Vérité Closed Review: Portals Made of Wood


Overview


The Vérité Closed (VC) is the newest release from ZMF headphones, and their highest-end closed-back design. The VC takes aim at a section of the market that has been seeing increasing attention from the likes of Focal and Sennheiser, with the Stellia and HD820, respectively. Similarities to the Vérité Open (VO) are apparent in the build of the VC, where the same magnesium chassis and beryllium-deposed PEN drivers are in use, however the cup, damping, and airflow design of the two are entirely distinct. This review will focus on what these differences amounts to. What is the experience of the speed and timbre of the Vérité driver tuned to live within a sealed enclosure? What do you give up and what do you gain from a closed take on a world-class open headphone?


My Setup:


For this review, I will be running all headphones through my Oppo HA-1, serving both as a DAC and as a headphone amplifier. Music will be run to the HA-1 via USB out of my custom-built PC, through Spotify Premium. I don’t listen to FLAC for the bulk of my music, and I am most familiar with the tracks to be mentioned, so they will be my reference. The highest quality in Spotify was selected, and volume normalization was turned off (the settings I always use). Volume across headphone comparisons was matched as much as possible during pink noise playback, with a BFX digital sound meter sealed to the headphone cups in a cardboard enclosure. All headphone cables used were OFC 4-pin XLR, plugged into the balanced output of the HA-1. I listened to the VC with the Vérité lambskin pads for the bulk of this review, but switched in the Universe lambskin pads as well. My impressions of the Vérité pads versus the Universe pads can be found in their own section.


Comparisons:


For this review, I’ll be doing things a bit differently. Since I don’t own other closed headphones anywhere near this tier, this review will focus more on in-depth song impressions. Please do let me know your feedback on this method, as this is a new style of review for me. With that said, I will be comparing the VC to the VO, as I am quite familiar with the VO, and I believe that counterpoint will be salient for many considering either headphone. For points of comparison to other open headphones, please see my VO review, and consider the notes on VC versus VO made here in that context. I have listened to all headphones mentioned in this and my other reviews for a few months at least.


Build and Comfort:

For notes on build and comfort, see my VO review. The build of the VC is exceptional, with many cues taken from the VO. The closed cups contribute only slightly to weight and heat, but in all other ways, the two headphones are identical in this regard.




Test Tracks (Some of Them):


I will be comparing headphones primarily across these, but also other tracks. I don’t make mention of every track considered in every section, but instead am largely giving my impressions where tracks or passages stood out. If you want my thoughts on any particular track or phrase, just ask! I’ve tried to select widely available songs across a spectrum of music that I like and am familiar with.


Track List:


Acid, by Ray Barretto, on Acid


Baralku, by Emancipator, on Baralku


Boomerang, by The Uncluded, on Hokey Fright


Cocaine Jesus, by Rainbow Kitten Surprise, on RKS


The Four Seasons, Summer in G Minor, RV. 315: III, by Antonio Vivaldi, performed by Adrian Chandler, on The Four Seasons and Concertos for Bassoon and Violin “in tromba marina”


Gangs in the Garden, by Black Moth Super Rainbow, on Cobra Juicy


Hey You, by Pink Floyd, on The Wall


House of Cards, by Radiohead, on In Rainbows


Limit to Your Love, by James Blake, on James Blake


Little Sadie, by Crooked Still, on Shaken by a Low Sound


Natural Causes, by Emancipator, on Dusk to Dawn


Odd Look, by Kavinsky and The Weeknd, on Odd Look


Peace Train, by Cat Stevens, on Teaser and the Firecat


Sabali, by Amadou and Mariam, on Welcome to Mali


Second 2 None, by Mura Masa and Christine and the Queens, on Mura Masa


Tamacun - Remastered, by Rodrigo y Gabriela on, Rodrigo y Gabriela (Deluxe)


Touch, by Daft Punk, on Random Access Memories


True Affection, by The Blow, on Paper Television


Viices, by Made in Heights, on MADE IN HEIGHTS

Violin Partita No. 3 in E Major, BWV 1006: I. Preludio. By Johann Sebastian Bach, played by Rachel Podger, on Bach: Sonatas and Partitas, Vol. 2


Warm Foothills, by Alt-J on, This is All Yours


Youth, by Glass Animals, on How To Be A Human Being


ラ・ム・ネ, by Snail’s House, on Ordinary Songs


Listening Impressions:


Bass:


Overall, the VC is capable of producing highly impactful bass, that extends to sub-bass frequencies, with mild roll-off noticeable from 30 or 25 down to below 20 hz. There is a slight dip from the upper bass to low mids, which is slow enough in transition that it gives just a bit of space and prevents any intrusion of the bass on the midrange. Bass on the VC is very fast, as I’ve come to expect from this driver. Trailing edges of notes hang and decay and so are heard for longer than leading edges. Realistically, the resonance of the leading edge is there as well, but is covered by the fundamental of the note being reproduced. The VC faithfully resolves microdetail in bass texture and timbre, and gives a very lifelike quality to acoustic instruments. Impressions from specific songs follow overall thoughts (for each listening section) below.


Limit to your Love:


As a bass test track, I want to hear how a headphone handles the fast and deep rhythm that comes in at 0:55. There are a few criteria to evaluate here: speed, impact, extension, and texture, in that order. Responding to the kinds of excursions required to play this at high volume is challenging. At every volume, the VC is able to keep up with the speed of the track, despite the low pitch. However, at high to very high listening volumes, some bass energy does begin to build in the cups, noticeably so as compared to the VO. On the VC, impact of the bass line is superior and does well to contrast the oscillating undertone with the snapier drum hits and the closely-timed individual rattles from each movement of the shakers. I do wish I had a flagship planar on hand to gauge extension, but given recollections from my time with the Ether Flow and LCD-3, the VC is reaching to the bottom of this track. Finally, and tied to the impact of the notes, texture is excellent, and only impeded at very high volumes where textural clarity becomes harder to pick out due to the longer decay of sub-bass notes.


Acid:


My first point of focus in this song occurs at 0:13, to listen for how the VC provides both slow and resonant as well as crisp and fast bass. A more complex drum pattern comes in about a minute later. In both cases, presentation is extraordinarily natural. I’ll elaborate on this more later, but I think the slightly slower decay and longer resonances of the VC as compared to the VO result in very convincing reproductions of acoustic and venue-based sessions. This would not be so without the extremely fast leading edges of notes, and this is in part where the VC differentiates itself from other headphones with pleasing decay characteristics. The drum passage that begins around 2:44 is both snappy and hangs in the air, something that most headphones fail achieve. Let alone if you wish to turn your attention away from the handrums that are blasting off left-of-center, the rest of the percussion section and bass line are rendered in full, unperturbed in their detail and individual character. The stage here is wildly present and explorable.


Odd Look:


Moving over to a piece at the other end of the genre spectrum, Odd Look asks the VC not to reproduce a venue, but to keep up with synthesized and manipulated tones, along with forward male vocals.There is undoubtedly less space in this mix than in Acid, which presents a challenge to bass separation. In order to clearly pick apart the track, another level of definition is required as delineation through placement of sounds in space is less of an option. There is a reduction in the cacophony around 1:55 which serves as a point of reference to the phrases immediately before and after, while a different pause follows around 2:32. These simpler parts of the song make clear that the tight spacing of sounds is intentional, and help clear the palette. Given the intentionally tight layering, the VC is perhaps more successful in that it doesn’t spread the components of the song apart. Instead, the VC renders the track with a liquidity that invites you to listen not by placing instruments in isolation, but by guiding your attention to different pairings of sounds.


Gangs in the Garden:


I’ll offer brief notes here, as I am primarily listening for the cymbal line that underpins the track and how it is rendered as the rest of the music moves. At 1:36, strong claps and synthesized vocals come in, then at 1:44 the cymbals pick up again and carry through the rest of the track. The VC presents a very satisfying snap and then mute to the clap, while immediately layering in the slight tang and rattle of the cymbal, keeping each cymbal hit slightly distinct from each other. Space is surprisingly vertical at this point in the song, which is distinct from the horizontal spacing heard with the primary vocals, as well as in Acid, for example, which was largely to the sides and in front of my head.


Mids:


The midrange of the VC, as has become the norm for ZMF headphones, provides a naturalness that is rarely matched even less often exceeded. There is a slight cut in the very high mids, around 3k, but I think this may have been responsible for keeping tracks from getting sibilant. Overall, detail in the midrange is there in spades, and as with the bass, speed and resonance lend special character to acoustic, especially string-heavy music.


