[Drazalas]

  Got 'em in the mail today! A few brief impressions.

The color in person is less purple than the photos Zach sent me. I ordered 75% cornflower and 25% cardovan--it's a deep, rich, kind of unsaturated looking dark blue. I'll upload a photo that depicts the finish more accurately once I get some batteries in my SLR. 

Anyway, my first impression is that these are significantly more resolving than the HE-400. I'm noticing atmospheric layers in mixes that I've never head before. The soundstage is also a little bigger than the HE-400. However, the presentation is different, especially in the bass. Textures have less bite to them, much smoother but also more detailed. Imaging is very good but the layering is more diffuse.

I'm not quite sure what to think of the bass yet--it's hard to describe. The sub bass is disembodied from the mid bass? There's a hole in the mid bass? Whatever it is, it's not necessarily unpleasant, just different. It's almost more speaker-like. I also get the sense that the "punch" of bass notes is deeper than I'm used to. I tried one, two, and three plugs out and I like three plugs out the best so far. I also need to experiment with the output impedance of my Ember as that tends to make a difference. Needless to say, these sure can kick on the right song. 

Oh yeah, these are also really smooth and non-fatiguing. That's exactly what I was looking for coming from the HE-400. 

Mail, on saturday? You lucky...   Waiting on mine ! Hopefully getting them on monday!

 

[grizzlybeast]

  When someone has both the Vibro and the Sony Z7, I'd really love a comparison...  they're both going to cost the same for me I believe, so I'm torn

I have the z7 arriving this week. 
 
The vibro will be here later on maybe in a month or so so If I hold on to the z7(Im getting worse and worse at keeping stuff) then I can do a comparison. 
 
BTW @manbear  is a man bear and a grizzlybeast the same species?

 

[Saoshyant]

  I'm in the same boat. I finally saved up enough money to blow on a pair of good cans, so I'm waiting and seeing.

 
I know I should also consider the TH600, as well as wait on seeing how the W1000X turns out...  but if I keep waiting, more options will always arise, so I really should decide on something...  or go out and buy a bigger tv.  

 

[Saoshyant]

  I have the z7 arriving this week. 
 
The vibro will be here later on maybe in a month or so so If I hold on to the z7(Im getting worse and worse at keeping stuff) then I can do a comparison. 
 
BTW @manbear  is a man bear and a grizzlybeast the same species?

 
The soonest I'd order is most likely in at least a month, so I'm in no huge hurry.  Any information you can give once/if you have both in hand would be immensely helpful.

 

[grizzlybeast]

^what do you want from a headphone. 
 
The th600 is pretty good with a bigger soundstage than the vibro and good depth and imaging but less texture and a more sterile Tonality. The highs also need taming. The bass on the th600 is of the more focused impact but with less resolution and texture though it is still very tight. The th600 also responds better to eq but I never have to eq the vibro. The vibro has better mids by a mile and a little more clarity. 

 

[Saoshyant]

I prefer cans that are aimed at musicality instead of detail.  As far as bass, some of the electronic I listen to needs some fairly good bass presence to be enjoyable, and I know I have some basshead tendancies, but I am in no way a real basshead.  If at all possible I'd like one that can also handle classical adequately.  It doesn't need to be a detail master in the slightest to accomplish that.  The music I primarily listen to is alt rock, where some of that can lean towards being bass-centric, but certainly not all of it.  Sound stage isn't a huge concern for me due to my depth perception problems, which leaves me an utterly poor judge of that quality, but if it's good in this respect, it certainly doens't hurt.  If it helps, bands like Foo Fighters, Radiohead, Flaming Lips, Muse, Eels, The XX, any project done by Maynard James Keenan are what I listen to most.
 
My favorite headphone by far is my HD700, which if it had slightly more bass it'd be about perfect for my needs.  For an IEM, it's my Senn IE800.
 
Sorry if I'm not descriptive enough, I've never seemed to find the right way to properly articulate what I really want.

 

[grizzlybeast]

  I prefer cans that are aimed at musicality instead of detail.  As far as bass, some of the electronic I listen to needs some fairly good bass presence to be enjoyable, and I know I have some basshead tendancies, but I am in no way a real basshead.  If at all possible I'd like one that can also handle classical adequately.  It doesn't need to be a detail master in the slightest to accomplish that.  The music I primarily listen to is alt rock, where some of that can lean towards being bass-centric, but certainly not all of it.  Sound stage isn't a huge concern for me due to my depth perception problems, which leaves me an utterly poor judge of that quality, but if it's good in this respect, it certainly doens't hurt.  If it helps, bands like Foo Fighters, Radiohead, Flaming Lips, Muse, Eels, The XX, any project done by Maynard James Keenan are what I listen to most.
 
