OnlySoMany
500+ Head-Fier
Full disclaimer: I have not received any money, promises, or promotional offers from ZMF or any of its employees in exchange for this review. I received a demo set at the goodwill from the ZMF team for my honest opinion, whether positive or negative. I didn’t ask for them; I just received an email, and then they showed up two days later. Surprise!
It’s my intention to be as straightforward as possible without any exaggerations, but I am not a professional reviewer. Due to my humble upbringing, I lack the proper vocabulary to have you salivating over every word. Anyway. All opinions are my own experience after using the Bokeh over the past week. I hate writing reviews and have very limited spare time, but I love headphones, the audio community, and nerding out on high-end gear, so here we are.
*** This is a demo unit, so any markings or imperfections shown in the images may not represent the final quality control.
0. Details.
The item I received was marked as a demo unit. It was a different experience receiving a cardboard box instead of the usual seahorse case or wooden case, but for the price point, it makes sense. It reminds me of when I was really into Grado headphones (does anyone remember the Grado “pizza box??”). It's worth noting that even with the demo unit, everything was well-packaged and of high quality. The foam and placement of elements were well laid out and thoughtful. It's hard to see how anything would get damaged in shipping or transit.
The box contained 3 different sets of pads, and 2 different mesh patterns. Also contained 3 different cables. The Bokeh does not use the standard mini XLR used on all the other ZMF headphones but instead uses a 3.5mm.
2. Fit, Finish, and Form.
I own multiple sets from ZMF and have a quality experience that I expect with each purchase. As many know, ZMF’s “B-Stock” offerings often exceed others "A-Stock" quality. I had high expectations going in, but I was unsure what level of quality ZMF would be able to deliver for their “entry-level” offering. Here are some bullet points to help organize my thoughts:
3. Setup and Demo Systems
I wanted to test the full range of these despite some earlier statements that this was a “Portable” set of ZMF headphones. Given that early statement, testing these on my Shanling M7 (specs here) made sense, which is a mid-level DAP capable of strong output with multiple gain settings.
Shanling M7 Impressions:
All listening was done at high gain, as the lower settings required a higher volume. The sources used were Tidal High-Res and also internal card FLAC and WAV files. The Bokeh is easy to drive, but more power rewards you with a fuller sound. I’ll keep these short and sweet, as I hate when reviewers go on and on about a song for multiple paragraphs. All these were written while listening to the song many times in a row.
- When the Levee Breaks, Led Zeppelin
Crisp, clean, detailed. Vocals are strong, with decent separation between instruments. I would have liked to hear a bit more space but I think this has more to do with the limits of the player/DAP and an older recording than the headphones.
- Sweet Emotion, Aerosmith
Intro part is super fun on the Bokeh—more spatial awareness than the previous track. Newer recording seems to have an effect—very energetic, fast, fun. The guitar is crunchy and loud. Sounds like it's supposed to for a good rock song.
- Feels Like the First Time, Foreigner
Yeah, this has that ’70s rock sound. The soundstage is very good for a closed-back. So much fun to listen to. Vocals had stage and depth. Better separation again. This was a rewarding track on the Bokeh. I wanted to turn it up and rock out, but for testing, I kept listening at the same volume throughout.
- Lonely is the Night, Billy Squier
I am starting to notice a theme here. The Bokeh sounds very open for a closed-back. While it's certainly not the soundstage king (I’d vote Verite open for that), it does present very well. For tracks that have solo sections, or want to highlight a certain instrument, it does that very well. I also have the Verite Closed, Atrium Closed, and Atticus, the Bokeh has a very unique sound that stands on its own. Highly recommend this track on the Bokeh.
Ok, let's switch the genre to EDM/D&B.
- Flip the Narrative, LTJ Bukem
This is one of my favorite audio testing tracks, and for good reason. It has high and low bass, is very fast and slow, and has multiple spatial elements throughout the track. It was actually one of the tracks that convinced me to buy the Viva Egoista 845 due to how it handled the speed and transitions.
Obviously, the DAP was not going to be able to produce the same result as a $20K amplifier. And it didn’t lol. But, it was a sound that was not offensive. It was an easy listen, but I don’t think this track, with this headphone, with the DAP, was the best fit. But I have also heard this track on a $50K setup, so its kind of hard to “unhear” that experience.
- Fall 2 Fast, Particle
Better. Fast, great bass, and vocals. The Bokeh is starting to remind me of the term “the sweet spot” of a lineup. I’m going to use that word again, crunchy. Its such a fun sound, whereas some of the other headphones in their linup take things more seriously. Like comparing a Porsche 911 to a Cayman. Ultimately one may be more capable, but the other is just plain fun.