Tamacun:


Goddamn, the slight sustain coupled with fast leading edges is exactly what this song needs. I’d imagine any speed and technically-heavy acoustic music would be improved by this quality of the VC, and this has certainly been borne out by the listening I’ve done. This is certainly the best this song has ever sounded on my home system (which has across time included Auteur, Aeolus, VO, HD800, Ether Flow, Aeon Closed, HE-560, LCD-2, LCD-3, L700, SR-007 mk 1, for reference). I’m really not sure what to elaborate on; the whole song sounds excellent. The riff that starts at 1:15 is especially silky. If I had one ask, it would be for a recording of this with more biting guitars...I guess I just really want to hear this stuff as fast as possible. The rumbling slaps of the guitar that start building around 2:43 grow alongside the strumming and picking beautifully, and you can clearly hear the echoes inside the bodies of the instruments being drummed on, which is so lovely.


Little Sadie:


Female vocals and strings of many kinds, a real test of midrange quality. The VC delivers this song effortlessly and with emotion. I could use a bit more energy from the higher frequencies of the banjo, but overall, the midrange here is just the right amount of sweet, but not at all veiled. Above all this song for me is about the delivery of vocals, and there really is nothing between me and the singer, other than the air I’m perceiving from the microphone. The movement of Aoife O’Donovan’s mouth and throat give the track a fitting viscerality, especially given the lyric’s contents. The strings in the song, as in Tamacun, are richly textured and layered without obscuring each other.


Boomerang:


Intentionally grainy chimes and singing open this track, with a pleasing contrast of the metallic overtone and the movement of Dawson’s voice. This song serves for me as an easy way to contrast male and female vocal reproduction in a track with a fair amount of other activity to complicate things. The VC makes this track feel less crowded than it is upon closer inspection, allowing each element its own space and detail. It’s curious to me that this was so doable here, as compared to Odd Look, further reinforcing the layering of that track’s elements to me as a mastering decision rather than a limitation of reproduction. During the refrain at about 2:01, Aesop Rock and Dawson’s voices are overlapped entirely, but the VC enables you to dive into either voice easily, with neither dominating in loudness or clarity. Aesop’s verse starting around 3:01 contains a ton of ‘s’s and forced exhaling. The VC’s reproduction skates beautifully just before the line that separates detail and vocal articulation from sibilance.


Warm Foothills:


The simplicity of this track is a major part of why I like to use it to test headphones. The alternation of male and female vocals over subdued instrumentation makes listening for naturalness and detail straightforward. There’s not a ton I have to say here, other than that the already trance-like and resonant nature of the song is reinforced by the slight warmth and decay properties of the VC. The closing plucking of the track makes clear the ability of these headphones to reproduce subtle details like fingers slipping off of strings.


Treble:


The VC strikes a lovely balance between rendering detail and keeping the treble highly-listenable. Electrostats may render a bit more air, but the VC is the rare headphone, especially closed headphone, that does not shy away from clear and even energetic treble. The VC is pleasantly controlled in the treble. By ear these are not perfectly flat, with some unevenness, such as moderate peaks around 6 and 8 khz, but neither does that seem to be the goal. The VC carries on the pattern of realism, substance, and detail that the VC has struck thus far.


Sabali:


There are so many high frequency sounds moving across the stage of this track, it’s almost a necessary test of treble evenness, detail, and speed. Lightning quick plucking and almost chirp-like sounds zip around on top of both staccato/metallic as well as lush/liquid guitar riffs, listen especially at 0:22 and 1:56. The VC renders these instruments realistically, each with their own tone, and all in balance, despite the range of frequencies. All of this is crowned by Mariam’s voice that is both substantive and airy, detailed, and absent any sibilance. Her voice disappears and reappears around the stage, each time with a slightly different quality. That this does not become overwhelming in a closed headphone is achievement enough. The fact that detail remains present and lifelike is a further nod toward expert damping. Rather than crush the treble to keep it controlled, the VC gives just enough life to high frequencies that they are engaging without being distracting.


Violin Partita in E Major:


There just are violins next to me, it's that simple. We’re in a medium-small room with wooden walls, I’m maybe 12 feet away from the performers. This track is fast and the playing technically intense, but there are few instruments present. This combination allows the VC to render detail in the extreme, as the stage is not crowded, but each note has a substantial amount of texture. As a test of irksome treble, a group of violins is a great torture test, and VC performs admirably here. At no point in the song was I wincing, but neither did the players feel distant or veiled. This is a true feat of acoustic engineering, and I applaud Zach for it.


ラ・ム・ネ


Layers of synthesized sounds, diverse samples, and crisp textures make this track feel both energetic and calm. This isn’t a feeling all headphones can capture. If the depth and dynamics of the track get lost, it’s easy to become board. On the flipside, if the treble is overdone, several of the effects become glaring or just plain painful. The VC again presents itself with clarity while steering clear of stridency. The first 20 seconds or so of this song present a lot of high-energy treble material which can become irksome with a poorly-managed FR; thankfully this is avoided. A similar test of sound occurs around 2:26, where the track opens up, but a lot of high frequency sound effects play.


Technicalities (Imaging, soundstage, dynamics, transients, resolution, timbre etc.):


As I’ve come to expect from the Vérité driver, detail and speed are present here in spades. The self-damping of the beryllium driver, given it’s stiff surround and high-power magnet allow for control and low-distortion reproduction across the frequency band. The soundstage of the VC is remarkably open-sounding for a closed headphone. I don’t mean that the stage of the VC is giant, but that it’s edges don’t feel as artificial and reflective as I’ve heard in other closed-back headphones. That said, there is a limit to airy expansiveness that can be had from open headphones in this rarefied price bracket. Dynamic impact is excellent, and, as mentioned before, leading edges of notes snap into place. The fundamentals of notes are cut off with equal speed, but the closed cups do slow decay a hair as compared to the VO. Overall resolution is fantastic, and is aided by the isolation from ambient noises afforded by a closed headphone.


Summer in G Minor:


In the best cases, renderings of this track present speed while preserving the warmth of the strings. The VC perfectly captures this timbral quality, and nearly does the same for the speed of the strings. Only a slight slowing of decay due to the sealed cups docks the perceived speed of the violins at all. Leading edges of notes are lightning quick, however. The orchestra hall opens up, without sounding boundless but realistic instead, with each instrument spaced apart. Dynamics swells pierce through the track. No aspect of this track sounds artificial, and the rendering of microdetail matches the natural timbre with equally convincing resolution.


Cocaine Jesus:


The track opens with overlapping voices, which the VC reproduces each with its own space and texture. Little details like fingers sliding on guitar strings are easy to hear. Around 0:50 a cymbal line comes in, and at 1:07 the shimmer of the overtones from strikes ring out tangibly. At 1:28, a thundering drum beat picks up, and is presented with extreme snap and slam, without losing the echo inside of each strike as it fades. Around 2:34 some faster cymbal playing picks up, with each hit clear and distinct. Voices in the track overall are exceedingly natural, with each presenting from a stable and well-defined area of stage left, center, and right. Each piece of the drum kit can be heard physically spaced from the others, with the cymbals belonging to different areas of the stage during the final 30 seconds of the song as an especially good example of this.


Touch:


The airy background effects that open this track have a surprising amount of dimension to them on the VC, as does the stepping of the synthesizer, which winds across the stage in multiple dimensions. Mouth movements are exceedingly clear; the singer could be inhaling the air next to your ear. The tapping on cymbals is rendered in extreme detail, with each hit being distinguishable and both the fundamental and the sustain of the cymbals eminently believable. The spacing between instruments is painted extremely clearly by the VC, even given the busy nature of the track at times. Touch balances a number of acoustic and synthesized sounds, but presenting the detail and tone of both of these categories of sounds at once can be a challenge. The VC handles Daft Punk’s work skillfully, putting on display their extensive mastering skills and creativity.


Universe Pads vs Vérité Pads


In brief, there is a slight increase in warmth, bloom, and dimension with the Universe pads as compared to the Verite pads. For guitar and other mid-tone heavy music, such as cello, the Universe pads may be preferable, and to help space out busier tracks. For me, the Verite pads provided that bit more control, while keeping the stage sufficiently wide and instruments distributed within it.



