[musicor]

They look great to me, just a slightly lighter tone. (I know this is very subjective though)

Wood will always have a variance. I usually only buy the woods that I'd like regardless of it's shade. It's why I never got a regular cherry set as I know I'd only like the dark bronze cherry tone. (Just my opinion, I know some love cherry and would probably dislike some colors that I like)

Perhaps a specific wood varnish can make it a little darker? I'd ask Zach.

Thanks for the suggestion.
Yes, I hope Zach will have a recommendation.
To me, there are probably 20 shades of brown difference.

 

[King CATalyst]

Just got my barnyard cherry Atticus.
I didn't get a chance to listen to them yet but I am disappointed by the color
I know there can be some shading variance based on the piece of wood but it's much more of a difference on the overall color.
It's definitely not the elegant looking dark brown in the pictures.
Besides that, nicely build.

Advertised:


Mine:

Mine look like almost exactly as advertised honestly, you got an unfortunate pair I suppose...

 

[zach915m]

Just got my barnyard cherry Atticus.
I didn't get a chance to listen to them yet but I am disappointed by the color
I know there can be some shading variance based on the piece of wood but it's much more of a difference on the overall color.
It's definitely not the elegant looking dark brown in the pictures.
Besides that, nicely build.

Advertised:


Mine:

Thanks for the suggestion.
Yes, I hope Zach will have a recommendation.
To me, there are probably 20 shades of brown difference.

What you're looking at is simply a variance of lighting. If you're in a room with a high color temperature that has extremely bright lights the wood will look lighter. If you're in a room with more gradient and a warmer/lower color temp because you have less light in your room the wood will look darker and warmer. I was actually surprised at how uniform all the barnyard cherry sets turned out, the variance of color gradient was not severe, and when we had 20+ sets sitting, finished and ready to be assembled they all looked very similar with less variance than the Cocobolo and natural varnished padauk/camphor sets we sent out.

I like the photo's we take with single point or two point lighting to show the full gradient of the wood:


Then when you compare to a "medium" lit set from the same batch as @musicor you can see the colors are the same and the lighting is different (from Sips_n_Sounds on instagram):


Even within his two photo's you can see the difference in appearance based on the two lighting situations.

When I look at @musicor's barnyard set, I just see a very different lighting situation, and not a headphone with a completely different shade or finish. But at the same time I totally empathize and understand how when you get a wood headphone that will vary a bit based on the lighting situation because of the natural depth of the finish, how it may not look exactly as you imagined. We named the Barnyard Cherry set for the rustic and "weathered" appearance it got when we oxidized the finish to look 100+ years old. It's definitely unique and unalike anything we've done before!

 

[King CATalyst]

Can anyone give me a good amp pairing for atticus? I have them paired with a questyle cma600i and Im a little underwhelmed with the pair...it's worth mentioning that they've only burned in for about 10 hrs. At this point.

 

[musicor]

What you're looking at is simply a variance of lighting. If you're in a room with a high color temperature that has extremely bright lights the wood will look lighter. If you're in a room with more gradient and a warmer/lower color temp because you have less light in your room the wood will look darker and warmer. I was actually surprised at how uniform all the barnyard cherry sets turned out, the variance of color gradient was not severe, and when we had 20+ sets sitting, finished and ready to be assembled they all looked very similar with less variance than the Cocobolo and natural varnished padauk/camphor sets we sent out.

Thanks for clarifying, Zach. You being the wood expert, do you think any wood varnish or so would give me the darker shade by just applying it on the headphones? Any recommendations on the product? Or is that a whole operation of having to sand the wood etc.

Thanks

 

[cute]

Thanks for the suggestion.
Yes, I hope Zach will have a recommendation.
To me, there are probably 20 shades of brown difference.

Just turn the lights out, you won't see a difference!

 

[zach915m]

Can anyone give me a good amp pairing for atticus? I have them paired with a questyle cma600i and Im a little underwhelmed with the pair...it's worth mentioning that they've only burned in for about 10 hrs. At this point.

The questyle amps have always sounded good to me, but with one of the brighter tonalities in solid state amps. If you're looking for a warmer punchier less "neutral" sound a higher impedance output amp may be fun, I have also heard great things about the beyerdynamic solid state amps because they output with a higher output impedance.

