Replace Those Worn-Out Headphone Ear Pads

One of the first things that breaks down on most headphones is the ear pads. Ear pads break down over time because they’re always exposed to sweat and the natural oils from your skin. Yuck! Fortunately, ear pads are incredibly easy to replace.

New Ear Pads Improve Comfort, Sound, and Looks

While audiophiles are aware of the importance of good ear pads, most people don’t give them a second thought. I’ve tried many different pairs of ear pads over the years, and I honestly believe that they’re one of the most important parts of headphones. For starters, ear pads affect the comfort of your headphones like no other factor.

Old, flattened ear pads can’t provide cushioning and support, so the headphones will slide easily off your ears regardless of how short you adjust the headband, especially if they’re the on-ear type. This happens because ear pads are always compressed against your ears, and because of the constant pressure, the foam inside the ear pads gradually loses the ability to go back to its original state.

Esthetics matter, too. Nothing screams trash headphones like dusty, deteriorated ear pads. Imitation leather cracks, flakes, and peels off as it ages, leaving you with a mess of “headphone dandruff” on your ears, hair, and shirt after each session. Not to mention that ear pads are incredibly gross because they collect a ton of hair and grime, regardless of the material they’re made of. I’ve had imitation leather, mesh, and velour ear pads, and they all get disgusting after a few months of regular use.

Know what else flattened ear pads are good at? Leaking sound. Your music can easily escape through the tiny gaps between your ears and the headphones, which means you get a lower volume and slightly worse sound quality. At the same time, these tiny gaps destroy the noise-isolating properties of closed-back headphones with pleather ear pads.

Fortunately, you can fix all of these issues by installing new ear pads. New ear pads will have thick, bouncy foam that creates a firm seal against your ears for an instant improvement in sound quality and comfort. Plus, you can customize your sound slightly. For instance, you can replace imitation leather with velour or mesh to give the headphones a more open-back sound, or vice versa. As for style, you could grab aftermarket ear pads in a new color so that you can give them a stylish refresh. The possibilities are endless!

Ear Pads Are Cheap and Readily Available

Maybe you never got new ear pads because you thought nobody would make replacements for your random headphone model. The good news is that virtually all the popular headphone models have excellent replacement ear pads available at most online retailers. If Amazon doesn’t have any for your headphones, maybe Aliexpress or Temu has something for you. Plus, some ear pads are universal and can fit almost any model as long as you make sure they’re the right size.

Some premium manufacturers are so well-known that they have their own online stores dedicated to just ear pads, such as Wicked Cushions and Brainwavz. These brands offer moderately expensive ear pads made of premium materials like high-quality sheepskin, memory foam, and velour, so they can be a significant improvement over the original ear pads.

If your headphones are in otherwise good shape and work flawlessly, it makes sense to spend $10–20 on replacement ear pads and squeeze a few more years out of them. Avoid buying the cheapest ear pads available without checking the reviews first; there’s a good chance they’re not good quality and will break down faster than your original pair.

How to Know It’s Time for New Ear Pads

Some say that you should replace ear pads regularly if you want to have the best comfort and sound. Bose suggests replacing ear pads every six months or after 350 hours of use, but I think that’s overkill. First, not all ear pads are made equal. I’ve had the same pair of velour ear pads on my headphones for over four years, and they still feel very firm and comfortable, like the day I bought them. That’s because they’re good quality.

You should replace your ear pads when you start noticing major signs of wear and tear. When they start to flake, they’ll flake fast and a lot, so it’s time to replace them. Also, if they’re noticeably flatter than when they were new, and you start hearing outside noise on imitation leather pads, it’s a sign that you’d benefit from a new pair, even if your current pads still feel comfortable.

While headphones often benefit from a new pair of ear pads, maybe you don’t need to replace them just yet. If your headphones are dirty and grimy but otherwise in good shape, you could just clean them instead. Cloth, mesh, and velour ear pads are very easy to wash. A gentle wash with warm water and laundry detergent is all it takes to make them look and smell like new. Perhaps Bose’s replacement schedule could make for a good laundry routine!