Dekoni Premium Ear Pads for HD 58X & HD 6XX Discussions | Drop

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Dekoni Premium Ear Pads for HD 58X & HD 6XX

Audiophile

FULL DISCUSSION

Huxleigh

Dec 12, 2017

Received the Elite Hybrids on 12/9 and spent the rest of the weekend putting them through their paces on my HD600.
Build quality is fantastic. Snapped in effortlessly, while the stock pads tend to require a bit more force before being securely seated. Comfort is as plush as one might expect, although there is a perceptible increase in clamping force as compared to a (worn but decent) stock pair. This is likely owing to the Dekoni pads having greater purchase on the head, as the actual pressure applied shouldn't be different. Not really an issue for me in any case. There is a bit more space between the ears and driver due to the greater support afforded by the firm memory foam, which results in less heat accruing on ones ears over extended listening sessions. And the tighter seal afforded by the design attenuates external noise to a marginally greater degree than the stock pads.
Regrettably, I quite disliked the sonic changes yielded from the pad swap. The HD600's already modest staging ability was adversely impacted. Bass fattens up to a distractingly unnatural degree. High frequencies are attenuated to something comparable to a stock HD650. While such a veil on the highs is not entirely objectionable per se, the upper registers also sound notably rougher and lacking in refinement. To my ears, these changes are more serious than Dekoni's otherwise useful FR graphs might suggest. While such information is certainly useful and appreciated, it's also clear that, in this instance, it doesn't manage to convey the scope of the change effected by this pad swap.
To conclude, I respect the evident effort that Dekoni put in to designing these pads. It would not surprise me if some purchasers enjoyed the Elite Hybrids, as the sonic changes are not greatly objectionable and might even appeal to different ears than my own. But for someone like myself, who enjoys the default sound of the HD600 and only sought a more durable alternative to the easily-degraded velour pads, I cannot recommend Dekoni's product.

Dec 12, 2017