### The Ultimate Sennheiser HD6X0 Pad Rolling Round-Up

The Sennheiser HD6X0 series—comprising the legendary HD600, the warm and inviting HD650, and their popular Drop counterparts, the HD6XX and HD58X—is an undisputed pillar of the audiophile world. For many, they are the first “serious” headphone and, for some, the last. A huge part of their magic, and their most significant wear item, is the earpads.

Pads don’t just provide comfort; they are a critical component of the acoustic system. They control the seal, the distance from your ear to the driver, and the way sound waves reflect before entering your ear canal. Worn-out, flattened pads can ruin the sound of these fantastic headphones, robbing them of bass and clarity.

This has led to a thriving market for third-party pads, a practice affectionately known as “pad rolling.” But which pads are right for you? Should you stick with the original, or venture into the world of sheepskin, fenestrated leather, and hybrid materials? Let’s break down the most popular options.

#### The Benchmark: Stock Sennheiser Velour Pads

Before we look at alternatives, we must understand the baseline. The stock Sennheiser pads are made of a high-quality, dense foam covered in a soft black velour.

* **Comfort:** Excellent. They are breathable, lightweight, and have a moderate clamp that becomes perfectly molded to your head over time. Their only downside is that they can act like a lint roller for dust and hair.
* **Sound:** This is the sound the Sennheiser engineers intended. The velour material is acoustically porous, which is essential for the open, airy presentation of the HD6X0 line. They provide the classic balanced sound signature: the HD600’s famous neutrality, the HD650/6XX’s warmth and smoothness. Any deviation from these pads is a modification of this reference tuning.

**The most important takeaway:** If your pads are flat as pancakes, buying a fresh pair of genuine Sennheiser pads will be the single biggest upgrade you can make. It will restore the sound you fell in love with.

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### Aftermarket Contenders: A Deep Dive

For those looking to experiment or replace worn-out pads with something different, the aftermarket is full of options. The most dominant player in this space is Dekoni Audio, but other great options exist from brands like ZMF and Yaxi.

#### Dekoni Audio: The King of Variety

Dekoni offers a wide range of materials for the HD6X0 series, each with a distinct impact on the sound.

**1. Dekoni Elite Velour**
* **Material:** A high-quality velour, very similar to the stock pads.
* **Comfort:** Nearly identical to stock, perhaps a bit plusher when new.
* **Sound:** This is the closest you can get to the stock sound from a third-party manufacturer. Most listeners find them to be 95% of the way there. Some report a very slight increase in bass presence and a marginal taming of the upper-mids compared to fresh stock pads, but the difference is subtle. A fantastic choice if you want a stock-like experience from a reputable brand.

**2. Dekoni Choice Leather / Elite Sheepskin (Solid)**
* **Material:** Non-perforated Protein Leather (Choice) or genuine Sheepskin (Elite).
* **Comfort:** Excellent seal and a premium feel against the skin. They can get warmer than velour during long listening sessions due to the lack of breathability.
* **Sound:** This is a significant departure from stock. The solid, non-porous material creates a much better seal around the ear. This dramatically increases the sub-bass and mid-bass impact, giving the HD6X0 a much warmer, bassier, and more “fun” signature. The trade-off is a reduction in soundstage and airiness. The treble is often perceived as smoother or slightly recessed. If you’ve always wished your HD650 had more slam and thump, these are the pads for you.

**3. Dekoni Fenestrated Sheepskin**
* **Material:** Genuine sheepskin with micro-perforations (fenestrations) on the interior wall.
* **Comfort:** All the premium feel of sheepskin but with slightly better breathability than the solid version.
* **Sound:** The “best of both worlds” option. The fenestrations are designed to combat the “closed-in” effect of solid leather pads. They retain a good portion of the bass boost from the sheepskin seal but allow some sound to escape, preserving more of the stock soundstage and treble energy. The result is a V-shaped signature—boosted bass and a brighter, more exciting treble compared to stock. Many consider this the most engaging and dynamic-sounding pad for the HD6X0 line.

**4. Dekoni Elite Hybrid**
* **Material:** A combination of materials: solid sheepskin on the outside, velour on the face (the part that touches your skin), and fenestrated sheepskin on the inside.
* **Comfort:** Superb. You get the soft, breathable feel of velour on your face with the isolation and premium look of sheepskin.
* **Sound:** A true hybrid sound. You get the bass slam of sheepskin, the comfort and familiar midrange presentation of velour, and the airy treble of fenestrated pads. It’s a well-balanced signature that enhances the fun-factor without straying as far from the original tuning as solid sheepskin.

#### ZMF Universe Pads

ZMF is known for its boutique headphones and premium earpads. Their “Universe” pads fit the HD6X0 series and are considered a top-tier upgrade.

* **Material:** Available in many options, with Perforated Lambskin and Perforated Suede being the most popular choices for open-back headphones like the Sennheisers.
* **Comfort:** Absolutely top-class. The foam is slow-rebounding memory foam, and the materials are second to none.
* **Sound:** ZMF pads are generally known for enhancing soundstage and imaging. The perforated versions on an HD6X0 tend to widen the soundscape, improve instrumental separation, and add a sense of “air” and detail. The bass remains tight and controlled, and the midrange clarity is often improved. They are less about changing the core signature and more about refining and elevating it, making everything sound a bit more spacious and precise.

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### Conclusion: Which Pad Should You Choose?

There is no single “best” pad; it’s all about your personal goal.

* **For the Purist:** Buy **Genuine Sennheiser Stock Pads**. This is the only way to hear the headphone exactly as it was intended.
* **For a Near-Stock Alternative:** **Dekoni Elite Velour** gets you incredibly close with excellent build quality.
* **For the Bass Lover:** **Dekoni Elite Sheepskin (Solid)** will transform your HD6X0 into a warmer, bassier headphone with more impact and isolation.
* **For an Exciting, “V-Shaped” Sound:** **Dekoni Fenestrated Sheepskin** provides a fun, dynamic listening experience with boosted bass and treble.
* **For the Ultimate Refinement:** **ZMF Universe Perforated Pads** are a premium choice for widening the soundstage and improving technical performance without drastically altering the beloved core sound.

Pad rolling is one of the most effective and reversible mods you can perform. It’s a fantastic way to breathe new life into an old favorite or tailor its sound perfectly to your taste. Happy listening