[leqin]

 
Why are the replacement earpads for Sennheiser HD650's so expensive. I could understand if the pad was unique,  either in materials or design. I could also understand the cost of a pair if the HD650 was a headphone that Sennheiser needed to recoup the development costs for, however this particular pad happens to be used - so far as I am aware - on the HD545, HD565, HD580, HD600 and HD650 so recouping development costs is definatly not the case.
 
Seeing as I am sat here looking at a left hand pad, which is completely broken apart along its welded seam, I am left even more puzzled why these pads cost so much considering materially what goes into them. The core is a tube of upholstery foam about 110mm diameter, 75mm bore and 25mm thick. Thats encased on one side by a circle of velour cushion material and then on the opposite side the velour is pressure welded to a oval of plastic leather plus a oval plastic stiffening ring which retains the plastic locking ring.
 
In the UK - if I want to buy a pair to replace mine and which I need to because one of mine decided to self destruct - then the minimum that I have found is going to cost me almost £50 ($77.94). The replacement earpads for the Sennheiser HD555 and HD595 is almost the same, differing from the HD650 pad in only minor details and yet it only costs £17.95 ($27.98)... same upholstery foam... same velour... same plastic leather backing pressure welded and almost the same locking ring... if you did not know exactly which was which you could hardly tell which was which because they are to all intents visually the same, except one cost less then half the price of the other.
 
I hate to say it, because I love my HD650's to bits, but I feel like I am being completely ripped off being asked to pay such a totally insane amount for something which is more than apparently such cheap raw materials.

 

[hodgjy]

I feel your pain.  They do it because they can.  If you think that is bad, I'm also into photography.  Canon is the worst at this one thing--charging you $1000 for a lens and not throwing in a lens hood.  You have to pay $40 for a $0.02 piece of plastic.  Why?  Because they can.

 

[kingtz]

Yeah, those earpads alone costs more than what most people spend on actual headphones. It's absolutely insane, which is why I am absolutely taking really good care of my pair.

 

[Bilavideo]

Make your own cushions and save yourself a mint.

 

[logwed]

You are pretty unique in that regard, my friend.

 

[9pintube]

OK lets make are own, any DIY info for leqin and myself on sen HD650 ear pads??

 

[poliact]

i payed 65sgd for mine. oh well when you need something, gonna fork out those cash.

 

[9pintube]

Question?  How long have you had or how old are your "Cups/EarPads"????    I take good care of my equipment and always hang my cans on their stands, so I was just wondering is this just normal wear?????

 

[leqin]

Quote:

Question?  How long have you had or how old are your "Cups/EarPads"????    I take good care of my equipment and always hang my cans on their stands, so I was just wondering is this just normal wear?????

Good question. I would have to search out the paperwork, but if memory serves me correct I bought them as new back in 2005, so this self destruct of the left hand pad is through normal day to day wear and tear after about 5 years. You could look at that in terms of oh well it only costs about £0.02 per day or £10 a year, but the fallen apart parts I have sat on the desk in front of me are worth a few penny's at most, so I feel quite justified in saying that this is a rip off especially considering the price being asked for the HD555 replacement earpad which is like I say more or less the same basic material's.

 

[hodgjy]

I think it's a pretty well-known strategy that many manufacturers intentionally make replacement parts and repair costs very high in order to discourage repairs.  They can make more money more easily if you just buy one of their new products.  It's a shame, because we should really repair what we have.  It's better financially as well as better for our natural resources.

 

[Uncle Erik]

A lot of profit gets loaded into "luxury" products, which the HD-650 absolutely is. It might seem mid-fi around here (though I disagree), but to Sennheiser, they see them as luxury products whose owners have plenty of disposable money. So they calculate higher profits into the HD-650 and its parts to make up margin lost on low-end products. The HD-650 likely costs little more to produce than their cheap headphones, but the low end usually has very little profit built in. Like most companies, they build profits into the high end. Same thing happens with cars - a $70k car doesn't cost much more than a $15k car to build. Labor and overhead are the same and materials are marginally more, maybe another $3k-$5k. The rest pads the bottom line.

I'd agree with making DIY pads. However, Sennheiser legal would probably have an issue with marketing them.

 

[hodgjy]

It's actually a lot lower than that.  A buddy of mine was formerly an automotive engineer in Detroit (before the fallout), and he told me the difference between the $15K Dodge minivan and the delux $45K Chrystler minvan was about $600 in parts.
 
But, your point is absolutely true.
 
Quote:

 Same thing happens with cars - a $70k car doesn't cost much more than a $15k car to build. Labor and overhead are the same and materials are marginally more, maybe another $3k-$5k. The rest pads the bottom line.
 

 

[leeperry]

it's like videoprojectors lamps, accessories carry high markups.

 

[WalkmanJohnFL]

 

[leqin]

Quote:

I'd agree with making DIY pads. However, Sennheiser legal would probably have an issue with marketing them.

Watch this space so far as the 'make your own' equation goes, because I can cut and sew and glue and fabricate and weld if necessary.... and if someone's absolutely ticked me off then I take great pleasure in going one better than them.... make a note Sennheiser, if you read this forum, even though I am a 20 years plus loyal customer you have more than ticked me off charging such a over inflated price.
 
I fail to see your logic in the Sennheiser Legal taking issue Uncle Erik - you cannot stop someone making tyres for cars, or windows that fit in window size holes in buildings, or doors that go into door size spaces - if Sennheiser do not want people making something to use with their products in the aftermarket then they can start now by stopping the companies who make specialist cables, because if I decide to make accessory earpads that are superior and cheaper then I will do so and if I decide to then go on step further and manufacture them and then sell them then I will do so.