Dekoni Audio Choice Leather Earpads Review

For about a year now, I’ve been doing esports broadcasting and commentating with Black Ice eSports in Minneapolis. To pull off tournament streams takes a lot of moving parts and the dedication of a full team; I’ve gotten to work with some of the most talented people in the Twin Cities. This has resulted in frequent events that last a long time, sometimes through multiple games and days in a row. To thrive in this environment, my tools must be in excellent condition. This is where Dekoni Audio has improved my work, adding more comfort to my headset through soft leather earpads. 

Our setup includes two Audio Technica BPHS1 headsets run through a typical soundboard. By default, this headset model is a classic used in esports casting. The only issue is that I would get ear fatigue and minor pain on days when we were streaming for long stretches. I fought through the discomfort event after event, mentally marking getting a different solution in the future. Then I was connected to Dekoni Audio after attending PAX East, a company that was confident in their products and wanted to send me some ear pads that would fit the models I use. 

After seeing their booth at PAX and eventually getting two pairs for both my Audio Technica and Joe’s Sony XM4 headsets, I put these pads through extreme tests. Some days, our streams can last 8 to 10 hours which can be murder on one’s ears. My co-host, Ben Philbin, and I would swap headsets every now and again to compare and I can confidently say that the Dekoni Audio earpads enabled me to stream comfortably for longer periods of time.

I’m genuinely impressed by how big of a difference the pads made. Granted, each pair of ears is different and mileage may vary but in my personal experience, this was a phenomenal upgrade. 

Joe, our producer, was also able to test out Dekoni earpads for his Sony headset, a daily driver in his work as a motion graphics animator. He had this to say about them, “As someone who has invested a decent amount of money into quality headphones in the past, the idea of being able to increase the lifetime of a product by replacing a piece of it rather than the entire thing is appealing. The process of installing the pad on my Sony 100XM4s was fairly simple. Using the tool that Dekoni included with the new pads I was able to undo the clips and then snap the new ones on with no issues. Initial impressions were that due to the deeper pad there was a larger acoustic space which improved the sound on the already exceptional XM4s. I did experience some discomfort but I suspect that had more to do with wearing them nearly daily with the stock pads for almost 2 years. A month later I have no complaints in regards to comfort and I’m still enjoying the improved audio quality!” 

The replacement Dekoni Audio pad is on the left and the standard, though worn is on the right. Photo by Joe.

Granted, Dekoni Audio earpads are expensive, catering more towards extreme “audiophile” type items and marketed as a luxury solution. However, in the case of the Audio Technica cans I use (averaging about $200 USD) replacing pads for about $50 USD is better than buying a new pair. The pads also elevated my headset, meaning I can get way more use out of it. Finding the right set of earpads was easy and some of the most common gaming headsets are supported. Earpad sizes often fit multiple models as well.

Additionally, Dekoni also has the Earpadz brand which features products that are more affordable and function as solid replacements for those in need of a quick fix. Ultimately, in a world of heaps of electronic waste, getting more use out of our tech is always nice. 

Dekoni Audio does sell full headsets too but I only have experience with their luxury earpads so far. They also make replacement earbud tips for things like Apple’s Airpods as well as tips for things like music monitor earphones. As someone who plays drums, having the right monitors are crucial to protecting one’s ears and staying with the band in a noisy space. 

For most of this stream, I’m using the new Dekoni Audio pads. They’re now a permanent staple in our kit.

Overall, I would say that I’m incredibly impressed with the earpads we were sent. This is a fantastic replacement option for those wanting to get more time with their headsets and upgrading my daily driver broadcast headset has significantly improved my work. It’s hard to say much more about earpads but I will be keeping an eye on Dekoni Audio for my production needs from here on out. Find me streaming weekly at Black Ice eSports’ Twitch channel.

Learn more on the Dekoni Audio website. The same company also offers more options through their Earpadz brand, which is typically more budget-friendly rather than catering to those looking for a premium experience.

Two earpads were sent for the purpose of review. Featured image courtesy of Dekoni Audio. Dekoni Audio has not vetted this review in advance. 

We were also invited into the Dekoni Audio affiliate program, so if you would like to support us you can do so by shopping through our link. We were also invited to the Earpadz side of the affiliate program though we have yet to test any of those products.

SCORES

VISUAL APPEAL - 10/10

BUILD QUALITY - 10/10

FEATURES - 10/10

USABILITY - 10/10

PRICING - 8/10

OVERALL - 9.6/10