helloh3adfi
1000+ Head-Fier
This review is about Dekoni Hybrid Pads and custom made pads by @NtraX for oval shaped Hifiman headphones.
I started to look for aftermarked pads, because the stock pads weren't comfortable. They mostly pressed against my jaws and some other places, which made them unpleasant to wear. What a shame, because the Hifiman HE-1000v2 is pretty good. Then I saw Dekoni announcing new ear pads for Arya. I was happy about that and immediately bit the bullet.
They arrived. The comfort is a lot better than the stock pads. The pressure is evenly dispersed. Now I can wear them for hours. Unfortunately your ears will feel warmer. That could be a problem if you got no AC.
Quality wise they're okay. Other people complain about build quality issues. Just see for yourself if you get lucky with Dekoni. Overall they sound more warm. The treble seems to be a little weaker. It's difficult to say for sure, because I don't have 2 Hifimans to switch every minute. Also I don't have measuring devices.
Overall I'm fine with the sound of the Dekoni pads. Coincidentally I saw some posts of ntrax in the Arya thread. So why not bite another bullet? You can customize those pads all you want. I decided for leather outer and Alcantara on inner side.
The foam and overall sizes are a bit larger than stock and Dekoni pads. The foam is memory foam, which also makes them a lot more comfortable than the stock pads. The leather feels thicker than Dekoni. Alcantara also feels more durable than the micro velour of Dekoni pads. Compared to the Dekoni pads they feel cooler. Probably thanks to the alcantara surface.
Let's see about the sound. Again it's difficult to compare from memory. I think the mids and treble are more close to the stock pads. About bass: I'm feeling more rumble and punch than both Dekoni and stock pads. Even on lower volumes I can feel the bass. Maybe those pads bring out more sub bass. I like it!
There is a little problem if you got a large head:
The yolks are pressing against the pads. This shouldn't be too bad, but this place might wear off after time. So keep in mind to maintain the leather with oil or some other leather aid. The stock pads and Dekoni pads also got that problem. If you customize your ear pads by ntrax the upper part should be made thinner to not press against the yolks. Then again there would be no problem on smaller heads anyway.
Probably some other users also ordered Ntrax pads. Just tell us your experience even if there are downsides.
I checked both Dekoni and NtraX pads and they both have channel balance.
I started to look for aftermarked pads, because the stock pads weren't comfortable. They mostly pressed against my jaws and some other places, which made them unpleasant to wear. What a shame, because the Hifiman HE-1000v2 is pretty good. Then I saw Dekoni announcing new ear pads for Arya. I was happy about that and immediately bit the bullet.
They arrived. The comfort is a lot better than the stock pads. The pressure is evenly dispersed. Now I can wear them for hours. Unfortunately your ears will feel warmer. That could be a problem if you got no AC.
Quality wise they're okay. Other people complain about build quality issues. Just see for yourself if you get lucky with Dekoni. Overall they sound more warm. The treble seems to be a little weaker. It's difficult to say for sure, because I don't have 2 Hifimans to switch every minute. Also I don't have measuring devices.
Overall I'm fine with the sound of the Dekoni pads. Coincidentally I saw some posts of ntrax in the Arya thread. So why not bite another bullet? You can customize those pads all you want. I decided for leather outer and Alcantara on inner side.
The foam and overall sizes are a bit larger than stock and Dekoni pads. The foam is memory foam, which also makes them a lot more comfortable than the stock pads. The leather feels thicker than Dekoni. Alcantara also feels more durable than the micro velour of Dekoni pads. Compared to the Dekoni pads they feel cooler. Probably thanks to the alcantara surface.
Let's see about the sound. Again it's difficult to compare from memory. I think the mids and treble are more close to the stock pads. About bass: I'm feeling more rumble and punch than both Dekoni and stock pads. Even on lower volumes I can feel the bass. Maybe those pads bring out more sub bass. I like it!
There is a little problem if you got a large head:
The yolks are pressing against the pads. This shouldn't be too bad, but this place might wear off after time. So keep in mind to maintain the leather with oil or some other leather aid. The stock pads and Dekoni pads also got that problem. If you customize your ear pads by ntrax the upper part should be made thinner to not press against the yolks. Then again there would be no problem on smaller heads anyway.
Probably some other users also ordered Ntrax pads. Just tell us your experience even if there are downsides.
I checked both Dekoni and NtraX pads and they both have channel balance.
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