Vérité Closed vs. Vérité Open (both wearing Vérité lambskin pads)


I’ve shared listening notes to give insight into what it’s like to listen to the VC, but no real comparisons. I have no closed headphones on hand against which to compare, and I wanted to try a different style of review. That said, the VO is the natural point of comparison for any party interested in the VC. What exactly does it mean to have a closed version of the Vérité? Which should I buy?


As compared to the VO, the VC has slightly more mid presence, which was a rare area where I felt that the VO had space to improve. There is a warmth through the upper mids and low treble compared to the VO, but all the same detail is present. Below 60 Hz or so there is an elevation in the bass on the VC compared to the VO, but the difference is slight. In terms of staging, the VC presents more definite edges and a slightly smaller room than the VO, but does not feel congested. While listening to the VO, sounds seem more to emerge from space, with no obvious edge to the stage that is possible. The VC instead lets you know where the room ends through the reverberation of each note. On crowded tracks, however, the ethereality of the VO’s stage helps in parsing details and separating all that is going on. However, the closed nature of the VC redners it in large part more impactful than the VO. The leading transients of notes appear more surprisingly with the VO, lending an immediacy to impacts, but there is more viscerality to strong notes on the VC. Snap from both headphones is exceptional. Due to the closed design, decay on the VC is also a bit slower than the VO, meaning that the effect of ultra-quick passages is better reproduced by the VO in my opinion. In areas where speed of transition isn’t everything, the more tangible and impactful staging of the VC can pull it head. In either case, both are so much faster than most dynamics that the estimation is really a marginal one.


It is also worth keeping in mind the largest difference between the two headphones: the amount of passive attenuation. By blocking the sound of air, cars, computers, people, etc. the VC makes details pop more, notes rock harder, and music more listenable. The headphones are not majorly distinct from each other in terms of comfort. Instead, the tradeoffs in sound really are trade-offs. If more attenuation improves your listening environment, that alone may recommend the VC over the VO.


Conclusion:


The VC is another expertly tuned and remarkably attractive headphone from ZMF. There isn’t much to say here that I haven’t already, but to reiterate, detail, decay, and tuning on the VC work together to provide an eminently listenable and realistic reproduction of music. Acoustic tracks sound especially excellent, and the VC is able to put on full display the quality of tracks as produced and mastered. ZMF continues their trend of attention to detail both in terms of construction and sonics with the VC, marrying the properties of a closed headphone with thoughtful tuning decisions. Whether or not the price of the VC is justified to you, I cannot answer, but as compared to the headphones I’ve heard and owned, the VC provides the foremost closed-back listening experience, while seriously competing in terms of realism and resolution with all the rest of my stable.

Some Background:

Aeolus is a new dynamic, open-backed, circumaural headphone from ZMF Headphones, and it is also the realization of a frequent community request. Atticus, the closed sibling of Aeolus, has been a popular high-end flavor-can for the community since it came out about two years ago. In that time, the Atticus has built a cult following for its rich, smooth, and musical tuning, with serious thump. The Atticus was never about neutrality, but about having fun and enjoying music. The Aeolus represents a maturation of that concept, which tempers some of the more exaggerated sonic features of the Atticus, while retaining its character, and bringing a higher level of resolution through its open design.

The Aeolus uses the same TPE driver as the Atticus, so all the differences between the headphones are a result of careful acoustic tuning. By controlling airflow, back-waves, resonance, cup volume, and more, Zach has been able to answer the community’s call for an “open Atticus”. The Aeolus is not meant to be a better Atticus, but instead an offering that gives listeners access to the lush timbre of the Atticus, while trading-off pros and cons where you might often find divides between open and closed headphones. These are namely: isolation, bass extension/quantity, micro-resolution, stage size, image specificity, and evenness of frequency response. The Aeolus is the answer to what an open Atticus would sound like. To find out exactly what that means, you’ll have to stick around.

Bearing all of this in mind, I was very excited to get my hands on the Aeolus for review, and hope to provide useful information for the community, especially given the (soon-ending) pre-order period. I was sent this pair without any requirement that I write a review, and am not being paid here or elsewhere for my reviews.


My Setup:

For this review, I will be running all headphones through my Oppo HA-1, both as a DAC and a headphone amplifier. Music will be run out of my custom-built PC over Spotify Premium via USB to the HA-1. I don’t listen to FLAC for the bulk of my music, and I am most familiar with the tracks to be mentioned, so these 320 kbps versions will be my reference. The highest quality in Spotify was selected, and volume matching was turned off (the settings I always use). Volume across headphone comparisons was matched as much as possible with a BFX digital sound meter sealed to the headphone cups in a cardboard enclosure. All headphone cables used were OFC 4-pin XLR, plugged into the balanced output of the HA-1.


Comparisons:

I will be comparing the Aeolus to the ZMF Auteur, ZMF Vérité, and Sennheiser HD800. For the sake of getting this review out in a timely fashion, I will not be including comparisons to my 007 as I did with the Vérité. I also own an LCD-3F, which is being similarly sidelined. If you’d like comparison notes, let me know what exactly you’d like to know, and I will do my best to answer. I own all of these headphones, and have listened to each of them for a few months at the least (except the Vérité, which is here for review as well).


Test Tracks (Some of Them):

I will be comparing headphones primarily across these, but also other tracks. I don’t make mention of every track in every section where I listened to them, but instead am largely giving my high-level impressions. If you want my thoughts on any particular track or phrase, just ask! I’ve tried to select widely available songs across a spectrum of music that I like and am familiar with.


Track List:


Baralku, by Emancipator, on Baralku


Viices, by Made in Heights, on MADE IN HEIGHTS


Touch, by Daft Punk, on Random Access Memories


House of Cards, by Radiohead, on In Rainbows


Peace Train, by Cat Stevens, on Teaser and the Firecat


Hey You, by Pink Floyd, on The Wall


The Four Seasons, Violin Concerto in G Minor, Op. 8, No. 2, RV 315, Summer III, by Antonio Vivaldi, performed by Adrian Chandler, on The Four Seasons and Concertos for Bassoon and Violin “in tromba marina”


Tamacun - Remastered, by Rodrigo y Gabriela on, Rodrigo y Gabriela (Deluxe)


Warm Foothills, by Alt-J on, This is All Yours


Boomerang, by The Uncluded, on Hokey Fright


Little Sadie, by Crooked Still, on Shaken by a Low Sound


True Affection, by The Blow, on Paper Television


Second 2 None, by Mura Masa and Christine and the Queens, on Mura Masa


Acid, by Ray Barretto, on Acid


ラ・ム・ネ, by Snail’s House, on Ordinary Songs


Build and Comfort:

Given that I have just gone over build in my Vérité review, I won’t go on too long, but let me give an overview of the build of the Aeolus.

The Aeolus is just as well constructed as all of ZMF’s other custom dynamics, that is to say, masterfully. Zach’s designs abound with attention to detail, and high-quality materials. The cups on the unit I have are a pale, unoxidized mahogany, and feature a less ornate grill pattern than that found on the auteur and Vérité, opting for a more sloping and angular pattern. The grill design is a matter of taste, and for my part, I think the grill on the auteur may still be my favorite, partially due to the auteur being my first ZMF open-back. The rod and slider mechanism, as well as double headband are identical to those found on the auteur. The suspension strap and spring steel combination easily adapt, and continue impress with the comfort they provide. Slider adjustment is simple, although it cannot be easily completed while wearing the headphone.

The Aeolus is quite wearable at 445 grams, although about 30 grams can be saved, at a price of $250, on the LTD wood runs of the Aeolus by swapping in the magnesium chassis from the Vérité. The Aeolus will be run in Sapele as the stock wood, and Ziricote for the first LTD run. While on the subject of options, the Vérité pads can be added to any Aeolus order for $60. The unit ships stock with the Universe pads, which I will be using for my review. I will offer brief impressions with the Vérité pads, later on, time permitting.


Listening Impressions:

Bass:

I will only be able to make reference to the Atticus’ bass from a few brief memories, for the sake of those interested to read about it. In general, I am not going to be reviewing the Aeolus as a version of the Atticus, but as its own headphone. With that out of the way, I will say that the bass on the Aeolus is not as elevated in its slamming as that of the Atticus, and that it blends into the midrange more seamlessly. Beyond those broad strokes comparisons, I would really need an Atticus on hand to give insight.

