[insertwordshere]

try taking the pads off, (its round) and measure the size. and buy pads that sizes the same.
I THINK its 5cm as I measured it before. get some faux leather pads. they are reallly really comfy. its also the reason why I prefer my steelseries gaming heaset when it comes to long :term listening.

 

[Mad Max]

What are some good replacement pads for these? The current pads I have are quite uncomfortable and after dozens upon dozens of hours of listening they haven't gotten much better, thanks.

 
They're stiff as heck to help with isolation.  Brainwavz HM5 pads are nearly the same dimensions.

 

[insertwordshere]

a day earlier, a crack on my desk accidentally pressurized on my headphones cable. and the instrument separation was affected, bass was less punchy, could this be a problem?

 

[Mad Max]

The cable has probably taken a little damage.  Was it really that much?  You're certain it's not your imagination?

 

[Pianist]

If the cable is damaged and that affects sound, the sound will become obviously distorted and/or will be cutting out... Cable damage does not make subtle changes to the sound as far as I know. Just compare your HD280 to another one if you can.

 

[Mad Max]

Cable damage is basically creating "crappy resistors" of sorts in the conductors.  With enough damage, they headphone can become very quiet, or the cable can even act as a sort of band-pass, high-pass, or low-pass filter to boot.  Fix headphones and cables on a frequent basis and you'll get to know how weird it gets at times.

 

[insertwordshere]

thanks! but I was thinking about changing it anyways. the coiled cable is just so darn annoying!

 

[insertwordshere]

If the cable is damaged and that affects sound, the sound will become obviously distorted and/or will be cutting out... Cable damage does not make subtle changes to the sound as far as I know. Just compare your HD280 to another one if you can.

the soundstage is fine. but the bass was different. the seperation was very good. but I dont know. I compared it with my akg k323xs. these guys are awesome for the price btw.
but ill change the cable. im sick and tired of the coiled cable anyways. how do I change it?

 

[The Third]

Does anyone know the sound differences between the different versions? I owned a HD 280 back in 2008 and it had different pads as material?

 

[brandsom]

WOW   I never knew there were so many other 280 fans out there!!!!   I use my 280s out of a vintage Yamaha EM-80 4 track stereo PA daily.  They are partially the reason I am still married, because I attenuated my amplifiers, and can now wire their output directly into a clean PA and into my 280s.  Now I can play music at night without keeping her awake.  Warm Tube amp sound through an old PA with a snappy reverb channel that makes my somewhat old voice soar.   I have blown the guts out of many a headphone, I think I have four sets, but honestly, the only one I use are the 280s.
 
Now I am confronted with a challenge to go wireless for a group of people, for a sound project I do annually for an autism camp.   I need four sets of cans to link together.  Any suggestions????

 

[Jason Mendez]

Just wanted to post my modification of the 280's with Brainwavz earpads. These are the hybrid models, with pleather sides and velour contact area. Also wondering if anyone else has attempted to make them more comfortable. I have unusually large/sensitive ears, so there are a good number of cans out there that I just can't wear for any extended period of time without being miserable. 
 
On the upside, they are now insanely comfy, as with anyone who has tried Brainwavz products is likely familiar. They don't look bad either. I think I actually prefer the appearance now to the original. 
 
Installation was a bit tricky, but certainly do-able. I'm not the most dextrous person out there and I was able to get them on in less than 10 minutes. 
 
The sound signature is notably changed. In my humble amateur opinion, tracks will open up a bit (greater sense of space). However, you definitely lose bass and some of the crispness that the 280's have. Some of this is likely volume related, i.e. with the drivers further from your ears you may need to turn it up a bit. 
 
Apparently I can't post images yet, so here's a link to the pics. https://goo.gl/photos/4dFhJWnirvt2wmJG6
 
Comments/questions welcome. 

 

[Mad Max]

I prefer stock earpads, so I won't be trying that out.  I even prefer HD280's stock pads on ATH-M50.
 
I've seen these selling for a few years: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Smooth-Velvet-Cushion-Ear-Pads-For-Sennheiser-HD-280-Pro-HMD-280-281-Headphones-/251955486095
Comfort of the stock pads is not the best ever, after all.  Who knows how they change the sound, though, I've never tried 'em.

 

[fonkepala]

Hi all. I'm still enjoying my trusty HD280. They sound good and are quite sturdy. I have only 2 gripes as follows:
 
a) The clamping force of these can be too much. They really grip the sides of your head, so I find that I have to take them off after an hour or so of listening.
b) No detachable cable, although the included coiled one is adequate. Although I wish Sennheiser made it lighter in the coiled part, as it can get in the way sometimes and tends to slide off my desk if budged slightly. I have a coiled cable for the Audiotechnica ATH M50X that is lighter and better in that aspect.
 
Other than that, it's all good. Anyone knows how I can 'break in' the headband of the HD280 so it'll ease up on the clamping force?

 

[CybDev]

Hi all. I'm still enjoying my trusty HD280. They sound good and are quite sturdy. I have only 2 gripes as follows:

a) The clamping force of these can be too much. They really grip the sides of your head, so I find that I have to take them off after an hour or so of listening.
b) No detachable cable, although the included coiled one is adequate. Although I wish Sennheiser made it lighter in the coiled part, as it can get in the way sometimes and tends to slide off my desk if budged slightly. I have a coiled cable for the Audiotechnica ATH M50X that is lighter and better in that aspect.

Other than that, it's all good. Anyone knows how I can 'break in' the headband of the HD280 so it'll ease up on the clamping force?

I've had many HD280Pro's over the years, and while I quite like the strong clamping force of these headphones for the environments I use them in (primarily noisy environments where a soft clamp would mean less isolation and that they'd fall off when I move), I've found there is quite a variance between the pairs. Some have strong clamping force through their lifetime, others soft from day one...

The "bad" part is that buying replacement parts like headband and new ear cushions seem to be more expensive than buying new headphones, at least here in the NL, and also part of the reason why I've had so many pairs over the years (they are built like a tank).

 

[fonkepala]

I've had many HD280Pro's over the years, and while I quite like the strong clamping force of these headphones for the environments I use them in (primarily noisy environments where a soft clamp would mean less isolation and that they'd fall off when I move), I've found there is quite a variance between the pairs. Some have strong clamping force through their lifetime, others soft from day one...

The "bad" part is that buying replacement parts like headband and new ear cushions seem to be more expensive than buying new headphones, at least here in the NL, and also part of the reason why I've had so many pairs over the years (they are built like a tank).

 
Thanks for your input. I see. So there is no way to effectively lessen the clamping force of an already strong clamping HD280?
 
Agreed that they're built like a tank, very solid construction. I think the poster in post #56 above has succesfully replaced his stock earcups with third party ones.