[ProfFalkin]

You have owned the Z1R? I have no way of knowing how I would feel about the ZMF models, but I know I would love to give them both a try. I have little doubt that they are astoundingly good.

Had many a demo. Maybe 4 hours of head time. Enough to know I like them, but not so much as I'd buy them when the Eikon exists.

 

[ProfFalkin]

Is there a link with the varnish vs lacquer pics?

http://www.head-fi.org/t/821782/atticus-and-eikon-the-new-dynamic-driver-headphones-from-zmf/2250#post_13280527

 

[Pharmaboy]

Nice!! I think you'll like the Eikon a lot.

If Zach does release different woods, my head might explode trying to decide between Bubinga and Ormosia Henryi. Or Cocobolo. Or Zebrawood.

 
I've spent some time trying to guess what woods he'll choose. It's likely they won't be the heaviest/densest woods used in the Ori (using those woods would require a different thickness profile of earcup wood, in turn necessitating a new CMC set-up). Not impossible, but harder than simply using woods reasonably close to the current padauk & cherry.
 
When I was emailing back & forth w/Zach in process of ordering my Ori, I raised this issue. He said he was thinking of different woods sometime in mid-2017, and mentioned teak as a possibility. I briefly lost consciousness reading that (!!) ... imagining a teak anything from ZMF. Teak isn't terribly hard, but is relatively dense & somewhat difficult to work due to silica embedded in the wood (dulls blades quickly).
 
But there are other possibilities. This picture shows 3 other woods previously used in Omni/Ori production:
 

 
I suspect (based on other email comments from Zach last year) that black limba is difficult if not impossible for him to get right now. Too bad--it's pretty w/striking grain & color variations.
 
My pick of the 2 remaining would be Zebra Wood: it's very slightly less hard/dense than padauk (good for A&E)--and it's just gorgeous. Also, Zach used this wood relatively recently (end-of-year discounted Ori), so it's likely he has supply.
 
I'd kill for an Atticus in ZB (or at least slap someone w/moderate force). Here's another picture (a Zebra Wood Omni) w/more realistic contrast. It's really not far off ormosia henryi, is it?
 

 
 
Brazilian Rosewood is also very pretty IMO (I'm wearing a drool guard just to look at this picture). But I'm reasonably sure BR is much heavier/denser than either padauk or cherry, so not an easy pick for Zach.
 
(Zach, if you're listening: teak or zebra wood Atticus, por favor!!)

 

[Sonic Defender]

Had many a demo. Maybe 4 hours of head time. Enough to know I like them, but not so much as I'd buy them when the Eikon exists.

Makes sense, and no way anybody can have a problem with the preferences of others right? Who knows, if I got the chance maybe I would feel the same about the Eikon. I will say that the Z1R is an interesting signature and it certainly took me a little longer than I would have thought to fully grasp what it was doing. I'm not saying that would be the case for you, sometimes we just know things more quickly.

 

[ProfFalkin]

Spoiler

I've spent some time trying to guess what woods he'll choose. It's likely they won't be the heaviest/densest woods used in the Ori (using those woods would require a different thickness profile of earcup wood, in turn necessitating a new CMC set-up). Not impossible, but harder than simply using woods reasonably close to the current padauk & cherry.

When I was emailing back & forth w/Zach in process of ordering my Ori, I raised this issue. He said he was thinking of different woods sometime in mid-2017, and mentioned teak as a possibility. I briefly lost consciousness reading that (!!) ... imagining a teak anything from ZMF. Teak isn't terribly hard, but is relatively dense & somewhat difficult to work due to silica embedded in the wood (dulls blades quickly).

But there are other possibilities. This picture shows 3 other woods previously used in Omni/Ori production:




I suspect (based on other email comments from Zach last year) that black limba is difficult if not impossible for him to get right now. Too bad--it's pretty w/striking grain & color variations.

My pick of the 2 remaining would be Zebra Wood: it's very slightly less hard/dense than padauk (good for A&E)--and it's just gorgeous. Also, Zach used this wood relatively recently (end-of-year discounted Ori), so it's likely he has supply.

I'd kill for an Atticus in ZB (or at least slap someone w/moderate force). Here's another picture (a Zebra Wood Omni) w/more realistic contrast. It's really not far off ormosia henryi, is it?





Brazilian Rosewood is also very pretty IMO (I'm wearing a drool guard just to look at this picture). But I'm reasonably sure BR is much heavier/denser than either padauk or cherry, so not an easy pick for Zach.

(Zach, if you're listening: teak or zebra wood Atticus, por favor!!)

Or Ziricote or African Blackwood!! (Ebony is overrated... and endangered, iirc.) The Brazilian Rosewood would be awesome too.

Zach, there are so many trees I want to chop down right now, it's not even funny. (Don't tell Green Peace. They already hate me after my last prank on Annie Leonard. I'm sure her cat will be fine.)

 

[mwhals]

I've spent some time trying to guess what woods he'll choose. It's likely they won't be the heaviest/densest woods used in the Ori (using those woods would require a different thickness profile of earcup wood, in turn necessitating a new CMC set-up). Not impossible, but harder than simply using woods reasonably close to the current padauk & cherry.

When I was emailing back & forth w/Zach in process of ordering my Ori, I raised this issue. He said he was thinking of different woods sometime in mid-2017, and mentioned teak as a possibility. I briefly lost consciousness reading that (!!) ... imagining a teak anything from ZMF. Teak isn't terribly hard, but is relatively dense & somewhat difficult to work due to silica embedded in the wood (dulls blades quickly).

