Replacing the Pads on My AKG K550 Headphones

[@rhadoob]

You are not doing it correctly. There is a small notch where you just insert the rim of the pad. Then you just rotate the pad and it goes in by itself. Much quicker and easier.

[@Cyrenetes]

I could've used this comment 5 minutes ago.

[@reneecyr5105]

rhadoob thank you! I was able to figure it out from your comment before the video even started talking about what he was going to do.

[@dannesweden6741]

Thanks for sharing ,i order new so i try to put them on to Morrow.😘

[@repostexchange9807]

rhadoob thx a lot I was pissed all day for the muffin falling off 😂

[@repostexchange9807]

iiHawkinq Kinq omg dame with me lil subs always messing my shit up.😂

[@phobos440]

Thanks for putting this up. In case anyone was wondering the original replacement ear pads are about GBP 37.20 and have to be ordered over the phone from the supplier in the UK. You'll need to reach out to AKG customer support to get the number.

[@applecakes807]

Philipp M my k845bt came with a small tear in the pads so I asked for replacement pads they gave a white pair so I once again requested a black pair now I have 3 pairs, knowing that they cost £37.20 I'm really happy now lol these should as long as the headphones hopefully

[@Prawnchowmein]

Thanks mate, if you catch Covid you will only have flu symptoms and make a full recovery for making such an awesome video, earth still needs people like you.

[@Introverder]

I've just tested the Brainwavz round XL model (PU Leather) - and it improves sound greatly in my opinion and fits PERFECTLY! :). It levels up this HPs - better bass, soundstage and so on.

[@propender7311]

I'm thinking about buying them too to replace my K551 pads (which are in good condition but my ears touch the driver) Did you have issue with the stock pads or you just wanted to replace them because they were very used?

[@Paul-he8uu]

@@propender7311 Did these pads improve the spacing? My ears also touch the driver, and it becomes uncomfortable during extensive use.

[@Bumrah123]

Great video! For anyone considering buying Brainwavz ear pads, I was going to return them as the sound was horrid compared to the stock pads. I realised the Brainwavz don't have the plastic ring inside like the stock. Remove the plastic ring from the stock ones (it holds the cloth and pads together with glue) before throwing away. Insert the plastic rings into the new ear pads, ear side in. Total sound transformation. Do not throw these rings out!

[@shaunpaulwallace]

Thanks for your time to post this. Not happy with companies that don't do replacements.

[@iEnderJaysonTDA]

I don't know why I'm watching this. I don't need it. I just can't stop.

[@btsager]

You actually can buy direct replacements from AKG, but they are not cheap. About $27.00 per pad. plus tax and shipping, so $60.00+ for a pair. You can buy them through their technically support line.

[@Y105066]

Likes: readily available, easy to fit, comfortable, good external sound exclusion. Dislikes: thicker than the originals. This moves the drivers further away from the ears and this affects the sound more than you might expect. Test by pressing the back of the headphones with your fingers which move the drivers closer to your ears. The sound changes a lot - warmer and more engaging to my ears, although the sound otherwise is acceptable. If AKG make the originals available again I will buy them, but these will do in the meantime.

[@Y105066]

I emailed AKG and they put me in touch with a UK company you can reach at [e-mail] who supply original replacements. Now fitted and way better sounding than the Brainwavz alternatives.

[@GrandHighGamer]

While it isn't nearly as cheap as if they just let you order them through a normal store front, AKG does have authorised suppliers who, dependant on still having k550/551 stuff in stock, may be able to sell you actual replacement pads. So if you really want to preserve your quality, contact AKG and get them to forward you to the relevant company.

[@Welbeloved]

The yellow tool is for an easier replacement of the ear pads. On my particular AKG's you could press the pleather end piece underneath the hard plastic fixture in each headset.

[@alienspaceship5326]

Thanks! I had removed one to clean it, and had no idea how to put them back on!

[@Yupppi]

One correction: AKG does offer the 1st party replacements through authorized servicing. Even in 2020 when the K-550 is done and apparently AKG is about done in headphones, the service company does still replace them (I contacted AKG customer service and they directed me to the service company in my country). I didn't manage to buy them directly (I thought they would sell them, but the emailing back and forth stopped without me getting the pads), but they were ready to replace them if I shipped the headphones to them. Btw you can get rather identical pads from China on ebay today for ~$10. They look and feel like the originals. Certainly better than the originals that have no fake leather left and the fabric has teared to let the foam pad to expand and almost come loose. The sound changes depending on the shape, measures and material of the pads. The chinese replica pads have more bass, which was always in my opinion too much cut in K-550. Now they might have a bit too much bass, making the sound a bit more choked (it was super open with the original pads, to the extent of being a bit painful with all the high end and lacking all the bass). They still retain the clarity the originals had, it's like the instruments were separate right next to your ears.

