[Somatic]

1. Susvara
2. Solitaire P

 

[Ciggavelli]

I've gotten quite a few more headphones since I last updated this thread. I have the 2 Raals coming, got the ZMF Caldera and AC, Stax 007mk1, and might get the DCA Corina. I'm gonna do a new comparison soon, once I let these headphones marginate.

I like to do quick, to the point comparisons. If there are any specific combos anybody wants compared, please post them here.

 

[yrstruly]

I've gotten quite a few more headphones since I last updated this thread. I have the 2 Raals coming, got the ZMF Caldera and AC, Stax 007mk1, and might get the DCA Corina. I'm gonna do a new comparison soon, once I let these headphones marginate.

I like to do quick, to the point comparisons. If there are any specific combos anybody wants compared, please post them here.

Would be curious for your take on AC vs VC vs Caldera vs Utopia if poss...!

 

[tunes]

Would be curious for your take on AC vs VC vs Caldera vs Utopia if poss...!

Don’t forget Susvara

 

[eskamobob1]

Don’t forget Susvara

Sus destroys all those so it's not a fair comparison

 

[Ciggavelli]

Would be curious for your take on AC vs VC vs Caldera vs Utopia if poss...!

Of the 4, my preferences would be: 1. Caldera, 2. AC, 3. Utopia, 4. VC

Caldera and Utopia would probably be personal preference for most. The Caldera is smoother, with good detail and bass. All of the sounds blend together really well. It does that better than any of these headphones. I think the resolution is maybe equal to the 2022 Utopia. The mids are great, and the bass is enough for all genres. The Utopias have a little more bass maybe, and the resolution seems to be the same. If we're talking original Utopias, the resolution would be higher though (the 2022 subdued the treble for some reason. I guess some thought it was too bright). The Utopias are technical and sound great, but I can't help but think they are a little veiled in the 2022 version. The bass is great, the mids are fine, and the treble is acceptable. They are fast and sound good, it's just that I prefer the Calderas. I'm also more of a planar guy.

The AC vs VC is no comparison in my mind. The AC is colored, has the ZMF house sound, but is not very veiled. The bass and subbass are great. They kind of remind me of a dynamic LCD-4 (but not quite as thick). They are great with metal and hip-hop. I absolutely love them with doom and stoner rock, but they are good with everything. They have a haze to them, but in a good way. The VC does everything worse in my opinion. It has too much of the ZMF veil and really feels veiled to me. The Caldera, Utopia, and AC are all TOTL headphones in my book, but the VC is more mid-fi. I mean, it is still good, but it's just not at the same level as the other 3. I rarely listen to mine, but have kept it because I have a very pretty set that I like to display. Others like the VC, but it's not for me. The bass is adequate, the mids are fine, but the treble is a problem.

I choose the Caldera as number 1 because I listen to it the most and think it does everything really well. I choose the AC as 2 because I also grab it to listen more than the other 2. The colored sound just works really well for certain albums and genres. It's a fun pair of headphones. The Utopias are 3rd because they are just simply better than the VC. But,. this is all just personal preference. I could easily see somebody going with: 1) Utopia, 2) Caldera, 3) AC, 4) VC. I think most would rank the VCs as last though

 

[iamoneagain]

I think the original Utopia and the Caldera seems to be about on par with each other. I can see the Utopia being a daytime listen with its slightly more exciting sound and the Caldera being for evening with its slight warmer, smoother sound. That’s if I owned both. If I had to pick, I do have to pick since can’t afford to own both, I chose the Caldera. It’s still an exciting headphone, great all rounder, especially excels in rock where you have great bass and drums. I’d say the Utopia might punch touch harder but the Caldera sounds more real maybe due to the sub bass. Just slightly fuller bass sound to it. But if I ended up back with the original Utopia, I think I’d still be just as happy. I can quickly adjust to its sound.

 

[TommehHiFi]

I think most would rank the VCs as last though

of these limited headphones discussed: 1. Caldera for overall. 2. Susvara 3. VC>/= Utopia >/= Verite Open 4. Atrium 5. Atrium closed.
Not heard Utopia 2022. Only thing midfi about the VC to my ears is the imaging/placement is less precise. VC changes a lot with pad rolls. With thin universe pads, detail is clearly as good or better than my HD800s which are in no way midfi even today.

 

[eskamobob1]

Only thing midfi about the VC to my ears is the imaging/placement is less precise.

