Question About foam inserts in headphones *

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by A Saucerful of Scarlets, Mar 12, 2018.

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  1. A Saucerful of Scarlets

    A Saucerful of Scarlets Commenter Turned Viewer Thread Starter

    Not sure what to have titled this. There's a soft, thin foamy bit in the earmuffs of my headphones that can come out. When it's out my ears have more space and it feels more like my headphones are open headphones than closed. Is there any reason that soft foamy bit is there other than looks? Do they protect from moisture? Sorry if this is a bit off putting but I walk 20 minutes in the heat (Australian heat) to school everyday so I'm sure my ears sweat a bit and I'm worried that if I take the bit out it could damage the speakers due to that. Here's a picture. Right in the centre of the speaker bit, the black wall, it can come out without taking off the entire earmuff.[​IMG]
     
  2. Leonthepro

    Leonthepro Skeptically Optimistic

    Location:
    Sweden
    If its like the ones in the picture Im pretty sure its just there to be comfortable to your ears/head and to maybe isolate outside noise.
     
  3. gregorya

    gregorya I approve of this message

    Can you take a picture of what the headphone looks like when the ear pads are off?

    Or, the make and model of the headphone in question?

    You could have titled the thread, "Questions about Headfoams" ;)
     
    Leonthepro likes this.
  4. curbach

    curbach Some guy on the internet

    Location:
    The ATX
    A lot of headphone enthusiasts like to modify their headphones in various ways including by adding or removing foam. So I doubt you’ll hurt anything either way. Just do what sounds best/feels best to you.
     
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  5. Carl Swanson

    Carl Swanson Senior Member

    Probably there to cushion the ears from contact with hard parts. Not all ears are the same size.
     
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  6. Ham Sandwich

    Ham Sandwich Senior Member

    Location:
    Sherwood, OR, USA
    The main purpose of that foam screen is to keep hair and other debris off the driver. A hair getting on the driver can cause a buzzing sound. Dust and stuff and fluff on the driver can cause the driver to lose bass excursion and end up with very distorted bass, along with other sonic problems. That foam or fabric screen is there to keep that sort of stuff off the driver. Unfortunately the screens aren't always perfectly sonically transparent. So some people remove the screens or cut a hole in the screen to change the sound a little bit in an effort to get slightly better sound quality. I've never done that. I keep the screens there. I prefer to keep hairs and fluff off the driver.
     
  7. Ephi82

    Ephi82 Still have two ears working

    Location:
    S FL
    For some headphones, and more likely the expensive ones, the surrounds that sit on you head/ears and any foam over the drivers are designed to enhance the sound, or at least not compromise it. I would not take the foam that goes over the driver out so that hair and other debris does not get into the driver. (as Ham said) Also, it is better that the foam captures your sweat than have it get the driver wet! No question that if the foam is saturated with water/sweat it will probably change the sound, but only until they dry out. But water on the driver material could permanently alter it and the sound.
     
  8. A Saucerful of Scarlets

    A Saucerful of Scarlets Commenter Turned Viewer Thread Starter

    Thanks everyone. I’ll keep the foam on. I walked to school with them off todah. Hope I didn’t damage them.
     
  9. JeffMo

    JeffMo Format Agnostic

    Location:
    New England
    Maybe consider ear buds for walking/exercising and these for dedicated listening sessions in a comfy chair?
     
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  10. A Saucerful of Scarlets

    A Saucerful of Scarlets Commenter Turned Viewer Thread Starter

    My $200 earphones broke a while back, and I paid $400 for these so I'm all out of money unfortunately. Otherwise that is a good idea, but if I leave the foam in they sound the same so I don't mind.
     
    JeffMo likes this.
  11. curbach

    curbach Some guy on the internet

    Location:
    The ATX
    Not wise to expose $400 headphones to sweat whether the foam is there or not.
     
  12. A Saucerful of Scarlets

    A Saucerful of Scarlets Commenter Turned Viewer Thread Starter

    They’ve got thick padding, so I assumed it would be okay. I’ll keep that in mind.
     
  13. Ham Sandwich

    Ham Sandwich Senior Member

    Location:
    Sherwood, OR, USA
    What headphones are you using?
     
  14. A Saucerful of Scarlets

    A Saucerful of Scarlets Commenter Turned Viewer Thread Starter

    Oops, I thought I mentioned it in my original post. It's the Beyerdynamic DT250.

    Does anyone know if I can add different earcuffs? Either open or closed? It's only got 4 holes for it to click so are most like that?
     
  15. Ham Sandwich

    Ham Sandwich Senior Member

    Location:
    Sherwood, OR, USA
    There are third-party earpads available that should fit the DT250. I actually used the DT250 velour pads on my Sony MDR-V6 headphones because I didn't like the Sony pleather pads. The Sony V6 doesn't use that four hole mounting ring system. To use the DT250 pads on the Sony V6 you discard the Beyer mounting ring and just stretch the skirt on the pads around a lip on the headphones. And the pads fit well. So I'm assuming you could find some aftermarket pads for the Sony V6 (or MDR-7506) and use them with your DT250. But you'd have to transfer the mounting rings from your old pads to the new pads. There are a variety of aftermarket pads available for the Sony V6 and 7506. Some of those options are thicker than the stock pads. The thicker pads might suit you if you're finding the stock pads too shallow.

    However, be aware that changing the pads can (and likely will) change the sound a bit. A change in material from velour to pleather will also change the sound. Being in Australia you'd want to stick to velour pads. Velour breaths better. Pleather and leather isn't comfortable in hot humid climates.

    eBay is one source for finding the aftermarket earpads for various headphones.
     
  16. A Saucerful of Scarlets

    A Saucerful of Scarlets Commenter Turned Viewer Thread Starter

    That’s a lot of great info. I’ll keep all that in mind when I have a look on EBay. Thanks a heap!
     
  17. Dillydipper

    Dillydipper Space-Age luddite

    Location:
    Central PA
    Yeah, that's a common thing with the Sonys. I've been using the MDR-7506's for decades, more or less identical to the V6, with some imorovements. When you buy them from studio/musician sites such as Sweetwater or Musician's Friend, they usually offer the Beyer replacement earcups instead of the Sony's (the size and shape is interchangeable). That thin, "pleather" covering for the sealing part of the cup, does wear and crackle early, and I find them more confortable with the Beyers anyway.

    I know it's a bit steamy down there in Perth (you bastard! The wind and temperature drop up here made dog-walking hell today!), but if you can just dab your ears with a hand-towel on occasion, your Beyers will stay in fine shape.
     
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