Pad Swapping Amiron Homes (Dekoni Pads)

[ThisIsJimmy]

Hello

As some of you aware, I've owned the Amiron Homes for a while now. These headphones have delivered disappointment in heartbreak since purchase. I have tried:

- EQ (from the music players such as JRIVER, Foobar 2000, Windows Media Player, Win AMP, Itunes
- EQ from Equaliser applications (Equalizer APO being the best)
- Running them in balanced
- Running through different audio devices (Creative EA5, Topping D90/A90 and Beyerdynamics own Impacto Universal)

I was on the verge of selling them, but on watching Zeos video on Pad swapping, I purchased Dekoni Beyerdyanmic pads: The Dekoni Choice Suede, Dekoni Choice Leather and Dekoni Elite Hybrids for my DT880s and MMX Gen IIs. Based on the surprising positive results in line with his review, I tested them on the Amiron Homes but with less stellar results as you will see below.

With my intention to own the DT1990 Pros into the near future, (and seeming abundancce of Beyer headphones in my collection), I have purchased the rest of the Dekoni Pads with the last throw of the dice to test these on the Amirons before selling them if this didn't work. As Beyers appear to respond to PAD swapping I still had hope. Below are the results that I'd like to share with you.

I tested this using my Topping A90 and Topping D90 running via USB. after testing Single Ended and Balanced, I got the best results using High Gain and a Balanced cable. Be warned though that these are High Sensitivity Headphones, so you will need to watch the volume.

Ratings explained:
No recommendation = worse than stock - don't buy
+ Offers a sound that's better than stock
++ Recommended purchase

Any bullet points with + or - indicate positive or negative specific feedback

Stock Pads (Valour)

• Ok Dynamics and upper range imaging - suits pop and rock
• Lacks sub base - low end bass is boosted for 'drum' kicks and high ends for 'cymbals'.
• Although it's supposed to be a headphone based on Mids, The boosted bass has taken out the lower mids.
• Highs suffer from sibilance, especially in high pitch female vocals
• REOLs music painfully highlights this and imaging inconsistencies in the low and mid-ranges.
• Reol good for testing as lots of complex dynamics and different instruments.
• pads leak sound as the seal is not perfect against my ear, but they are comfortable though
• As Zeos has said....the overall sound is very Barry White.

Elite Valour (The stock pads Beyerdynamic Should have used) +

• High end not sibilant anymore and offers up more clarity and detail
• Clearer defined Bass and lower mids than stock
• Reol - Opening from No Title+ is handled without issues in imaging or dynamism which exposed the flaws of the stock pads
• Tone slightly feels warmer,
• The sound is relaxing...not harsh in the ears.
• + Offers better isolation around the ears than stock and are comfortable to wear
• + Imaging (might be because of the better isolation)
• All the subtle improvements mean that the sound is no longer Barry White.
• Whilst enjoyable, their are better pads here

Elite Sheepskin (For Rock/Pop...almost everything) ++

• Bass is definitely much more present, and helps to give the sound a much weightier presence
• Doesn't sound as clinical as the Elite Valours or Elite Fenestrated, but enjoyment benefits as a result
• ++ Mids (at last). Lots more detail that isn't present in any of the other pads tested
• Bass and low end mids just 'come alive'.
• ++ Pop songs just 'pop'...much more so than before. Imaging just slaps you in the face! Rich and warm! Listening to Maroon 5, Linking Park, and Taylor Swift brought shivers down my spine.
• + Musicality
• ++ Soundstage has more theatre & great immersion. It's feeels and sounds like being at a live concert or gig
• + Noticeable changes in sound pressure - listening to "Confession / past guilt" from Fate-Stay night [Unlimited Bladeworks] OST. The Atmosphere ripples and tantalises.
• + I can now hear all the low mids-orchestra as well. Brought out nicely in Tyler Bates "Black Tears"
• You have the musical reverberations, but they aren't disjointed like the Elite Hybrids. Some may find them to much.
• ++ Enjoyment. I am subconsiously singing to songs without realising
• + Comfortable to wear and good isolation around the ears
• Not suitable for low bit-rate music or bad recordings. As you can hear much more, it exposes poorly ripped music or bad audio recordings
• Be wary of volume for Dub Step or heavy drum and bass (due to Beyer Driver drum/bass tuning).

