They were comfortable enough for me since my glasses would rest above the earpads. The earpads themselves are alright. They are made from a lower quality velour material compared to other earpads such as those found on Beyerdynamic's DT series or the HD 558/598 and they are fairly stiff just as you have heard. It has a firm grip that is not overly tight. Still probably one of the more comfortable headphones in its price range though.