Video summary

MOST HD6XX pads suck, I tested 20 of them

Main summary

Key takeaways

Product Review

Product Reviewed

Sennheiser HD 600 / HD 650 / “HD 6X0 series” ear pads The reviewer tested many aftermarket pads, focusing on which are worth buying vs. not. The title claims: “I tested 20 of them.”

Key Findings / Main Features Considered

The reviewer evaluates pads mainly by:

  • Frequency response
    • Bass (including sub-bass and overall warmth)
    • Low-mids / warmth
    • Treble and “ear gain” behavior (notably around ~2 kHz and higher treble above ~10 kHz)
  • Timbre / naturalness vs stock
    • They repeatedly warn that even when FR improves, timbre can suffer
  • Comfort, fit, and ear clearance
    • Depth and width
    • Whether pads sit farther from the ear
  • Heat / cooling behavior
    • Notably cooling gel pads
  • Durability
    • Example: ZMF held up over years
    • Others are implied to wear faster

Overall Guidance the Video Gives

  • The HD 6X0 series is usually better with the stock pads.
  • Some aftermarket pads can improve parts of the sound (e.g., bass/sub-bass or air), but many:
    • sacrifice timbre, or
    • introduce problematic treble/bass balance issues.

Pad Models: Pros/Cons + Verdict

Dekoni (multiple models tested; reviewer dislikes most)

  1. Dekoni Choice Leather

    • Pros: Soft/comfortable; includes foams.
    • Cons: Too bassy/warm, with heavy recesses affecting ear gain and treble → sounds warm/dark.
    • Verdict: Not recommended.

  2. Dekoni Choice Suede

    • Pros: Includes foams.
    • Cons: Very relaxed/dark treble, too warm/bleeds into mids; some treble recovery around ~13 kHz, but overall too dark.
    • Verdict: Not recommended. (Described as the “one I don’t recommend” among Dekoni.)

  3. Dekoni Elite Hybrid

    • Pros: Slight treble extra above 10 kHz.
    • Cons: Way too much bass / low-mid warmth; not just sub-bass—becomes overly warm with a V-shaped upper treble.
    • Verdict: Not recommended.

  4. Dekoni Elite Sheepskin

    • Pros: Includes foams.
    • Cons: Same pattern as other Dekonis: warm/bleeds into mids + recesses in ear gain/treble.
    • Verdict: Not recommended.

  5. Dekoni Elite Velour

    • Pros: Less offensive than some Dekonis.
    • Cons: Still recessed around ~2–3.5 kHz and added warmth.
    • Verdict: Not recommended.

  6. Dekoni Fenestrated Sheepskin (recommended among Dekoni)

    • Pros: Warmer than stock but not super boomy; treble mostly similar to stock; slightly less around ~2 kHz; more energy above 10 kHz.
    • Cons: Timbre not quite as good as stock; ~2 kHz region can get “a bit much.”
    • Verdict: Gets approval / “seal of approval.” Recommended if you want slightly better bass, can accept timbre loss, and want bigger ear space.

ZMF (reviewer likes the perforated suede version most)

  1. ZMF Perforated Suede HD 600 pads (recommended)

    • Pros: Very close to stock; only slight treble differences (less at ~2 kHz and ~6–8 kHz); measures similarly over years; durability emphasized (less frequent replacement: “every year and a half to two years” not needed).
    • Cons: Tiny FR deviations vs stock; “not a major issue.”
    • Verdict: Thumbs up / recommended.

  2. ZMF Solid Lambskin

    • Pros: Some bass lift.
    • Cons: Too warm low-mid; treble has a “weird recess,” too much overall.
    • Verdict: No-go.

  3. ZMF Perforated Lambskin

    • Pros: Similar to stock outside a treble area.
    • Cons: Has a treble dip around ~6–8 kHz; reviewer doesn’t like it.
    • Verdict: Not for them; they suggest the suede version instead.

AHG Pads

  1. AHG Perforated Lambskin (with foams)
    • Pros: More treble than stock.
    • Cons: Less bass and more treble than stock; substantial increase from ~2 kHz up; reviewer doesn’t like the sound.
    • Verdict: Not recommended—only potentially useful if you want noticeably more treble across the board.

Wicked Cushions

  1. Wicked Cushions WC Freeze (cooling gel, foams built in; non-removable)
    • Pros: Comfortable; cooling gel is effective/cold feeling; bigger “feel” than stock.
    • Cons: Bass increase but too much low-mid → boomy; treble has weird/recessed ear-gain behavior with “roller coaster” dips around ~1.8 kHz and ~5 kHz, making it sound odd.
    • Verdict: No-go. Noisy FR issues outweigh benefits (despite comfort).