Elite Sheepskin Fenestrated (For Classical or flatter listening) ++

• + Sounds are clean and clear. Highs are not as bright as stock or the Elite Valour
• Lacks the theatre warmth and rich sound of the Elite Sheepskin
• + Soundstage....but high and mid soundstage instead Low end 'enhanced' bass has been tamed.
• Focused.
• ++ imaging. Sounds bounce nicely.
• Equalised? Volume is levelled, more neutral and flat. Mastering?? (Don't think it's that flat)
• Exposes shoddy recordings and low bit-rate music
• + Comfortable to wear and good isolation around the ears

Choice Suede (No recommendation)

• - Delivery octave lower in comparison to elite Sheepskin
• - Guitars sounds rough around the edges. Vocals might be clear
• - Sound doesn't sound like it's breathing. Imaging not like the elite sheepskin
• - Sounds are flat.
• Whlst they work with the DT880s, it's not the same effect here.
• + Comfortable to wear and good isolation around the ears
• Work on the Beyerdynamic DT880s, but stear clear here.

Elite Hybrid (No recommendation

• -- Sibiliance exists in the high end. It's a horrible sibilance too.
• The sound is generally clean
• -- Uncomfortable/painful Low end reverberations. Bass reigned in comapred to Elite Sheepskin. Brighter highs return. Brighter than stock (too bright)
• - It's an interesting mix with low to high end, and the boosted bass is reigned in, but also other parts of the Mids are neutralized to create a v shape.
• + Comfortable to wear and good isolation around the ears
• Works on the Beyerdynamic MMX300 Gen II as a mastering pads but not on these cans.

Choice Leather (No recommendation)

• --- Whilst highs are brighter, they are unfortunately full of sibilance. Worse than stock
• -- The middle spectrum has been removed here that the Elite Sheepskin brought to life delightfully
• -- The distortion in different frequencies is grating here with little redemable features.
• - imaging
• - Soundstage
• ++ God like comfort on the head and good isolation around the ears
• Whilst they rock on the Beyerdynamic MMX 300 Gen II, here they are to be avoided.

In conclusion I am extremely happy to say that pad swapping has been more effective than EQ could ever be. I certainly wont be selling these now, and for the last week i've not really worn any of my other headphones. The pads I am using the most are the Elite Sheepskins. I'm having so much fun going through listening to my music collection it's been hard to take them off. When i want it to be more relaxed, i just swap in the Elite Fenestrated Pads. I wont ever be revisiting the stock pads

Jimmy

 

[Friesiansam]

I have been thinking about pad swapping on my Focals. Considering swapping the original microfibre covered pads, for a pair of Dekoni sheepskin elites. Leather covered earpads seem to be the main difference between Elegias and the new Celestee, apart from cosmetic changes. I'm hoping I might find the little extra bass and improved isolation the Celestees apparently offer.

 

[Deleted member 188533]

Great comparison Jimmy.

I have been thinking about pad swapping on my Focals. Considering swapping the original microfibre covered pads, for a pair of Dekoni sheepskin elites. Leather covered earpads seem to be the main difference between Elegias and the new Celestee, apart from cosmetic changes. I'm hoping I might find the little extra bass and improved isolation the Celestees apparently offer.

Focals can certainly benefit from a pad swap. With stock pads the Elear has about a 9db bass boost and a hole in the upper mids. With the Elex ( Clear ) pads that's brought down to almost neutral. This might help as well.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqi54jd83uM

 

[Friesiansam]

Focals can certainly benefit from a pad swap. With stock pads the Elear has about a 9db bass boost and a hole in the upper mids. With the Elex ( Clear ) pads that's brought down to almost neutral. This might help as well.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqi54jd83uM

That was an interesting video, as was the Celestee review that followed it as it was more detailed and informative then the few I found before. It's left me with a few things to think about and maybe the Celestee is worth upgrading to (I'm sure I can recover a few hundred pounds by selling my Elegias).

