I sit at a computer just about all day long and have been a long-time user of Grado Labs SR80 headphones which I love. I only have two major complaints about the SR80′s which are: 1) the headband is poorly padded and gives me a headache after long listening periods, and 2) the ear pads do not cover my whole ear and tend to rub after long listening periods.
Searching around through various audio forums I discovered that several people have tried using Beyerdynamic replacement headband pads on their Grados. I ordered beyerdynamic part number (sku) 990681 “Replacement headband” from their US website for the cost of $10.00. Shipping was also $10.00 – my pad shipped from Europe and arrived in about 1.5 weeks.
The Beyerdynamic replacement headband is a black, snap-on pad which just happens to fit perfectly on the SR80 (I cannot speak to any other Grado model). There are four snaps along the length of the band, and you simply wrap it over the existing vinyl headband on the Grado. The fit is snug but requires no modification of any kind. After applying the new headband pad, the SR80′s feel much lighter on my head and there is no longer a sharp pressure at the very peak of my head. I have not given them an all day test yet, but even after 1 hour of use, the improvement is night-and-day.
Next month I will purchase some replacement over-the-ear pads for the SR80 and review them then.
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- Grado SR80 with Beyerdynamic replacement headband
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- Beyerdynamic replacement headband snaps on over existing headband