- My Time is Yours / Can You See The Yellow Turtles, L.S.G
If you have not heard this track and are an EDM or drum and bass fan, seriously, listen. Out of the songs I have listened to, this is where I started getting a feel for how capable the Bokeh is. The bass was very strong, the soundstage was dramatically improved. This headphone rocks with this track. It’s hard for me to say this, but I think it's up there in my top 5 sets for this track. Snappy, fast, and direct. I can see myself reaching for this set just for this artist.
I'm not sure how you feel, but I get very bored reading about the recordings that people list when they evaluate a headphone. I listened to over 200 songs on these, some multiple times. Despite my listing it here, I can continue with songs that I like from my playlists and stuff you won't listen to anyway; I don’t want to bore everyone with that. Instead, after hours of listening to the Bokeh on the Shanling M7, I want to summarize what I found.
Viva 845 / Dave / BluMKII Impressions:
Ok, big boy time. Switching to the Viva/Dave/Blu stack. Same song list, and many, many others. Here are my takeaways:
I also listened to these on the WA33/NDX2/TT2 Stack and had a similar experience to the one listed above. The WA33 is a bit darker and bassy than the Viva, but there were no major complaints.
I also tested with the MOON HAD230. Again, solid performance overall.
If this is going to be your only headphone, you could totally make a case for that. Or, if this is going to be your upgrade path from an HD650 or similar-priced set of cans, you could also make a case for that. It really is that good, and I say that typing this next to a wall of highly regarded and expensive headphones. I can’t offer any higher praise than if I had to distill my collection down to less than 10 sets; this would be one of them. And it would have a strong argument for being in the top 5. It has its own sound that is fun, funky, and analog, while still being able to hang when you are looking for definition. I really did enjoy listening to it.
You can tell with a back-to-back listen that it is not as "refined" or "mature" as say, an Atrium Closed, but that headphone is 2.5x more expensive, and I’d say you get about 60-70% of that experience. Granted, the last 30-40% that the AC offers really sets it apart, but the value is there for the Bokeh.
Most likely, you are going to buy this because you already have a set(s) of ZMF cans and want to expand your sound offerings. And you would be right. It’s a stellar achievement for the ZMF team to be able to offer such a well-rounded sound at this price. Well done. Day one buy for me.
Ok, back to work and listening. My email is going crazy. Long story short it's the most analog set of cans I have heard in a long time. Easy to drive, fun to listen to, pretty to look at, and reasonably priced. What more could you want?
Also, here is a strong Bokeh "bow-kay" image from the camera.
Happy listening!
*** if you see any errors in the post, please let me know, and I will do my best to correct them. Thank you all for helping make this post better for others. ***
It’s my intention to be as straightforward as possible without any exaggerations, but I am not a professional reviewer. Due to my humble upbringing, I lack the proper vocabulary to have you salivating over every word. Anyway. All opinions are my own experience after using the Bokeh over the past week. I hate writing reviews and have very limited spare time, but I love headphones, the audio community, and nerding out on high-end gear, so here we are.
*** This is a demo unit, so any markings or imperfections shown in the images may not represent the final quality control.
0. Details.
- New chassis design
- Oval-shaped wood cups (Limba stock wood)
- 80ohm Liquid Crystal Polymer drivers
- 103dB/1mW sensitivity
- 1/8" Cable inputs
- 3 Stock pad options
- Available Dec 8th
- Price $1100 (Discounted at launch)
The item I received was marked as a demo unit. It was a different experience receiving a cardboard box instead of the usual seahorse case or wooden case, but for the price point, it makes sense. It reminds me of when I was really into Grado headphones (does anyone remember the Grado “pizza box??”). It's worth noting that even with the demo unit, everything was well-packaged and of high quality. The foam and placement of elements were well laid out and thoughtful. It's hard to see how anything would get damaged in shipping or transit.
The box contained 3 different sets of pads, and 2 different mesh patterns. Also contained 3 different cables. The Bokeh does not use the standard mini XLR used on all the other ZMF headphones but instead uses a 3.5mm.
2. Fit, Finish, and Form.
I own multiple sets from ZMF and have a quality experience that I expect with each purchase. As many know, ZMF’s “B-Stock” offerings often exceed others "A-Stock" quality. I had high expectations going in, but I was unsure what level of quality ZMF would be able to deliver for their “entry-level” offering. Here are some bullet points to help organize my thoughts:
- The leather headband goes inside the rod frame. This is a welcome addition I’d like to see included in other ZMF offerings.