Heard as its own headphone, the bass from the Aeolus is quite satisfying, carrying over some sweetness from the midrange, which we will discuss in a moment. Midbass is more prominent than the sub-bass on the Aeolus, although neither feels out of place. I do enjoy the palpable feeling that powerful sub-bass can impart, and the Aeolus can deliver here. Listening to Massive Attack’s Paradise Circus, and Cane Shuga by Glass Animals, both satisfied in this way, with tactitility to the music that felt cohesive with the overall smoothness that the Aeolus gave to each song. As mentioned, midbass is slightly elevated relative to sub-bass, and is where the TPE driver of the Aeolus shines. Listening to Acid, the bass line came across with excellent substance, and gave a firm foundation to the song, that I sometimes feel isn’t there. The hand drum beats were quick without feeling artificial, and noticing small nuances between each slap was both easy and enjoyable.

Across the frequency spectrum, detail on the Aeolus is reproduced in a very relaxed but competent kind of way. The super scientific analogy that comes to mind is of an expert marksman showing off around a campfire after a few drinks (don’t do this, friends). The shots all hit their mark, but the display is more about having a good time than about absolute focus. What really impresses me is the way in which the Aeolus is, in a very minimally-compromising way, not all about detail, due not to some inherent grain obscuring things, but just because liquidity is emphasized over speed.


Mids:

Oh those creamy mids. Above all other headphones that I have done close listening with, the reproduction of voices on the Aeolus feels the most human. That is not to say that the midrange of the Aeolus has the greatest resolution of any headphone I have heard, but in terms of natural and smooth reproduction of voices, these are an 11/10. Acoustic instruments benefit from this quality as well, but I think because of how much time we spend hearing voices every day, the Aeolus really struck me with regards to them. The midrange response slopes very gently downward as it transitions out of the mid-bass, and carries on with this trend into the lower treble, up until around 5k or so, where the response rises. The combination of this tuning and the lush nature of the Aeolus makes them eminently crankable. It is so easy to listen to the Aeolus really loud. Not because detail feels absent, but because they are just so far from piercing or shrill, and their feeling of musicality didn’t break-up in any of my listening.

Impact in the midrange struck a nice balance, providing a sense of dynamism, without forcing sounds. Edges of notes could stand to be a bit more refined, moreso on trailing edges, but the smoothing that the Aeolus offers did make music easier to get into, and can compensate for some less-than-ideal production value. Spatial placement seems to be less affected by this smoothing, but we will get into these technicalities more broadly in a bit. I appreciate that the sloping of the midrange was tuned to focus on musicality and pleasing naturalness, but does not feel withdrawn or sucked-out. The rise into the lower treble also plays a part in giving back a bit of energy to balance the lush tone of the midrange. The quality, and specifically the enjoyability of the Aeolus’ midrange really is hard to overstate. A capella and tracks with a strong vocal presence satisfy in a visceral way that I don’t often feel when listening to headphones. Drum and acoustic guitar pairings sound damn good in a similar way.


Treble:

The treble of the Aeolus begins by lifting up out of the upper-midrange, and then sloping down again around 10k. There is a bit of dip around 7-8k, but this was only really noticeable on a tone generator. The overall treble presentation continues the trend of smoothness from the rest of the frequency response, although I find this effect to be a bit too pronounced during critical listening. While listening to the Aeolus for fun, or in the background, this more gentle treble presentation is ideal, but when I really want to hear that last bit of bite from violins, or a little edge from the high notes of a sax riff, notes are a bit softer in their attack than I would like. That said, the substance and body of treble notes is still very much there, and impact is solid, if not the pinpoint warhead that I heard a few weeks ago with the Vérité.

To give an example, the chimes and vibraphone (I think that’s what it is) on Viices both sounded clear and full, but lacked some of the sparkle that I have heard from them on other headphones. That said, the same tuning choice/driver property that I believe is causing this presentation is rendering the female singer’s voice enchantingly, and giving me great taut rumble from the bass line. This slightly-damped treble presentation is not distracting or large in its effect, but it does contribute to the overall tone of the Aeolus. There is a small tradeoff being made here, but the Aeolus is doing a good job of convincing me of its presentation.


Technicalities (Imaging, soundstage, detail retrieval, transients, dynamics, separation etc.):

On binaural recordings, the Aeolus can reach wide, and cast a large stage, however, as I’ve found to be the case across the ZMF line, Zach’s headphones won’t make songs sound wide arbitrarily. The Aeolus doesn’t have the quite the three-dimensionality to its staging that you might find on the Vérité or other summit-fi headphones. However, the left-right stage was certainly outside my head, and could reach outside where the headphones end as well. Front to back, the Aeolus also had solid staging, about on par with its vertical presentation, which surprised me. Both the X and Z axes did a better job precisely placing sounds than I expected. To speak more to imaging, specificity on the Aeolus is pretty good, in a way that is consistent with the overall timbre of the headphones. What I mean here is that the Aeolus presents warm, with an emphasis on liquidity. These characteristics can make the edges of sounds harder to locate, and interferes with what can sometimes be mistakenly used as a proxy for detail and precision, i.e. a bright tuning. Despite this, separation is strong enough to satisfy in most cases. I believe that this is due to the Aeolus’ stage pushing out reasonably far, and resolving fairly small increments of space along each axis. All told, it took me a bit of time to understand the actual imaging performance of the Aeolus. In the end, I think only serious detail-heads would trade the natural tone of the Aeolus for that extra 5-10% of imaging specificity. If we could somehow have both, that would be awesome, but we don’t live in that world, at this price, just yet.


In line with, and I believe acoustically related to image placement, is the ability to faithfully and quickly reproduce transient edges. The Aeolus, for similar reasons as those just mentioned, is solid, but not outstanding in transient reproduction. It probably doesn’t help the Aeolus’ case that I am coming off of the Vérité review right now, but the edges of notes on the Aeolus fade in the way that they might in an a modestly damped venue. Trailing edges of notes, especially, linger for just a hair longer, and with a hair less control, than I would like. The first of these factors, the longer decay, is actually pretty great sounding on many acoustic songs, as it does give a more “live” sound. Toward the latter, control of decay is good, but not excellent on my unit. To be fair, wood choice could make a difference here, as might the Vérité pads, both of which are user-selectable to varying degrees. Obviously, I need to review the unit from a familiar baseline, but I’d imagine that there are also systems out there that would help with decay. Leading edges are better controlled, and are part of what give the Aeolus its liquid character, coming into place smoothly, but with impact.

Macro dynamics, are really satisfying and powerful, without feeling bloated or overly thunderous. The Aeolus handles changes in dynamics quite well, especially given its speed relative to other headphones up for comparison today, even across quick passages. Micro dynamics are resolved well, although not at summit-fi (Utopia, 009, Vérité, etc.) levels. Similarly, overall detail retrieval is strong, and detail presentation feels neither forceful nor aggressive. Breaths, rustles, variation between “identical” riffs etc. are reproduced, but you’ll need to listen if you want to really absorb each, and although each detail feels represented, there is undoubtedly more to be pulled out of the mix by a headphone that prioritizes absolute resolution. Overall, the technicalities of the Aeolus are very consistent with the tuning of the headphone, which makes for a coherent experience that is easy to dive into and enjoy for many hours.

Universe Pads vs. Vérité Pads

Not a stock option, but if people are interested, I’ll let you know.


Headphone Comparisons:

Aeolus vs. auteur (auteur pads, mahogany):

As the new middle child in the ZMF open-backed line, the auteur is likely the reference point of most interest in regards to the Aeolus and Vérité releases. If you read my Vérité review, you know that the auteur is the more neutral of those two headphones. It should be unsurprising, then, to hear that between the Aeolus and the auteur, the latter is again the more neutral. I listen to my auteur with the auteur pads, and so with it am listening to what I consider one of the most neutral high-end headphones available today. I have owned my auteur for about a year, and have been excited for a while to compare the open designs for each of these drivers to each other. As a point of reference, my first ZMF purchase came after a few hours of comparing the Atticus to the Eikon, and me going with the latter.

Beginning with the bass, the auteur maintained and reproduced subbass texture better than the did Aeolus. Around the mid/upper bass or lower midrange, the timbre of the Aeolus began to win me over. I heard an about equal amount of slam from both headphones in the bass range, but it was distributed differently, with the auteur having more force lower down. The Aeolus sounded a bit elevated in the midbass compared to the auteur as well, and had a weight to its sound that the auteur lacked. What really differentiated these headphones in terms of their bass, beyond FR differences, is how the bass impact from each of these headphones presented. The auteur hits faster than the Aeolus, and low down, hits more firmly, but also backs off more quickly. In contrast, the Aeolus takes until the midbass to punch hard in terms of peak quality and quantity, and lingers in its force just a bit longer. What this conveys overall is a fast and detailed rumble to the auteur, and a more liquid and dark tone to the Aeolus. I tend to prefer the bass presentation of the auteur, but having owned it for over a year at this point, the mere exposure effect is almost definitely playing a role in dictating my preference.

