[Monsterzero]

For a cheap date, the AKG K240 Sextett is a very unique listening experience IMO. I’m glad I found out about them on here and bought a pair on eBay. No, they’re not an Aeolus or an Auteur, but a lot of fun for metal.

Glad to see a Sextett convert. Theyre phenomenal for metal,and all things guitar based.

 

[MtnMan307]

I can’t believe how good they sound for 68 bucks. Holy smokes!

 

[Monsterzero]

I can’t believe how good they sound for 68 bucks. Holy smokes!

Yup. Now go get an MP Sextett and youre set.

 

[MtnMan307]

The MP has more bass right? Is that the main difference? My LP could use more bass detail and extension.

 

[Monsterzero]

The MP has more bass right? Is that the main difference? My LP could use more bass detail and extension.

Yeah,MP has more bass than LP,and EP has the most bass of the three. I think the EP has too much midbass for metal,but thats just my personal preferences.
Sub bass extension is pretty much the same across all three though.

 

[saxelrod92]

Wait,so youre getting another amp,or no? Gotta have an amp for ZMF.



Both will work for what you like. I had both the Auteur and Aeolus here for review purposes and ended up buying the Auteur. I was listening last night to Mike Ness(not metal,I know) Godgory and Amon Amarth on the Auteur and the guitar really shines. Bass has good impact.

To boil it down in simple terms,the Auteur is more neutrally tuned than the Aeolus. Aeolus has more slam,but for me,I didnt need that as my Verite has that covered(regardless of what Z says)

Either is an excellent choice.

Yeah I will be buying a new amp, dont worry haha. Wont be as high end this time though, but I would rather put the money priority towards the nice headphone this time and less towards the super nice amp (for now).

Overall I think I'm leaning auteur, mainly because of its seemingly good multipurpose use. I know the aeolus would probably win me over initially, but long term I feel like I would wanting something more from the sound. Maybe I wont though...

Main concern with auteur is does it ever get sibilant or too sharp, or sometimes feel less full sounding? This is something my alpha primes can do is why I'm doing the change up in the first place. I like neutral, I also like some warmth, I just dont want to get a repeat of my current setup's issues.

If I go with aeolus though, how detailed is it in comparison to auteur? Like would I feel as if instruments mix together more and dont image as separately, or is it pretty similar but just a warm vs neutral, but otherwise similar technicality?

Edit: forgot to add one question: if you had to pick just one of the two for your everyday multipurpose use (youtube, netflix, metal, electronic, some orchestral usually in metal, some gaming) which one would it be for the long term. As my previous setup has been lasting me since 2014. I'm a one at a time type.

Thanks for input, its real helpful.

 

[Monsterzero]

Main concern with auteur is does it ever get sibilant or too sharp, or sometimes feel less full sounding? This is something my alpha primes can do is why I'm doing the change up in the first place. I like neutral, I also like some warmth, I just dont want to get a repeat of my current setup's issues.

If you swap the pads(they come with two sets,but the names escape me) the 2nd pads add warmth and slam. I do not find the Auteur sibilant,but I have read about others who dont like that upper mid peak.
You also must understand I use a very good tube amp,and an R2R DAC,so what you experience might not be exactly the same as what im hearing.

Edit: forgot to add one question: if you had to pick just one of the two for your everyday multipurpose use (youtube, netflix, metal, electronic, some orchestral usually in metal, some gaming) which one would it be for the long term. As my previous setup has been lasting me since 2014. I'm a one at a time type.

All around use,I'd go with the Auteur.

If I go with aeolus though, how detailed is it in comparison to auteur? Like would I feel as if instruments mix together more and dont image as separately, or is it pretty similar but just a warm vs neutral, but otherwise similar technicality?

Im not a detail monger,and its been awhile since Ive heard the Aeolus,so I cant say with a high degree of certainty one way or the other. Perhaps @Hansotek can chime in here.

 

[saxelrod92]

If you swap the pads(they come with two sets,but the names escape me) the 2nd pads add warmth and slam. I do not find the Auteur sibilant,but I have read about others who dont like that upper mid peak.
You also must understand I use a very good tube amp,and an R2R DAC,so what you experience might not be exactly the same as what im hearing.



All around use,I'd go with the Auteur.



Im not a detail monger,and its been awhile since Ive heard the Aeolus,so I cant say with a high degree of certainty one way or the other. Perhaps @Hansotek can chime in here.

