Brainwavz HM5 Earpads with ATH-M50X? No way!

[@falsecatalyst3936]

it is more expensive, but for those of you trying to find another set of earpads other than the brainwavz, I recommend Dekoni audio's replacement earpads for the ath-m series, they actually publish graphs of the sound signature for all of their pads compared to the original ones so you don't have to worry about how it's gonna change the sound signature too much

[@GPatselis]

I bought the angled ones and for me they were a pleasant experience. For anyone who has bought any pads for these headphones I would suggest that you use them with the foam covers for the drivers that were with the original pads as that was the biggest contributor in the change of the sound signature

[@Siberius-]

Just bought some, after this review lol. It seems like you are correct from what I gather, but if we keep the thicker foam cutout, and have some patience, it seems to get better with time, as the earpads squish down more. As you get closer and closer to the drivers. So then it's mainly just a bit less bass, but the M50X has some to spare. But yea of course they're not going to be great at the beginning when we're that far away from the driver. Hopefully it works out. I've seen a number of comments that suggest this is accurate. Hard to find them though, since most people don't leave them on that long. Update: From memoryyy... the fatter earpads were WAY more comfortable. The bass certainly did decrease. The whole sound signature or whatever is going to get thrown off since they were designed with the stock earpads in mind. I switched to the Beyerdynamic TYGR 300 R. Says they're "gaming headphones" but, they're certainly not limited to that and don't have that look, and the sound is better than typical gaming headsets. I think they're awesome. Super comfy. Sound better. FAR less shrill... not at high-pitched or fatiguing, through bass and highs. They're just comfortable to listen to and nice. Also I can wear them ALL day, every day, for years (literally), without any issue at all (comfort-wise). I'm no audio aficionado and have extremely little experience, so don't let my words have too much impact.

[@MaxRiley]

I agree. Stay with 20mm thick earpads, not 30mm.

[@MegaFabioRocks]

It's important to understand that: The m50x is tuned for their pads and they pumps out most of the bass you are hearing. Plus there is a foam sheet for tame the high frequency, and also they are not too thick so the driver is more closed to the ear for a more present midrange. When you put on the Hm5 happens: 1- You lost most of the bass; 2- Midrange is more distant because of the Hm5 pads thickness that puts the driver far from your ear; 3- There is no foam sheet, so highs are more present. Basically you end up with a thin-trebly-distant-cold sound that is very hard to like.

[@TechReflex]

Agreed.

[@LIL-MAN_theOG]

bruh, a good headphone amp solves this issue...stop running these cans off a cell phone unamped

[@shibamoon4190]

Which amp are you using, i amped my m50x with the brainwavz pads and it still sound like shit, no bass and you have to put it so loud than everything sound like shit, so no they are not good for the m50x, don't get me wrong those are quality pads, just not designed to make your m50x sound good...

[@MegaFabioRocks]

The point is not to amp because the hm5 pads alter too much the sound signature that make them sound bad. A bad sound is a bad sound amped or not. HM5 pads are good for warm headphone with smooth treble, the m50x is warm but also very treble happy so the combination does not work.

[@dzulfiqaralghifari4694]

I use fiio e07k, sounds amazing. but without dac/amp, sounds like a trash.

[@colingillis7586]

good thing I watched this first, I wouldve bought them

[@thomas_tk330]

Awesome review! This is the first review I could find where sound quality was discussed in depth.

[@thinking_face]

Unfortunately an accurate verdict. I had to replace my pads and went for these (not exactly, the version with velour on the side as I don't like the pleather-feel), and it was a few days before I actually got to using them after replacing the pads, so I wasn't too sure if I was imagining a worse sound or not and found your video very reassuring in that regard. Have you got any experience with the full velour pads (I believe the audiophiles had a few drops on Massdrop for those)? Or maybe have you got an idea if the different sound is largely caused by the different distances or will a full velour pad with standard-ish dimensions alter the sound drastically as well? I am very happy with how my HD598s for example sound with their full velour pads, but of course I can't use those outside / at uni.

[@TechReflex]

zæp zæp Thanks for the feedback, as far as i know, soundstage is mostly dependant on the driver of the headphone, the distance of the driver and the earpad material don't make much of a difference in that regard. The open back headphones generally come with velour and closed back with pleather ones, so that might make people associate a wider soundstage with velour earpads, more than to what extent they actually affect it. Sound isolation is the main reason why you'd want to choose either of them (open back already have less, so they can do away with using velour), then there is comfort and feel, but that's a little subjective. Though in comparison, velour will sound more 'open' than pleather. So to sum up, don't expect huge changes to soundstage, just by changing the earpad material. The massdrop ones should work well, because they are designed for m50x, the velour should just make them lose some sound isolation and feel different on your ear. Your HD598's pleasant sound has to do more with them being open back, and the kind of driver they have (wider soundstage), and lesser to do with the velour material. :)

[@mudofx9368]

I think this could be individual because i have ears that stick out and i can not wear the M50x like that I need the brainwaves pads after that my ears feel more comfortable and they here everything essentially the same because my ears are big enough to fill the cup

[@MrDutch1e]

your problem is you didn't put the little foam pieces that are in the stock pads on before you installed these pads. Sound gets better actually if u do this.

