Introduction
Hey there guys! After three months of listening and waiting, I finally got the new lamb leather pads and can do the review. The ZMF Blackwood is a T50RP mod that changes a lot about the headphone: It uses African Blackwood, has driver modifications, and completely changes the original headphones' sound signature to something completely new. It easily stands with the three closed headphone giants (the Fostex TH900, Ultrasone Pro 8, and the LCD XC) at the fraction of the cost.
The Pre-TL;DR: This is a very organic, laid back headphone that is just a joy to listen to. It is very much worth the $799 asking price, plus more.
The Build
I'll start with the most obvious part of the build: The cups. The cups are made with real African Blackwood, meaning it is tough, durable, and looks amazing. Being real wood, you can even see the grains in the cup, which is a very cool thing to see.
The earpads (the lambleather ones anyway) use a very durable, thick foam that has more "memory" than the Alpha Pads it use to use. You can also get the cow leather pads, which use thicker leather and the same kind of foam for a longer-lasting, more comfortable earpad.
You can also choose between a leather buffalo comfort strap or a padded pilot pad that wraps on the top of the headband. Personally, I went with both and wrapped the pilot pad around the buffalo comfort strap. The new pilot pad being used with it (after I had brought up in an email with Zach that the old one seemed kind of flimsy on the inside of the pad) is very sleek, more durable, and uses better foam.
The sliders are also customizable. There are several "stains" you can choose from.
My only issue is the fact that the headphone structure itself wasn't changed all that much, which means the tacky headband on the top is still retained. While that isn't the focus of the headphone, it is still kind of ugly (though I'm nitpicking for the sake of nitpicking.)
Either way, these headphones look great, feel great, and are sturdy as hell.
The Customer Service
I don't usually mention this during a review, but Zach really takes care of his customers. After I bought the Blackwood and Vibro, we talk back and forth constantly. He really does care about his customers, and takes their suggestions seriously. He'll even customize the minor parts of the headphone's sound to be more enjoyable for you! And, if you live outside the US, he gives a small discount for the trouble of getting them imported.
The Sound
It is a very smooth, organic headphone. Not too dark, not too bright. The mids are very linear with the midbass, but the subbass is surprisingly emphasized and very deep. This means, out of nowhere, you'll hear the bass suddenly build to a deep rumble. However, this does not make it exciting...it is rather laid-back by design.
The easiest way I can describe it is this: Take the TH900's subbass, the LCD X's mid-bass and mids, and mash it with a smooth, but detailed, high end. Congratulations, you have made something that sounds similar to the Blackwood. There's not much else to say about it's sign signature. It really is the best parts for two headphones mixed with a smooth high-end.
The soundstage is amazing for a closed headphone. You won't confuse it for a HD800 or even a HE560, but you could easily mistake it for an open headphone at times. It hits the perfect combination of width and depth for a closed headphone, something not many other headphones can do. However, the clarity and size of it is not as good as the TH900 (which sucks the upper and lower mids in order to gain a huge, clear soundstage.) However, it beats out the other closed headphones out there by a long mile.
If I was to be completely honest, this headphone is probably the best sounding closed headphone on the market. It is easily tied with the TH900 (which some people may like more due to its fun coloration) and beats out the LCD XC (which, to be completely honest, isn't Audeze's best can.)
You'll notice I haven't mentioned the Vibro. Honestly, the Vibro is it's own thing. Sure, they share similar house sound signatures, but they're both radically different. The Vibro is a more mid-forward, exciting headphone that can be a basshead can, while the Blackwood is a technically superior, smooth, organic, and laid-back headphone. They're like two different Taco Bell entrees: sure, they're made with the same ingredients, but they both are radically different experiences.
Conclusion
Honestly, Zach at ZMF Headphones did an amazing job with these headphones. I absolutely love them, and I'm sure many would to. However, this headphone is very laid back and people looking for supreme clarity (like the HD800) would not gravitate much to these. They're easily one of the best closed backs on the market, and I'm happy I've experience them.
Here are some pictures:
Picture 1
Picture 2
Keep in mind, the wood actually lightens up slightly as time goes on, so they'll look even better after a couple weeks.
