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NuclearCore
203
Mar 30, 2021
checkVerified Buyer
A mixed bag. (All four pairs of earpads tested)
Alright, I have taken it upon myself to purchase every single pair of earpad that's offered here and have spent a lot of my time during the last few days swapping back and forth between earpads to get an opinion on how every one of them changes the sound of the headphones. They all have one thing in common though, which is comfort, and the mounting system, but I will go more in detail in this review. One thing I want to note before we get into it, I use these headphones primarily at my desk, via Bluetooth. I occasionally plug them in via USB C. I haven't commuted or travelled with these because of obvious reasons. I work from home and I barely take these headphones outside. Now, with that out of the way, let's talk about the pads. Note: This review is pre-SoundID update. Everything I refer to in terms of sound is corresponding to either the stock Frequency response curve or Oratory1990's EQ. However, due to the flat studio reference curve Sonarworks provides via SoundID being quite similar to Oratory's EQ, some of it can be applied to this review.

What they all have in common:

Comfort. All of the replacement pads don't have this weak fast rebounding foam cushioning, they all have more firm slow rebound memory foam. This is a good thing, at least in my opinion. They add a little more clamping pressure because they're deeper and resist a little bit more than the stock pads. They're deeper? Yes, they have slightly different dimensions compared to the stock pads. The space around your ears is slightly bigger with these pads, both in width and in depth. If you have larger ears and the stock earpads provide discomfort but you like everything else about the Panda, you might have more luck getting a comfortable fit with either of the replacement earpads. It does make a difference. I won't go into detail on comfort in the different earpad sections because all there is to be said, has been said here. The mounting system. In theory, this mounting system is genious. Unclip them, put on other pads and clip them back in. In practice, this is the most inconsistent part about all of the pads. Removing them is pretty straight forward and you can get used to it the more often you do it. All you have to do is put your fingers inside the earcup on either side and feel for the plastic. Then insert your fingers under the plastic and apply pressure upwards, away from the headphone and also to the side, like you want to shove them off of the headphone towards the edge. Once one side is off, you do the same thing on the opposite side and you're done. No tools required. What's bad about the mounting system is getting the pads to actually click in place. The left and right side are, again, very straight forward and getting the clicking sound is easy. Apply pressure over the clips and it clicks. However, there are also clips on the top and bottom and it's merely a gamble if you can get them to click or not. I've tried everything, applying an uncomfortable amount of pressure to the clips, nothing. Trying to get the top and bottom to click before the sides, nothing. Now, it's not like you can't get them to click, but it's pretty inconsistent and random. Sometimes you get a click right away, no matter what clips are already in place, sometimes you have to try a bit harder and it'll eventually click, sometimes it doesn't at all. However, it's not that big of a deal if the top and bottom click or not, if you press down on the clips, the adhesive will keep them in place, as long as you don't pull on the parts of the pad the clips are hidden under. Time will tell how long it'll take for the adhesive to dry out and not work anymore, especially when you have pads lying around that aren't attached to anything. Covers would've been nice. I store mine in a box. Now, for the first contender, the sheepskin earpads: This was the easiest one to get out of the way because the sound and passive isolation is very, very similar to the stock pads. However, because since I've applied Oratory 1990's EQ on my headphones, I still don't like the sound signature when the EQ is turned off. But this can also be circumvented by applying said EQ. It still works as well as on the stock earpads because sound signature, to my ear, is the same. If you're fine with the frequency response of the stock pads, you'll like this one. But on the other hand.. you already have earpads that do exactly that. Soundstage, however is a little different from the stock pads. Due to slightly different dimensions, the space inside the earcup is a little bigger, making the soundstage feel ever so slightly wider, even if the purchasing site of the pads doesn't mention it. Verdict: If you want (almost) the exact same sound signature as the stock pads, be it with an EQ designed for the stock pads, or because you like the stock frequency response, but want a more comfortable wearing experience, get these. I would imagine that this is a fairly niche target audience so if you're fine with the stock pads and have no complaints, you're better off staying with the stock pads. If not, read on! Second, the fenestrated sheepskin earpads: These are the worst of the bunch. Now that I've got that out of the way, let's talk about why. They change the sound a bit. But to the worse. They give a little more high end, but the sound is still pretty veiled overall, similar to the stock and sheepskin earpads. The low end is a little receded, but the lower midrange bloat is still present. However, in this case, if you don't like the stock frequency response and the little added high end doesn't do it for you, applying an EQ that's