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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-28 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
If you want fresh, thicker memory foam cushions for a Bose QuietComfort 35 or 35ii — with a softer leather feel and reinforced seams — choose WC PadZ QC35; if you need protein leather memory foam pads made specifically for the Sony WH-1000XM3, with a removal tool thrown in, choose Gobelieve Replacement Earpads.
• WC PadZ QC35 — biggest strength: purpose-built for a long list of Bose over-ear models, with softer leather, thicker memory foam, glued-and-stitched interior seams, a printed install guide and a 365-day full warranty.
• WC PadZ QC35 — biggest trade-off: it only fits Bose over-ear models on Wicked Cushions' compatibility list, so it is useless if you own any other brand.
• Gobelieve Replacement Earpads — biggest strength: a precise fit for the Sony WH-1000XM3 / WH1000XM3, protein leather over high-density memory foam, and a free repair tool for pulling the old pads without damaging the housing.
• Gobelieve Replacement Earpads — biggest trade-off: the fit list is one headphone model wide, and there is no printed step-by-step guide — just the tool and clip-in installation.
• Buy the WC PadZ if you own a Bose QC35, QC35ii, QC25, QC15, QC2, AE2, AE2i, AE2w, SoundTrue or SoundLink and want a comfort-and-durability refresh.
• Buy the Gobelieve pads if you own a Sony WH-1000XM3 and want to restore the seal, isolation and cushioning that worn pads quietly take away.
Wicked Cushions designed these pads around a very specific problem: original Bose cushions that go flat, crack at the seams and stop sealing around your ear. The spec sheet leans hard into that. The leather is described as a new, softer grade, the memory foam is pitched as luxurious, and the pad is deliberately cut a little thicker than stock so your ear sits further from the driver. Thicker foam plus a conforming surface is exactly what you want for noise blocking — the pad has to press evenly around the ear to keep outside sound out, and flat, tired foam simply cannot do that.
Buy these if you own one of those Bose models and your cushions have gone soft, shiny or noisy. Skip them if you own anything else — the manufacturer is explicit that these fit the listed Bose over-ear models only, and no other brand's headphones. Black color, faux leather finish, one pair per count.
Gobelieve Replacement Earpads: Who It's For
Gobelieve takes the opposite approach: one headphone, done properly. These pads are made for the Sony WH-1000XM3 and WH1000XM3 only, and the spec sheet stresses a precise match to the housing. If you own that Sony, that narrowness is a feature, not a limitation — the clip geometry has to line up exactly or the pad won't seat, and a badly seated pad wrecks both comfort and isolation.
The materials are protein leather on the surface with high-density memory foam underneath. Protein leather is the skin-friendly option here — it stays comfortable against the ear over long sessions, which matters if you wear headphones for a full workday or a long flight. The high-density foam is what conforms to the shape of your ear and rebuilds the seal, and that seal is doing double duty: it feeds the noise isolation the XM3 is known for and it props up the bass response, because a leaky pad bleeds low-end away.
Installation is glue-free — the clips lock in — and Gobelieve includes a repair tool to pry the old pads off without gouging the plastic. That is a genuinely thoughtful inclusion, since the most common way people damage headphones during a pad swap is by forcing the old cushion with a fingernail or a screwdriver. There is a one-year warranty against manufacturer defects and a stated 24-hour response window for compatibility, quality, installation, material or packaging questions.
Buy these if you own a Sony WH-1000XM3 and want the original fit, seal and comfort back. Skip them if your headphones are Bose, or anything other than the XM3 — they will not fit.
• Best for Bose owners → WC PadZ QC35. It covers QC35, QC35ii, QC25, QC15, QC2, AE2, AE2i, AE2w, SoundTrue and SoundLink.
• Best for Sony WH-1000XM3 owners → Gobelieve Replacement Earpads. That is the only model it is built for.
• Best for seam durability → WC PadZ QC35. Stitching reinforced with glue directly targets the split-at-the-seam failure.
• Best for installation confidence → WC PadZ QC35. A step-by-step printed guide suits a first-time pad swap; the Gobelieve route assumes you're comfortable popping clips.
• Best for protecting the headphone during the swap → Gobelieve. The included repair tool removes old pads without scratching the housing.
• Best for a skin-friendly surface → Gobelieve. Protein leather is the softer-on-skin spec of the two.
• Best for thicker, taller cushioning → WC PadZ QC35. Added thickness is an explicit design goal.
• Best warranty coverage → WC PadZ QC35 at 365 days full, versus Gobelieve's one year against manufacturer defects — close, but the Bose pad's coverage is stated more broadly.
In my opinion, the deciding factor here is not quality — both pads use memory foam and a leather-type cover, and both are built for a narrow model list. It is which headphones you actually own. If you're on a Bose QC35 or 35ii, I'd buy the WC PadZ QC35: the glued seams, the added thickness and the 365-day warranty make it the more reassuring long-term pick. If you're on a Sony WH-1000XM3, I'd buy the Gobelieve pads — they're the only ones of the two that will fit, and the included repair tool makes the swap safer. Do check the current price on Amazon before you commit.
can you sleep with over ear headphones
You can, but the pads matter a lot. Both of these are thicker, conforming memory foam designs, which spreads pressure around the ear rather than concentrating it — that helps if you're lying on your back. Side sleepers will still feel the headband and cup pressing into the pillow, and no replacement pad fixes that.
how to wear over ear headphones properly
Slide the cups on so the pad surrounds your ear completely rather than resting on it, then adjust the headband so the cups sit centered over your ears. With the WC PadZ QC35 and the Gobelieve pads, the thicker memory foam needs to compress evenly against your head — if one side feels looser, the seal and noise isolation suffer.
how should over ear headphones fit
Snug but not clamping. The pad should fully enclose your ear with no gap at the top or bottom of the cushion, and the headband should sit flat on the crown without a hot spot. If you can slide a finger under the pad edge, you're losing isolation — that's a sign the foam has gone flat and it's time for new pads.
how to wear over ear headphones
Put them on with the cups labeled L and R on the correct sides, then fine-tune the slider arms one notch at a time. On a Bose QC35 with WC PadZ pads or a Sony WH-1000XM3 with Gobelieve pads, you'll know the fit is right when outside noise drops noticeably the moment the foam settles around your ear.
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