Thanks for clarifying, Zach. You being the wood expert, do you think any wood varnish or so would give me the darker shade by just applying it on the headphones? Any recommendations on the product? Or is that a whole operation of having to sand the wood etc.

Thanks

Unfortunately since the headphone is completed and fully cured there isn't anything that can be done aesthetically. Generally - once received our headphones cannot be "accented" by putting a finish on top of the cured finish. I always recommend Mohawk furniture polish or Martin Guitar polish for wood care.

I can fully understand if for any reason you decide they aren't for you and you can message me at contactzmf@gmail.com to initiate a return or if you have any other questions!

 

[musicor]

Just turn the lights out, you won't see a difference!

Good thinking but I don't think the rest of the team would appreciate that at the office

 

[BaseRobber]

I posted my impressions on Reddit but thought I may as well copy them here too. Please keep in mind this is my first ever review so I’m learning how to describe audio.
Below I will compare the Atticus to two of my favorite “mid-fi” cans. All these comparisons were made with a Bimby/Lyr 2. Perhaps this can help others who are also looking to upgrade.

HD650 – Biggest differences between these two headphones are the Atticus’ improved bass and soundstage. The Atticus has tighter bass with more slam and punch to it. The HD 650 has a lack of weight to the sub-bass in comparison. When going back and forth between headphones, songs with heavy bass (Billie Jean and A Day in the Life) there’s a lack of body to the songs with the HD 650. The Atticus bass is amazing in that it has a certain heft and physical presence to it, yet it never interferes with the rest of the music. The voices on both headphones are among the best I’ve heard but I’d have to give a slight nod to the Atticus. I would say the HD650 sounds more natural due to its open nature. The Atticus however has an advantage in that the increased soundstage creates more separation in the mids. In songs with a lot going on (Concrete Jungle and Da Art of Storytellin Pt.1) voices with the Atticus are at center stage and clearly defined. The HD650 sounds claustrophobic in comparison and instruments begin to blend together. Treble on both headphones is just the way I like it – smooth and laid back. If there’s one thing I detest in headphones, it’s treble peaks. I might have to give a slight edge to the Atticus in detail retrieval, but it’s nothing significant. Comfort on both is excellent, although I would give the edge to the HD 650 due to it’s smaller form and weight. I can comfortably walk around the house with the 650 or lie down in bed. Overall I would say the HD650 punches way above it’s price point, especially at the Massdrop price of $200. I would also recommend the Atticus for anyone who’s heavily invested in this hobby and looking for an upgrade.

Thx00 Purpleheart – Keep in mind that these aren’t stock. I couldn’t stand the stock pads so I switched to ZMF Ori’s and added an attenuation ring. I usually have felt circles beneath the pads to tame the treble, but I removed them for this comparison. There’s a much greater emphasis on sub-bass with Purplehearts and an overall greater bass presence compared to the Atticus. This can be either good or bad depending on your preferences. The bass rumble can be pleasing but it will also detract from the rest of the music and obscure details. The Atticus is quick, precise, and punchy. I will say though that the Atticus responds very well to EQ with the Schiit Loki. I can raise the sub-bass to Purpleheart levels without detracting too much from the midrange. Speaking of the mid-range, this is where the Atticus really separates itself from the PH. Vocals are more upfront and clearly defined. Atticus has a bigger soundstage as well. The PH are similar to the HD650 in that they seem to run out of space on songs with multiple instruments. I much prefer the laid back treble of the Atticus vs the energetic PH. The PH reminds me of the m50x (which I did not like) in that it pushes every detail towards your ears. This, combined with some treble peaks, can be quickly fatiguing. The Atticus on the other hand is probably more detailed but you can choose if you’d like focus on the microdynamics. The details aren’t in your face, but rather have their clearly defined space and invite you to pay attention to different parts of songs. For those looking for a direct Thx00 upgrade, I don’t know if the Atticus is it. The Atticus is a clearly superior headphone imo, but it’s a different sound signature. I’m interested in listening to the th900, as that appears to share a lot of the thx00’s characteristics.

Overall I’m very happy with my Atticus purchase(s) and over the coming months I’ll be thinning down the heard and selling headphones I don’t listen to much. I also have an incoming Auteur, so I’ll make sure to post comparisons when I receive it. Thanks for reading and happy holidays.

