Grado S-Cushions Replacement: Step-by-Step Installation
By Grado Labs | Published: 2026-10-14
Category: How-to Guides
A practical, order-of-operations guide to Grado S-Cushions replacement, from checking fit on SR60, SR80, and SR125 to seating the pad without stretching it.
Quick answer
To replace Grado S-Cushions, peel the old pad off the earcup starting at the outer edge, then press the new S-Cushion onto the cup lip and work around the rim with small thumb presses until the seam sits evenly. Do not pull the foam outward to stretch it over the cup; that is the most common cause of a torn or lopsided fit.
Before you order: confirm your model takes S-Cushions
S-Cushions are the stock pad on the SR60, SR80, and SR125, and Grado lists them as fitting all Prestige, Reference, Statement, Professional, and Limited Edition headphones. If your model came with a different pad shape from the factory, switching to S-Cushions changes both the feel and the distance between driver and ear, so treat that as a deliberate change rather than a like-for-like replacement.
The I-Cushion is a separate accessory and is compatible only with iGrado and eGrado headphones, so it is not a substitute here. If you are unsure which pad your headphone shipped with, match the old pad's shape and thickness to the replacement before ordering rather than guessing from the model name alone.
Tools and workspace
You need no tools. Work over a clean, well-lit surface at waist height so a dropped pad does not roll under furniture, and keep both new cushions out of the packaging until the first old pad is fully removed. Foam picks up lint and skin oils quickly, so wash and dry your hands first.
If the old pads are brittle or shedding, lay a sheet of paper under the earcup to catch crumbs. This keeps loose foam from falling into the driver grille, where it can be awkward to remove later.
How the pad actually attaches
Grado S-Cushions are consumer-replaceable and seat on the earcup lip by friction, with no adhesive and no clips. That is why the install is quick, and also why an uneven pull can leave one side sitting higher than the other. The pad should end up with its seam running consistently around the rim, not bunched at one point.
Because there is no fastener, the pad can be removed and reseated as many times as you need during the first attempt. If the fit looks wrong, take it off and start again rather than forcing the foam further onto the cup.
After the swap: what to check and when to replace again
Listen for a channel imbalance or a muffled side in the first few minutes. A pad that is not fully seated on one cup changes the driver-to-ear distance on that side only, which is easy to hear on a mono vocal or a centered bass line. Reseat the suspect pad before assuming anything is wrong with the headphone.
There is no fixed replacement interval. Foam flattens and crumbles with use, sweat, and storage, so replace when the pad no longer springs back or when the surface starts shedding. Buying two pairs at once is reasonable if you rotate headphones often, since the S-Cushion is the same part across the SR60, SR80, and SR125.
S-Cushion installation in order
- 1. Remove the old pad from the outer edge: Pinch the foam at the outside of the earcup and peel it back over the lip, working around the rim rather than pulling straight off the front. Pulling from the center can drag the foam across the driver grille. Checkpoint: the cup lip should be fully exposed and free of old foam fragments before you continue.
- 2. Inspect the lip and grille: Wipe the lip with a dry, lint-free cloth and check that no brittle foam crumbs sit on the grille. Do not use liquid cleaners on the driver side. Common mistake: skipping this and trapping debris under the new pad, which can rattle against the grille.
- 3. Seat the new pad on one point of the lip: Hold the S-Cushion with the seam facing outward and press one section of its inner edge onto the cup lip. Keep the pad relaxed; do not pre-stretch it. Checkpoint: the first section should hold on its own without you pinching it in place.
- 4. Work around the rim in small presses: Move a thumb's width at a time around the cup, pressing the pad's inner edge down onto the lip until you meet the starting point. Small presses keep the tension even. Common mistake: pulling the foam outward to reach the far side, which thins the pad and leaves a loose section.
- 5. Even out the seam and profile: Run a finger around the installed pad and compare its height at several points. Nudge any high or bunched area back down onto the lip. Checkpoint: the pad sits at a consistent height all the way around, with no fold trapped underneath.
- 6. Repeat on the second cup and test: Install the other pad the same way, then put the headphones on and play a centered vocal or bass line to confirm both sides sound matched. Next step: if one side sounds duller, remove and reseat that pad before considering any other cause.
The replacement pad covered here
- Grado Headphone Replacement S-Cushions: Consumer-replaceable genuine Grado ear cushions, standard equipment on the SR60, SR80, and SR125, and listed as fitting all Prestige, Reference, Statement, Professional, and Limited Edition headphones. One part number covers the three most common SR models and the wider Grado line, so you can keep a spare pair on hand without matching a different SKU to each headphone.
