[erics75]

Wow! You really one upped me with this post, but it sounds like we are on the same page as usual.

haha yep we seem to align quite well on our ZMFs. Funny we both owned/sold the Aeolus. I remember thinking man I just love this headphone when I first got it. I actually thought it could supplant the Atticus. But after a few weeks there was no doubt the Atticus was staying and the Aeolus would be on it's way to a new home. There's some secret sauce in the Atticus i'm addicted to.

 

[MacMan31]

How we'll would the Atticus fair with mostly instrumental music just jazz, blues, classical, "big band", or movie scores? I also do listen to classic rock and pop as well. Is it true that all ZMF's pair well with tubes?

 

[robo24]

They're very very similar overall. What I found with my Atticus and Aeolus was the Atticus had more lower and upper mids presence. Midbass was harder hitting and a bit more resonant, in a good way. Guitars in the upper mids seemed a bit more forward and energetic. Overall cup resonance was noticeable on the Atticus as well, which i'm a big fan of, it gives the Atticus it's special character. The Aeolus sounds more refined and even toned in comparison. I think of the Aeolus as the more mature version of the Atticus, it's less raw sounding. Despite the differences I do think they sound more alike than different. I personally like the Atticus more for it's more energetic and engaging nature, plus the versatility of being closed, so I can use it at work and with the kiddos sleeping. My Atticus is a very early model, from the year they were first announced. The Aeolus I had and sold was made in 2021. I wonder if there have been silent revisions to the Atticus over the years. I talked to someone who's ears I trust who also owns both (his were both made in 2020), and he swears other than the added cup resonance of the Atticus, they're mostly identical sounding. That's something to consider.

I'm another who found them very similar but only kept the more fun Atticus. The Aeolus is an excellent headphone and with the suede BE-2 pads it was sort of a Verite-lite. Though since I have the Verite too it just wasn't different enough to justify keeping it. I think they're the most similar of the open/closed same driver models. I think they're also very good with poor recordings, which the Verite reveals while the Aeolus smooths over those flaws.

 

[erics75]

How we'll would the Atticus fair with mostly instrumental music just jazz, blues, classical, "big band", or movie scores? I also do listen to classic rock and pop as well. Is it true that all ZMF's pair well with tubes?

Preferences will have a big part in this, but I personally think the Atticus is good with jazz, blues, pop, and rock, less so with classical. The midbass hump gives an energetic driving force to the music, but can blur or obscure complex arrangements like you'd get with classical. It's not bad at all, but I find the Auteur does that better with it's more neutral tuning. If you like a lot of air and treble presence for blues guitar, or jazz horns, the Atticus might be a bit too hazy and thick sounding. That is one area I will grab my Auteur over the Atticus for. But all in all I think it does all the non-classical genres well.

As for tubes, all the 300ohm ZMFs do very very well with them. Since moving over from solid state to tubes, I no longer even bother with solid state, I just love how tubes sound more. If you have all or mostly high ohm headphones like ZMF, HD6 series, or HD800, then tubes are the way to go.

 

[MacMan31]

Preferences will have a big part in this, but I personally think the Atticus is good with jazz, blues, pop, and rock, less so with classical. The midbass hump gives an energetic driving force to the music, but can blur or obscure complex arrangements like you'd get with classical. It's not bad at all, but I find the Auteur does that better with it's more neutral tuning. If you like a lot of air and treble presence for blues guitar, or jazz horns, the Atticus might be a bit too hazy and thick sounding. That is one area I will grab my Auteur over the Atticus for. But all in all I think it does all the non-classical genres well.

As for tubes, all the 300ohm ZMFs do very very well with them. Since moving over from solid state to tubes, I no longer even bother with solid state, I just love how tubes sound more. If you have all or mostly high ohm headphones like ZMF, HD6 series, or HD800, then tubes are the way to go.

These are the Atticus I am considering. https://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649812396-zmf-atticus-cocobolo/

Also still up for grabs is the Auteur. https://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649811025-zmf-auteur-maple-with-extra-pads/

I'm certainly not complaining about the gear I have. Aeolus is already by far the most expensive headphone I have ever bought. I got them cause they were portrayed as a "super HD650 (6XX)". But I'm still curious about other headphones and gear. It's the proverbial rabbit hole of being an "audiophile".

 

[erics75]

These are the Atticus I am considering. https://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649812396-zmf-atticus-cocobolo/

Also still up for grabs is the Auteur. https://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649811025-zmf-auteur-maple-with-extra-pads/

I'm certainly not complaining about the gear I have. Aeolus is already by far the most expensive headphone I have ever bought. I got them cause they were portrayed as a "super HD650 (6XX)". But I'm still curious about other headphones and gear. It's the proverbial rabbit hole of being an "audiophile".

