[LugBug1]

So the last month or so I've been driving my HD700 with the little dot MK2. With very good results. Bit of rolling and finally settled with EF92 in the driving seat. Lovely dynamic smooth sound. And then I plugged them back into my old faithful NAD 3020. 'Daddies home!' Seriously, I always go back to this amp. Huge, deep, warm forgiving sound with the top treble rolled off. Its hard not to like driving unforgiving hp's like the HD700/800. Its not as detailed as the tube amp - not as holographic, but it renders the music so velvety. No unwanted peaks either... The sound will not be to everyones taste I know, but for me its pretty much spot on. Shame it's such a big ugly amp haha
 
Just ordered another HD600. Why? Dunno... Thats what I do - I buy headphones. This is my third set over the years. Not planning on selling anything just want a change of sound and I know these headphones very well. Hoping they are going to be good friends with my hd700. HD700 - exciting dynamic soundstage queen. HD600 - boring intellectual who's always right  

 

[rlisin]

Has anyone tried putting different earpads on HD700? I got these headphones for a very good price (less than Sennheiser charges for a replacement cable for these cans), but without earpads and dust protectors. I could get HD700 pads from official distribution, but that would cost almost as much as I paid for the headphones, more if I buy dust protector covers as well. So I'm trying to find an alternative. Senn RS180 pads have the right shape and size, and they cost 10% of the price of HD700 pads, so I will try to make them work for now. But I've never heard HD700 with original pads, so my question is - is it actually worth it to get the originals?
I did get the RS180 pads today and tried them just placed in the cups, without permanently attaching them. They fit the cup well. Headphones sound great with Fiio X5II. But again, I don't know how it compares with original pads.

 

[coletrain104]

  Has anyone tried putting different earpads on HD700? I got these headphones for a very good price (less than Sennheiser charges for a replacement cable for these cans), but without earpads and dust protectors. I could get HD700 pads from official distribution, but that would cost almost as much as I paid for the headphones, more if I buy dust protector covers as well. So I'm trying to find an alternative. Senn RS180 pads have the right shape and size, and they cost 10% of the price of HD700 pads, so I will try to make them work for now. But I've never heard HD700 with original pads, so my question is - is it actually worth it to get the originals?
I did get the RS180 pads today and tried them just placed in the cups, without permanently attaching them. They fit the cup well. Headphones sound great with Fiio X5II. But again, I don't know how it compares with original pads.

not something I'd take the gamble on unless you are willing to buy the original pads as well if your attempt doesn't work well. Earpads often change the sound of a headphone dramatically. You could either get the other pads, be happy, and miss out on the intended sound of HD700, or get them, be unhappy, and then realize you need the original pads. And then maybe you won't like the sound of the stock/retail HD700 either, and then you're $$$ in the hole. 

 

[rlisin]

Well, I did get the RS180 pads because why not - they're only $10. I already know they're a more-or-less practical substitute (they can be fitted on HD700 - I'll have to use 2-sided tape because I don't have the baffle ring either- and the first listening impression is good). I wonder whether stock pads would be much better - enough to justify spending $100.
 
From looking at pics i can tell that stock pads are a bit thinner than RS180 pads, both have some pleather on the underside. The outside material is different - alacantara on HD700 pads, velour on RS180 pads. 
 
If I manage to find a brick-and-mortar headphone store that sells HD700s I will try to compare. 

 

[gibosi]

In my experience the stock HD700 pads are the reason for the dip around 2K and the spike around 5K. They protrude over the driver causing back-reflections. To address this, I followed takato14's example and removed most of the pleather, leaving only enough to sew the pads back together. Interestingly, they now fit much like the pads on the HD800, a bit thinner, with very little overhang. And as a result the mid-range is much flatter, and to my ears, significantly better.
 
If the RS180 pads do not overhang the driver, they just might sound pretty good...
 

 

[rlisin]

They do overhang, judging by pics more than the stock HD700 pads. They're thicker and the ear opening inner circumference is smaller, while the outer circumference is more or less the same. I saw Tak's thread on his mod and thought about getting second pair of RS180 pads to experiment on. In any case, they have dust protection cloth on the underside. Could that affect reflective properties of pleather?
 