 

[Deleted member 188533]

Andrew's reviews are generally excellent. And yes Focals tend to hold their value pretty well.

 

[ThisIsJimmy]

I have been thinking about pad swapping on my Focals. Considering swapping the original microfibre covered pads, for a pair of Dekoni sheepskin elites. Leather covered earpads seem to be the main difference between Elegias and the new Celestee, apart from cosmetic changes. I'm hoping I might find the little extra bass and improved isolation the Celestees apparently offer.

From my experience of swapping Beyers, i have found that each different headphone responds differently to the different pads. Their is no 'one size fits all' solution. Likewise I've read and heard that not all manufacturers seem to respond the same either. It depends how much ultimately on.

1. Willingness to invest
2. Willingness to experiment
3. Recommendations/reviews from the community (if they have tested pads in this way for your headphones)

As I have so many Beyers, purchasing all of them made sense. However, I know this wont be the same for everyone.

 

[Friesiansam]

From my experience of swapping Beyers, i have found that each different headphone responds differently to the different pads. Their is no 'one size fits all' solution. Likewise I've read and heard that not all manufacturers seem to respond the same either. It depends how much ultimately on.

1. Willingness to invest
2. Willingness to experiment
3. Recommendations/reviews from the community (if they have tested pads in this way for your headphones)

As I have so many Beyers, purchasing all of them made sense. However, I know this wont be the same for everyone.

Been thinking about this a lot. I'm coming to the conclusion that pad swapping risks becoming a money-pit, with no guarantee any pads I try will actually sound better to me. I have a limited income and, I would rather save the money so I can try the Celestees and, if I like them and thus keep them, sell my Elegias. I don't spend money on booze, fags, drugs, gambling or fast women but, still can't afford to waste money. (Don't think the wife would be impressed with me spending money on fast women...)

 

[Deleted member 188533]

I like slow women better. They're easier to catch!

 

[ThisIsJimmy]

Amen to that

 

[Friesiansam]

@anort3 I've been using my Elegias with a revised EQ, in Foobar2000, based on what is suggested in the video you posted in this thread. Pleased with results, takes them up another notch.

 

[sam77aus]

I have owned the the Amiron Homes for about a year now, I don’t have a retail shop near me to test out different models of headphones so I purchased these as they were highly rated in reviews. This is my first pair of more expensive headphones that I’ve purchased. I enjoy the sound overall, they have good detail and nice soundstage, I find the bass and treble to be satisfying but I’ve always been a bit unhappy with the midrange which seems a bit subdued to me. I’ve persevered with them for some time now but I was seriously considering selling them because of the issue with the midrange. I found this page while browsing the web looking for info on headphones and after reading the post about pad swapping I think I will try out the Dekoni Audio Elite Sheepskin pads and see how they go. So thanks Jimmy for your post!

 

[ThisIsJimmy]

I have owned the the Amiron Homes for about a year now, I don’t have a retail shop near me to test out different models of headphones so I purchased these as they were highly rated in reviews. This is my first pair of more expensive headphones that I’ve purchased. I enjoy the sound overall, they have good detail and nice soundstage, I find the bass and treble to be satisfying but I’ve always been a bit unhappy with the midrange which seems a bit subdued to me. I’ve persevered with them for some time now but I was seriously considering selling them because of the issue with the midrange. I found this page while browsing the web looking for info on headphones and after reading the post about pad swapping I think I will try out the Dekoni Audio Elite Sheepskin pads and see how they go. So thanks Jimmy for your post!

No problems. Just be warned that you have to be wary of the low end 'hump' and watch the volume. Depending on the music you are listening to, it can come across quite aggressively, but I haven't heard anything else yet that generated that live "concert" feel. The Amiron Home are not perfect headphones at all (the Focal Elegia are much better in this price range if you can get them), but it was the best compromise that I could get out of them.

 

[ThisIsJimmy]

I am revisiting my ratings on this thread after several changes in my setup have changed how the Amirons sound.