In the midrange, pretty much throughout, the smooth and lifelike quality of voices and guitars on the Aeolus did huge work on my heartstrings. The timbre of the mids on the Aeolus is, to my ear, more satisfying. With that said, the actual FR of the auteur across the midrange is closer to what I want to hear. The auteur came across as a bit bright, compared to the mids of the Aeolus, both because they are elevated in volume, and because of the auteur is less lush in its tuning. There are some cases too, where the auteur comes across as more lifelike, such as in cymbal reproduction, where the fundamental tang and sparkle cymbals is more energetic and bell-like. Preference across genres here is really hard to decide. In the songs that gel with the Aeolus’ tuning (read: most rock, jazz, vocal, electronic, and hip-hop music), its midrange beats that of the auteur, but for genre-agnostic midrange consistency, the auteur would be my pick.

The treble range is probably what sets these headphones apart the most, in terms of their frequency responses and timbral goals. The auteur really nails what I prefer for treble reproduction: a little controlled shimmer, just shy of venturing into being splashy or glaring. The Aeolus hesitates a bit further from this line than I would prefer, and is a bit slower to resolve edges than the auteur, so its treble feels a bit less lively. That said, the Aeolus never ventures into the land of sibilance, and makes less well recorded music, which can be quite irritating in the treble range, much easier to listen to. As I mentioned in my Vérité review, the Aeolus really saved the day when I wanted to listen to more mainstream hip hop and some electronic music. In orchestral music, however, such as The Four Seasons - Winter in F Minor, violins are given the extra bite they need from the auteur. In some recordings, the more relaxed tone of the Aeolus did capture the grandeur of the orchestra as whole better, but in these cases, the auteur enabled me to pick into the mix that bit more. I’m slightly auteur leaning on the treble, at least for well-recorded music.

Technicalities of these headphones are not worlds apart, but they are worth getting into. Layered effects are, as mentioned, easier to pick apart on the auteur, which also has a bit more refinement in its transients. As a result, however, the auteur loses out on the lushness that the Aeolus gives to many acoustic instruments, which feathers the edges of notes into what you’d be more likely to hear in a live performance. The image is a touch more defined on the auteur, and also a bit more three dimensional. Width of the stage goes just slightly to the Aeolus, although the stage’s edges also feel a bit more diffuse. Dynamic reproduction, in terms of impact, goes slightly to the Aeolus, however the precision that microdynamics, especially, demand are better reproduced by the auteur. Decay on the Aeolus is more live and musical sounding, and notes seem to be more part of the music, rather than their own events.

I have grown used to the auteur, and so, in most cases, prefer it to the Aeolus. With that said, if I haven’t listened to music yet on any given day, and I reach for either headphone, I usually have a larger and more pleasant impression sooner listening with the Aeolus. The naturalness with which it presents music makes me forget that I have heard it another way before, and has me bobbing my head, enjoying. When A/Bing quickly with the auteur, I am reminded just what I value about the latter, but in more casual circumstances, I’m all smiles when the Aeolus is on my head.


Aeolus vs. HD800:

These headphones are way better complements than they are competitors. This comparison honestly feels a little silly. Granted, they are both 300 ohm, open-backed, circumaural, dynamic driver headphones, but the similarities end there. Due to this, and for the sake of getting this review out ASAP, I will not go into as much depth with this comparison. Where the Aeolus is downsloping, mid-bass-to-mids focused, and all about musical liquidity, the HD800 is bass-light, all about technical finesse, and quite lively in the treble region. Comfort on both headphones is great, although for very different reasons. The HD800 focuses on being light and spread out over the ear with thin padding, where the Aeolus is heavier, but amply cushioned, and luxurious feeling.

Let’s begin to unpack how each of these headphones reproduces music. On Viices, for example, the opening taps on the HD800 sound like suggestions, or gentle meanderings, while on the Aeolus there is a substance and weight, albeit small, to each impact. The female lead’s voice is also much more forward and organic on the Aeolus. On Bubble Tea, by dark cat, the Aeolus and HD800 create wildly different experiences. From the former, the song focuses on the female vocalist, and impact from the bassline. Meanwhile, the HD800 plays back a rapid and airy track, with greater detail, but also a fair amount of shrillness from the high-frequency chime notes. Across a range of songs, the peaky treble of the HD800 makes it hard to justify over the Aeolus especially, given its polar opposite, musical reproduction.

In terms of technicalities, the stage on the HD800 is obviously deeper and wider than the Aeolus, although differences in height are less pronounced. Speed also goes to the HD800, but dynamics are really a tossup. The HD800 is faster, so in this sense, its dynamic swings feel quite pronounced, but given the large gap in impact it gives up to the Aeolus, dynamics on the latter feel more...dynamic. More obvious resolution of micro-detail on the HD800 does make dynamics on this scale more noticeable, but the Aeolus resolves at nearly the same level, and with a liquidity that is less fatiguing than the presentation of the HD800 in this area.

There are numerous competitive offerings around this price, but few make so obvious the ways in which the HD800 misses the mark in enjoyability. What the Aeolus sacrifices in absolute resolution, staging, and speed compared to the HD800, they more than make up for in terms of musicality, impact, and vocal realism.


Vérité vs. Aeolus (copied from Vérité review):

The Vérité and Aeolus are certainly not in the same price category, but given that the release of two new ZMF headphones invites comparison, and that I have the Aeolus in for review as well, let’s get into it.

Build is not really a category that deserves much time. The Vérité is a bit lighter due to the Mg chassis. Both headphones are finished beautifully, and built durably. I will go into a description of the Aeolus’ build in its review, coming Soon™.

To get right to sound, the Aeolus is just a freaking fun headphone, with a nice jump in technicalities and evenness as compared to the Atticus, that makes it so easy to listen to. More than any headphone in this review, including the Vérité, I found myself bobbing my head, or up and dancing, listening to the Aeolus. It’s not as technically proficient as the Vérité, it’s not as fast, controlled, holographic, or detailed, but it is a massive contender in the ~$1,000 headphone market. The mids on the Aeolus maintain a lush and inviting character that Atticus owners will know well, with guitars and vocals coming through especially in an exceedingly natural way. However, the mids are now transitioned into from a less booming, but still punchy, bass range, and are followed by treble that I think needs just a bit more bite on some classical tracks, but which makes a lot more recordings sound good. I still need to see how the Vérité pads alter the response of the Aeolus, and have a hopeful guess that they will bring the treble to an awesome spot.

Compared to the Vérité, all of this results in a headphone that is more friendly and forgiving, but less wowing and engrossing. The Vérité can resolve to an extreme, but would not be my go-to choice for “low-fi beats to study to” (I hope for obvious reasons). Beyond the fact that I would feel a bit guilty ignoring the Vérité, it is good at being the microscope with musicality that the HD800 never was, and the headphone with slam and speed that doesn’t drill detail into your ears with its metallic tuning. The Vérité isn’t a headphone that’s easy to put on the back burner mentally, despite its somewhat down-sloping tuning. Meanwhile, the Aeolus presents a great value for the enthusiast who wants a take on the ZMF sound that is less about absolute technical proficiency, and more about fun. That said, the Aeolus does take a big step toward traditional audiophile characteristics compared to the Atticus, and I think many people will love it for that reason.


Closing Thoughts:

More than any other headphone I have on hand, the Aeolus makes me forget about my system and just jam out. More often than we’d probably all like to admit, that’s all we want out of a headphone, a good time with the music. To be fair, there is absolutely still space and pleasure to be found in absolute resolution and speed, and there are headphones which cater to that desire. That said, the warm tuning and lush presentation of the Aeolus presents a more refined and audiophile-friendly version of what the Atticus made available a few years ago: a high-end intersection of pleasure and resolution. Neither sibling-headphone obviates the other, and the Aeolus is a very attractive offering in the ZMF line, as well as in the ~$1,000 headphone world overall. For the listener who wants to enjoy first and go detail-hunting second, the Aeolus is a great choice. Overall, the rich and impactful sound, coupled with the strong-enough resolution of the Aeolus makes it easy to recommend to those searching for a new headphone to enjoy, in the $1,000 price range.