Thanks for the input! Yeah my equipment wont be as high end as yours, so I'm taking that into account. I'm also not that sensitive to bright or harsh sounds, but many hours a day over multiple years got pretty fatiguing eventually. Really as long as its easier on the ears than the alpha primes, I'm good. I'll definitely use your input when I get to making the purchase.

 

[Monsterzero]

Yeah my equipment wont be as high end as yours, so I'm taking that into account.

While I like to think my gear is pretty nice,my point of bringing it up was not intended to highlight the quality,rather the sound.
Tubes can sound a lot warmer than solid state,and R2R DACs are typically warmer than D/S DACs. I havent heard the BiFrost Uber so I dunno if its a bright/neutral/warm DAC.

 

[saxelrod92]

While I like to think my gear is pretty nice,my point of bringing it up was not intended to highlight the quality,rather the sound.
Tubes can sound a lot warmer than solid state,and R2R DACs are typically warmer than D/S DACs. I havent heard the BiFrost Uber so I dunno if its a bright/neutral/warm DAC.

Gotcha, as far as I can tell the bifrost uber is relatively neutral. Its flaws are more to do with detail than with warmth/neutral/bright. It basically does its job without imparting any color really or getting in the way too much. If you had very detail sensitive headphones, thats where it wont work. But for zmf and similar it should be fine, plus I plan to update it via schiit's program, which is cool. And with amps I will make note to avoid bright sounding amps, I already do usually, but I tend to like solid state so I'll make sure it isnt bright leaning.

 

[Hansotek]

Thanks for the input! Yeah my equipment wont be as high end as yours, so I'm taking that into account. I'm also not that sensitive to bright or harsh sounds, but many hours a day over multiple years got pretty fatiguing eventually. Really as long as its easier on the ears than the alpha primes, I'm good. I'll definitely use your input when I get to making the purchase.

Auteur and Aeolus are both top notch. Auteur is a pretty safe bet all around, I’ve rarely come across anyone who doesn’t like it. There are always a few with anything, but with Auteur I think it’s exceedingly rare. It’s a people pleaser.

The thing I’m liking a lot about Aeolus right now is the ability to switch between the stock pads and the suede pads. The stock pads basically make it sound like an open version of the Atticus, which is very midbass and midrange centric. The suede pads make it very neutral. It kinda like 2 headphones in one. As is always the case with this driver, it really excels with tubes, and particularly with OTLs, which will generally lower the damping factor.

I’m not sure if you’re planning on using the 280 to drive them or something else, but I would be more inclined to use my Auteur on a solid state pairing. I just like the synergy a little better in terms of driver response. Overall, the Auteur is much easier to drive really, really well on any amplifier.

 

[saxelrod92]

Auteur and Aeolus are both top notch. Auteur is a pretty safe bet all around, I’ve rarely come across anyone who doesn’t like it. There are always a few with anything, but with Auteur I think it’s exceedingly rare. It’s a people pleaser.

The thing I’m liking a lot about Aeolus right now is the ability to switch between the stock pads and the suede pads. The stock pads basically make it sound like an open version of the Atticus, which is very midbass and midrange centric. The suede pads make it very neutral. It kinda like 2 headphones in one. As is always the case with this driver, it really excels with tubes, and particularly with OTLs, which will generally lower the damping factor.

I’m not sure if you’re planning on using the 280 to drive them or something else, but I would be more inclined to use my Auteur on a solid state pairing. I just like the synergy a little better in terms of driver response. Overall, the Auteur is much easier to drive really, really well on any amplifier.

I will be getting a new amp entirely for either headphone choice. Basically selling of my current setup and reallocating that money towards the new setup, so if i go auteurs then slightly less expensive amp, if I go aeolus pricier amp. In the long run I'll upgrade everything regardless, but for now thats how it will be. I prefer solid state overall, both in terms of sound and not having to find tubes that work to my liking. I am the type of person who does not like infinite options, I much prefer to have one very well crafted option and just enjoy that.