- Wood finishing is what you would expect from ZMF. Looks like a finished product vs a demo unit. Smooth and well done while retaining some of the wood’s character.
- It's lighter than other ZMF headphones while still feeling premium.
- Metal chassis finishing is superb. You can tell that they have a mature manufacturing process learned from doing this for a long time.
- Small rubber O-rings in between cups and chassis are also a welcome addition.
- Stable in hand and on head.
- It feels and looks like it costs over $1000. No one who wears these in public will get thought of as wearing cheap headphones.
- Larger than I expected them to be. In pictures, they look small but are larger in real life. Reminds me of a slightly larger DCA Ether Flow due to oval shape.
3. Setup and Demo Systems
I wanted to test the full range of these despite some earlier statements that this was a “Portable” set of ZMF headphones. Given that early statement, testing these on my Shanling M7 (specs here) made sense, which is a mid-level DAP capable of strong output with multiple gain settings.
Shanling M7 Impressions:
All listening was done at high gain, as the lower settings required a higher volume. The sources used were Tidal High-Res and also internal card FLAC and WAV files. The Bokeh is easy to drive, but more power rewards you with a fuller sound. I’ll keep these short and sweet, as I hate when reviewers go on and on about a song for multiple paragraphs. All these were written while listening to the song many times in a row.
- When the Levee Breaks, Led Zeppelin
Crisp, clean, detailed. Vocals are strong, with decent separation between instruments. I would have liked to hear a bit more space but I think this has more to do with the limits of the player/DAP and an older recording than the headphones.
- Sweet Emotion, Aerosmith
Intro part is super fun on the Bokeh—more spatial awareness than the previous track. Newer recording seems to have an effect—very energetic, fast, fun. The guitar is crunchy and loud. Sounds like it's supposed to for a good rock song.
- Feels Like the First Time, Foreigner
Yeah, this has that ’70s rock sound. The soundstage is very good for a closed-back. So much fun to listen to. Vocals had stage and depth. Better separation again. This was a rewarding track on the Bokeh. I wanted to turn it up and rock out, but for testing, I kept listening at the same volume throughout.
- Lonely is the Night, Billy Squier
I am starting to notice a theme here. The Bokeh sounds very open for a closed-back. While it's certainly not the soundstage king (I’d vote Verite open for that), it does present very well. For tracks that have solo sections, or want to highlight a certain instrument, it does that very well. I also have the Verite Closed, Atrium Closed, and Atticus, the Bokeh has a very unique sound that stands on its own. Highly recommend this track on the Bokeh.
Ok, let's switch the genre to EDM/D&B.
- Flip the Narrative, LTJ Bukem
This is one of my favorite audio testing tracks, and for good reason. It has high and low bass, is very fast and slow, and has multiple spatial elements throughout the track. It was actually one of the tracks that convinced me to buy the Viva Egoista 845 due to how it handled the speed and transitions.
Obviously, the DAP was not going to be able to produce the same result as a $20K amplifier. And it didn’t lol. But, it was a sound that was not offensive. It was an easy listen, but I don’t think this track, with this headphone, with the DAP, was the best fit. But I have also heard this track on a $50K setup, so its kind of hard to “unhear” that experience.
- Fall 2 Fast, Particle
Better. Fast, great bass, and vocals. The Bokeh is starting to remind me of the term “the sweet spot” of a lineup. I’m going to use that word again, crunchy. Its such a fun sound, whereas some of the other headphones in their linup take things more seriously. Like comparing a Porsche 911 to a Cayman. Ultimately one may be more capable, but the other is just plain fun.
- My Time is Yours / Can You See The Yellow Turtles, L.S.G
If you have not heard this track and are an EDM or drum and bass fan, seriously, listen. Out of the songs I have listened to, this is where I started getting a feel for how capable the Bokeh is. The bass was very strong, the soundstage was dramatically improved. This headphone rocks with this track. It’s hard for me to say this, but I think it's up there in my top 5 sets for this track. Snappy, fast, and direct. I can see myself reaching for this set just for this artist.
I'm not sure how you feel, but I get very bored reading about the recordings that people list when they evaluate a headphone. I listened to over 200 songs on these, some multiple times. Despite my listing it here, I can continue with songs that I like from my playlists and stuff you won't listen to anyway; I don’t want to bore everyone with that. Instead, after hours of listening to the Bokeh on the Shanling M7, I want to summarize what I found.