Thank you to Zach and ZMF for creating the Aeolus, and sending them over for me to check out. I have enjoyed my time with the Aeolus a great deal, and appreciate the opportunity to review them.


Specs:

Frequency Response: Approximately 10 Hz to 25 KHZ

Impedance: 300 Ohms

Sensitivity: 99 dB/mW

Warranty: Lifetime for Driver, 3 years parts and mechanical

Weight (est.): 445g

Pads: Universe (Vérité pads optional +$60)

Case: Seahorse SE 430


Price: $999 pre-order, $1199 list price

Vérité Review

Truth in Music:

The Vérité is the new ZMF flagship, and is being released as one of two new entrants into the company’s open-backed, over-ear dynamic lineup. The Vérité brings several technical firsts to ZMF’s headphones, perhaps most excitingly, an entirely new driver material, comprised of beryllium deposed onto a polyethylene naphthalate dome. Other improvements include a magnesium chassis, a stiffer surround, porting along the edges of the cups, and a 50 gauss magnet. These changes are all in service of two goals: absolute control over the driver’s behavior, and comfort.

As the new top offering, the Vérité has a tall mountain of previous ZMF successes to climb. To be clear, however, Zach has stated that the Vérité is not meant to overshadow the Auteur as the “best” ZMF open-back headphone, but represent a new level of technical refinement, transparency, and detail, with its own take on the ZMF house sound.

Bearing all of this in mind, I was very excited to get my hands on a Vérité for review, and hope to provide useful information for the community, especially given the current pre-order period.

My Setup:

For this review, I will be running all headphones through my Oppo HA-1, serving both as a DAC and as a headphone amplifier. Music will be run to the HA-1 via USB out of my custom-built PC, through Spotify Premium. I don’t listen to FLAC for the bulk of my music, and I am most familiar with the tracks to be mentioned, so they will be my reference. The highest quality in Spotify was selected, and volume normalization was turned off (the settings I always use). Volume across headphone comparisons was matched as much as possible during pink noise playback, with a BFX digital sound meter sealed to the headphone cups in a cardboard enclosure. All headphone cables used were OFC 4-pin XLR, plugged into the balanced output of the HA-1. I listened to the Vérité with the Universe pads for the bulk of this review, but switched in the Vérité pads as well. My impressions of the Universe pads versus the Vérité pads can be found in their own section.

Comparisons:

I will be comparing the Verite to the ZMF Auteur, ZMF Aeolus, Sennheiser HD800, and Stax SR-007 mk1 (amplified by a Stax SRM-353X). All of which I own, and have listened to for a few months at the least (except the Aeolus, which is also here for review).


Test Tracks (Some of Them):

I will be comparing headphones primarily across these, but also other tracks. I don’t make mention of every track in every section where I listened to them, but instead am largely giving my high-level impressions. If you want my thoughts on any particular track or phrase, just ask! I’ve tried to select widely available songs across a spectrum of music that I like and am familiar with.


Track List:

Baralku, by Emancipator, on Baralku


Viices, by Made in Heights, on MADE IN HEIGHTS


Touch, by Daft Punk, on Random Access Memories


House of Cards, by Radiohead, on In Rainbows


Peace Train, by Cat Stevens, on Teaser and the Firecat


Hey You, by Pink Floyd, on The Wall


The Four Seasons, Violin Concerto in G Minor, Op. 8, No. 2, RV 315, Summer III, by Antonio Vivaldi, performed by Adrian Chandler, on The Four Seasons and Concertos for Bassoon and Violin “in tromba marina”


Tamacun - Remastered, by Rodrigo y Gabriela on, Rodrigo y Gabriela (Deluxe)


Warm Foothills, by Alt-J on, This is All Yours


Boomerang, by The Uncluded, on Hokey Fright


Little Sadie, by Crooked Still, on Shaken by a Low Sound


True Affection, by The Blow, on Paper Television


Second 2 None, by Mura Masa and Christine and the Queens, on Mura Masa


Acid, by Ray Barretto, on Acid


ラ・ム・ネ, by Snail’s House, on Ordinary Songs


Build and Comfort:

As anyone who has ever held a ZMF headphone can tell you, Zach’s build and design is at once robust and sculptural. The Vérité is no exception, and now takes the prize of being the lightest headphone that ZMF offers, at around 430 grams, courtesy of the acoustic porting of the cups, and new magnesium chassis. With the open-backed (read: ventilated) design, plush pads, and the double suspension system, comfort is exceptional. For those unacquainted, ZMF headphones use a spring-steel band wrapped in padded leather, with a thick leather suspension strap below, to evenly distribute pressure.

The cups on the Vérité I have with me are a striking oxidized mahogany, although I do not know if that will ever be one of the production woods. The stock Vérité will be run in silkwood, and the first limited edition in pheasantwood. The adjustment sliders on this headphone have been updated slightly from the rest of the ZMF open-backs, featuring a dished, rather than a rounded top. The grills are a beautiful addition to the presentation, and will be offered in a few finishes, depending on wood species and customer preferences. The pattern on the grills takes inspiration from the golden ratio, and along with the sloping wood cups, gives the headphone a refined and artisanal look and feel.


Listening Impressions:

Bass:
Speed and precision are the first words that come to mind when describing the technicalities of the bass I heard from the Vérité. Transient response of bass notes is among the best I’ve experienced, I believe largely due to the self-damping properties of beryllium. Moreover, when a bass-heavy phrase presents, I do not hear bloom, or just that there are some bass notes playing, but resolution of each note and beat, easily placing instruments. In Limit to Your Love, by James Blake, around the 1:50 mark, the separation between each component of the bassline proved a great example of this ability. However, it is not impact that makes this reproduction so convincing. The finesse with which the Vérité differentiated the timbre, placement, and impact of low frequency sounds was perhaps it’s greatest achievement in this area. I soon realized that if I wanted to fairly judge the bass capabilities of this headphone, that I would need to listen to a lot of different music.


The Vérité is not tuned to make your ears pulse endlessly, unless the material it is fed demands exactly that. As I spent more time with the Vérité, it became abundantly clear that songs that I had in the general mental category of “physical bass presence”, could not all be grouped together. Most songs have a bass line of course, and reproduction was adept across the board, but the Vérité helped me more precisely draw the line between songs with impactful, textured bass, versus those that just had low frequency notes. Bass extension was excellent, although there was a very gentle uptilt from the sub-bass through the mid-bass. Mid-bass does not bleed into the lower mid-range, and maintains an even hand throughout. Bass in general is slightly elevated, but it is hard to say to what extent exactly, as the increase in detail may be leading me to notice the bass as more present, and more authoritative. The tuning of the bass overall is relatively flat, given that this is a dynamic driver headphone (that is, only a gentle rise into the mid-bass). More importantly however, the tuning makes way for the technical excellence of the driver to shine through, making the bass feel much more taut and impactful than would any particular bass frequency-band emphasis.


Mids:
The mid-range of the Vérité is again fast, as well as quite transparent, and on the more dry side in the lower mids, at least compared to other ZMF headphones. Depending on the song, this can come across as either an exceptionally clear window into the mix, or the realization that recordings have a bit less meat on their bones than you remember. Put another way, the mid-range, especially with the Vérité pads, focuses on textural accuracy over smoothness. I’m still unsure whether this is due to exceeding transparency, or the timbre of the Vérité, but I expect that some of each is at play. Regardless of the explanation, this specificity in reproducing the texture of notes, led me to hear many songs in a new light, demanding a fair amount of listening to better understand what I was hearing. This “newness” was not so much the experience of “I’ve never heard that rustle/instrument/fart before”, but, “I didn’t realize that there was a level of inconsistency between notes, and a texture to each that was previously just not being noticeably resolved.” This effect is not unique to the mid-range, but it is the first place I noticed it.

The upper end of the mid-range/lower treble shies away from the drier feel of the lower mids, and slopes up in perceived fullness, while maintaining exceptional clarity. In general, well-recorded music with detailed mids are masterfully rendered by the Vérité. However, as we’ll soon get to with the upper treble registers, poor quality music is not the greatest pairing with this headphone. Perhaps the most concise, and in retrospect, comically obvious way to put this, is that the Vérité tells the unapologetic truth.