[@TechReflex]

There isn't a foam piece in the stock pads, everything is stitched together, I've just checked it. There are foam pieces in the ANC headphones though.

[@MrDutch1e]

TechReflex ah I'm thinking if the m40x. Could of tried it but you returned them. I have a feeling the pleather version might be better too if they have less give. Angled version are the best no matter what.

[@TechReflex]

Someone else also mentioned removable foam being in the m40x earpads, but that's not the case with m50x pads, and I am still surprised to hear that m40x pads would have a feature that m50x pads do not have. This, and even the angled version is designed very differently than the stock pads, and I think anyone except the people who only use these headphones for casual listening would find the change in sound unacceptable, its simply about the physics of sound and the dimensions of these pads.

[@deimosphob]

I don't think anybody is going to use m50's for casual listening, i mean... They sort-of are murder cans, and they kill you with sibilant, murderous highs. The kind of stuff if you listen to for too long makes your jaw hurt.

[@vespass225]

I don't agree. I put the extra foam from the stock ones when installing these pads on my M40X. Still sounds horrible, and the stock ones just kills them

[@rainmaker5199]

I’ve got these as well and while I found similar results most of the time, a lot of them turned out to be issues with the way the foam seals to your head. If you press them in to get a better seal a significant amount of the dampening/loss goes away. Still has some for sure, but thought that was worth mentioning.

[@tomrisar5492]

Hey hey I tried the HM5 pads $10 ebay, These are installed with the thick part forwards, they certainly completely change the M50X signature but now sounds good to me. Yes the compressed signature of the stock 50x is gone(that may be good) still the clarity remains and delivers a clean home speaker experience. I listen to 60's and 70's rock mostly and the modded 50X delivers, remember the 50X clarity is still there but don't deliver that compressed(all freq at same level) ear rush or crush. Yes mount the pads backwards sound seems to reflect off the wide pad and gives a good freq response. Fiio X5iii DAP

[@SilentClouds]

As recommended by other reviewers here on KZbin I tried the Brainwaves HM5 hybrid pads on the m50s. The sound was horrible ... bass was significantly reduced way below neutral and the treble got very sibilant ... The only mod that worked for me so far is inserting foam rings inside the pad itself.

[@TechReflex]

+Silentsky Exactly, I really don't get why so many youtubers (even the big ones) are recommending these so much, presenting the huge deterioration in sound ad a very minor one. I have done the same thing with my stock pads too now, and I removed pleather from them with hand (it's quite easy and doesn't tear the pad), and now they feel like velour pads, because there's very soft cloth like material on which the pleather is stuck on.

[@959tolis626]

Remove the pad. Unscrew the screws on the baffle. Access the back of the cup. There's a white felt ring in the center, covering a whole in the midplate. Remove that. Screw everything together. Thank me later. PS : Also, as others said, put back the foam that comes with the stock pads.

[@keniolucas]

whats that do?

[@owconundrum9928]

They are really good for the ATH-M40x. If you have these headphones, highly recommended

[@cpamiseso]

define good please? ATH M40x is a really flat (flattest amongst other AT series), does the sound change after the replacement? Thx in advanced.

[@owconundrum9928]

@@cpamiseso well honestly I'm not really good when it comes to sound, but it sounded more vivid(saying sounded because I have HD599s now) And mainly I was talking about comfort, if you want someone that knows about sound I suggest you watch "Z Reviews"

[@TechReflex]

They work really well for HD598/HD599, but don't think they'll work well with m40x, as it'll face same problems with it as m50x.

[@owconundrum9928]

@@TechReflex no, the sound signature on the m40x is way different than the m50x, the m50x have a lot more bass. furthermore, the hd599 are open back so the leather HM5 pads make no sense at all

[@ps3guy22]

I bought the angled ones and cut it open and replaced the foam with memory foam from a pilow. Then I cut the hight of the pads to about half so that the sound does not sound distant

[@Siberius-]

They would squish over time anyway, right?

[@ushasharma8013]

At 0.14 see the third one that plus a thin thing to cover drivers works exactly same and gives better comfort

[@Sh1n-CS]

Hi, it's been 7 years since the video came out ! Hope you reply. I had a similar experience as you and completely agree on how the HM5 pads sound worse for m50x. I see no one has mentioned the Brainwavz Prostock pads, they have thinner memory foam padding which brings the drivers closer to the ears. And a thinner cloth material that makes contact with the driver compared to the original pads that had a thicker foam which helped tame the treble quite a bit. They also have micro-suede material as an option which might increase sound stage. Would love to hear your thoughts on these before I pull the trigger.

[@TechReflex]

Well they seem to be custom made for the ATH M series, so I'd guess they will work well on them.

[@Sh1n-CS]

@@TechReflex I just received my Prostock suede pads and they are INSANE !!! No change in sound compared to original pads and it's very comfortable due to memory foam and micro suede. Slightly taller than original pads else the dimensions are similar. I've spent so much on aftermarket pads.. could have purchased DT770 for the total price 😂. Of all the pads I've tried these feel and sound the best. I bought it for 1500 rs, highly recommend.

