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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-27 · 8 min read · Independent comparison
• BRAINWAVZ biggest strength: An angled, extra-thick memory foam build with a large mounting flap that fits a long list of oval headphones — it's an upgrade pad, not just a spare.
• BRAINWAVZ biggest trade-off: Because it's designed to fit many models, you have to check the dimension chart and mounting system against your own headphone before buying; a universal fit is never a guaranteed fit.
• Hmoke biggest strength: Purpose-built for one model — the JBL E55BT — with a soft protein leather and slow-rebound memory foam cushion, plus a plastic removal tool included for a tool-free swap.
• Hmoke biggest trade-off: Narrow compatibility. If your headphone isn't the E55BT, this pad simply isn't for you.
• Who each is for: BRAINWAVZ for tinkerers and owners of ATH-M50x, HM5, HyperX Cloud, AKG, Shure, Sony and similar oval headphones who want a thicker, angled fit. Hmoke for anyone whose JBL E55BT pads have flattened out and who wants a simple, model-matched replacement.
The defining feature here is the angle. The pad is thicker at the rear than at the front, which changes how the whole headphone sits on your head — the driver ends up slightly angled toward your ear canal rather than firing straight in. In my opinion that's the single most interesting thing about this pad, because it's the kind of change you normally only get by buying a different headphone entirely. Combined with high-grade memory foam inside and a protein PU leather outer, the goal is a more contoured, natural fit than a flat stock pad.
The other half of the story is compatibility. BRAINWAVZ lists this pad as suitable for Audio-Technica ATH-M50, M50x, M50xBT, M40x, M30x, MSR7NC, A900X, AD900X, R70x and more, plus AKG K551 and K553, Shure SRH440 and SRH840, Takstar, Ultrasone, several Sony models including the MDR-1A, MDR-V6 and MDR-ZX770BN, Fostex T50RP variants and the Monoprice 8323. That's a broad net. The mechanism that makes it possible is a large mounting flap on the rear of the pad, which lets it wrap onto many different headphone mounting systems.
Hmoke Replacement Ear Pads: Who It's For
Hmoke takes the opposite approach, and honestly it's the smarter one for a lot of people. These pads are designed specifically for the JBL E55BT — no universal mounting flap, no dimension chart to cross-reference, no guessing. The listing is blunt about it: confirm your headphone model before purchase. When it matches, you get a cushion that's stated to be the same shape as the original, so the fit and seal behave the way the headphone was built to behave.
The materials are the selling point in their own right: high-density slow-rebound memory foam wrapped in soft protein leather. Slow-rebound foam is the type that compresses gradually and springs back slowly, which is exactly what you want if you wear headphones for hours — it spreads pressure instead of concentrating it. Hmoke describes the result as comfortable even during long wear, with no swelling and no pain, and soft from the first time you put them on. I can't verify that personally, but the material spec is consistent with that claim.
The practical detail I like most is the included plastic tool. Removing old earpads is the part people dread, because you're usually prying at a plastic ring with your fingernails and hoping nothing snaps. Having a dedicated pry tool in the box turns a fiddly job into a few-minute task. Hmoke also backs the pads with a 30-day refund or replacement policy and says it responds to questions within 24 hours.
Who should buy it: JBL E55BT owners, full stop. If your pads are flaking, flattened or just grimy, this is a clean, low-risk refresh that restores the headphone's original look and feel. Who should skip it: everyone else. If you own an ATH-M50x or an HM5, this pad is not made for your headphone, and forcing a model-specific pad onto the wrong headphone is how you end up with a bad seal and thin sound.
• Best for improving soundstage and fit on an ATH-M50x, HM5, HyperX Cloud or similar oval headphone → BRAINWAVZ Angled Earpads, because the angled, thicker memory foam changes the driver angle and the ear-to-driver distance.
• Best for a JBL E55BT that needs new cushions → Hmoke Replacement Ear Pads, because they're built for that model and stated to match the original shape.
• Best for ease of installation → Hmoke, since the plastic removal tool is included and the process is described as a few minutes with no special tools.
• Best for long-session comfort on a wide range of headphones → BRAINWAVZ, given the high-grade memory foam and the extra thickness that keeps your ears further from the driver.
• Best for buyers who don't want to measure anything → Hmoke, provided you own the E55BT; BRAINWAVZ requires you to check the compatibility list and dimension chart.
• Best for keeping an older headphone alive → both, but Hmoke states it directly: a simple pad swap gives your old headphones a brand-new look.
• Best for someone with several different headphones → BRAINWAVZ, because one pad design covers many brands and models.
• Best for a no-risk purchase → Hmoke if you have the E55BT, thanks to the 30-day refund or replacement policy.
If I had to pick one, I'd buy the BRAINWAVZ Angled Earpads — but only because of who I am as a buyer. I like the idea of a pad that changes how a headphone feels and sounds rather than just replacing what wore out, and the angled, extra-thick memory foam design does something a flat stock pad can't. If you own a JBL E55BT, though, my recommendation flips entirely: buy the Hmoke pads. A model-specific pad that's stated to match the original shape is the right answer when your only goal is restoring a headphone you already like. Match the pad to your headphone first, then to your ambitions.
can you sleep with over ear headphones
You can wear over-ear headphones in bed, but it's not ideal, and the pad design matters a lot. Thicker, bulkier cushions like the BRAINWAVZ angled pads are less suited to lying on your side, since the extra depth creates more pressure against your head. A slimmer, model-matched cushion such as the Hmoke set for the JBL E55BT sits closer to the head, which is generally more manageable. Either way, the safest approach is to avoid pressing the headband or pads hard against a pillow.
how to wear over ear headphones
Put them on with the headband centered on top of your head, not tilted forward or back, and make sure the L and R markings match your ears. The pads should sit flat against your head all the way around, with your ears fully inside the cushion opening rather than folded against the driver. With angled pads like the BRAINWAVZ set, the thicker side goes toward the rear of your head — that's what creates the angled driver position the design is built around. Adjust each side of the headband evenly so both ears get the same seal.
how to wear over ear headphones properly
Proper wear means a complete seal with even pressure. If one side feels looser, adjust the slider on that side rather than pushing the whole headband off-center. The cushion should compress slightly against your head without pinching, and your ears shouldn't touch the driver mesh. If you've just swapped pads — with either the BRAINWAVZ or the Hmoke set — give the memory foam a few minutes to warm and conform, since slow-rebound foam softens as it takes your shape.
how should over ear headphones fit
They should feel snug but not tight, with the headband taking most of the weight and the pads providing a light, even seal. Your ears should sit fully inside the cushion opening with no contact against the driver, and you should be able to wear them for a long session without sore spots. If the pads press hard against your temples or your ears touch the inside mesh, the cushion is either too thin or the fit is wrong — which is exactly the situation a thicker, conforming memory foam pad is designed to solve.
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