made for the stock earpads won't work without adjusting it. Highs get sibilant and harsh pretty quickly on these, if an EQ for the stock pads is applied. If you liked the stock frequency response on the other side, you won't like these either because the low end that's already a little lacking on the stock pads is even less present on these. On the other hand, you get a little more detail out of them, for what it's worth. But you also get less passive sound isolation because of the perforations all over the pads, making them not really viable for commutes or travels. In terms of soundstage, they don't offer much more soundstage than the sheepskin earpads do. It's barely noticeable. Compared to the stock earpads however, it is definitely noticeable. But so is the difference on the regular sheepskin pads. Verdict: I don't quite know who these might be for. They don't change the sound a lot, but they do change enough to make the overall sound worse for both the people who like the stock sound and the ones who slapped an EQ on their headphones. Even for people who would want a bigger soundstage, every other pad has similar soundstage, if not better. Just.. don't get these. You're better off with another pair. Continuing on.. Third, the hybrid velour earpads: I like these the most of all of them. They actually change the sound in a meaningful way. If you're a fan of the stock frequency response, they might not be for you. But for people who like a more balanced sound, these are the ones to get. They have the same low end response as the stock pads do, but with much less of the lower midrange bloat, surprisingly. They also add quite a bit of detail in the high end, making them sound really close to Oratory 1990's EQ.. without the EQ applied. Applying the EQ makes them sound a little harsh on the higher frequencies and it adds a little more low end, just like on the stock pads, but removes a little too much from the midrange in my opinion, making them sound thin. These pads are for the ones who used to have to apply an EQ to the headphones to reveal more detail and remove bloat in the lower midrange. They do (almost) exactly that. But it has to be noted, that they're a little worse in terms of passive noise isolation, but nowhere near as bad as the fenestrated sheepskin pads. You might get away with commuting / travelling with these, but it might not be quite as nice as with the stock pads or the sheepskin ones. Soundstage is also a strong suit of these pads. They offer the same increase in soundstage as the sheepskin pads, but even more. They widen the sound a lot compared to the stock pads, and it's even noticeable when comparing to the sheepskin pads. It's most likely not as wide as some nice open back headphones, but it's wider than I've ever heard while still isolating from outside noise, which is what I want from a closed back headphone, so that's a win in my book. Verdict: If you want a more flat sound on the Panda and you've been EQ'ing them to get that sound out of them, get these pads. I feel fairly confident in saying that you won't need an EQ anymore with these. They are 100% worth their money, at least in my opinion. However, they might not be ideal when you're planning on travelling or commuting with them, but you'll have to find out about that yourself. And lastly, the 'elite' velour earpads: These pads offer a truly flat frequency response. However, deep bass is almost not present anymore, the whole midrange spectrum is still strong across the board and highs are sparkly. If you want your Panda to sound like that, look no further. But I personally prefer the sound that the hybrid velour pads provide. Applying Oratory's EQ to these pads is almost comical, because highs get very harsh, mids are very not present anymore and you still get no bass, no matter how much the headphone tries. They sound very thin with that EQ. But like with the hybrid velour pads, you will likely not need an EQ to make them sound nice, to begin with. What I can also say is that passive noise isolation is completely out of the window with these. You can hear everything through them, just like I hear my keyboard typing this part of the review right now. These will most likely not be your travelling / commuting pads, unless you like being aware of your surroundings and have music not be a focus. I would use these only at home in quiet environments. Soundstage on these is very similar to the hybrid velour pads. I can't notice a difference between the two, no matter how much I try, but soundstage is pretty wide on both of them anyway. Verdict: If you want a more balanced sound signature on your headphone, get the hybrid velour pads. That's it. You get pretty much everything you have on the hybrid velour pads, along with no isolation and less bass. Sure, the frequency response is even more flat, but the usually fun headphone turns into a pretty boring one. Overall conclusion: If I had to recommend any of the pads from my point of view, I would get the hybrid velour pads for at home listening and the sheepskin pads for travelling, along with an EQ. Anything else is pretty much a waste of money. And if you're the kind of person that likes the Panda as is, you would save a little more money by only getting the sheepskin pads to improve comfort, if you have issues with that. I've been listening to music during the writing of this whole review, switching the pads according to which one I was describing at the time, so listening memory was very fresh. I hope this helped you making a buying decision on one of the pads, or even stopped you from buying any one of them because you like the stock pads. And I wish there was a Yes and No option of recommending a product on this review page. Oh well. Have a good day!