I know how you're feeling, i'm always on the look out for that next big thing, but I often circle back to my ZMFs once the new toy syndrome wears off. The Focal Clear OG have managed to maintain a place in my lineup, but few others have lasted outside the ZMFs. I would say this, if you already have the Aeolus, and are looking for something different, a different flavor, the Auteur would IMO be the better choice. Or if you're really curious about the Atticus, pick that up and sell whichever one you like least. I often refer to my Atticus as a super HD650 haha. It has that warm, easy going nature the 650 is so renown for, but adds better treble and subbass presence to the mix. The Auteur adds even more treble and subbass, while pulling back the midbass, giving a pretty even response. It's also warmer than neutral, but much less so than the Atticus/Aeolus.

 

[MacMan31]

I know how you're feeling, i'm always on the look out for that next big thing, but I often circle back to my ZMFs once the new toy syndrome wears off. The Focal Clear OG have managed to maintain a place in my lineup, but few others have lasted outside the ZMFs. I would say this, if you already have the Aeolus, and are looking for something different, a different flavor, the Auteur would IMO be the better choice. Or if you're really curious about the Atticus, pick that up and sell whichever one you like least. I often refer to my Atticus as a super HD650 haha. It has that warm, easy going nature the 650 is so renown for, but adds better treble and subbass presence to the mix. The Auteur adds even more treble and subbass, while pulling back the midbass, giving a pretty even response. It's also warmer than neutral, but much less so than the Atticus/Aeolus.

Well wouldn't a warm sounding headphone paired with tubes be "too much of a good thing"? I know that appearance should not be the most important feature but I do really like how those Auteur look. I'm not sure which exact version Zeos had in his review but he described their appearance as something from an old church in the Vatican. I'm not catholic but I really like the style of old cathedrals. But his pair seemed darker in the wood than the ones in that ad.

 

[Minkypou]

I know how you're feeling, i'm always on the look out for that next big thing, but I often circle back to my ZMFs once the new toy syndrome wears off. The Focal Clear OG have managed to maintain a place in my lineup, but few others have lasted outside the ZMFs. I would say this, if you already have the Aeolus, and are looking for something different, a different flavor, the Auteur would IMO be the better choice. Or if you're really curious about the Atticus, pick that up and sell whichever one you like least. I often refer to my Atticus as a super HD650 haha. It has that warm, easy going nature the 650 is so renown for, but adds better treble and subbass presence to the mix. The Auteur adds even more treble and subbass, while pulling back the midbass, giving a pretty even response. It's also warmer than neutral, but much less so than the Atticus/Aeolus.

That atticus is mine actually , and im having a big internal fight with myself right now my curiosity for the Auteur is to damm high , Resist , RESIST

 

[erics75]

Well wouldn't a warm sounding headphone paired with tubes be "too much of a good thing"? I know that appearance should not be the most important feature but I do really like how those Auteur look. I'm not sure which exact version Zeos had in his review but he described their appearance as something from an old church in the Vatican. I'm not catholic but I really like the style of old cathedrals. But his pair seemed darker in the wood than the ones in that ad.

The grill on the Auteur does have a cathedral look now that you mention it! I do love the look of the Auteur, it's my fav looking ZMF. Looks do play a part in the overall ownership experience, imo. Obviously sound quality is paramount, but if you have two headphones that both sound good, looks can be the thing that pushes you over the edge to one vs the other. I haven't seen Zeos' review of the Auteur so not sure which wood he had. That dark stained maple in the ad looks nice though!

As for tubes, dark, and too much of a good thing, I worried about that as well when starting my tube journey. Thankfully that hasn't been much of an issue. I think tubes in general get stereotyped as warm, gooey, slow, etc. But a good modern tube amp with the right tubes can rival a good solid state amp in speed, transparancy, and overall tonality. Depending on the specific amp and tubes used, yes you can definitely make it too warm, but that's a very specific case by case discussion. Amps like the Kenzie and Pendant from Ampsandsound, the Feliks Echo 2, and the DNA Sonnet 1 are all tube amps i've used to great sucess with my ZMFs. Even the Atticus on my Kenzie on the 300ohm tap isn't overly dark or rolled off. Quite the opposite surprisingly! It's the most airy and thunderous i've heard the Atticus to date. I even discussed that with Justin from Ampsandsound. I was expecting the Atticus/Kenzie 300ohm tap to be too warm, but he said no, a lower dampening factor for the ZMF drivers actually lets them breath a bit, giving them good treble and mid presence. And that's what I heard. When going to the 32ohm tap the Atticus' bass got tighter, but lost some of it's fullness, and the treble and overall airiness seemed to fade, giving a smokier, hazier sound. The Feliks Echo 2 was also a really nice match for both the Atticus and Auteur. The one tube amp that did make the Atticus a bit too muddy was my Bottlehead Crack with speedball. My VC and Auteur loved it as it mellowed the top end nicely. But the Atticus just didn't sound right, too thick and muddy. I'm thinking different tubes could rectify that but I didn't try, so can't say for sure. The Pendant from Ampsandsound is very solid state like, and responds to tube rolling wonderfully. For those coming from solid state to tubes, and have the budget, it's a great option. And the Atticus sings on it!