I've had every VC pad availible and had the iron woods which were the mist hyped wood at the time. The thing that makes a lot of people less hot and bc and rank it down quite a bit are the mid resonances that seriously mess with decay and imaging. These persist regardless of pads ime. By all means like what you like but I do t think VC is even kn the technical level of a he1k v2, much the less an og utopia. It does have decent detail and is pretty fast but a lot of other stuff gets messed up that knocks it down. I view it like the ca1a. Astonishing detail and at least sus levels there, but the stage is extremely messed up so it falls down yhe rankings a lot

 

[yrstruly]

Of the 4, my preferences would be: 1. Caldera, 2. AC, 3. Utopia, 4. VC

Caldera and Utopia would probably be personal preference for most. The Caldera is smoother, with good detail and bass. All of the sounds blend together really well. It does that better than any of these headphones. I think the resolution is maybe equal to the 2022 Utopia. The mids are great, and the bass is enough for all genres. The Utopias have a little more bass maybe, and the resolution seems to be the same. If we're talking original Utopias, the resolution would be higher though (the 2022 subdued the treble for some reason. I guess some thought it was too bright). The Utopias are technical and sound great, but I can't help but think they are a little veiled in the 2022 version. The bass is great, the mids are fine, and the treble is acceptable. They are fast and sound good, it's just that I prefer the Calderas. I'm also more of a planar guy.

The AC vs VC is no comparison in my mind. The AC is colored, has the ZMF house sound, but is not very veiled. The bass and subbass are great. They kind of remind me of a dynamic LCD-4 (but not quite as thick). They are great with metal and hip-hop. I absolutely love them with doom and stoner rock, but they are good with everything. They have a haze to them, but in a good way. The VC does everything worse in my opinion. It has too much of the ZMF veil and really feels veiled to me. The Caldera, Utopia, and AC are all TOTL headphones in my book, but the VC is more mid-fi. I mean, it is still good, but it's just not at the same level as the other 3. I rarely listen to mine, but have kept it because I have a very pretty set that I like to display. Others like the VC, but it's not for me. The bass is adequate, the mids are fine, but the treble is a problem.

I choose the Caldera as number 1 because I listen to it the most and think it does everything really well. I choose the AC as 2 because I also grab it to listen more than the other 2. The colored sound just works really well for certain albums and genres. It's a fun pair of headphones. The Utopias are 3rd because they are just simply better than the VC. But,. this is all just personal preference. I could easily see somebody going with: 1) Utopia, 2) Caldera, 3) AC, 4) VC. I think most would rank the VCs as last though

Thanks for this - super informative! Very keen to give the AC a go...

VC are an acquired taste I guess. It's been said before that the tuning can mask their technical ability somewhat, which perhaps accounts for why there's some mixed views on whether they're actually TOTL level.

 

[zach915m]

I've had every VC pad availible and had the iron woods which were the mist hyped wood at the time. The thing that makes a lot of people less hot and bc and rank it down quite a bit are the mid resonances that seriously mess with decay and imaging. These persist regardless of pads ime. By all means like what you like but I do t think VC is even kn the technical level of a he1k v2, much the less an og utopia. It does have decent detail and is pretty fast but a lot of other stuff gets messed up that knocks it down. I view it like the ca1a. Astonishing detail and at least sus levels there, but the stage is extremely messed up so it falls down yhe rankings a lot

Maybe your a soft wood guy @eskamobob1 - or maybe you just don't like the VC... or ZMFs in general.

It's cool, we all like what we like.

 

[eskamobob1]

Maybe your a soft wood guy @eskamobob1 - or maybe you just don't like the VC... or ZMFs in general.

It's cool, we all like what we like.

I mean, I don't judge anyone for liking any can. Prefence is supremely subjective after all. But I've tried 4 sets of VC (iron, 2x monkey, and stabalized) and all had the exact same issue so i feel quite comfortable saying they simply dont technicaly stack up where they should for the price. Something doesn't have to be supremely technicaly compitant in its price braket for it to be enjoyed (look at meze) but people liking it doesn't change ge how it technicaly stacks up either.

Frankly, I truly dislike when people try and overstate somethings performance or understate something faults to justify a product when the reality of it is just that they enjoy it enough to justify the price regardless of faults (which is totaly fine and where I'm at with all my gear). If you can't identify somethings faults you aren't actualy experienced enough to comment on it imo.

 

[zach915m]

I mean, I don't judge anyone for liking any can.

If you can't identify somethings faults you aren't actualy experienced enough to comment on it imo.

I think I am, therefore, I am... I think.

 

[eskamobob1]

I think I am, therefore, I am... I think.

No jusgement for prefrence. Judgement for poor recommendations or rankings without context are totaly fair game imo.

 

[Superunknown2]

Maybe your a soft wood guy @eskamobob1 - or maybe you just don't like the VC... or ZMFs in general.

It's cool, we all like what we like.

There is a lot of truth to that. I think wood hardness gets under-emphasized. I had a soft-ish wood VO and found it completely uninteresting. Then I got a super-hard wood VO and it is absolutely awesome.