We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-21 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a replacement earpad set built specifically around the Sony MDR-XB550 family and easy peel-and-stick installation, choose Krone Kalpasmos Sony MDR-XB550; if you need oversized, thick pads for a JBL Tune or JBL Junior on-ear headphone with a lip-in-groove mounting style, choose Voarmaks Soft Thick.
• Krone Kalpasmos Sony MDR-XB550 — biggest strength: Model-specific fit for the Sony MDR-XB550, XB550AP, XB450 and XB450AP, plus a self-adhesive backing that makes the swap a peel-and-stick job.
• Krone Kalpasmos Sony MDR-XB550 — biggest trade-off: It is a Sony-shaped pad, not a universal one, so it is the wrong buy if your headphone is a JBL Tune or Junior model.
• Voarmaks Soft Thick — biggest strength: A larger, thicker, softer cushion that fully envelops the ear, with a thin-edged lip designed for tool-free installation and a stated fit for most 65–70 mm on-ear headphones.
• Voarmaks Soft Thick — biggest trade-off: It is tuned for the JBL Tune and JBL Junior families, so it will not match a Sony XB-series mounting surface.
• Who each pick is for: Krone Kalpasmos for Sony MDR-XB550/XB450 owners refreshing worn pads; Voarmaks for JBL Tune 510BT/520BT/450BT/460BT/500BT and JBL Junior owners who want a bigger, plusher cushion.
This is a purpose-built replacement cushion set. The compatibility list names the Sony MDR-XB550, MDR-XB550AP, MDR-XB450 and MDR-XB450AP directly, and the product data also lists Audio-Technica ATH-M40x, Sony MDR-7506, MDR-XB400, MDR-XB70BT and MDR-ZX110 among compatible headphone models. In other words, this is not a "hope it stretches" pad — it is cut for a known group of Sony on-ears, and the fit is the whole point.
The materials are the second selling point. Krone Kalpasmos uses Malaysian memory foam wrapped in protein leather, sold in black (faux leather is listed as the enclosure material). The stated goal is better sound isolation and a more comfortable long-session fit than tired stock pads, and the dimensions — roughly 72 x 72 x 24 mm, about 22.41 g per item — put these in the standard on-ear replacement bracket rather than the oversized/over-ear category. Installation is self-adhesive: clean off any leftover adhesive from the original pads, peel the backing, press the new cushion into place. No tools, no lip work.
Who should buy it: anyone whose Sony MDR-XB550, XB550AP, XB450 or XB450AP pads have flattened, cracked or started flaking, and who wants a straightforward swap that restores the original profile. The brand also suggests replacing cushions every 7–8 months for hygiene, which matches how quickly protein-leather pads wear in daily use. Who should skip it: if your headphone is a JBL Tune or JBL Junior, this is simply the wrong shape and mounting system — look at the Voarmaks pad instead.
Voarmaks takes the opposite approach: instead of matching one headphone family's original profile, it makes the pad bigger. "Soft Thick Large" is the whole concept — larger dimensions that fully envelop the ear, thick finely-textured protein leather over memory foam, and a plusher feel aimed at all-day listening. If your complaint about your current pads is that they sit on your ears instead of around them, this is the design that answers it.
Two functional claims stand out. First, noise isolation: Voarmaks describes an advanced sealing design that creates a barrier against outside noise, which is the natural by-product of a thicker, better-sealing cushion. Second, bass: the pad is described as specially engineered for deeper low frequencies, which matters on JBL Tune models that already lean toward a bass-forward tuning. Neither claim is a measurement, but both follow logically from a thicker, tighter-sealing cushion, and that is exactly what buyers of thick pads are shopping for.
Installation is different from the Krone pad. There is no adhesive here — the thin-edged design means you insert the lip into the groove on the headphone, no tools required. That is a genuinely easier and more reversible method, and it is also why the Voarmaks pad only works on headphones with that groove-style mount. Compatibility is stated as JBL Tune 510BT, 520BT, 450BT, 460BT and 500BT, plus JBL Junior 320, 320BT, JR 300BT and 310BT, and it is said to fit most 65–70 mm on-ear headphones. Sold as a single count in black, with a warranty listed.
Who should buy it: JBL Tune and JBL Junior owners who find the stock pads thin, want more cushion between their ears and the driver, and prefer a lip-in-groove install they can redo without adhesive. Who should skip it: Sony XB-series owners — the mounting style and dimensions do not line up.
• Best for Sony MDR-XB550 / XB550AP / XB450 / XB450AP owners → Krone Kalpasmos Sony MDR-XB550, because the fit is model-specific rather than approximate.
• Best for JBL Tune 510BT, 520BT, 450BT, 460BT, 500BT and JBL Junior owners → Voarmaks Soft Thick, which names those models directly.
• Best for maximum ear coverage and plushness → Voarmaks Soft Thick, thanks to its larger, thicker, ear-enveloping cushion.
• Best for the simplest possible install → Voarmaks Soft Thick, since the lip-in-groove design needs no tools and no cleanup.
• Best for restoring an original Sony profile → Krone Kalpasmos Sony MDR-XB550, where the self-adhesive backing reproduces the stock mounting method.
• Best for bass emphasis → Voarmaks Soft Thick, which is explicitly engineered around deeper low frequencies and a tighter seal.
• Best for hygiene-driven routine replacement → Krone Kalpasmos Sony MDR-XB550, which the brand frames around swapping pads every 7–8 months.
• Best for a wider fit net beyond one brand → Voarmaks Soft Thick, since it is stated to fit most 65–70 mm on-ear headphones.
In my opinion, the deciding factor here is not quality — it is your headphone. If you own a Sony MDR-XB550, XB550AP, XB450 or XB450AP, I would buy the Krone Kalpasmos Sony MDR-XB550, because a model-specific cut plus peel-and-stick adhesive is the least risky way to bring a worn Sony back to life. If you own a JBL Tune or JBL Junior on-ear and your real complaint is thin, flat cushions, I would buy Voarmaks Soft Thick instead — the bigger, thicker memory-foam pad and the tool-free lip install are exactly what that headphone needs. Neither pad is universal, so pick by model first and everything else falls into place.
FAQ
No. Voarmaks uses a thin-edged lip that presses into the groove on the headphone, so installation is tool-free and reversible. The Krone Kalpasmos pads work the other way — they use a self-adhesive backing, so you remove old adhesive residue first and then press the new cushion on.
A thicker, better-sealing cushion generally improves both isolation and low-frequency response, which is precisely what Voarmaks claims for its Soft Thick design. The Krone Kalpasmos pads also state improved isolation and audio quality, but their focus is a precise fit on Sony models rather than added bulk.
Match the pad to your headphone first. Sony XB-series owner → Krone Kalpasmos. JBL Tune or JBL Junior owner → Voarmaks Soft Thick. If you are unsure about value, check the current price on Amazon using the button on this page before deciding, since both are consumable parts you may replace more than once.
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