 

[Wes S]

The grill on the Auteur does have a cathedral look now that you mention it! I do love the look of the Auteur, it's my fav looking ZMF. Looks do play a part in the overall ownership experience, imo. Obviously sound quality is paramount, but if you have two headphones that both sound good, looks can be the thing that pushes you over the edge to one vs the other. I haven't seen Zeos' review of the Auteur so not sure which wood he had. That dark stained maple in the ad looks nice though!

As for tubes, dark, and too much of a good thing, I worried about that as well when starting my tube journey. Thankfully that hasn't been much of an issue. I think tubes in general get stereotyped as warm, gooey, slow, etc. But a good modern tube amp with the right tubes can rival a good solid state amp in speed, transparancy, and overall tonality. Depending on the specific amp and tubes used, yes you can definitely make it too warm, but that's a very specific case by case discussion. Amps like the Kenzie and Pendant from Ampsandsound, the Feliks Echo 2, and the DNA Sonnet 1 are all tube amps i've used to great sucess with my ZMFs. Even the Atticus on my Kenzie on the 300ohm tap isn't overly dark or rolled off. Quite the opposite surprisingly! It's the most airy and thunderous i've heard the Atticus to date. I even discussed that with Justin from Ampsandsound. I was expecting the Atticus/Kenzie 300ohm tap to be too warm, but he said no, a lower dampening factor for the ZMF drivers actually lets them breath a bit, giving them good treble and mid presence. And that's what I heard. When going to the 32ohm tap the Atticus' bass got tighter, but lost some of it's fullness, and the treble and overall airiness seemed to fade, giving a smokier, hazier sound. The Feliks Echo 2 was also a really nice match for both the Atticus and Auteur. The one tube amp that did make the Atticus a bit too muddy was my Bottlehead Crack with speedball. My VC and Auteur loved it as it mellowed the top end nicely. But the Atticus just didn't sound right, too thick and muddy. I'm thinking different tubes could rectify that but I didn't try, so can't say for sure. The Pendant from Ampsandsound is very solid state like, and responds to tube rolling wonderfully. For those coming from solid state to tubes, and have the budget, it's a great option. And the Atticus sings on it!

Nothing but the truth, and so well said.

 

[MacMan31]

That atticus is mine actually , and im having a big internal fight with myself right now my curiosity for the Auteur is to damm high , Resist , RESIST

Haha fair enough. I was actually considering inquiring if you would be interested in a trade. My Aeolus for your Atticus. But perhaps you have already tried Aeolus.

The grill on the Auteur does have a cathedral look now that you mention it! I do love the look of the Auteur, it's my fav looking ZMF. Looks do play a part in the overall ownership experience, imo. Obviously sound quality is paramount, but if you have two headphones that both sound good, looks can be the thing that pushes you over the edge to one vs the other. I haven't seen Zeos' review of the Auteur so not sure which wood he had. That dark stained maple in the ad looks nice though!

As for tubes, dark, and too much of a good thing, I worried about that as well when starting my tube journey. Thankfully that hasn't been much of an issue. I think tubes in general get stereotyped as warm, gooey, slow, etc. But a good modern tube amp with the right tubes can rival a good solid state amp in speed, transparancy, and overall tonality. Depending on the specific amp and tubes used, yes you can definitely make it too warm, but that's a very specific case by case discussion. Amps like the Kenzie and Pendant from Ampsandsound, the Feliks Echo 2, and the DNA Sonnet 1 are all tube amps i've used to great sucess with my ZMFs. Even the Atticus on my Kenzie on the 300ohm tap isn't overly dark or rolled off. Quite the opposite surprisingly! It's the most airy and thunderous i've heard the Atticus to date. I even discussed that with Justin from Ampsandsound. I was expecting the Atticus/Kenzie 300ohm tap to be too warm, but he said no, a lower dampening factor for the ZMF drivers actually lets them breath a bit, giving them good treble and mid presence. And that's what I heard. When going to the 32ohm tap the Atticus' bass got tighter, but lost some of it's fullness, and the treble and overall airiness seemed to fade, giving a smokier, hazier sound. The Feliks Echo 2 was also a really nice match for both the Atticus and Auteur. The one tube amp that did make the Atticus a bit too muddy was my Bottlehead Crack with speedball. My VC and Auteur loved it as it mellowed the top end nicely. But the Atticus just didn't sound right, too thick and muddy. I'm thinking different tubes could rectify that but I didn't try, so can't say for sure. The Pendant from Ampsandsound is very solid state like, and responds to tube rolling wonderfully. For those coming from solid state to tubes, and have the budget, it's a great option. And the Atticus sings on it!

