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If you want one set of angled memory foam pads that fits a long list of oval over-ear headphones and changes the feel of the whole headband, choose BRAINWAVZ Angled Earpads; if you need a direct-fit replacement built specifically for the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3, choose YDYBZB Replacement Earpads. That's the short version. The longer version comes down to one thing: how much fit flexibility you actually need.
• BRAINWAVZ Angled Earpads — biggest strength: an angled, thicker-than-stock memory foam cushion with a large rear mounting flap that lets one pad set span a huge range of oval headphones, from ATH-M50x to AKG K551 to Sony MDR-1A.
• BRAINWAVZ Angled Earpads — biggest trade-off: because it's a universal-style pad, fit depends on your specific headphone's cup shape and mounting system, so you have to check the compatibility list and dimensions before ordering.
• YDYBZB Replacement Earpads — biggest strength: a purpose-built fit for one model, the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3, with protein leather, high-density memory foam and clear L/R markings so installation is basically foolproof.
• YDYBZB Replacement Earpads — biggest trade-off: it does not fit other Bowers & Wilkins series, and it won't fit anything else at all.
• Choose BRAINWAVZ if you're reviving or upgrading an oval headphone you already own and want a contoured, angled shape.
• Choose YDYBZB if you own the Px7 S3 and just want the correct pads, in the right shape, with no guesswork.
The defining feature here is the angle. The pad is thicker at the rear than at the front, which Brainwavz describes as creating a more natural, contoured fit against the head. In practice, that angled profile is what separates these from a flat replacement pad — it changes the way the cup sits around your ear, and it's the reason people seek these out rather than buying whatever flat pad happens to match their cup size.
The build is protein PU leather on the outside with high-grade memory foam inside. Brainwavz positions the foam as the reason for both comfort and longer service life, and the design brief is clearly "more cushion than the pad that came in the box." The large mounting flap on the rear is the other practical detail worth knowing about — it's what allows the same pad to be stretched onto a lot of different mounting systems, which is exactly why the compatibility list is so long. Audio-Technica ATH-M50, M50x, M40x, MSR7NC, A900X, AD900X; AKG K551 and K553; Shure SRH440 and SRH840; Sony MDR-1A, MDR-V6, MDR-ZX770BN, MDR-V700; Fostex T50RP and TH-X00; Takstar Pro 80; Ultrasone HF 580. That's a genuine spread, and the pad dimensions — roughly 4.33 x 3.15 x 1.57 inches — are listed so you can sanity-check them against your own cups.
Who should buy it: the person with a pair of oval over-ear headphones whose stock pads have flattened out, or someone who finds their current pads too shallow and wants a deeper, angled cushion. If you own an ATH-M50x or an HM5-style oval can and you've been putting off replacing the pads, this is the straightforward answer.
YDYBZB Replacement Earpads: Who It's For
This one is the opposite philosophy, and that's its whole appeal. YDYBZB builds these pads for exactly one headphone: the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3. The listing is explicit that they are not compatible with other Bowers & Wilkins series, so there's no pretending this is a universal product. If you own the Px7 S3, it fits. If you don't, it doesn't.
The materials are protein leather over high-density memory foam, and YDYBZB frames the high density as the mechanism for the seal — the foam compresses close to the ear contour, which is what gives you the passive noise isolation and the sense of a fuller, more enclosed sound. The full-enclosure design is called out as the reason ambient noise gets blocked, letting you sink into music, podcasts or movies without turning the volume up. That's the classic closed-back trade-off: a tighter seal means better isolation, and a tighter seal also means you feel the pad against your head. YDYBZB addresses the second half of that with a breathable protein leather surface that's meant to keep air moving so long sessions don't turn into pressure points.
Two details I like for real-world use. First, the L/R markings — small thing, but it removes the classic ten minutes of squinting at a pad trying to work out which side is which. Second, the package is simply two black protein leather pads, nothing else to figure out. The pads themselves measure about 3.74 x 2.76 x 0.39 inches, which is a slimmer, flatter profile than the angled BRAINWAVZ set — expected, since these are designed to match the Px7 S3's original shape rather than reshape it. YDYBZB also lists a one-year warranty, which is worth noting because it's the kind of after-sale detail many pad sellers don't mention at all.
Who should buy it: Px7 S3 owners whose pads are worn, flaking, or simply flattened. This is a maintenance purchase, not an experiment. Who should skip it: everyone else. If you're hoping these will fit your PX7, PX8 or any other Bowers & Wilkins model, the listing says no — and it means it.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for a guaranteed match to one specific model → YDYBZB Replacement Earpads. Built for the Px7 S3 and nothing else.
• Best for a contoured, angled shape → BRAINWAVZ Angled Earpads. Thicker at the rear, thinner at the front, more of a sculpted fit.
• Best for passive noise isolation through a snug seal → YDYBZB Replacement Earpads. High-density foam plus full-enclosure geometry is the whole point of the design.
• Best for a slimmer, closer-to-stock profile → YDYBZB Replacement Earpads. Around 0.39 inches thick versus the notably deeper BRAINWAVZ cushion.
• Best for breathing room on long listening sessions → YDYBZB Replacement Earpads. The protein leather is pitched specifically at air circulation and reduced pressure.
• Best for reviving an older oval headphone → BRAINWAVZ Angled Earpads. That's literally the use case Brainwavz describes.
• Best for a no-thinking installation → YDYBZB Replacement Earpads. L/R markings and a single-model fit.
In my opinion, most people searching this comparison own a common oval headphone — an M50x, an SRH840, an MDR-1A — and for them the BRAINWAVZ Angled Earpads are the better buy, because the angled memory foam actually changes how the headphone feels and the compatibility list covers a huge amount of ground. I'd only steer you to the YDYBZB pads if you own the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3, in which case they're the correct, purpose-built answer and I wouldn't talk you out of them. Buy the pad that matches your headphone, not the pad with the longer spec sheet. And check the current price on Amazon before you commit — the button on this page will take you there.
can you sleep with over ear headphones
You can lie down wearing them, but both of these are replacement pads, not sleep headphones, and neither listing is designed for side-sleeping. The BRAINWAVZ pads are around 1.57 inches deep and the YDYBZB pads around 0.39 inches, so the thicker angled set will push harder against a pillow. If you're a back sleeper it's less of an issue; on your side, expect pressure.
how to wear over ear headphones
The cups should sit over your ears, not on them, with the headband resting on the crown of your head. On the YDYBZB pads this is easy to get right because they're marked L and R — put the L pad on your left ear. The BRAINWAVZ angled pads have a thicker rear and thinner front, so orient the thick side behind your ear and the thin side toward your face.
how to wear over ear headphones properly
Properly means the pad seals against your head around the ear without you having to clamp it down. YDYBZB builds the full-enclosure design specifically so the high-density foam can conform and block ambient sound — if you're hearing the room, the seal isn't sitting right. With the BRAINWAVZ pads, the angled profile is meant to follow the natural contour of your head, so if they feel like they're pressing unevenly, check that the angle is oriented front-to-back correctly.
how should over ear headphones fit
Snug but not tight, with even pressure around the ear and no hot spots after an hour. The BRAINWAVZ pads are the deeper, plusher option, so they tend to feel roomier; the YDYBZB pads are slimmer and rely on protein leather plus air circulation to stay comfortable over long sessions. Either way, if you have to press the cups against your head to get bass, the pads aren't seated properly.
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