 

[AppleheadMay]

Good thinking but I don't think the rest of the team would appreciate that at the office

Indeed, but having some less bright light might help.
I saw a lot of bright light and probably even flash in your picture. Can you show us a pic with moderate candescent lighting instead?

 

[AppleheadMay]

@BaseRobber

Thanks for sharing your impressions. You're comparing a lot of phones I like.

I do still like my LA-900 as well though, it has a sound unlike my Senns and ZMFs.
But it might get repurposed to surround duty (mostly) in the near future, together with the HD800S.

The ZMFs are wonderful headphones and the Atticus and Eikon offer very different sounds that are good for different genres. I wonder what the Auteur will add to the mix.

The Senn HD5/6 range is indeed great value for money and easy to collect at the Massdrop and discount prices.
I had the HD650 but couldn't resist getting the identical HD6XX anyway. I also had the HD600 and recently added the HD66S. Now only the HD58X left.
A joy to listen to this variety as well!

 

[Hansotek]

Can anyone give me a good amp pairing for atticus? I have them paired with a questyle cma600i and Im a little underwhelmed with the pair...it's worth mentioning that they've only burned in for about 10 hrs. At this point.

I’d give it a little more burn in before worrying too much. In my experience the ZMF dynamics are about 80% burned in after 50 hours, 90% at 60-70 hours, and 100% at about 150 hours. The biggest leap by far is in those first couple days, so it won’t take you too long to get a better feel for the sound.

Best amp for Atticus depends on you budget and what you want out of the sound. Personally, I like it best with OTL tube amps, which give the Atticus a really nice midrange bloom. The DecWare CSP3, the Glenn GOTL and the Dragon Inspire have all been really nice pairings, in my experience.

 

[King CATalyst]

I’d give it a little more burn in before worrying too much. In my experience the ZMF dynamics are about 80% burned in after 50 hours, 90% at 60-70 hours, and 100% at about 150 hours. The biggest leap by far is in those first couple days, so it won’t take you too long to get a better feel for the sound.

Best amp for Atticus depends on you budget and what you want out of the sound. Personally, I like it best with OTL tube amps, which give the Atticus a really nice midrange bloom. The DecWare CSP3, the Glenn GOTL and the Dragon Inspire have all been really nice pairings, in my experience.

Do you have any suggestions of what to do and what not to do while burning in headphones (still somewhat new to all of this and haven't felt the need to burn in a pair until now) I've been letting them play for about 2 hrs. At a time with an hr. Break in between playing my personal music collection through them.

 

[gLer]

Just got my barnyard cherry Atticus.
I didn't get a chance to listen to them yet but I am disappointed by the color
I know there can be some shading variance based on the piece of wood but it's much more of a difference on the overall color.
It's definitely not the elegant looking dark brown in the pictures.
Besides that, nicely build.

Advertised:


Mine:

Hi, like Zach says that’s definitely a lighting issue (look at the colour of the “black” yokes on your photos for example - they look more grey) so I’d say the lighting makes it look a few shades lighter than it actually is.

I also initially found my Barnyard pair to be a little lighter than the stock photos, but mine is one of the prototypes and so had an even more matte finish than yours. But give it a bit of time and you’ll see how it “grows” on you. It really is very unique, and I’m not sure about yours but mine is as smooth and soft as a baby’s bottom - very different to the other more coarse and pockmarked wood versions I’ve seen. Another advantage - no fingerprints, so you’re not constantly wiping down your wood cups.

Either way, once it’s on your head and the music starts playing you forget about everything else and realize just how good this headphone is. It’s a real gem among headphones, and probably the best closed headphone I’ve ever had the pleasure of hearing. End game for me.

 

[gLer]

Do you have any suggestions of what to do and what not to do while burning in headphones (still somewhat new to all of this and haven't felt the need to burn in a pair until now) I've been letting them play for about 2 hrs. At a time with an hr. Break in between playing my personal music collection through them.

I hooked them up to my DAP and set it to loop a burn-in track (white/pink noise and sweeps) for 4 days. The track has periods of sound followed by periods of rest, which lets the drivers recover from time to time. I’d play it on low volume for about a day, then up it to moderate/loud (but not too loud) for 3 days. Should be plenty.

Feel free to download and use the file (it’s a modified version of the free JLabs burn in file): https://www.dropbox.com/s/3q0zdh5b6f2gjnt/JLab_burn_in_file_GL.mp3?dl=0