Here is the Zeos review if you are curious to watch. I know many people say to take his reviews with a grain of salt and that it's more for entertainment value. But I have gotten a couple things based on his reviews and was not disappointed.

I have been considering a Feliks Audio Echo MKII. I think it's around $1,100 Canadian though so pretty pricy for me. But I could sell my Valhalla II and keep the aftermarket tubes as the Echo uses the same tube types. I have also been heavily considering a vintage stereo receiver for both speaker and headphone listening. There is another long thread on this forum for those using vintage amps for their headphones and they seem to really enjoy that. Plus I love the look of vintage amps. I would just make sure to get one that has been fully serviced and/or restored.

 

[Minkypou]

Haha fair enough. I was actually considering inquiring if you would be interested in a trade. My Aeolus for your Atticus. But perhaps you have already tried Aeolus.



Here is the Zeos review if you are curious to watch. I know many people say to take his reviews with a grain of salt and that it's more for entertainment value. But I have gotten a couple things based on his reviews and was not disappointed.

I have been considering a Feliks Audio Echo MKII. I think it's around $1,100 Canadian though so pretty pricy for me. But I could sell my Valhalla II and keep the aftermarket tubes as the Echo uses the same tube types. I have also been heavily considering a vintage stereo receiver for both speaker and headphone listening. There is another long thread on this forum for those using vintage amps for their headphones and they seem to really enjoy that. Plus I love the look of vintage amps. I would just make sure to get one that has been fully serviced and/or restored.

Oh yeah thx for the video but ive watched pretty everything i could on it haha , i will just chill out with my atticus and buy a norne drausk cable and extra tubes for the valhalla im receiving tomorrow

 

[MacMan31]

Oh yeah thx for the video but ive watched pretty everything i could on it haha , i will just chill out with my atticus and buy a norne drausk cable and extra tubes for the valhalla im receiving tomorrow

That's some pretty expensive cables. But if you are looking for some great tubes for the Valhalla II I recommend the Brimar CV455 from Langrex in the UK. I have those and they are excellent.

 

[Minkypou]

That's some pretty expensive cables. But if you are looking for some great tubes for the Valhalla II I recommend the Brimar CV455 from Langrex in the UK. I have those and they are excellent.

thx alot for the recommendation ill check that out ! i actually ordered a 12au7 adapter to use these tubes ! ive had the valhalla 3 times before but its my first time trying with the adapter , what are the main caracteristics of these tubes compared to the stock ones ?

 

[erics75]

Haha fair enough. I was actually considering inquiring if you would be interested in a trade. My Aeolus for your Atticus. But perhaps you have already tried Aeolus.



Here is the Zeos review if you are curious to watch. I know many people say to take his reviews with a grain of salt and that it's more for entertainment value. But I have gotten a couple things based on his reviews and was not disappointed.

I have been considering a Feliks Audio Echo MKII. I think it's around $1,100 Canadian though so pretty pricy for me. But I could sell my Valhalla II and keep the aftermarket tubes as the Echo uses the same tube types. I have also been heavily considering a vintage stereo receiver for both speaker and headphone listening. There is another long thread on this forum for those using vintage amps for their headphones and they seem to really enjoy that. Plus I love the look of vintage amps. I would just make sure to get one that has been fully serviced and/or restored.

The Valhalla is a good amp, if there's nothing you feel is missing from it, you may not need to upgrade. I had one briefly but it was long ago and I can't even remember if I had anything other than the stock tubes. Unfortunately when I got it, it was in a trade and my headphones were mostly planars. My HD650 was really good on it though, that i remember for sure. My philosophy is spend the bulk of your budget first on headphones until you really nail down your favorites, and feel set. Then you can start saving towards dac/amp upgrades to tailor your system to your headphones.