Stretching your M50s for less clamp, and much more comfort.
May 25, 2010 at 4:31 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 37
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A lot of new M50 owners around here, and almost all of them share a similar complaint.
 
I'm here with a very crude MS Paint job on how *I* stretched them out, for a night and day difference in comfort. I actually liked the clamp on the M50s, but did find it to be a bit much.
 
Pre-stretching, the cups on the M50s really press up on each other, pretty much proving how tight they clamp. After stretching, they no longer touch, though they still generally aim towards the other cup, meaning you will still get *some* clamp. Some clamp is better than no clamp at all. You want clamp for a good seal, and the M50s clamp after stretching them out, is VERY comfy, to the point that I could wear them all day if I wanted (and did).
 

 
Don't be alarmed, the after shot is NOT what they will look like, but what you WANT to try and look like for the time you stretch them out. You'll generally want your own hands to hold the cups as if you're holding a steering wheel (SLOWLY WORK YOUR WAY TO THIS POSITION OR *LESS* IF YOU WANNA FEEL SAFER!). I did this for a few seconds each time, letting the cups go back to normal and seeing how much less they clamped onto my head, until I achieved the desired clamp. BTW, this only takes a few seconds, as opposed to leaving them out overnight on top of books or whatnot.
 
You will NOT hurt the band. It can take a lot of abuse, so go ahead and try this, but be warned that they will never go back to their original clamp. They will STILL be a tight fit, so don't think they will be a loose fit, as they will not. The cups will still be pretty close to each other when you lay them down. No effect to the M50s sound, and still the same isolation. :)
 
I don't think there's any way you'll find the clamp too hard on your head if you continue to do this until you feel that they feel right.
 
 
Pre-stretch: 6/10
 
Too much clamp
 
 
Post-stretch: 11/10
 
More than perfect fit. Like the fit more than my DT770 Pros (10/10 perfect, but I like the feel of the leather pads on the M50s more, as they isolate just a teeny bit better than the 770 Pros) and my now traded DT880 Premium (9/10....a little too loose to be perfect), which are considered pretty heavenly in comfort...
 
May 25, 2010 at 9:38 AM Post #3 of 37
As we use them, they will eventually stretch out. Im always aware of not stretching a lot the headband, since i heard a click coming from it. 
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May 25, 2010 at 11:09 AM Post #4 of 37
Didn't hear any click. That's why I said to do it slowly, like real slowly, until you feel you don't wanna stretch it out more. All I know is that the M50's headband is very strong, and can take a lot of punishment.
 
May 25, 2010 at 5:11 PM Post #5 of 37


Quote:
Didn't hear any click. That's why I said to do it slowly, like real slowly, until you feel you don't wanna stretch it out more. All I know is that the M50's headband is very strong, and can take a lot of punishment.


Yeah, i got your point. I have been doing it but not often. My headband is still fine..no harm at all. 
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Cheers! 
 
May 25, 2010 at 5:44 PM Post #6 of 37
Helpful little guide there thanks! Just got my M50 about a week ago and only been able to put about 10hrs of head time into them but I definitely notice the clamping force. I feel it more on the top of my head where the headband is than on the ears though. Is this where you guys are feeling it as well? I plan to stretch them maybe a bit but otherwise I'll just keep using them and let the clamping force naturally loosen up.
 
May 26, 2010 at 2:50 AM Post #8 of 37
Lol, just trying to help a little with my terrible images. :D
 
I don't even have the M50s anymore, but I'm more than happy to help people enjoy them even more. I loved pretty much everything about them.
 
Jun 16, 2010 at 5:32 PM Post #10 of 37
You can do the same thing with pretty much any plastic headbanded headphone much easier and safer with a hair drier.
 
Stretch it out over a few books, heat it up real good,  then give it plenty of time to cool down to room temp.  Try it on, and then repeat with more books in between till you like the clamp.  Its reversible too.  Rubber band the cups together and hit it with the hair drier again to add more clamp, or undo your declamping.
 
No chance snapping the headband.  Just be sure not to melt anything!
 
Jun 28, 2010 at 2:28 PM Post #14 of 37
Wow I was a bit skeptical after seeing the "after" picture xD. If they looked like that, then oh god xD.
 
Jun 30, 2010 at 10:13 PM Post #15 of 37
That's just how it looks for like a few seconds. Once you release the 'stretch', it goes back to normal with less clamp.
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