Dekoni Earpads for Sennheiser HD 600 / 650 / 6XX / 58X Series

The HD 600 and HD 650 have been reference-tier open-back headphones for over twenty years. The Drop 6XX is the same HD 650 platform at 150 ohm rather than 300, tuned for easier desktop amp pairing. The 58X is the more forward-midrange variant of the same family. All four share the same ear cup geometry, so all six Dekoni options fit all four models.

Stock Sennheiser velour pads are good. They are also twenty-year-old industrial velour, and they compress, shed, and eventually need replacing. The question is what to replace them with, which depends on what you want the headphone to do differently.

What each material does

Choice Leather: Protein leather over memory foam. Seals the cup against the ear better than velour does. The acoustic result is more bass weight and a tighter low end, at the cost of some of the open, airy character that makes these headphones what they are. Warmer physically as well. A reasonable choice if the stock presentation felt lean or if you want more low-end body.

Choice Suede: Microsuede outer, memory foam fill. Sits closer to velour in both feel and acoustics: airier than leather, more breathable. The original character of the HD 600/650 comes through with less editorialising than the leather option. Good middle ground between premium feel and sonic neutrality.

Elite Velour: Higher-grade velour than stock, with a thicker memory foam fill. The most conservative acoustic pick: preserves the original presentation as faithfully as a pad swap can, while improving durability and pressure distribution. If you want the HD 600 to sound like the HD 600 and last longer, this is the answer.

Elite Sheepskin: Real sheepskin leather, solid face toward the driver. More premium feel than protein leather. Seals the cup firmly, which brings more bass and slightly more isolation than you would expect from an open-back. Durable, and the leather ages well.

Elite Fenestrated Sheepskin: Same sheepskin, but the face toward the driver is perforated. The perforations reduce the isolation effect of a solid seal, keeping the soundstage wider and the high-frequency response closer to the open character of stock velour. Sheepskin build quality without closing down the sound. The best option if you want a leather pad that does not sound like a leather pad.

Elite Hybrid: Velour face, memory foam fill, protein leather sides. Designed to combine the acoustic openness of velour with the durability and thermal comfort of leather surrounds. The most popular option for listeners who run warm or who use these headphones for long daily sessions. Balanced between neutrality and practicality.

All drop-in fit. Genuine Dekoni pads, stocked and sold by Arachne Audio in Tallinn.