Review on Memory Foam Ear Pad Cushions for ATH M50X, M50BT, Steelseries Arctis, Pro Wireless & Stealth, HyperX Cloud, AKG, SHURE & More Headphones - Brainwavz Replacement Earpads (Brown) by Jason Arkin

I bought these because the standard leather overlays on my pair of Audio-Technica ATH M40X were starting to delaminate and becoming extremely sticky. I never thought standard pads were uncomfortable, but I've seen online that they're advertised as a significant improvement in comfort. I can confirm that they are definitely a lot more comfortable than standard pillows; These Brainwavz cushions are much larger so they fit better on the ear, offer more breathability and don't sweat or heat up even after hours of use. They can be a pain to install, but once in place they stay put. The main issue I had was that they drastically turn down the headphone volume. Because they are much thicker, the speakers are farther away, so the volume isn't as loud and the sound quality is a bit different. I found that I preferred the sound they offer over standard pads after listening to them for a while; the extra space makes the music less fatiguing at high and low frequencies, and overall the music doesn't seem to come from the head but from the outside. However, this is definitely a personal choice and I have no doubt some will find the sound lower. I recommend them, but if you're worried about a drop in sound quality, there are brands that make similar products, Audio-Technica headphones, which should basically keep the sound the same.