1. I have swapped the fuse into the Topping A90. When i had my initial issue with the fuse on the Topping, I swapped it with the spare rather than with a 5mm x 20mm 1Amp slow blow fuse they recommended. Since I swapped this over a couple of weeks ago, I have alot more power (i'm now on medium gain for almost everything other than my DT880 600ohm headphones), and the audio resolution is much clearer and cleaner.
2. I abandoned the Ifi Defender I was using after i discovered it was removing mid-range audio sounds.
3. I have changed the standard Topping basic USB Cable to a QED High resolution USB A - USB B lead which has solved a problem with micro drops/Jitter between my laptop and the Topping D90 DAC.

I will report back next week after I have carried out some extensive testing.

 

[sam77aus]

I am currently using a Chord Mojo dac/headphone amp with my Amirons, not sure if this gives optimal performance though.

 

[Gray]

I have swapped the fuse into the Topping A90. When i had my initial issue with the fuse on the Topping, I swapped it with the spare rather than with a 5mm x 20mm 1Amp slow blow fuse they recommended. Since I swapped this over a couple of weeks ago, I have alot more power

What was the issue you had with the fuse Jimmy? Nuisance blowing?
Presumably it was originally an F type? They advised a T type?
But you went with the spare, which was an F type? of the same value?
...and what do you mean you've got a lot more power?
(Apart from having some, where previously there was none ).

 

[ThisIsJimmy]

What was the issue you had with the fuse Jimmy? Nuisance blowing?
Presumably it was originally an F type? They advised a T type?
But you went with the spare, which was an F type? of the same value?
...and what do you mean you've got a lot more power?
(Apart from having some, where previously there was none ).

I'm not sure what what type of fuse was in it Gray. The ones Topping supplied are not marked with any form of indicator to know what they are.

All I know for sure is that I was having to run the AMP at High gain to get detail into my audio which was bizzare, and then after making the change it's been so much happier with medium gain (which is what i would have expected) since. The best way I can think of describing it is running in medium or low gain even on low impedence headphones you could tell audio detail was missing which you could then start to identify at high gain. Since the swap I have also noticed I don't have any issues with highend distortion anymore on even my fussiest of beyers, and it now has plenty of punch and detail at medium gain. The initial supplied fuse did blow, so the one i'd been using since then was another supplied one they had in the backup compartment.

Makes absolutely no sense to me why changing a fuse would make a difference as all it should be doing is protecting the Amp from any abnormal circuit load.

I did wonder if anything had changed with the D90 DAC at all, but after looking through the hidden menu settings to see if anything has changed on volume (which when running natively in DAC mode is not alterable), nothing obvious had changed.

Regardless, that, getting rid of the Ifi Defender, Changing the USB cable and finally changing the DAC filter collectively has made a significant change since I initially wrote this thread that I feel i need to revisit it.

 

[sam77aus]

No problems. Just be warned that you have to be wary of the low end 'hump' and watch the volume. Depending on the music you are listening to, it can come across quite aggressively, but I haven't heard anything else yet that generated that live "concert" feel. The Amiron Home are not perfect headphones at all (the Focal Elegia are much better in this price range if you can get them), but it was the best compromise that I could get out of them.

I received them today and have mixed feelings about them, definitely an improvement in the midrange, there is a lot more warmth and enjoyment to the sound and I find the upper treble is less harsh. The only issue is that on certain tracks I listen to (mainly rock/pop) I find that the the low end is a bit too loud for my preferences. I am thinking about giving the elite sheepskin fenestrated pads a go since they have a flatter frequency profile.

 

[sam77aus]

I received them today and have mixed feelings about them, definitely an improvement in the midrange, there is a lot more warmth and enjoyment to the sound and I find the upper treble is less harsh. The only issue is that on certain tracks I listen to (mainly rock/pop) I find that the the low end is a bit too loud for my preferences. I am thinking about giving the elite sheepskin fenestrated pads a go since they have a flatter frequency profile.

Yep the elite sheepskin fenestrated pads are definitely the best ones so far. I find the EQ about right for my personal preferences. The trade off is slightly less of a warm and rich sound than the elite sheepskins, but still better than the stock pads.