[@TechReflex]

@@Sh1n-CS awesome, that's great to know :)

[@TopEvt]

Thanks Bro. Was about to order these and checked your video. Cant handle sound signature change on the headphones so you saved me from the hassle.

[@vrptl]

Watching this 7 years later, stock pads like you suggested deflate quickly and flake off. Surely there is another replacement pad thats' better than the stock for prolonged monitoring use? Could you, or anyone, please suggest one!

[@barneyrubble4827]

The velour pads did not behave the way you describe in my experience, don't know about the other type covers. We're great for my relatively larger ears. Gonna try them on my msr7's to see how sound is affected.

[@blakebauman6374]

If things sound more distant, the soundstage is larger, and if you can't tell where certain sounds are coming from anymore, the imaging is messed up, not the soundstage. No offense whatsoever, just wanted to let you know.

[@TechReflex]

What I meant by Soundstage getting reduced was that since everything sounds distant, there's less 3D space for sounds to be placed in. I didn't mean that Soundstage was reduced in width, both are different things.

[@blakebauman6374]

​@@TechReflex Interesting concept, everything sounds more distant *and* things can't be placed as close because of that. It's like you're removing the options of choosing 1-2 from 1-5, and in our case this means you have a really strangely functioning soundstage and worse imaging. Thanks for the clarification.

[@TechReflex]

Yes, forgot to mention that the imaging is indeed getting reduced, as that's also a part of the 3D space of the Soundstage. People also usually talk about Soundstage increasing or decreasing purely in terms of its width, so what I said in the video might me confusing for some. It was my first videos though, I take much more care about being clearer about things like that in the newer vids. (even the camera is shooting at 1/60 here causing that horribl flicker).

[@max_sparbot]

Hi! I tried these on my ath m40x's and i agree, these sounds awful. However i have found that reusing the foam that came in the stock earpad makes a HUGE improvement to the sound. The foam kills the sibilance or bright sound that you mentioned. They will still change the sound (so still not good for monitoring, I guess) but these (wit the stock foam on) actually improved my listening experience and comfort.

[@imgonnagetbanned]

How did you strip and attach the foam to these new earpads? I am having a sibilance issue as well with mine... and I still have my old pads. Thanks

[@max_sparbot]

imgonnagetbanned the side of the stock pads that touches the drivers has a thin piece of foam that you can take out easily, just be careful not to tear them. I basically put the foam on the hm 5's at the same location as i find them.

[@imgonnagetbanned]

@@max_sparbot how would you go about removing them? They seem pretty heavily stitched in there... thanks for the help.

[@max_sparbot]

@@imgonnagetbanned pinch them a bit and pull them off. These arent stitched nor glued so it should be pretty easy to remove. The foams should look like these. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jmfac6lmaKdkpM0

[@hugobite]

Will replace the pad void warranty?

[@locxha96]

i dont know man, this pads brought high mids up a tad and bass a little lower, and are not sounding bad at all for me.

[@locxha96]

and its also a matter of how you place the headphones on your head. if you dont like that change in the upper register you can place a piece of thin paper between the pads and the speakers

[@practicalguy973]

I totally agree. Amazon reviews are so misleading in many cases. I got the Brainwaves pads and they made my M40X sound distant, quieter and seems to lack a lot of resolution in the sound while still being bright. I also hate the stock pads because there is a boomy sound and their bright sounding too. I have many ear pads and each sounds very different so you should keep trying until you find a better pad. For me the Shure SRH840 ear pads made the sound much better and I ended using 3 layers of thick speaker grill cloth to cut the brighness to an acceptable level. For me it sounds 50% better than stock. We're all different in audio taste so its good to try many combinations of pads, foam, cloth etc.. until the sound is perfect. Some people dont know what their missing with some simple mods. You just have to learn how to critically listen to know whats better. Any if anyone trys to add extra cloth or material to cut the brightness remember that your perception of the bright audio will immediately make you think the audio sounds lacking in treble, you have to give it a day of listening to become used ot the new sound before deciding its not right.

[@TechReflex]

+bear123 I recently bought the stock pads again, and now I am satisfied with the sound. The old pads had become bright and sounded bad, the difference between old and new pads was quite surprising for me. Did you also give a try to a new set of stock pads? I had the Shure pads into consideration, but unfortunately they aren't available in my area.

[@practicalguy973]

I didn't think of that because my M40x is only about 6 months old so I figured they were very new pads still. When I get a new set of headphones the first thing I do now is swap a bunch of different ear pads on and find what I like best for that headphone and then I add sound absorption if it needs it. Even with the stock ear pads you should try to add one or two layers of speaker cloth or even a low thread count (thin) bed sheet and give it a day of listening to see what you think after your used to it. You'll notice even if you switch back a day later how your perception will find it very bright until you get used to the stock setup again. By the way you spoke in the video I think we hear similarly at least versus many people on Amazon so hopefully this helps some people find what they like.

