Though the original ear cups were fine, after much use, one felt a little softer than the other and was a bit uncomfortable after many hours of wearing. So I decided to try new ones just to see if they would make a difference in feel. replacing was effortless and, WOW.....Like a new set of headphones! Comfort is restored to original and I now have no discomfort when wearing for an extended time period. Thank you Cowin for having a reasonable priced, exact fit replacement. Highly recommend if you feel your ear cups need replacing.