- It's better than most "portable" headphones I own. This includes Focal Bathys, Grado Hemp, HD600/650/660S2. The Bokeh takes the ZMF house sound, infuses it into an easy-to-drive package, and rewards you with crunchy highs, magic mids, and punchy lows that can also extend. It's not as wide as others, but it's fuller.
- Compared to my HE1000V2, it has drastically more punch and impact. Also, it does not sound as sterile.
- The sound signature is just plain fun. It's a boogie headphone. Despite my efforts to try, I couldn't get into an analytical state of mind while listening to these. I didn't have any major complaints anywhere. That to me speaks volumes about the Bokeh in general, in that I could not identify any dealbreaker issues. It simply does what it is supposed to do at a price point that I feel is reasonable for what you are getting. I honestly think it exceeds the price/performance ratio, but I don't want to give Zach any ideas
. - They respond well to power. Low and med gain didn’t do it for me. High gain was preferred at all times.
- I did try switching out the cables. I used the factory-supplied cables and also a $2K+ silver Arctic cable that I use on my Susvara. Without getting into all the snake oil comments, I preferred the Arctic cable. It brought some musical elements into the picture and framed them clearer. If there was anywhere I think the overall listening experience could be improved, it would be with the cable.
- For pads, I preferred the hybrid, which is odd because, on every other ZMF, I prefer the all suedes. In the documentation, the hybrid pads are described as the house sound, which I agree with.
- Easy way to say it: it's like the Atticus and Auteur had a baby on crack.
Viva 845 / Dave / BluMKII Impressions:
Ok, big boy time. Switching to the Viva/Dave/Blu stack. Same song list, and many, many others. Here are my takeaways:
- This is a damn good headphone, and not just at this price. The giant stack of tech immediately improved everything I liked about them on the DAP. It was hard to write this while listening to them due to the difficulty of concentrating.
- Has a very powerful sound. Seriously, this thing hits.
- It could be a bit more open, but that is likely due to my personal preference and being a soundstage whore (can’t we have it all??!). It's also a closed-back, so there is that. Tracks that had a lot of soundstage didn't suffer; it was just not as wide as other TOTL open backs. It's hard to explain. It's a very open-sounding closed back, but not as open as others? I'll work on that description.
- Addictive sound quality. While it's not a master of anything, it's so well-rounded it's hard to find fault with it.
- The bass is very good. It’s not a Caldera or Atrium Closed but stronger than Verite Closed.
- Mids are what would make me keep this. I can see this as an alternative to the Auteur for some, but you would lose soundstage.
- It's groovy. My fiance is not a big headphone geek like I am, but she said it was one of her favorites.
- Truly wonderful for older, 60-70’s music. Sounds like you are listening to a high-end record player.
- EDM gained much better bass response and soundstage.
- B.B.B. strap would be a great addition to this set, as the OEM one is a bit thin. See pictures.
- The clamping force is 8/10 for comfort. It can be a bit tight for longer periods, but I have a big head. I didn't initially notice this on the DAP since I listened to the stack of gear for a longer period while working.
I also listened to these on the WA33/NDX2/TT2 Stack and had a similar experience to the one listed above. The WA33 is a bit darker and bassy than the Viva, but there were no major complaints.
I also tested with the MOON HAD230. Again, solid performance overall.
If this is going to be your only headphone, you could totally make a case for that. Or, if this is going to be your upgrade path from an HD650 or similar-priced set of cans, you could also make a case for that. It really is that good, and I say that typing this next to a wall of highly regarded and expensive headphones. I can’t offer any higher praise than if I had to distill my collection down to less than 10 sets; this would be one of them. And it would have a strong argument for being in the top 5. It has its own sound that is fun, funky, and analog, while still being able to hang when you are looking for definition. I really did enjoy listening to it.
You can tell with a back-to-back listen that it is not as "refined" or "mature" as say, an Atrium Closed, but that headphone is 2.5x more expensive, and I’d say you get about 60-70% of that experience. Granted, the last 30-40% that the AC offers really sets it apart, but the value is there for the Bokeh.
Most likely, you are going to buy this because you already have a set(s) of ZMF cans and want to expand your sound offerings. And you would be right. It’s a stellar achievement for the ZMF team to be able to offer such a well-rounded sound at this price. Well done. Day one buy for me.
Ok, back to work and listening. My email is going crazy. Long story short it's the most analog set of cans I have heard in a long time. Easy to drive, fun to listen to, pretty to look at, and reasonably priced. What more could you want?
Also, here is a strong Bokeh "bow-kay" image from the camera.
Happy listening!
*** if you see any errors in the post, please let me know, and I will do my best to correct them. Thank you all for helping make this post better for others. ***
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