The Sony MDR-7506 headphones have long been a stage and studio standard, despite having been around since 1991. One of the main issues of the stock headphones is the vinyl earpads, which look and feel cheap and wear out extremely quickly, developing cracks and flaking away. They are also very hot in use, especially in warmer climates such as where I am.

In this video I show how to replace the stock earpads with an aftermarket set of velour pads that I got off Amazon. Fortunately these are widely available and very affordable. The process is also relatively straightforward, requiring no tools apart from a bit of patience. The results really do transform these headphones in my opinion – they don’t sound any better but boy are they more comfortable!

Shortly after posting this video I got a comment asking if I had measured the headphones before and after the new pads were installed, and whether I was concerned about changes in the high frequency resonance of the units as well as the sealing of the earcups around the ear and hence the bass response. My response was, frankly, no 🙂   Continue reading →