Looking forward to pad comparisons. Interested in getting a pair of either the pre-porduction or the latest ones for my HE-400. Based on trying out the 560 a couple of months ago, I'd get the pads even for comfort alone.

yup, hans posted it earleir

Pre-production pads: http://head-direct.com/Products/?act=detail&id=203#

Production pads: http://head-direct.com/Products/?act=detail&id=198

How did you find the HE-560 pads compare to the "original" HE-[whatever] pads? It's just hard for me to tell with pictures if they're thicker, angled, softer, etc.

How did you find the HE-560 pads compare to the "original" HE-[whatever] pads? It's just hard for me to tell with pictures if they're thicker, angled, softer, etc.

The new hybrid pads are mildly angled (10~15 degrees maybe), with the thinnest parts just a hair thinner than the pleathers without foam insert, and thickest parts a hair thicker than velours + foam insert.

The internal foam used with the hybrid pads are substantially softer than any used in previous Hifiman pads, I think it might actually be the same foam used in J$ pads (it's a blue-coloured medium-density non-memory foam).

AFAIK the velour fabric used on the face-touching surface of the hybrid parts is superior to velours used on velour pads, I've been using these since March and still it has not become itchy at all.

I find Focus-A pads more comfortable than Focus pads, because the former is lipped and curves in on the underside for the ears to tuck into, while the latter forms a cylindrical inner wall so the ears have to tuck against that.

Quote from: jerg on July 09, 2014, 07:16:23 AM

The new hybrid pads are mildly angled (10~15 degrees maybe), with the thinnest parts just a hair thinner than the pleathers without foam insert, and thickest parts a hair thicker than velours + foam insert.

The internal foam used with the hybrid pads are substantially softer than any used in previous Hifiman pads, I think it might actually be the same foam used in J$ pads (it's a blue-coloured medium-density non-memory foam).

AFAIK the velour fabric used on the face-touching surface of the hybrid parts is superior to velours used on velour pads, I've been using these since March and still it has not become itchy at all.

I find Focus-A pads more comfortable than Focus pads, because the former is lipped and curves in on the underside for the ears to tuck into, while the latter forms a cylindrical inner wall so the ears have to tuck against that.

jorg!   

But what about the differences in the sound?!

Differences between the new hybrid pads and what?