Treble:
The treble reproduction of the Vérité is honestly a stroke of brilliance. I’m not saying this because of any one track, or because I think the frequency response is the closest to the Harman target, or something like that. No, the reason I think that what Zach did is so clever is because rather than create an artificial sense of clarity through peaky or broadly elevated treble, he let the timbre and speed of the driver convey a sense of treble presence. This approach avoids adding energy that can contribute to driver resonances, sibilance, and harshness, without giving up the perceptual effect of a transparent and airy high end. Treble notes are presented with immediacy and superb texture. Importantly to me, the treble lacks any perceptible veil, which I feel plagues a majority of headphones, even some of the brighter ones.

That said, there is some elevation in the upper treble that can sound a bit sharp on some lower-quality tracks. However, on well-recorded music, this tuning choice gives a sense of space and quickness to music, which I really appreciated. Listening to a few fast-paced Vivaldi pieces, for example, with violins sawing away in their upper octaves brought no pain, but presented nicely separated layers of notes. On less well-recorded music, the Vérité continues with the pattern of being fast and transparent, although sometimes to less pleasant effect. I was recently listening to the new Lil Wayne album, which, while a great throwback to his 2005 achievement, is not the most carefully recorded work. In Mona Lisa, “s”s “ch”s and “t”s from Lil Wayne’s mouth bridge that line between, “Wow, I can hear air moving past the grills on his teeth”, and “my ears do no like this, use other letters please”. At lower volumes, this wasn’t very noticeable, but I don’t often listen to his music softly in the background. After the first time listening to the album, I switched over to the Aeolus, which smoothed things out just enough for me to enjoy my guilty pleasure. All told, the treble of the Vérité is so thoughtfully crafted, but if your source material is sharp or glaring, the Vérité is not going to sand things down for you. I do expect that if I had a higher-end tube amp, that could be a big help in this regard, as the HA-1 can lean bright at times. I have a Vali 2, which I have enjoyed tube-rolling while reviewing the Vérité, but it is not an amp that can match the Vérité in resolution, to say the least.


Imaging, soundstage, transients, separation etc.:
This is the section where preference and subjectivity goes out the window as much as it can in this hobby. In the past three sections, I imagine you were reading to see if the tuning of the Vérité would be up your alley, as that matters a lot in choosing a headphone. Or maybe you're here just because this bleeding-edge gear is drool-worthy. Thanks for reading this far in either case. What I will tell you here is this: if your reference is any other ZMF headphone, or 99% of the rest of dynamic headphones in the world (definitely underestimating here, if we are talking all headphones), the Vérité is better in all, or nearly all technical regards. The Vérité has more precise imaging, a more stable stage, with a sound field that feels tailored to each song in size and dimension, and has a noticeable holographic quality...It’s just better. Unfortunately, I do not have a Utopia on hand, as another well-recognized king in these areas, but I do have some mk1 SR-007s, which I have used as a benchmark for speed and specificity (alas, no 009, either). We’ll get to that comparison in a bit. While there are certainly competitors on these fronts that mean I can’t name an absolute winner without all headphones in hand, in my opinion, the Vérité is world-class across the board in its technicalities.

To give a bit more concrete description to my experiences, in several songs, I noticed that what I had previously believed to be left-right panning of a sound actually involved a very subtle front-to-back effect, such that notes were tracing an elongated ellipse around my head, or moving along a shallow diagonal (see around 00:26 in 100 Grandkids, or the opening of Crosstown Traffic, for example). It’s not so much that these effects can’t be heard on other headphones, but that the Vérité provides the space and clarity for such details to pop. Specificity of instrument placement is very stable, as well as precise on the Vérité. Listening to Silver Droplets, by Made in Heights, each note from (what I believe is) the glockenspiel, hovers in the air above the female lead, separated from each of the other strikes. The instrument later reappears to the right, after playing center-stage in the introduction, and rotates behind the head-stage slightly over time, something that I had never before noticed, but which was glaringly obvious on the Vérité. The soundstage can grow, shrink, and change shape when called for. This point, of song-variant soundstage size and shape, is perhaps more critical to take note of than absolute stage size, which is already larger than any previous ZMF headphone. Unlike some headphones, soundstage isn’t as obviously a feature of, or constrained by the driver or enclosure, but rather is rendered as called for. The Vérité can easily project well outside of my head along all three axes, however the image that is projected tends to be larger from side-to-side, and on the front-to-back axis. The vertical presentation of space is noticeable, but extends less in absolute terms, compared to the other two dimensions, however, vertical space does scale just as dynamically. This could be a feature of common recording practices, but I am not certain. Finally, it is worth noting that when recordings are silent, either overall or in one area, the Vérité projects inky blackness that is damn satisfying, and really deserves to be heard.


Universe Pads vs. Vérité Pads:
The physical differentiator between the Universe pads and Vérité pads is a slight angle at the rear of the former. The Vérité pads lie flat against your head, presenting a few noticeable changes. First, your ear is closer to the back of the pad, or in my case, touches the back of the pad. This was not the annoying kind of occasional brush, but more just light contact with the tops of my ears, which I don’t mind, especially in open-back headphones. After switching to the Vérité pads, I also had to reduce the rod extension by one notch, as the flatter profile absorbed less of the rod height than did the angled Universe pads. The most noticeable sonic changes with the swap to the Vérité pads were a slight but inconsistent increase in energy from the middle of the mid-range through the mid-treble, more bite to the general timbre, and a bit more focus and narrowing of the soundstage. The stage did not become small by any stretch, but there was a tilt inward. Overall, I think I prefer the Vérité pads, for they support what the Vérité is best at: being incisive, resolving, and dynamic. The Universe pads are a great option, and provide a little bit of mellowing and space that would certainly pair well with some genres, and allow for more relaxed listening sessions.


Headphone Comparisons:

Vérité vs. ZMF auteur (mahogany, auteur pads):
This might be the comparison that most are curious about. Thankfully, I am also most prepared to comment here, as I’ve been listening to my auteur daily for about a year at this point. Let’s get to it

The most immediately apparent difference between these headphones is in separation and texture. The Vérité does a better job at picking apart the mix, giving space and resolution to each component, without sounding artificial. To be entirely clear, the auteur was no slouch in this department. However, the new Be driver brings a level of transparency that the auteur can’t match. The soundstage is larger, and more clearly defined as well on the Vérité, which again, is not a department where the auteur could be seriously faulted, but where there was room for improvement that the Vérité thoroughly fill out. Transient edges of notes have more texture on the Vérité, are better defined, and more tightly controlled.

Mids are the foundation of almost every ZMF headphone, so we’ll begin comparing tuning there. The mid-range, especially vocals, are smoother and sound more musical on the auteur. On the Vérité, the extreme clarity of voices makes music played in the background ask for your attention. So much detail is presented, while pulling away the veil of recorded music, that I found the auteur to be the better headphone for background listening (and the Aeolus better still). While the effect of directing my attention back to the music was not forceful, it was not easy to ignore, either. The tension between absolute transparency and musicality is an eternal struggle in high-end audio, and I believe that Zach has displayed real thoughtfulness in just where he drew the line for the Vérité. Music does not become fatiguing to listen to, as can be experienced with many “detail-head” cans, but neither did he make any appreciable compromises in resolution for the sake of easy-listening. To be fair, most people investing over $2,000 in a headphone are probably not prioritizing how easy it is to ignore, but who knows.

Again, I really think this comes down to the confluence of the measurably somewhat dark tuning of the Vérité, coupled with the absurd speed and specificity of the Be driver. Treble is more transparent and faster on the Vérité, as compared to the auteur, with effects like the vibrato of the chimes in Boomerang presenting as both richer and more apparent. The slight sheen that I sometimes felt needed to be polished off of the auteur treble is also rapidly dispensed with by the Vérité. This change brings clarity, without depending on shoutyness or glare. Despite this improvement in resolution, the more even overall tuning of the auteur’s treble conveys a sense of naturalness, which I very much appreciate. Bass is tighter and more textured on the Vérité, and a touch elevated above that of the auteur. To that final point, the auteur does have the technically more neutral tuning of the two. The Vérité does not present as distractingly colored, but compared to its sibling, which is the closest -to-neutral headphone I have spent any real amount of time with, the slightly down-sloping tuning is noticeable. To be fair, this comparison was done with the Vérité’s warmer pads, and the auteur’s more neutral, so if there is interest in me making a change in either/both directions for comparison, I would be happy to oblige.