But there are other possibilities. This picture shows 3 other woods previously used in Omni/Ori production:




I suspect (based on other email comments from Zach last year) that black limba is difficult if not impossible for him to get right now. Too bad--it's pretty w/striking grain & color variations.

My pick of the 2 remaining would be Zebra Wood: it's very slightly less hard/dense than padauk (good for A&E)--and it's just gorgeous. Also, Zach used this wood relatively recently (end-of-year discounted Ori), so it's likely he has supply.

I'd kill for an Atticus in ZB (or at least slap someone w/moderate force). Here's another picture (a Zebra Wood Omni) w/more realistic contrast. It's really not far off ormosia henryi, is it?





Brazilian Rosewood is also very pretty IMO (I'm wearing a drool guard just to look at this picture). But I'm reasonably sure BR is much heavier/denser than either padauk or cherry, so not an easy pick for Zach.

(Zach, if you're listening: teak or zebra wood Atticus, por favor!!)

I have the Ori in coffee stained Zebrawood and it does look good.

Could someone explain how to make the spoiler link to collapse everything?

 

[ProfFalkin]

I have the Ori in coffee stained Zebrawood and it does look good.

Could someone explain how to make the spoiler link to collapse everything?

[ Spoiler ] stuff [ /Spoiler ]

Without the spaces

 

[mwhals]

[ Spoiler ] stuff [ /Spoiler ]

Without the spaces

Thanks.

 

[Pharmaboy]

Or Ziricote or African Blackwood!! (Ebony is overrated... and endangered, iirc.) The Brazilian Rosewood would be awesome too.

Zach, there are so many trees I want to chop down right now, it's not even funny. (Don't tell Green Peace. They already hate me after my last prank on Annie Leonard. I'm sure her cat will be fine.)

 
Pls don't tell our current administration this fail-safe tactic for total control of Green Peace--just rename them "Green Peas."
 
Then they can be pushed around with a fork & no one will go near them.

 

[socks mk2]

So is the consensus that the worst part of the Eikon/Atticus is the headband? I've yet to find myself complaining about anything else. It's not terrible by any means, but I'd kill for it to be symmetrical and/or be able to go back to it's original shape like Mrspeakers nitinol headbands do. I cannot for the life of me make it so both earcups are resting at the same height — it's an impossibility. It may in fact be due to these being hand made. Hard to say for sure. It appears to me that the one cup that's always lower than the other has more range of motion inwards (earpad side) compared to the other. That extra few degrees in range of motion may make it rest in a different position regardless of if I had the headband perfectly symmetrical.

I doubt most folks will have this issue… having OCD however… heh. Seemingly unavoidable in my case.

side note: it's a non-issue while it's on my head.

 

[drbobbybones]

  You have owned the Z1R? I have no way of knowing how I would feel about the ZMF models, but I know I would love to give them both a try. I have little doubt that they are astoundingly good.

I own both the Z1R and the Eikon.  I've also heard almost every headphone on this list pretty extensively (minus that modded T5), and I have very different opinions.  
 
I think they're both fantastic.  To my ears, the performance of the Z1R is better than what was put on that list.  The Z1R is so engaging and the bass is really quite textured and has ample quantity.  The bass is one area that I think the Sony beats the Eikon and Atticus handily.  Especially out of my Chord DAVE or my WA8.  Out of my WA22, the bass is a bit bloated for my tastes.  The Eikon is far less amp dependent on sound, as long as you have enough power driving them.  
 
Otherwise, it was an enjoyable read, even if I disagree with the rankings.  

 

[Galm]

 
I own both the Z1R and the Eikon.  I've also heard almost every headphone on this list pretty extensively (minus that modded T5), and I have very different opinions.  
 
I think they're both fantastic.  To my ears, the performance of the Z1R is better than what was put on that list.  The Z1R is so engaging and the bass is really quite textured and has ample quantity.  The bass is one area that I think the Sony beats the Eikon and Atticus handily.  Especially out of my Chord DAVE or my WA8.  Out of my WA22, the bass is a bit bloated for my tastes.  The Eikon is far less amp dependent on sound, as long as you have enough power driving them.  
 
Otherwise, it was an enjoyable read, even if I disagree with the rankings.  

"Out of my Chord Dave"
 
Oh yeah me too!  Know exactly what you mean!
 
I wish I could afford half that stuff lol.  I do wonder how the WA8 compares to my WA7 Duo.
 
Anyway, good to hear some other input from people with lots of cans!

 

[czy6412]

Compared my Eikon with Z1R on WA8 and Z1R with the Kimber Axios (not the Sony version which is a downgrade) at Canjam SoCal. Z1R might win a little bit on Bass but the midrange on Z1R is just dry and unnatural, Z1R also lacks air comparing to Eikon.

 

[Monsterzero]

Lol, if there were ever a perfect one word review for the Atticus, it would definitely be "Oomph".

You chose wisely, my friend.

I think i mightve had some influence on him

 

[Monsterzero]

I have the Ori in coffee stained Zebrawood and it does look good.

Could someone explain how to make the spoiler link to collapse everything?

Interesting,i have some Zebrawood Grado Magnums and the wood is much heavier striped...is that a tree to tree thing,or a regional thing...or?

Id really love a zebra striped Atticus!