In addition to earpads for the Sennheiser HD 600 series, we also have new upgrade pads for some Beyerdynamic headphones. The DT 770, 880, and 990 all have the same earpad compatibility, and now Strauss & Wagner has given some options of ways to upgrade your listening. With options including velour, mesh cloth, and hybrid materials, you are sure to get a great deal on an upgraded listening experience for any Beyerdynamic headphone you may have.
Look & Feel
Looking at all the pads side by side, you are instantly able to tell which is which thanks to their distinct styles. All of them come in black, but the velour and mesh cloth offer an additional variation of a black or grey color option. This allows you to keep the signature Beyerdynamic look if desired. I liked the sleek look of the black earpads, though the traditional grey still looked professional and high-quality. The mesh cloth and velour earpads came with an additional foam disk, while the hybrid and lambskin had a protective screen already attached.
A note about the hybrid earpads: they are slanted and should be put on in a certain orientation. There is a seam in the earpad to show you where the earpad should sit on the headphone. The wide part should be lined up towards the back, with the narrow part in front. This will ensure a comfortable fit and the ideal sound profile.
All the earpads were very soft to the touch and had good flexibility for adjustment during use. Be warned: putting the earpads on does take some patience since there isn’t a clip or smart magnetic attachment from the earpad to the headphone. Alternatively, you have a thin lip around the edge of the earpad that folds over onto the headphone around the driver. I used a small plastic tool to help hook the earpad onto the headphone, and that method definitely proved to be most effective. Once the earpads are on the headphones, they are stable and ready for a long listening session.
Compatible With…
There are a lot of different models in the Beyerdynamic DT line, so it did take some time test all these earpads out. The most important thing to note is that these earpads were not compatible with the DT 700 Pro X and the DT 900 Pro X. The earpads had a different clipping mechanism as opposed to the thin flap on the rim of the earpad. You’ll find the earpads work with the following models:
- DT 770 Pro, DT 770 Pro X
- DT 880 Pro, DT 880 EDITION
- DT 990 Pro, DT 990 Pro X, DT 990 EDITION
Sound Quality
Testing the sound quality with four variations of earpads and many compatible models took time and patience. There was a noticeable list of trends that showed how the earpads influenced the sound of the headphones. The original pads on most of the Beyerdynamic series make the headphones sound neutral, especially in models like the DT 770 Pro and the Pro X. The DT 880 and 990 Pro have a very natural sound that has a bit more brightness. The original pads on most are a velour material. When you switch out for the replacement velour earpads, the sound quality is essentially identical to what you’d expect from the stock earpads.
The mesh cloth material was one of my favorites. In terms of the sound profile, you got a bit of boost into lighter territory across the board. It was like the mesh cloth just lifted the heavier signature up a bit more to not weigh you down as much during listening. The lambskin pads were great for comfort, and they didn’t come with a drastic change in sound signature either. The profile got a little added warmth to smooth out the bass, but the overall detail and clarity weren’t compromised at all. The bass response was a little faster and had some good drive that the velour pads let fall flat.
The hybrid pads were made of protein skin and flannel material, so you had a very soft feeling against your head and something a little more durable on the outside. This variation had a different physical structure, where the back of the pad was a bit wider than the front to create a slant. Because of this, you had a more ergonomic fit that created a better seal on your head during use. You could hear details more precisely, and the bass got a little extra boost because of the good seal.
Final Thoughts
You can find a perfect replacement for the Beyerdynamic DT 770 series. Depending on what kind of material and comfort you’re looking for, Strauss & Wagner has something for you. Even aesthetics get an upgrade with the color choice options, though available only in the velour and mesh cloth variations. These earpads won’t diminish the sound quality of change it completely; instead, they will improve it and only increase the good that’s already in your Beyerdynamic headphones.
You can get these Strauss & Wagner Beyerdynamic replacement pads at Audio46 or directly from Strauss & Wagner.
You can check out other earpads by Strauss & Wagner here.
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