Headphones - are they consumables?

[mikealdren]

Many years ago I had a decent pair of mid-range Sennheiser phones. I've forgotten which model. One day I discovered they were consumable in a particular way when our daughter's pet rabbit, which was sometimes allowed to roam free in the living room, gnawed through the cable, rendering them useless.

Most Sennheiser phones have plug in (replaceable) leads...

[gurnemanz]

Most Sennheiser phones have plug in (replaceable) leads...

I dont think my ones did.

[cat]

I got my sewing kit out this morning to repair my AKG451s which have fantastic sound quality for the price but after only two years are on their third cable and now this:



They no longer make cabled on-air headphones so I'm not sure what I'll do if these die.

[Bryn]

I dont think my ones did.

Most of the Sennheisers I have come across, apart from the lower end 'sports' types, have connectors that plug into the transducers after the fashion below:

[Pulcinella]

I got my sewing kit out this morning to repair my AKG451s which have fantastic sound quality for the price but after only two years are on their third cable and now this:

...

They no longer make cabled on-air headphones so I'm not sure what I'll do if these die.

Replacement earpads are available (as you probably know) if your stitching doesn't work:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ake-Replacement-Cushions-K416P-Headphone-Black/dp/B01F6MV62M

[Dave2002]

Most of the Sennheisers I have come across, apart from the lower end 'sports' types, have connectors that plug into the transducers after the fashion below:

My HD201s which are/were cheap and cheerful don't have plugs like that.

However, trying to check this, I did discover that the foam is easy to unclip - and not too difficult to clip back, so if new replacement foam pads are available, it would be possible to replace them.
It seems a lot easier than the rather more expensive Beyerdynamic set which is still languishing, but not actually made it to the dump yet.

[Pulcinella]

My HD201s which are/were cheap and cheerful don't have plugs like that.

However, trying to check this, I did discover that the foam is easy to unclip - and not too difficult to clip back, so if new replacement foam pads are available, it would be possible to replace them.
It seems a lot easier than the rather more expensive Beyerdynamic set which is still languishing, but not actually made it to the dump yet.

You might be in luck:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/kwmobile-Earpads-Sennheiser-HD201-HD201S-black/dp/B07GT1X6ND

[Dave2002]

Thanks for that. I may buy a pair of those to keep the 201s going for another decade or so! I also have a pair of 202s - I bought those as fairly cheap headsets for use when I was in a work environment - I'll check those out too.

[LHC]

Pads still available according to the Sennheiser website. (Do let me know if you ever consider getting rid of your 414s.....)

On further inspection, I have found that I still have an HD400, in need of new pads, but otherwise fine, and an HD420, but no 414s. The foam inlays for the HD420 have completely gone. Unlike most Sennheiser headphones, there are no replacement pads available for the HD420. It appears to be possible to replace the foam pads, but this is rather involved, as you also need to replace the foam behind the drivers as well as the pads, and the headphones have to be dismantled in order to do so.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

When the pads perished on my wonderful Sennheiser HD540 headphones, the replacement pads were easy to get hold of, but could just be slotted into place. They had to be glued, and I was very worried that I might bodge the job. Fortunately, it all went well, and I still use headphones, which are now over 35 years old.

[Keraulophone]

I also use an excellent pair of rather elderly Stax - like having a small pair of Quad electrostatic speakers on your ears! One puzzle though - if anyone can answer - it makes no difference if I have their (solid state) energiser turned on or off. They still work regardless and I can hear no difference in the quality of sound!

My Stax definitely require their (valve) energiser to work at all, though I can’t vouch for solid state versions like your unit. After power-up, a red light flashes for around fifteen seconds as the valves heat up, then the sound comes through after a click. Turning the power off results in the sound breaking up and a smorzando al fine. I’d be somewhat vexed to have bought new valves if the amp wasn’t even needed!

[Lordgeous]

Its a mystery. I must investigate further!