[@derJunaz]

Hey Yuppi, i gotta replace mine, would you mind telling me which ones you got, maybe a link?

[@Jez1963UK]

8:14s is when the waffling stops and the *replacing* actually starts. And then he didn't do it the right way. Simply look for the notch and use that to assist you in spinning the new pad on. My own personal tip is to keep a hand over the portion you have successfully put over the rim as you rotate the new pad around and on, otherwise you risk undoing what part of the pad you have managed to put onto the headset.

[@loserkevin6708]

if u could can u please make a vid

[@tjwilkins5889]

Thanks for posting this. My pads are also starting to flake a bit. I use mine as reference headphones for scoring movies, and I can't sacrifice the EQ of what I have now. So, I'm glad to know how much of a difference the new pads sounded... looks like it's duct tape and black flakes all over the place for me...

[@introvertedwifi5558]

On my headphones you can pry off a thin disk that the pad wraps around. That's probably why the Lego crowbar came with the pads

[@Thuv6600]

(Sorry for my bad english) One ear pad cushion seems to be larger than the other. And it's my case too with my new K545 (the right ear pad cushion)! Furthermore this right ear pad is less firm / weaker / soother than the left one. Then I can feel the bottom of the headphone with my right ear...

[@lesleysimons7792]

Thanks for sharing your video, it made the job so much easier after watching how you did it. Cheers!

[@irapedtristybmomandizayahs8421]

HOLY THANKS MAN IVE BEEN STRUGGLING

[@LexusAkaLexx]

Thank you very much! I ordered new pads but have no idea how to replace them.

[@debbieblincoe9880]

Do you have any tips of actually getting these in between the bits of plastic.

[@johngwheeler]

The video was well shot, but needlessly detailed. It could have been less than 2 minutes long and contained the all of the relevant information. The comment about feeding the soft rim of the pad into the notch and then rotating the pad until the pad rim is secured to the headset is all that is needed. It takes 30 seconds do to. The secret of good KZbin videos (apart from content worth sharing and good audio & video quality ) is to edit, edit, edit! Less is more :-)

[@rogermorse_]

and did you find some alternatives? now that it's been some months, do you regret having replaced them? Did you find some better replacements?

[@TheUbuntuGuy]

I was happy enough with them, so I never sought out another set.

[@rogermorse_]

I started looking for AKG550 genuine replacements since I got them (back in 2012). No way to find genuine AKG ear pad as replacements (not then, not now). Recently the original pads started cracking on the leather and wrinkling and they will be torn to pieces in a few months. I think on ebay I ordered the same exact replicas that you got in this video. I still have to mount them (maybe I'll wait till the original pads are really completely destroyed), but in any case, different pads on the same headphones DO change the sound. I am expecting a change, I just hope it won't be much worse than before, as you say I hope it will just be a matter of getting used to them.

[@aleushah]

Hi! Can you send me a link of the one you bought on ebay? Mines are starting to fall apart, same as yours.

[@rogermorse_]

On mine, the (fake) thin layer of leather is cracked (like in the video) and some pieces will soon fall off. I think before changing the pads, I will peel off all the leather and see if it works well with just the sponge cloth (without the leather). The sponge has a cover of cloth, on the cloth there is the leather that you see (outer layer). Anyway the ones I bought are these tinyurl.com/glq564t and I think they are the same as the ones showed in the video. They feel nice to the touch but are thinner than the original ones I hope my ears won't touch the actual headphones surface.

[@manlypowers9967]

You can get genuine replacement pads. You just have to call AKG and request them. Of course, get ready for some sticker shock, because when I called, it was $40 for the L+R pair and they wanted shipping fees to boot! Pricey given the pads lasted about 2.5 years before starting to disintegrate.

[@andrzejkaraczan6219]

Thank You! 🤝

[@djd3ath]

So i'm looking to replace my k550 pads as they are crumbling. Now that you have had a few months, did you keep these pads? did you put old ones on? did you find another replacement? just wanting to know what you thought / did after this video.

[@Splyce100]

In the UK you can buy the original AKG K550 pads from multicare.org.uk - pricey but amazing service. Ordered a pair this week and they were with me the next day. To fit them you just rotate the new pads into the notch, took me 30 seconds for each pad.

[@glennrcompton]

Rhadoob is correct, use the notch you see next to his thumb at 5:55 to "thread" the cushion. I would add that you can buy what appears to be a "closer" to OEM replacement from Amazon: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07G4C3SX1/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[@MattiaRighetti]

Do they sound better or worse than the original ones? Just wondering if there's a significant sound difference for about 30€ gap

[@DaForgottenGentleman]

Damn shame... i put on the video to try and figure out how to put the pads on!.... While he was explaining about everything that had to with the earphones except changing the pads... i figured it out myself!... thanks!