[@TechReflex]

Sure, I'll give it a try :) I actually use equalizer to get a more pleasing sound, I do turn down the higher frequencies sometimes. One factor that might have been the reason for the harshness is that as we grow up, the sensitivity of human ears for higher frequency sounds reduces. If a 50-60 years old person is responsible for the tuning of these headphones, he'll tune it in a way that would make it sound harsher to a younger person, and they aren't going to give it to a newbie for tuning [they test the frequency response with machines, but there has to be a human finalizing the tuning]. Also, high volume on low frequencies is tolerable, but on higher frequencies it isn't, s a V shaped response curve would be harder to listen to in the higher frequency areas. This all is just my theory though.

[@LIL-MAN_theOG]

bro, I think if youre not using an amp on those Audio Technicas, then of course, the Brainwavz are going to make everything kinda bad...but when amped, you''ll find your cans come alive, and the stock pads will suck. You'll love the Brainwavz if you run an amp thru them.

[@LIL-MAN_theOG]

Tech...I believe you are not using a headphone amp with your music player...the stock pads stink. Plus, if youre using your headphones without an amp, youre really not getting the most out of their sound and power. Get an amp, switch out the stock pads and get the Brainwavz again and be amazed. Most use the Audio-Technicas on a phone or music player unamped, and it will sound cool but not with the punch those headphones are capable of. Once you amp them, it becomes clear why the Brainwavz earpads work...plus they provide unparalled noise isolation when you amp them too...good luck my friend

[@Revmotif]

Aren't there any pads that are better than the stock? I still have the stock ones on, but they aren't comfortable for my ears for long listening.

[@pandachinoman]

Too bad I'm watching this video after I bought them, fooled by the reviews on Amazon.

[@LIL-MAN_theOG]

read my reviews from earlier in this comment section, and DO NOT RETURN your Brainwavz pad...amp your music player and then you will see why these pads work...most dont amp their music set up, which defeats the purpose of having these pads...

[@WillJukedTheBox]

Francis Herrera wrong, still sounds like ass

[@jayros]

@@LIL-MAN_theOG False, I have a pair of ATH-MSR7, using it with an amp. This pads completely killed the bass of my headphones, and the echo effect is horrible. I tried a pair of ATH-M50 and the result was very similar. I can imagine that people defending this earpads doesn't understand that the sound signature of a pair of professional monitoring headphones shouldn't be modify for any reason, not even a little bit. There is a review in Amazon that says "you can use the EQ to solve the bass problem". You shouldn't be using an EQ with a pair of professional monitoring headphones. They are for mixing, mastering and monitoring purposes.

[@Generik777]

Same thing with me. Tried them out and they sound terrible. Returned immediately.

[@vespass225]

Ouch!! I just a few days ago did the same mistake as pandachinoman, bought them based on positive reviews, experineced a MAJOR deterioration of sound quality compared to stock. How did you proceed when returning to AMazon, guys?

[@jeremyfonseca77]

Thank god i watched this before purchasing it

[@alazaruz]

Thank you. You've just helped me make my decision. I'll spend the extra $5 and purchase the stock ATH-M50 replacement ear pads. As a musician and music producer, a drastic sound quality shift, is unacceptable. I'll just spend $20 bucks every 2 years or so, to keep things fresh. Keep up the great work! -CHRIS*STARR

[@TechReflex]

Thanks. :)

[@surojit13]

Thanks for the warning! I was about to buy these! I was hoping however that you might have by now researched a better option than the stock ear pads. Have you? If yes, kindly share, else are you saying live with early replacement of the original?? Grateful for your specific inputs, thanks

[@TechReflex]

Yeah, either the original, or Dekoni also makes custom earpads specifically for m50x, which are also great, or even the earpads from aliexpress should be good. Some shure earpads also work well but i haven't tried that personally.

[@surojit13]

@@TechReflex thanks mate. Right now Audio Technica distributor in India is selling the ear pads for Rs 860 which is reasonable. I still haven't got an idea which head band protector to buy for my M 50X, as the original head band is in good shape, but for the rexine that has gotten bald... no point repacing the head band itself, rather get a protector, right?

[@TechReflex]

Yeah

[@anthonypinuelas8784]

i shall find out in a few days if these are good I bought them they sound fine to me but I bought the hybrid version

[@triplesix822]

and what about the m40x's?

[@DSD]

Very good review and you saved men money. I’ve been bummed with the discomfort of my m50x and have been looking for a solution. I kind of excited about this option but I’m glad I looked for reviews before I hit buy. I might have to look for another set of headphones that don’t start hurting my ears after a 10 minutes

[@TechReflex]

Try dekoni earpads made specifically for m50x

[@9000tastebuds]

Wow, I just surprised about how honest you are with your viewer. You gain my subs dude, and thanks for the good review, keep it up :D

[@TechReflex]

Thanks :) I will be making a proper review of these (velour version) again (with much better production quality), as they actually work very well with some headphones like HD598.

[@9000tastebuds]

TechReflex Nice, I'll be happy to watch it, since I'm also looking for a decent ear pads rn

[@TheSydguy30]

@@TechReflex Yeah I own the valour ones and they sound great with those and super comfy. I just can't stand hearing outside noise as it interrupts the listening experience so swapped back to the PU leather ones and they have excellent comfort and noise isolation. Also greats some more bass which a lot of people do like (I'd go as far as saying the majority of people like a bit more bass)

[@joel_b9216]

now this is someone who has done his homework!! great content!