GVO Ears (multiple variants)

  1. GVO Ears Black

    • Pros: Plush, comfortable; slightly farther off ear; more bass and low-mid warmth; treble mostly aligned with stock; more air around ~14 kHz.
    • Cons: Could use “a little less warmth.”
    • Verdict: Thumbs up / acceptable if you want more airy + warmer than stock.

  2. GVO Ears Grey Velour / “Starry Sky”

    • Pros: Impressively more bass without much extra low-mid.
    • Cons: Treble is lost: ear gain and treble recessed too much; doesn’t sound good to reviewer.
    • Verdict: Not recommended.

  3. GVO Ears Black Velvet

    • Pros: Wider/more spacious fit; tasteful bass addition; not crazy warm/bloated; comfort is good.
    • Cons: Weird dip around ~5 kHz; sounds a bit more airy but not enough for recommendation.
    • Verdict: Decent but not recommended.

Yaxi

  1. Yaxi pad (larger than stock)
    • Pros: Mid-range and treble are “solid.”
    • Cons: Super elevated low-mids → bloated/boomy/muddy mess.
    • Verdict: Not recommended.

Khron

  1. Khron pads
    • Pros: Similar to stock tuning but more bass and more upper treble above ~10 kHz; makes HD 600s more airy without changing much else.
    • Cons: Reviewer not their favorite.
    • Verdict: Mild thumbs up.

Jomwags

  1. Jomwags pads
    • Pros: Fit tightly in a secure (installation involves extra foam pressing).
    • Cons: Extremely hard to put on/remove; material abrasive/rough on face; reviewer feels sweaty/agitated; bass bleeds into low-mid.
    • Verdict: Not recommended due to comfort/fit hassle.

SoulWitz (top performers)

  1. SoulWitz Lambskin (one of the best besides stock)

    • Pros: Very similar to stock; more sub-bass (nice) and slightly more low-mid warmth; ~1 dB less treble across much of the range but stays level instead of recessing after ~13–14 kHz; sounds “great,” slightly more articulated and punchy.
    • Cons: Can get a bit warm on the head after a while (still breathable).
    • Verdict: Strong thumbs up / highly recommended.

  2. SoulWitz Cooling Gel pads (best overall / strong recommendation)

    • Pros: Cooling gel is very effective; near-dead-on with stock but removes the “Sennheiser veil”; slightly better sub-bass (~1 dB) without adding low-mid warmth; from ~2 kHz up increased by ~1 dB until ~13–14 kHz, then more air; praised as surprising given cooling gel usually sounds bad.
    • Cons: Reviewer prefers stock timbre for vocals, but for fast/clicky/electronics and fine details, these sound better.
    • Verdict: One of the best overall.

Best-of List and Final Shortlist (as stated in the video)

The reviewer highlights these as the four above the rest:

  • SoulWitz lambskin pads
  • SoulWitz cooling gel pads
  • Dekoni Fenestrated Sheepskin
  • ZMF Suede (Perforated) pads for HD 600 series

Numerical Ratings / Scores

  • No explicit star ratings or numeric review scores were provided in the subtitles.
  • Used sentiment markers include:
    • “thumbs up,” “mild thumbs up,” “strong thumbs up,” and “no-go.”

Comparisons Made

  • Repeated comparisons to stock pads
    • Stock is typically the best baseline for timbre
    • Some pads improve frequency response but harm natural timbre
  • Measurement rig caveat:
    • The reviewer notes their measurement rig overestimates the ~3 kHz region, so perceived “ear gain” effects may be slightly less intense in real listening.

Concise Verdict / Recommendation

Recommendation: For the safest “upgrade” path that keeps HD 6X0 tuning largely intact, the top picks are the SoulWitz pads—especially cooling gel and lambskin—followed by:

  • ZMF Perforated Suede
  • Dekoni Fenestrated Sheepskin (if you specifically want more bass/comfort and more ear space)

Avoid: Most Dekoni models (except the fenestrated sheepskin), ZMF Solid Lambskin, AHG (treble-heavy), WC Freeze, Yaxi, and Jomwags, due to sound imbalance (warm/boomy bass or odd treble dips) and/or comfort/fit issues.

Speaker Breakdown

  • A single primary speaker (the reviewer) provides all measurements, opinions, and recommendations.
  • No separate speaker viewpoints are indicated in the subtitles.

Original video