[akg fanboy]

It also doesn't help that the Odin's earpads are made out of rocks.

Wow the design of the Odin is fantastic unlike anything I've seen. But that's definitely the last headphone I'd ever buy

 

[zach915m]

  So the akion is closer to the hardwood omnis while the ekion is more like the softerwoods?
 
Also will you do a  headphone impressions tour?

 
I guess you could say that?  There are many qualities that aren't exactly like soft/vs hardwood, but generally yeah that's somewhat the idea!
 
There won't be a tour unfortunately, if I had more time I'd think about one for sure.
 

@zach915m

"Atticus" is named after the character in "To Kill a Mockingbird"?

 
I actually didn't think about that until after I had decided I liked the name, although it is kinda cool.  I was stuck on Eikon or Icon for the biocellulose set and wanted to follow similar greek origen for the other headphone.  Atticus just seemed right and since in Latin it means "Classic/Elegant" I thought worked well.  Props to @grizzlybeast for suggesting the name in an email chat when I told him I was having trouble naming the second model.
 
 

Were the specific sound signatures between both headphones intentional based on driver differences? (As in biocellulose being more capable of producing a more resolving treble)

 
I found that when tuned the same, biocellulose sounded too "murky" to my ears compared to the Atticus.  Biocellulose just have a smooth quality to it, so we boosted the treble and made it flatter with less "dip" than atticus and it makes for a very resolving yet smooth headphone.  One thing I fell in love with with the bio drivers is the low distortion which gives the headphone a very black background and even with more linear treble the notes still feel "easy."   
 
----------------------
 
One of the unique aspects of the Eikon and Atticus is it's wood baffle.  I wanted to find a way to have immediacy in transients, but the natural decay and stage that a large cup offers.  When using a flat baffle with the large cup things just resonate forever and sound off, and when the cup is smaller, or the tube extends too far, things sound too immediate and the decay seems too precise and not natural.  So we experimented and got the right size "sound tube" so that the sound is both "immediate" and "natural," two of the most important qualities IMHO in making a headphone engaging to listen to.
 
It's also cool because it's made of wood. 

 

 

[zzzmonster]

How comfortable are the pads, can they fully cover average ears size, as the cups do not seems to be large (45 mm or 50 mm).

My definition of average ear size, Sen Momentum 1 barely cover the ear.

Nighthawk - super comfortable
DT 1770 - slightly uncomfortable

Thanks

 

[zach915m]

How comfortable are the pads, can they fully cover average ears size, as the cups do not seems to be large (45 mm or 50 mm).

My definition of average ear size, Sen Momentum 1 barely cover the ear.

Nighthawk - super comfortable
DT 1770 - slightly uncomfortable

Thanks

 
The pictures probably do not do the cups justice, they are quite large, some may say huge.  They are 108mm in diameter.
 
The earpads have ear cavities that are 52mm wide and 75mm tall.  They use top quality 6 LB visco memory foam that softens a little with heat/wear.
 

 

[zzzmonster]

Thanks for the reply, the cups looks small in the pics, any chance that they will be available at CanJAM sg next year?

 

[RedJohn456]

   
I would recommend that anyone worried about weight order the cherry cups as each model will be available in cherry and padauk (which is about 40g heavier.  The 500g weight puts them at 10 grams more than the weight of the Utopia.  Generally I find nobody complains about weight until you get to 550 grams or so, everyone differs ofcourse.
 
For reference from InnerFidelity:
 
Utopia: 490 grams (sans cables) Audeze LCD-2=570gr; HiFiMAN HE1000=470gr; Ether Flow=400gr; Sennheiser HD 800 S=380gr; Focal Elear=438, also my he500 is 600+ grams etc.
 
The Atticus and Eikon will have different colored aluminum parts in their final version, and will have a leather stamp on top of the headband to designate which model it is.

I think I am more sensitive  it comes to weight. When I extensively auditioned the Omni and Blackwood last year I greatly favoured the Blackwood as it was lighter and more comfortable for my head. I don't recall which omni variant it was but I was told it was the heavier one. 
 
Are the new models similar to the Blackwood weight? It really tickled my fancy, sound and weight wise. (Seriously I still think about the Blackwood to this day

)

 

[zach915m]

Thanks for the reply, the cups looks small in the pics, any chance that they will be available at CanJAM sg next year?

 
Not sure about CanJam sg yet, hopefully!!!
 

 
I think I am more sensitive  it comes to weight. When I extensively auditioned the Omni and Blackwood last year I greatly favoured the Blackwood as it was lighter and more comfortable for my head. I don't recall which omni variant it was but I was told it was the heavier one. 
 
Are the new models similar to the Blackwood weight? It really tickled my fancy, sound and weight wise. (Seriously I still think about the Blackwood to this day

 
Blackwood Omni is 575-600g, ZMF Blackwood is 500-550 depending on what wood is used.  So the Atticus/Eikon fall in line with the weight of the previous ZMF models more or less at 500-550 ish g.

 

[ProfFalkin]

... the cups looks small in the pics...

They do? I'd guess they are about the size of LCD cups, maybe a hair smaller.

 

[luvmusik]

Nice headphones Zach !
 
Liking the Eikon already.
 
Cool approach with a detailed midrange biocellulose (reminiscent of MDR-CD3000) that is exemplary at both ends of the FR range.
 
And, internally, liking the baffle tube (which believe recalls HP-DX1000).
 
Plus, external cups likened to MDR-R10.
 
Eikon now at top of my want list !

 

[ButtUglyJeff]

Boy I wish I lived near Chicago.  I would love to see the piles of prototypes you must have lying around... lol

 

[andyDiamond]

Sooo many questions regarding these beauties
 
What is TPE driver? Is it some sort of dynamic driver? Arу there any photos oк it is top secret?
Will these leak more or less than fostex|denon series (which are also semi-closed)
What about data retreival and overall sound quality on low listening volumes (I'm thinking about new office headphone)
 
Sooo many questions...

 

[mowgli-kun]

@zach915m : Any plans to show off these beauties at CanJam NYC?

 

[ithilienrp]

   
What is TPE driver? Is it some sort of dynamic driver? Arу there any photos oк it is top secret?

 
Both are dynamic drivers. Just different material. (TPE; Thermoplastic Elastomer, and Bio-cellulose)

 

[lvince95]

The Eikon will have a list of $1299 and the Atticus $999, pre-order prices will be cheaper and announced soon, pre-order will start in early NOV, exact date etc to be announced soon as well.  Expect news the week after RMAF as well as website update etc etc.

As a semi-broke college student who owns the Omni, my dream is crushed.

 

[ProfFalkin]

   
The pictures probably do not do the cups justice, they are quite large, some may say huge.  They are 108mm in diameter.
 
The earpads have ear cavities that are 52mm wide and 75mm tall.  They use top quality 6 LB visco memory foam that softens a little with heat/wear.
 

 
Hey Zach!
 
Any plans on selling the pads indvidually as you do with the Omni pads, and will they fit on the xVibro mk2?  (My elephant ears yearn for just a little more room.)
 
Thanks!