[@sidshady7413]

Zeos recommend (while shitting all over these cans) to buy the hm5 hybrids and to get a thin layer of sponge. This apparently affects the midrange a little bit but the bass and details are retained and the highs are also tone down to a good level and the headphones would be enjoyable for listening at high volumes. Another great choice (the best for india) is to buy the shure 840 earpads (2700 inr approx at amazon) , this reportedly brings some more detail in price of the midrange, other than that , the old stock soundstage is maintained.

[@TheSydguy30]

The Brainwavz are leagues ahead of the stock pads for my ears. Sure someone with smaller ears the stock pads are fine however it really hurt my ears so saved these headphones for me. Also this review fails to mention if you want to retain as close as possible to the stock pads from Brainwavz, get the velour pads. Been wearing them for 12+ months and no signs of wear and acts as an open headphone. I have both.

[@MihneaTheodor2684]

I've seen this video and still said let's give it a try tho. They really mess up your frequency response so much that they become unusable, and eq won't help. Should have listened and save 20 bucks but that's it. Back to the stock pads.

[@lennyrosen7898]

Thanks TechReflex for the great advice. I love my audio-technica ath-m50xBT earphones. I got them mainly for the quality of sound. Sound is everything when it comes to earphones. Why would anyone compromise the sound for comfort? Stay with original equipment if you need to replace the ear pads due to wear or age. Take the phones off for a while and give your ears a rest if your ears are getting tired.

[@TechReflex]

Welcome. :)

[@sreeharisreekumar4641]

In that case can you suggest something else?

[@TechReflex]

+Sreehari Sreekumar official M50x earpads replacement by audio technica, Dekoni earpads for M50x, Earpads on AliExpress if first two options aren't possible.

[@sreeharisreekumar4641]

Thanks Man , I'll stick to the stock.

[@golden_boundaries]

It may be way too late. But of can, please help me get an earcup, in desperate of it.

[@juanpaVlz]

I will be honest, for some reason i want to force myself to not like indian people, but at the same time indian people have helped me ALOT in many ways, for example when i'm programming they always guide me and show me how to do things correctly. Thank you so much for helping me to save money, i must appreciate our Indian brothers more..

[@Messihaz]

That first line is disgraceful

[@juanpaVlz]

@@Messihaz It really is, but it's honest. I was racist, but im no longer racist.

[@Justadudeye]

@@juanpaVlz I appreciate you. Racism is bad

[@mrjubjub]

Thanks for the input about audio. I trust your review more since it seems that you do require monitors for multiply uses. I was just going to order these pads but if it affects sound quality then I will think again

[@AstrumPuella]

So many people have recommended these, and I thought that to be odd. I knew it changed the sound for the worse. Thanks for the review! I will definitely not be getting these, and will tell my friends to be careful too.

[@pablom2274]

Honest review: bought a pair of pads for my m50x's, bought a pair which has small holes from brainwavz. All the bass from 300hz to 20hz is gone, also the highs are less harsh (which is good). Here's the thing, the soundstage improves A LOT, i'm even comparing them to my 990's pro and i think they sound better but...after EQ. I boosted 4 dbs at 45hz and 7dbs from 60 to 250hz then around 300 another 4dbs and boooooom a there it is, all the bass that was gone and sounding even tighter. These now sound a lot like the beyers 990 i have, the sound stage is very similar but i'd say they sound a bit better, i think these are comparable to the 880's now, they just sound too similar to the beyers. I love my m50x's now! they even look better. i.imgur.com/4dcZaln.jpg

[@elijahschow6672]

Thanks! Saved me from a bad buy. Could you also provide a link to the official pads that we *should* buy? I'm having a hard time finding them.

[@TechReflex]

amzn.to/2yGlAPr

[@widM_]

I'm so confused. I keep changing my opinion on which one to buy. I just need more comfortable earpads for my m50x cause the offical ones hurts my ears. I want the best earpads I can buy, if possible with no sacrifice of sound quality. Any recommendation?

[@inSpyr]

widM get the shure 840 replacement pads. not as comfortable but way better than stock and just a slight decrease in bass but still sound great (plus bass is overpowering on m50x anyways)

[@widM_]

@@inSpyr Are they more comfortable than m50x? I kinda like bass on m50x, but I will think about that. Thanks.

[@vijayantsharma3727]

@@widM_ IMO , nothing .. I mean nothing else would do any better to the overall sound signature of AT other then what stocks do... acoustic engineering you see. AT folks are not fools really.

[@dzulfiqaralghifari4694]

use warm dac/amp like fiio e07k or e10k. work like a charm

[@TechReflex]

I have the E10K (and even an SMSL Sanskrit + O2 amp), doesn't make a difference, because the problem isn't of the quality of signal/power fed to headphones

[@dzulfiqaralghifari4694]

actually I dont know about e10k, but e07k change sound representation really well, the bass is back and treble not so sharp/harsh. I just assume e10k did because it have similar sound character imo.

