not as good as stock - very boomy and dull sounding with less detail and clarity. The pad is also too tight a fit, has to be cut. My choice of earpads for the SHP9500 is the Shure 1840 with custom attenuator, very well balanced with slightly more detail and very clean and punchy bass. Perfect fit over the housing too and the 1840 is more comfortable than the HM5.

 

[Cruelhand Luke]

The pad is also too tight a fit, has to be cut. .

,
incorrect. it stretches over just fine, no cutting needed. You do have to accommodate for the cable on the left side, but that's simply achieved by folding the edge of the pad down a little. You CAN cut it if you want, but your statement might confuse people and prevent them from trying a mod that a lot of people like.

 

[makne]

,
incorrect. it stretches over just fine, no cutting needed. You do have to accommodate for the cable on the left side, but that's simply achieved by folding the edge of the pad down a little. You CAN cut it if you want, but your statement might confuse people and prevent them from trying a mod that a lot of people like.

+1. I had no problems with any of the pads I've tried (HM5 pleather, velour and ZMF Lambskin), you just need to find the right technique and have some patience. I like to put one finger inside the pad and push outwards to stretch over the cup. Combined with a little pulling from the outside, it's done in few minutes. Those were pretty new, unstreched pads too.

 

[tamio]

Not alone, in my experience with the HM5 Hybrids, the sound was not as good as stock - very boomy and dull sounding with less detail and clarity. The pad is also too tight a fit, has to be cut. My choice of earpads for the SHP9500 is the Shure 1840 with custom attenuator, very well balanced with slightly more detail and very clean and punchy bass. Perfect fit over the housing too and the 1840 is more comfortable than the HM5.

Where did you order 1840 pad?

 

[VRacer-111]

,
incorrect. it stretches over just fine, no cutting needed. You do have to accommodate for the cable on the left side, but that's simply achieved by folding the edge of the pad down a little. You CAN cut it if you want, but your statement might confuse people and prevent them from trying a mod that a lot of people like.

It may stretch over (after MUCH effort), but the flap material extends past where the 5 tabs go into the slots to lock in the earpad frame to the housing, therefore needs to be trimmed back. With the Shure 1540 or 1840 pads you just have a very easy, minimal stretch and the flap doesn't extend past the tab holes in the earpad frame.

 

[makne]

It may stretch over (after MUCH effort), but the flap material extends past where the 5 tabs go into the slots to lock in the earpad frame to the housing, therefore needs to be trimmed back. With the Shure 1540 or 1840 pads you just have a very easy, minimal stretch and the flap doesn't extend past the tab holes in the earpad frame.

Uhm, I think the majority of us mounted the pads directly on the housing, not on the ring that originally is attached to the stock pads.

 

[VRacer-111]

I think the next thing I'll design for 3D printing is earpad adapter for HM5 pads so they can be mounted the proper way and you won't have to destroy the stock pads if you dont want to. While the stock pads aren't bad, there's no comparison in fit and increased comfort to the Shure pads so I had no issue destroying the stock pads to be able to use the stock adapter for different pads.

 

[VRacer-111]

Where did you order 1840 pad?

From Amazon