Hey there guys! After three months of listening and waiting, I finally got the new lamb leather pads and can do the review. The ZMF Blackwood is a T50RP mod that changes a lot about the headphone: It uses African Blackwood, has driver modifications, and completely changes the original headphones' sound signature to something completely new. It easily stands with the three closed headphone giants (the Fostex TH900, Ultrasone Pro 8, and the LCD XC) at the fraction of the cost.
The Pre-TL;DR: This is a very organic, laid back headphone that is just a joy to listen to. It is very much worth the $799 asking price, plus more.
The Build
I'll start with the most obvious part of the build: The cups. The cups are made with real African Blackwood, meaning it is tough, durable, and looks amazing. Being real wood, you can even see the grains in the cup, which is a very cool thing to see.
The earpads (the lambleather ones anyway) use a very durable, thick foam that has more "memory" than the Alpha Pads it use to use. You can also get the cow leather pads, which use thicker leather and the same kind of foam for a longer-lasting, more comfortable earpad.
You can also choose between a leather buffalo comfort strap or a padded pilot pad that wraps on the top of the headband. Personally, I went with both and wrapped the pilot pad around the buffalo comfort strap. The new pilot pad being used with it (after I had brought up in an email with Zach that the old one seemed kind of flimsy on the inside of the pad) is very sleek, more durable, and uses better foam.
The sliders are also customizable. There are several "stains" you can choose from.
My only issue is the fact that the headphone structure itself wasn't changed all that much, which means the tacky headband on the top is still retained. While that isn't the focus of the headphone, it is still kind of ugly (though I'm nitpicking for the sake of nitpicking.)
Either way, these headphones look great, feel great, and are sturdy as hell.
The Customer Service
I don't usually mention this during a review, but Zach really takes care of his customers. After I bought the Blackwood and Vibro, we talk back and forth constantly. He really does care about his customers, and takes their suggestions seriously. He'll even customize the minor parts of the headphone's sound to be more enjoyable for you! And, if you live outside the US, he gives a small discount for the trouble of getting them imported.
The Sound
It is a very smooth, organic headphone. Not too dark, not too bright. The mids are very linear with the midbass, but the subbass is surprisingly emphasized and very deep. This means, out of nowhere, you'll hear the bass suddenly build to a deep rumble. However, this does not make it exciting...it is rather laid-back by design.
The easiest way I can describe it is this: Take the TH900's subbass, the LCD X's mid-bass and mids, and mash it with a smooth, but detailed, high end. Congratulations, you have made something that sounds similar to the Blackwood. There's not much else to say about it's sign signature. It really is the best parts for two headphones mixed with a smooth high-end.
The soundstage is amazing for a closed headphone. You won't confuse it for a HD800 or even a HE560, but you could easily mistake it for an open headphone at times. It hits the perfect combination of width and depth for a closed headphone, something not many other headphones can do. However, the clarity and size of it is not as good as the TH900 (which sucks the upper and lower mids in order to gain a huge, clear soundstage.) However, it beats out the other closed headphones out there by a long mile.
If I was to be completely honest, this headphone is probably the best sounding closed headphone on the market. It is easily tied with the TH900 (which some people may like more due to its fun coloration) and beats out the LCD XC (which, to be completely honest, isn't Audeze's best can.)
You'll notice I haven't mentioned the Vibro. Honestly, the Vibro is it's own thing. Sure, they share similar house sound signatures, but they're both radically different. The Vibro is a more mid-forward, exciting headphone that can be a basshead can, while the Blackwood is a technically superior, smooth, organic, and laid-back headphone. They're like two different Taco Bell entrees: sure, they're made with the same ingredients, but they both are radically different experiences.
Conclusion
Honestly, Zach at ZMF Headphones did an amazing job with these headphones. I absolutely love them, and I'm sure many would to. However, this headphone is very laid back and people looking for supreme clarity (like the HD800) would not gravitate much to these. They're easily one of the best closed backs on the market, and I'm happy I've experience them.
Here are some pictures:
Picture 1
Picture 2
Keep in mind, the wood actually lightens up slightly as time goes on, so they'll look even better after a couple weeks.