[@craftcreu]

Anyone hear because they hate the hm5 pads, look up the wicked cushion pads made for the m50x, they sound loads better, not quite as soft as the hm5 theyre not memory foam, but the bass returned and the highs were once again tammed.

[@Otie64]

i put these on my M50xBT's after reading some good reviews, was severely disappointed with the sound. then i put them on my old M40x's as they needed new pads anyway, and they actually work a lot better on those imo. even though the drivers are already angled on the M40s, it sounds a lot nicer.

[@Alexander-pq2pr]

I recently just got a pair of Sennheiser HD 4.50 BTNC headphones. I really love the sound because I haven't tried anything as high quality before. I do have one problem though, the earpads are way to tight and it feels like a vice on my head. Is there any earpads that would resolve this issue to make it more comfortable to where them for long sessions?

[@TechReflex]

Nope. Tried this HM5 pads too, they were terrible on them.

[@karamarcas9482]

how about the oval memory foam earpads that seems to be the amazons choice right now.... are they the same or different

[@SUBHRANSUMAHARANA]

So, which one did you buy after returning it to amazon?

[@TechReflex]

Original AT earpads from eBay, but that's not possible now, so you could buy Dekoni earpads from headphonezone.in

[@nitaiginzburg8689]

Did you try the Dekoni m50x earpads? I bought them thinking "great, this is made specifically for the m50x" and with how much they cost I expected them to be incredible. And yet, they mess the sound signature too, seems like overall sound quality goes down. Very disappointing given how much they cost \:

[@TechReflex]

I haven't tried Dekoni, though it is surprising to hear that at that price, and being specifically made for m50x too, they aren't that good. I'd have thought exactly like you and would've bought them too if they were available in my area. I just bought a new set of stock pads, and I think they are great, old earpads can become extremely uncomfortable due to compression, so with a new set, you'd at least get the best m50x has to offer without a change in sound quality.

[@fantomraja9137]

Hey, i am thinking of buying dekoni earpads, is it a good choice? i dont want my sound quality altered

[@hiblendmedia]

These pads are comfy, but do change the sound signature of the m50s. The materials used in these pads are sadly cheap and deteriorate and start to flake off without much use.

[@franciscochairez4221]

have you ever dropped your m50x quite hard on carpet? and what happened?

[@TechReflex]

No I haven't dropped them. But I am sure they'd survive a hard drop on a carpet.

[@RyPew]

Almost bought them, thank god for you man!

[@manssupar]

Have u try hybrid earpad?

[@1582-o6j]

the only problem is that the earpads are thicker, which would go down over time anyway, stretch out the headphones with the earpads on

[@azsampako2266]

Finally someone who actually knows what they're talking about. Changing pads is normally a very bad idea.

[@andybilgen]

Can anyone tell me how to/where can I find the little foam pieces that are in the stock pads that need to be inserted into the Brainwavz?

[@cvsnraju]

So what ear cups would you recommend.

[@TechReflex]

Stock ones or dekoni from headphonezone.in

[@Rizamusic]

Will the angled version of these pads be more suitable for the M40/M50x?

[@TechReflex]

+iGlowInTheDark88 I've heard that it's better than the regular version because the distance from the driver is less on one side. But I still don't think it will be good enough as the shape and size of stock pads and even the angled pads is very different.

[@Rizamusic]

I just ordered the angled ones for my M40Xs. Will report back with results

[@TechReflex]

+iGlowInTheDark88 Great, that will be interesting to hear.

[@Rizamusic]

+TechReflex just got them in today. yeah everything is muffled even with the angled earpads. They're much comfier but I am not sure if I will keep them on

[@BankruptGreek]

iGlowInTheDark88 I don't think you should have gone with the angled ones, the m50x already come with angled drivers so you don't need to further up angle them. Unless the m40x are not angled..

[@crankiisago]

I want to replace the earpads of my m50x but idk which one to buy from pleather, velour to hybrid. I want to have better noise isolation and that can give a tad bit of sound stage. Lesser bass is fine as long as it won't make the sound quality muddy. What would u prefer?

[@TechReflex]

Velour is better, and you won't lose on bass, especially since M50x is v shaped, but the earpads shape and size is the most important factor. If you're getting one specifically designed for M50x like Dekoni makes, go for the velour or hybrid. Hybrid feels almost the same as velour on ear, but you may get more sound isolation.

[@TechReflex]

Also, I also have Brainwavz HM5 velour earpads, if you're going for this one, really don't buy the velour version, it doesn't have memory foam and will be really terrible for M50x.

[@crankiisago]

Thanks! Whatcha think of the Brainwavz's Hybrid? I tried searching online for Dekoni but can't find one in my country and no Amazon in my country as well. So my only option would be Brainwavz. :( You think both Brainwavz and Dekoni would gave same sound quality?

[@TechReflex]

I really don't think they will be good for M50x. Try getting the official earpads from audio technica. There's also Shure HPAEC940, which I haven't tried, but IMO (and in opinion of some people in some forum) should work better with M50x.

[@crankiisago]

Great! Thanks for the insight! :)

[@pingopete]

What the intro song?

[@TechReflex]

Son of a Rocket Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

[@pingopete]

TechReflex awesome, thanks!