My favorite headphone by far is my HD700, which if it had slightly more bass it'd be about perfect for my needs.  For an IEM, it's my Senn IE800.
 
Sorry if I'm not descriptive enough, I've never seemed to find the right way to properly articulate what I really want.

that is fine. I hate commenting on headphones I haven't heard so I wont. I will just say that from reading around the zmf x vibro and hd700 will have very different trebles. 
 
You don't sound picky though and I don't think you can go wrong. Flip a coin lol! I definitely think you are in the right area. The vibro is a very wisely tuned headphone that many can appreciate. Def a genre master.

 

[Saoshyant]

If it helps, I'm not treble sensitive in the slightest. I know people dislike the he400 treble and I have no issues.

 

[WhiskeyJacks]

If it helps, I'm not treble sensitive in the slightest. I know people dislike the he400 treble and I have no issues.

No You will not suffer from treble brightness with the ZxV in my own thoughts i like both brighter and darker treble. I like musicality of the ZxV as much ad much the dynamic,detail of my modded he560s. Are both my favorite headphones

 

[cute]

I have @grizzlybeast Vibro purchased from the person he sold it to.  I had Zach replace the gold content wire, and I sent him some high quality OCC copper wire for the cups, and my Doublehelixcable Molecule Extreme cable to Demo.  He came back and told me that with my cable, the ZMF X Vibro had the best sound he had ever heard with his setup.  I replaced the Alpha Pads, and used my Audeze wax kit on the cups.  The sound with the DHC Molecule Extreme is very good, better bite, dynamics, wider more expansive soundstage, vocals to die for, they were transformed into some of the best closed back HP's I have heard! 

 

[manbear]

  imo the bass is detailed with a good amount of speed but it has a less focused punch vs an enveloping one like a speaker does. So its more like the latter and enveloping airy punch with a decent amount of body still. There is tons of texture through out, with a smooth balance but overall its highs are not what I consider an example of a dark sounding headphone. 
 
I really like your set up @manbear it looks good!
 
I will link your impressions

Thanks, the Ember and Concero pair pretty well with the Vibro so far. I might get a SS amp at some point but I really have 0 complaints with this setup. I'll add a more detailed review after a while. 

Yeah, airy bass is a good description. It's plenty satisfying after the HE-400--not quite as sharply textured but more fluid and just as potent in its own way. I doubt the ZMF really has more extension than the HE-400, both seem to go as low as it goes IMO, but I notice more sub bass with the ZMF honestly. Zach also told me that these should burn in for 50 hours, so we'll see if the bass settles in a bit. I'm not the biggest believer in burn in personally, but I see no harm in letting them play overnight a few times. Can't hurt!
 
 

 
BTW @manbear  is a man bear and a grizzlybeast the same species?

ROFL

 

[coletrain104]

If it helps, I'm not treble sensitive in the slightest. I know people dislike the he400 treble and I have no issues.

It actually works the other way here, since the ZMFs don't have a super treble-y response. However I haven't heard the Vibro, and I must say I prefer my V1 master model to the HE-400, but the sound sigs are very different. Much more mids on the V1 and more bass. Less treble. Anyways, after falling for the V1, I'm now eyeing the Vibro. I better get good grades if I want to continue to afford this hobby XD

 

[WhiskeyJacks]

I have @grizzlybeast Vibro purchased from the person he sold it to.  I had Zach replace the gold content wire, and I sent him some high quality OCC copper wire for the cups, and my Doublehelixcable Molecule Extreme cable to Demo.  He came back and told me that with my cable, the ZMF X Vibro had the best sound he had ever heard with his setup.  I replaced the Alpha Pads, and used my Audeze wax kit on the cups.  The sound with the DHC Molecule Extreme is very good, better bite, dynamics, wider more expansive soundstage, vocals to die for, they were transformed into some of the best closed back HP's I have heard! 

How much is the cable You paired with it? Im interested in having it sound its best also since zach and i have some of the same gear

 

[grizzlybeast]

^almost as much as the headphones

 

[WhiskeyJacks]

^almost as much as the headphones:eek:

Figures just my luck lol anyways i have an update of zmf x vibro with.the hybrid cable i purchased from zach, i think i may of gotten the first one tbh. Im not sure but as update with any improvements with the cable and also how the ZxV sounds with fully balanced dac and amp along with comparison of geekout 1000 and then the cayin c5 paired with the go 1000. That will be edited into my review of zxv