(Edited)
Recommends this product? Yes
zinkus
121
Mar 30, 2021
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NuclearCoreThanks! This review has all that I was looking for about these pads!
Mar 30, 2021
NuclearCore
203
Mar 30, 2021
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zinkusYou're very welcome! If Drop can't do their job right, someone has to.
Mar 30, 2021
Lunar-tide
9
Apr 5, 2021
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NuclearCorePretty useful Stuff. Tbh I exude alot of heat to i cant wear the pandas for more than an hour before my ears become superhot and sweat. I am kinda trying to figure out which pads are cooler to wear outdoors for high tem,p ears like mine and for leisure commuting that's less noisy i.e. parks or quiet strolls.
Apr 5, 2021
NuclearCore
203
Apr 6, 2021
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Lunar-tideIn that case, either the hybrid velour or the elite velour pads should be fine, while the elite velour would be the safest bet. They are really breathable. The hybrid velour is also more breathable than sheepskin or stock, but not quite as much. The fenestrated sheepskin pad is also more breathable but it's still quite a waste of money in my opinion.
Apr 6, 2021
Noldir
82
Apr 15, 2021
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NuclearCoreAwesome review! In your opinion, with the default pads isolating 100%, I'm guessing the sheepskins also get that 100% isolation? But how much percentage less, would you say, do the hybrid velours have in terms of isolation compared to stock?
Apr 15, 2021
NuclearCore
203
Apr 16, 2021
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NoldirGood question! You guessed right, the sheepskin pads are pretty much indistinguishable from the stock pads in terms of isolation. In terms of the hybrid velour, I feel like I heard my keyboard a little bit louder, it's noticeable but not a whole lot. To be safe, I would say that isolation is about 70-80% of the stock pads. I can't speak for isolation in noisy environments because I haven't used the headphone in those circumstances at all, yet. I also haven't swapped my earpads ever since writing this review so I'm just going off my memory. I could re-compare them again if you want me to.
(Edited)
Apr 16, 2021
Noldir
82
Apr 16, 2021
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NuclearCoreDon't trouble yourself, but thank you for the offer! :) I've equalized my headphones to a more "fun" U-profile on soundId. Would that still work with the hybrid velours in your opinion?
Apr 16, 2021
NuclearCore
203
Apr 16, 2021
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NoldirI wouldn't know why it wouldn't work to equalize the hybrid velour pads. The main issue I see with equalization via the SoundID app is that the base frequency response that you're equalizing is flat. And that flat profile is made to fit the stock pads. It works well with the sheepskin pads too, because they essentially have roughly the same frequency response, but my main concern is that there is no compensation for the different sound signatures of the pads. You will just have to adjust your EQ to what sounds good to you. And what you'll end up with will likely not resemble a 'U-shaped' profile anymore.
Apr 16, 2021
SpaghettiOs
4
Apr 28, 2021
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NuclearCore@NuclearCore Thanks for the awesome reviews! My main concern is comfort. With the stock pads, my ears touch the inside of the earcups. A review above said the hybrid velour pads had a bit more interior space. I assume this is because of the different memory foam. Could you comment on whether or not the sheepskin cups offer the same extra ear space? I guess I'm that niche audience that likes the feel / noise isolation of the stock pads but just need a little extra comfort.
Apr 28, 2021
NuclearCore
203
Apr 28, 2021
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SpaghettiOsYes, all of the earpads offer the same slightly larger interior space. You'll have to see for yourself if the additional space is enough for your ears to not hit the insides of the earcups though.
Apr 28, 2021
Coalbus
1
May 1, 2021
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NuclearCoreThis is exactly the review I needed to see, thank you. Glad to know that the hybrid pads maintain the low end and provide sparkle up top, plus the added benefit of not having sweaty leatherish stuff against my head. With the stock pads I end up literally dripping sweat after less than 30 minutes if I'm doing anything other than sitting perfectly still. I hate leather pads on any headphones, which is unfortunate because leather usually maintains the best bass response. Thanks again for the detailed review.
May 1, 2021
NuclearCore
203
May 2, 2021
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CoalbusI'm glad my review helped you out!
May 2, 2021
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