[@aziz9811]

So after lots of use my earpads have gone completely bust. Its flaking a lot and I need a replacement. Can the OP please guide me for a replacement which is available in India

[@TechReflex]

Only solution seems to be buying dekoni earpads from headphonezone.in

[@aziz9811]

Got Wicked Cushions from US. Pretty good, improved the sound, large memory foam, inexpensive. Also available in velour.

[@vijayantsharma3727]

@@aziz9811 Wickeds are almost equal in butchering the sound quality to shreds like HM 5 ones do, am really curious mate !!!

[@aziz9811]

@@vijayantsharma3727 yeah, i was too early to review that, I was comforted by the plush cushions. But it butchers the sound, that's true. Because of these issues, m50x are now my least used headset

[@Itzhennessy]

Mate how about.. Skull candy hesh.2.0 wireless premium bass master.. how about a review

[@dumbboy5976]

Will this fit eksa e900 pro?

[@alexlaverty4592]

Do you think I should buy these? I have the same headphones by the way.

[@TechReflex]

As I mentioned in the video, I think these pads are a bad choice for m50x and should be avoided, don't know why other people are saying so many good things about these. If you wanna experiment, you could try Shure HPAEC940, which seem to be a better option than these, or otherwise the official AT pads are the safest option. So again, personally, I'd highly recommend that you don't buy these pads. Thanks for appreciation. :)

[@TrinoElrich]

another pair I came across (they're not as out there, unfortunately) are the dekoni leather [memory foam] ear pads. They are a bit pricier than most out there for the m50s but they're certainly much, much more comfortable than the stock pads and did not affect the sound signature as far as my ears can tell. Have had them for about a month now and they're better than ever. Definitely recommend you check them out!

[@TeffySam]

This is a really good video. I've seen a lot of other videos which RECOMMEND you to change pads blah blah. Sticking to stock pads, thanks!! I use the m40x and I love the sound, would not compromise that just for softer pads.

[@asfrozenkill]

look for shure sr840 pads

[@HarikrishnanGNair]

Do you know of any alternatives?

[@TechReflex]

+Harikrishnan G Nair buy official stock replacement earpad for m50x from Audio technica. that's what i did.

[@adeevelaziz8148]

which replacement pads are best for ATH-M50 ?

[@TechReflex]

Official Stock replacement by Audio Technica, HP-EP.

[@Neonomide]

I have the original too, not the M50x one. Nice to know.

[@qwerty6789x]

do you have annhonest review about the Velour pads or PU leather? thanks for the video i almost purchase that pads

[@TechReflex]

Yeah I also got velour ones, they are good, but won't work well with m series headphones, and it doesn't feel like they have memory foam for some reason.

[@abhishekrohera]

Then which Earpads (for ath m50x) would you suggest going with???

[@TechReflex]

+Abhishek Rohera The ones designed by Dekoni for M50x generally available on Massdrop. Or the official stock ones by Audio Technica, or even the ones available on AliExpress (though not sure about their quality).

[@JoeyTeckno]

Very helpful! Thank you!

[@abasak007]

I got the angled one's dey r just fine.. my Stoke pads wre disgustingly flaking

[@nicktan4530]

What about the M40X with angled brainwavz HM5 ?

[@Siberius-]

No need for angled ones. The drivers are already angled, and double-angling is too much angle. Is my understanding.

[@LIL-MAN_theOG]

this is the thing, and many need to listen to me close...many of you are not listening to the m50x with a headphone amp. If you do, you'll need the Brainwavz to cut down on the piercing highs and the off-putting bass that the headphones produce under the amp. On a regular cellphone, the m50xs are weaker and super-tame sounding. But once amped, the old earpads suck and you need the Brainwavz to smooth out the high end and the bass...trust me, this works, that is if you're not using an amp. Because amped, the m50x's suck and sound unnatural.

[@TechReflex]

+Francis Herrera I am using Fiio E10K and got stock earpads again, and to me they sound perfect. If anything, a good amp reduces the harshness due to an even output throughout the frequency range. I am using Sennheiser HD598s too along with these, so I know for certain that these don't sound harsh with an amp with the stock pads, even compared to something known for its lack of harshness like HD598s.

[@stefan_4508]

Yeah playing it through my focusrite interface greatly reduced the harshness of the highs and made a more balanced sound overall

[@dejakhalz]

Will these fit on ATH-M20x?

[@TechReflex]

+Mr J Yes.

[@dejakhalz]

Thanks!

[@MaxRiley]

The problem is the thickness. Do not buy 30mm earpads. Stay with 20mm ones.

[@BlazertronGames]

How about with the m40x?

[@TechReflex]

+BlazertronGames M50x will have a more balanced sound signature, so you may not need to use an equalizer like me, and is a little lighter, so a little more comfortable, but other points will be the same. M40x for audio work or if you need closed back/listen to only electronic music, HD598 in all other cases.

[@BlazertronGames]

TechReflex I meant the pads, I heard that these pads are good for the m40x's just wanted to know if you knew anything about that.

