A couple of updates: swapping pads for my favorite Auteur pads - the Eikon Perf Suede - is a not-insignificant upgrade to the overall sound (and comfort). Piercing treble I was hearing on Cara Mia Addio is gone, completely. Bass is extended further, albeit a little less clear. Everything sounds natural. Vocals are slightly recessed vs. the stock Universe perf lambskin, but not enough to be negatively impactful of the total package.

Also, switching from the low-Z to the high-Z output on my Mogwai makes an equally impactful difference. I've read plenty of people who have said they prefer low-Z on ZMF cans, but for these, to my ear, high-Z is so much better.

@DeweyCH, thanks for an intriguing, highly readable review & some comparisons vs Atrium that interest me. Plus I'll always be grateful for this priceless line in the review:


(I agree!)