Here's how they compare, RS180 pads are lower in the pic:
 

 
 
Sorry, can't insert pics yet, hence the link.

 

[rlisin]

My earlier post is stuck in moderation because I linked to a pic of the pads, so in short: I have read Tak's thread and thought about experimenting, especially that the RS180 pads are so cheap. They do overhang, more than the stock HD700 pads because they are thicker - the ear opening is smaller compared to stock pads. Google "RS180 pads" images, you'll see. On the other hand, unlike stock pads they have dust protection cloth on the underside, so that might affect reflective properties of pleather. 
If my earlier post gets unstuck - sorry about double posting.
 
By the way, is there any reason why everybody sews these pads after removing pleather instead of using glue?

 

[buke9]

In my experience the stock HD700 pads are the reason for the dip around 2K and the spike around 5K. They protrude over the driver causing back-reflections. To address this, I followed takato14's example and removed most of the pleather, leaving only enough to sew the pads back together. Interestingly, they now fit much like the pads on the HD800, a bit thinner, with very little overhang. And as a result the mid-range is much flatter, and to my ears, significantly better.

If the RS180 pads do not overhang the driver, they just might sound pretty good...

I found the bass to be a bit distorted with the pads I did like that.

 

[DavidA]

  In my experience the stock HD700 pads are the reason for the dip around 2K and the spike around 5K. They protrude over the driver causing back-reflections. To address this, I followed takato14's example and removed most of the pleather, leaving only enough to sew the pads back together. Interestingly, they now fit much like the pads on the HD800, a bit thinner, with very little overhang. And as a result the mid-range is much flatter, and to my ears, significantly better.
 
If the RS180 pads do not overhang the driver, they just might sound pretty good...
 

Took a look at my HD-800 pads and it seems to have even more over hang, but it is thinner.  I'm wondering if doing this to the HD-800 pads would have the same effect as what you describe it does for the HD-700.

 

[gibosi]

I found the bass to be a bit distorted with the pads I did like that.

 
I do not notice any distortion due to the pad modication. However, I do notice that the bass is a bit stronger.
 
Tyll at Innerfidelity measured Tak's pair and did not find that there was increase in bass distortion due to the pad modification. Rather, he found the increase in bass distortion was due to the use of three or more layers (Tak had 4 layers) of filter paper placed in front of the driver in an effort to further reduce the treble. From Tyll's measurements, it appears that one or two layers had no adverse affect. I have two layers in my pair. That said, the thinner pad does bring the driver slightly closer to the eardrum and as a result the bass is a bit stronger.

 

[gibosi]

  By the way, is there any reason why everybody sews these pads after removing pleather instead of using glue?

 
The cloth has to be pulled tight to fit around the foam, which is still the same size. If you were to use glue, you would still have to find someway to hold the seam together while the glue sets. And at least for me, sewing was easy.

 

[gibosi]

  Took a look at my HD-800 pads and it seems to have even more over hang, but it is thinner.  I'm wondering if doing this to the HD-800 pads would have the same effect as what you describe it does for the HD-700.

 
From what I have read, the problems with the HD800 are largely due to frame resonance. And damping the frames seems to go a long way toward eliminating that resonance. However, from Tak's work, the HD700 spike is not due to frame resonance and damping the frames has absolutely no effect. To date, modifying the pads seems to be the best inexpensive DIY solution available. 

 

[rlisin]

How about adding non-reflecting material like velour to the underside of the pads to cover the pleather instead of removing it? Do you think it could do the trick?

 

[gibosi]

  How about adding non-reflecting material like velour to the underside of the pads to cover the pleather instead of removing it? Do you think it could do the trick?

 
It is very frequency dependent. As the frequency increases, the wavelength decreases and will easily pass through the velour and reflect off the pleather and even the foam. So as I understand this, the best practice is to reduce the overhang of the pad as much as possible.

 

[DavidA]

   
From what I have read, the problems with the HD800 are largely due to frame resonance. And damping the frames seems to go a long way toward eliminating that resonance. However, from Tak's work, the HD700 spike is not due to frame resonance and damping the frames has absolutely no effect. To date, modifying the pads seems to be the best inexpensive DIY solution available. 

Thanks for the info, I'll save this mod for when I get new pads.