Vérité vs. Sennheiser HD800:
If you read my auteur review, you know that I basically concluded that the auteur offered a more intimate presentation than the HD800, without giving up much in the way of detail retrieval, all while feeling dramatically less forced, and more musical. The Vérité, as you might then imagine, gives you the best of both worlds, and more. Compared to the Vérité, the HD800 feels thin, and does not achieve enough through its marginally wider soundstage to justify the victories that the Vérité wins in speed, richness of detail, bass quality and quantity, mid-range naturalness, or lack of sibilance. To be fair, the HD800 is less than ½ the price of the Vérité, and is almost a decade old, but as a stalwart of the audiophile’s stable, I believe that the comparison is warranted. In addition, the HD800 still does present a remarkable tool with which to dissect music, providing ample space, and making no attempt to distract.

The HD800 is also remarkably comfortable and light, and as one of the non-ZMF headphones in this comparison, its build is worth noting. Unfortunately, ergonomics are the only place where the HD800 challenges the Vérité, as in terms of durability, material quality, and (subjectively) aesthetics, it gets absolutely stomped (and covered in paint chips). I will probably keep my HD800 because I respect it, as a technical milestone, a point of reference, and an interesting change of pace, but I don’t see much much head-time in its future. I don’t imagine many people are deciding between these two headphones, so I will stop here.


Vérité vs. Stax SR-007 mk1:

So, this was fun. When I learned that I might be able to review a Vérité, I made sure that I would have an electrostatic headphone ready to go for comparison. I had a notion that the Beryllium driver would need a yardstick for speed and resolution, and after I sold a set of L700 last winter, I knew I needed to give another set of Stax a home.

SR-007 vs Vérité is the closest comparison I can make from my stable, when it comes to price parity, although the parity is a bit tricky to establish, due to the mk1 being discontinued. That said, at an MSRP of $2,100 for the SR-007 mk2, the 007 and the Vérité are within spitting distance of each other in terms of price. Add the cost of an energizer/electrostat amp that can drive the 007, and they land on the other side of the Vérité in the price comparison. While on non-sonic topics, let’s also discuss build. The 007 that I have are finished in a handsome champagne anodized aluminum, with plush brown leather cups and headband, and are quite light. Fit occurs via an auto-adjusting elastic strap, which some love and some hate. I am in the former camp, and find these quite comfortable. The Vérité is certainly heavier, but carries itself so well that I can’t declare a clear winner in terms of comfort. The 007 might eek out an extra 30 minutes at the end of a day of listening, but I would be more nervous about damaging them.

Let’s get to sound. The 007 and Vérité resolve detail in very different ways. Notes from the 007 seem to coalesce from space, and effortlessly float music into your ears. By comparison, the Vérité makes clear exactly where each sound is coming from, and presents detail in a much more deliberate and dynamic fashion. Transients from the 007 are slightly more liquid than those on the Vérité, flowing between notes, while still affording precise transitions. The Vérité, on the other hand, presents sharper edges to notes, and retreats to blackness, even for fractions of a second, in these inter-note spaces. Soundstage is more physical in its portrayal on the Vérité, and slightly smaller than that of the 007, but is comparable in the precision of instrument placement, if not a bit ahead of the 007. The diffuse and ethereal character of the 007 makes the Vérité’s stage feel more like music is being played, rather than just hovering in the air. I appreciate being able to listen to each note grow and fade in this more dynamic way, as opposed to the more atmospheric presentation of the 007.

I am a bit wary of this coming across as a generic comparison of electrostatic versus dynamic headphones, so let me put it this way: The Vérité is, other than maybe the Utopia, the most macro and micro-detailed, fast, and impactful dynamic headphone that I have heard. Because of this, the Vérité stands toe-to-toe with the 007 in many of the areas that Stax usually dominate, for example, absolute speed and resolution. What is left behind in the comparison is the means and character of their resolution, rather than a major quantitative difference, as might be apparent when referencing other dynamics. In terms of frequency response, the 007 has a slightly warm tilt, as does the Vérité, but the former is flatter through the lower mid-range. Due to the airier upper-end of the Vérité, and its crisp speed, the Vérité comes across as less warm than the 007, which brings it quite close to my ideal tuning. Both are exceptional headphones, each with a different take on absurd levels of detail and transparency.

I am very grateful to have been able to make this comparison, and think that the 007 and Vérité complement each other quite well. I would be curious to get in an 009 or 009S to see how a Stax with brighter tuning might pair up with the Vérité, but that will have to wait.


Vérité vs. ZMF Aeolus (Universe pads):
The Vérité and Aeolus are certainly not in the same price category, but given that the release of two new ZMF headphones invites comparison, and that I have the Aeolus in for review as well, let’s get into it.

Build is not really a category that deserves much time. The Vérité is a bit lighter due to the Mg chassis. Both headphones are finished beautifully, and built durably. I will go into a description of the Aeolus’ build in its review, coming Soon™.

To get right to sound, the Aeolus is just a freaking fun headphone, with a nice jump in technicalities and evenness as compared to the Atticus, that makes it so easy to listen to. More than any headphone in this review, including the Vérité, I found myself bobbing my head, or up and dancing, listening to the Aeolus. It’s not as technically proficient as the Vérité, it’s not as fast, controlled, holographic, or detailed, but it is a massive contender in the ~$1,000 headphone market. The mids on the Aeolus maintain a lush and inviting character that Atticus owners will know well, with guitars and vocals coming through especially in an exceedingly natural way. However, the mids are now transitioned into from a less booming, but still punchy, bass range, and are followed by treble that I think needs just a bit more bite on some classical tracks, but which makes a lot more recordings sound good. I still need to see how the Vérité pads alter the response of the Aeolus, and have a hopeful guess that they will bring the treble to an awesome spot.

Compared to the Vérité, all of this results in a headphone that is more friendly and forgiving, but less wowing and engrossing. The Vérité can resolve to an extreme, but would not be my go-to choice for “low-fi beats to study to” (I hope for obvious reasons). Beyond the fact that I would feel a bit guilty ignoring the Vérité, it is good at being the microscope with musicality that the HD800 never was, and the headphone with slam and speed that doesn’t drill detail into your ears with its metallic tuning. The Vérité isn’t a headphone that’s easy to put on the back burner mentally, despite its somewhat down-sloping tuning. Meanwhile, the Aeolus presents a great value for the enthusiast who wants a take on the ZMF sound that is less about absolute technical proficiency, and more about fun. That said, the Aeolus does take a big step toward traditional audiophile characteristics compared to the Atticus, and I think many people will love it for that reason.


“But….Are these a straight upgrade from the Auteur??”:

Yes and no. In terms of technicalities, the Vérité is clearly superior. Transient response, separation, image size and specificity, blackness of background, and overall speed are all better on the Vérité. That said, at the level of resolution that both these headphones occupy, timbre and tuning can play at least as large a role as technicalities in guiding a purchase. These more subjective features are not somewhere that I can predict your preference. I have shared what the Vérité sounds like to me in the context of other headphones, that is, remarkable. If you enjoy both tunings equally, the Vérité is the better headphone. If you prefer the frequency response and general voicing of the Auteur, then the answer is a bit murkier.

When it comes to price-to-performance, the value of each marginal dollar can only really be decided on by you, the potential buyer. Given this, I will leave the question of “worth” without a definitive answer. I will say that the Vérité can do things the Auteur cannot, but quantifying that difference, and assigning a dollar-per-unit value, is not something I can do.


Closing Thoughts

Wheeeeew. Nine pages of writing later, I’m about ready for a conclusion. The Vérité is an exceptional headphone, built by hand in the USA, after a tradition of quality, community and artistry. I am always excited to see another ZMF headphone come out for these reasons. The Vérité is no exception, and offers the most mature sonics of any headphone ZMF has released to date. The Vérité is not remotely close to inexpensive, but you are paying for the flagship headphone from a company that focuses on handcrafting heirloom pieces, in the US, for the high-end of a niche hobby. Whether or not the cost makes sense for you is not a decision I am equipped or interested in making, but the price is not without reason.

To finish up, I will briefly summarize my impressions, in that Zach has done a masterful job balancing the tuning and the technicalities of the Vérité. Their synergy is truly something special, and neither piece tells the whole story. This achievement requires a profound understanding of how we perceive music, and speaks to both Zach and ZMF’s growth. While no headphone can be a universal crowd-pleaser, the Vérité does so much right, in such a unique way, that I can only urge that you make serious efforts to get one around your head, and give the Vérité a hearty recommendation.

Thank you to Zach and ZMF for creating these, and sending them for me to check out. I have enjoyed the Vérité a great deal, and appreciate the opportunity to review them.