[Dreamslacker]

If your headphones are about 2 years or older, it's time you look at the pads. The foam covering the drivers on both my HD270 and HD570 have disintegrated.. The pads w/ foam have been changed about 2 years back and they aren't cheap either. I paid about S$170 (US$103) for each pair of headphones and the replacement pads cost S$40 (~US$24) per set.
That's to say, I've just paid 50% of the headphone's cost just to replace the pads twice in the 3 years I've had them.
Note also that I've barely used the headphones in these 2 years since the replacement of the pads as I've bought the DT-931's.

Picture of very well disintegrated foam:

 

[Enverxis]

thats as thin as the fabric in my favourite pair of trousers, 5 years going strong

 

[Cyclone]

Yay pleather and cloth combo (hd 280)!

 

[mintyfresh]

That's weird. I've had my 570s for about seven years and the foam is still nice and fluffy. Did you keep your headphones in direct sunlight (photoreduction, etc.)?

 

[sgrossklass]

I'd imagine that it's fairly warm and humid in Singapore, which may have contributed to foam disintegration. My 590s have about 4 years on them and the foam in the earpads still appears to be mostly intact.

 

[Glod]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mintyfresh That's weird. I've had my 570s for about seven years and the foam is still nice and fluffy. Did you keep your headphones in direct sunlight (photoreduction, etc.)?

Hmm, I had a HD565 once which was eaten up by sunlight. First the velvet desintegrates and then the foam very quickly.

 

[mintyfresh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glod Hmm, I had a HD565 once which was eaten up by sunlight. First the velvet desintegrates and then the foam very quickly.

Hmmm...hmm...some aerosolized solvents dissolve foam, also. Maybe your headphones are trying to tell you something.

"What is happening...to my skin?
Where is that protection that I needed?
Aiiiiair -- can hurt you, too...
Air -- can hurt you, too...
Some people say not to worry 'bout the air...
Some people never had experience with a-air..."
--Air, The Talking Heads

 

[Dreamslacker]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sgrossklass I'd imagine that it's fairly warm and humid in Singapore, which may have contributed to foam disintegration. My 590s have about 4 years on them and the foam in the earpads still appears to be mostly intact.

Warm and slightly humid.. But I've never encountered this on other brands of headphones...

Sennheiser should come up with a different material for the tropical climate.. Just like Epson took a year or two to release certain models of printers because they re-engineered the ink to withstand the weather...