[@TechReflex]

+BlazertronGames Ah I thought this was posted on one of my other videos. No these won't work with m40x too, try getting either the stock pads, or the Dekoni ones made for m series, you could also try searching on Aliexpress, but not this pair.

[@xbexbe]

Yeah these pads are comfortable but make the headphones sound terrible.

[@highwayblowout]

I bought both the HPAEC840 and HM5, the HM5 are shit. I have no clue why people have been suggesting them for the ath-m50x. If you can't stan the stock pads get the HPAEC840.

[@zhyinhai8197]

RYLAES does the 840's change the sounds aswell? and is it more comfortable than the hm50?

[@highwayblowout]

I only did a quick comparison, really didn't hear any big differences. Nevertheless the comfort is probably worth the change. I love my m50x but i can't stand the stock pads as they hurt my ears a bit too much.

[@zhyinhai8197]

RYLAES are the hm5 so bad then? I heard only good things about them.

[@highwayblowout]

Each to their own, i personally got to try both and really dislike the sound loss with the hm5's. If you want Velour pads you can get the HPAEC940.

[@timbychik7658]

I bought them. Do not get them. They kill your bass and you lose so much detail. They sound very very cheap like 20 dollar headphones. Don't know how the reviews are so positive. It creates an echo effect. I returned them. if you want an upgrade in comfort go for the Shure HPAEC84 replacement pads. They ever so slightly change the sound signature but its nothing like the Brainwavz. I actually like the change in sound more. Also they are half the price of these.

[@aziz9811]

Nice video, and great information. I wouldnt change my stockpad of my M50x. But what is your opinion about Shure HPAEC240 earpads. They have a thicker foam (I guess) and I was interested to try out the velour pads.

[@aziz9811]

And would velour earpads would sound much different then these faux leather pads?

[@TechReflex]

+Aziz Ansari I was about to mention the Shure HPAEC940 (not 240) in the video but decided not to to keep it shorter and since I don't have experience with them. I'd say 240 wouldn't work as well because it's also a different 'kind' of ear cup than the stock pads, and anything too different means the sound is going to change a lot. Too thick foam might sound more comfortable, and it will be, but more space between your ears = worse sound quality, as the driver in these speakers has been designed with the close distance of stock pads in mind. Velour shouldn't sound too different, it's more about the distance from the driver than the materials used. HPAEC940 has been recommended by many for m50x on head fi and it looks like it's similar to m50x stock pads, so it should work well enough, but still it wouldn't be as good and perfect as the stock pads. Massdrop had made some velour pads specifically for m50x which are the only 3rd party ones that I'd recommend, because after experiencing these, I'd be very skeptical about the performance of any other pad except the stock pads as generally, you'd receive positive feedback for most of the pads our there.

[@aziz9811]

Thanks for the reply. Yes I am also sceptical about these third parties earpads now that you mention. I am very nitpicky about my sound. But I am still leaning towards trying out velour earpads, will check out the ones you mentioned hoping they are available in india

[@Inazuchi]

Hey Aziz, how do the velour ones sound if you've purchased them already? I am worried that they will ruin the classic ATHM50x sound that I love.

[@aziz9811]

Inazuchi no i havent tried the velour pads. but it will tweak or degrade the ath sound. goes for any third party pads.

[@GtavoMN]

Does anyone tried this on the Sony CH700N?

[@stringstorm]

"They don't sound good" Uses M50x to begin with. Ah, my kind of humor.

[@widM_]

where is the humour?

[@aisPanais]

Thank you!

[@marcoslopez_]

I bought these and they ruined the bass and the audio overall a bit. They are damn comfortable though.

[@Siberius-]

As they squish down, it should improve.

[@swee6892]

Thanks my friend

[@Sss-wr3ol]

Does it fit to msr7

[@TechReflex]

It should, but I don't think they'll sound great with MSR7 just like with m50x.

[@musicmakesmefeelgood-b4e]

Nice straight forward review.. thanks

[@petercsikos3523]

dont buy these for your ath-m50/ath-m50x. lost bass, invalid highs, and since the cushions are thick you also need to increase volume. i switched back to the original pads, even though they are disintegrating into molecules...

[@jerrellwong4382]

agreed! great video , If only I had watched this video earlier , these earpads make the m50x sound sooo bad

[@rafaeltavares3469]

They sound bad stock lol

[@TheSydguy30]

Just get the valour ones, they don't change the sound or if anything people say they sound better as it gives the open back sound.

[@lucakim27]

yeah i really agree with you that it makes the sound quality worse

[@curiosity9347]

thx for enlightening us👍

[@jonbro32]

Thanks for the review! My M50x stock pads deteriorated and I noticed a significant difference in the sound. So i was worried off-brand pads might also change something. Thanks for reviewing these.

[@TechReflex]

jonbro32 Welcome. :)

[@MadelnMachines]

Have you tried the Dekoni? dekoniaudio.com/products/

[@baibuabaiplu]

Good information. Thanks bro.

[@TechReflex]

Welcome. :)

[@FatheredPuma81]

Well guys it's the last day you can see the large amount of dislikes on this video. So from now on those who see this video will think this guy is 100% correct and that no one disagrees.

[@SovetskieSoldat]

Thanks man, I'll stick with the factory