[@khalilrazak6486]

I also own these beutiful headphones but it's just absolutely ridiculous that AKG don't sell replacement pads. How stupid.

[@NeilBlanchard]

The main thing I would like to know is, do the replacement pads wear out, or do they last longer?

[@simonking613]

Original pads lasted about 4 years. I'm on my 2nd set of replacements in about 2.5 years.

[@tinhlac1405]

Nice video. My ears cushions and head cushions also are in bad state, do you know how and where i can buy the head cushion?

[@stareverest5052]

I watched so many videos and literally started crying cause I couldn’t freaking put them on. I don’t know what kind I have (they are pink blue and white) but when the cushion was off I just took the whole thing off then put it on.

[@anarcho96]

- Why is there a notch? - using the little notch in the edge make it easy

[@TerrySterling-Thatguy]

I watched all of this, and it was kind of boring. I was compelled to watch.

[@TheUbuntuGuy]

+Terry Sterling I don't think anyone is compelled to watch anything...

[@TerrySterling-Thatguy]

Mark Furneaux It was a joke

[@Wizardofgosz]

I have a pair of K271s that I just ordered some new earpads for. They go on differently though. I am curious about the sound difference. I am highly suspect. So much placebo affect going on. The only way to know fore sure would be with a double blind ABX test.

[@joachimpearson4892]

I've heard that the Brainwavz Replacement pads actually fit the k550's although they can be a pain to get on

[@JonathanDavideGameplay]

I accidentally tear down that white circle thing at 5.38 and it won't come back in. What's is purpose? And how can i glue that back?

[@samfield5924]

Don't you think they're a bit quiet?

[@Introverder]

Does the Brainwavz XL pads fit to K550 MK1? There 2 versions: synthetic leather and sheep leather. I wonder which one would give better sound and comfort..

[@jonathannicholson5264]

Introverder the XL ones should as they are 110mm however none of the others do despite being advertised as fitting the 700 series

[@davidobrien9165]

Just used the notch on the ring the pads attach to and they went on in seconds 😀

[@superspatchcock]

i bought some from ebay, fairly good quality, they changed the sound for the worse. The low end sounded 'cheaper' for want of a better word... contemplating buying a new pair of K550s; can't go back to my original pads, they are much worse than yours :) If i push them closer to my ears, the sound becomes more like what i'm used to.... Bummer...

[@cjevan9837]

How do u adjust or tune the sound card? please I really want to do this, I have the AKG k551

[@grocerytag]

Thanks I got my headphone muff back on

[@michaplayer7328]

Hey, please, take a look at the other video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/sHyTqWaIgtiskLs . There is a crucial thing in installing the headphones, which is not shown here! I mean the cutout.

[@jimis3167]

Anyone knows where to find the original pads?

[@Greenmantislives]

This should work for AKG K545 too

[@phoenixyt6109]

i broke my and i am happy now...

[@dhammaratiwaddell9119]

yep, the notch is the trick. makes it v easy

[@cokebloke3112]

Thanx man really helped

[@avarasekh]

Hi do you know where I can buy the ear pad for Akg k550 ?

[@jimis3167]

Anyone knows any replacement pads that they don't change the sound signature?

[@royalwolf7603]

Hehe, the leather on my factory pads are completely gone :)

[@eon6969]

If you buy original spare parts, you would be happier with the quality of the material...especially the smoothness of the leather. They doesn't cost that much, I payed 16,- € each.

[@sandale]

From where have you bought them?

[@azhanahmad1353]

Thanks it works

[@ranusawhney7909]

Nice video❤

[@Stefanosinf]

My similliar (spoiler: awful) experience with the K550: electroneering.wordpress.com/2015/01/24/akg-k550-studio-reference-headphones/

[@pjs3570]

Thank you sir very much love from india

[@xenisfire]

HURRY UP

[@walterbot]

anyone knows of thicker pads? stock are 1 1/8 thick. im looking for thicker ones.

[@dennisgamingexperience5613]

i done that on my german HiFi Channel in german ;-)

[@mew5872]

Thank ypu for thia video

[@carlw]

Thanks. I have a much easier method. My wife put them in for me. "Scores!".

[@jackb.5182]

Any one else just randomly take them off

[@sportyjen62]

Just put them on. Rambling

[@astroboy3507]

YES SOUND THE QUALITY FOR THE EAR SPONG PART IS RUBBISH TOTALLY DISSATISFIED!!! Rubbish!!!!! AKG SUX AGREED

[@rinoliuzzi2942]

Very fast video ! There isn't detail!

[@xenisfire]

This isn’t a fucking headphone review