Do you by any chance have any experience with alpha primes or something similar, at least in the bass department? I'm having a tough time knowing wether I will find the auteurs lacking to my preference or the aeolus too mid bass centric for my preference. I enjoy a good deep sub bass rumble, especially for electronic songs. I also enjoy getting that full heavy impact of a good chugging breakdown, the thump of bass drums (I'm a drummer so I focus on drums a bit more in most songs), but also have the detail and clarity to pick apart cymbals and instruments. I'm just trying to figure out where my alphas land in terms of sound respective to the aeolus and auteurs, so that I can figure out which one will provide the change in sound I'm looking for. Right now the alphas sound to me nicely detailed and sharp, but sometimes on the edge of too sharp and in your face, but I love how deep in the bass they go for rumble, but they lack some of the fullness on songs that aren't artificially pumping in more bass which can make a lot of metal just sound a little too anemic and fatiguing.

As far as i can tell the zmf headphones are closer to what i like, I've also had denon d5000s for a while and enjoyed those for what they were. They just lacked mids and detail, and any instrument separation, but it was comfortable and fun. I just dont want to lose the detail and speed i get with alpha primes, but instead get some more bass impact without losing sub bass much, and get less intense highs without losing clarity or precision. Also how are the vocals between the two zmf? in terms of spatial presentation, because like i mentioned I tend to focus on the drums and instruments in songs before vocals, so when vocals are too far forward or present it can get harder to focus on everything else. Kinda why I like neutral headphones with a slight warm tilt, nothing is too much or too little, and a slight warm tilt helps long term comfort with my music preferences.

 

[Hansotek]

I will be getting a new amp entirely for either headphone choice. Basically selling of my current setup and reallocating that money towards the new setup, so if i go auteurs then slightly less expensive amp, if I go aeolus pricier amp. In the long run I'll upgrade everything regardless, but for now thats how it will be. I prefer solid state overall, both in terms of sound and not having to find tubes that work to my liking. I am the type of person who does not like infinite options, I much prefer to have one very well crafted option and just enjoy that.

Do you by any chance have any experience with alpha primes or something similar, at least in the bass department? I'm having a tough time knowing wether I will find the auteurs lacking to my preference or the aeolus too mid bass centric for my preference. I enjoy a good deep sub bass rumble, especially for electronic songs. I also enjoy getting that full heavy impact of a good chugging breakdown, the thump of bass drums (I'm a drummer so I focus on drums a bit more in most songs), but also have the detail and clarity to pick apart cymbals and instruments. I'm just trying to figure out where my alphas land in terms of sound respective to the aeolus and auteurs, so that I can figure out which one will provide the change in sound I'm looking for. Right now the alphas sound to me nicely detailed and sharp, but sometimes on the edge of too sharp and in your face, but I love how deep in the bass they go for rumble, but they lack some of the fullness on songs that aren't artificially pumping in more bass which can make a lot of metal just sound a little too anemic and fatiguing.

As far as i can tell the zmf headphones are closer to what i like, I've also had denon d5000s for a while and enjoyed those for what they were. They just lacked mids and detail, and any instrument separation, but it was comfortable and fun. I just dont want to lose the detail and speed i get with alpha primes, but instead get some more bass impact without losing sub bass much, and get less intense highs without losing clarity or precision. Also how are the vocals between the two zmf? in terms of spatial presentation, because like i mentioned I tend to focus on the drums and instruments in songs before vocals, so when vocals are too far forward or present it can get harder to focus on everything else. Kinda why I like neutral headphones with a slight warm tilt, nothing is too much or too little, and a slight warm tilt helps long term comfort with my music preferences.

With all that additional context, I’d get the Auteur, which has flatter, more extended bass and is especially good with drums. Get a harder wood like Cocobolo, if you can swing it, to max out the impact.

The Auteur will be a significant improvement in pretty much every aspect, though the Alpha Prime might have a bit more subbass presence and extension. Auteur subbass is still excellent.

Vocals on both ZMFs are going to be like 20 levels up from what you’re used to. Not trashing the Alpha Prime at all by saying that, ZMFs just shred everything else on vocals. It’s not a coincidence that the earcups are the same geometric shape as a concert hall. And real tone woods vs. any other material? Come on.

I pretty much stopped listening to the Abyss once I got the Auteur. I really don’t think you’re gonna miss the Alpha Prime.

 

[saxelrod92]

With all that additional context, I’d get the Auteur, which has flatter, more extended bass and is especially good with drums. Get a harder wood like Cocobolo, if you can swing it, to max out the impact.

The Auteur will be a significant improvement in pretty much every aspect, though the Alpha Prime might have a bit more subbass presence and extension. Auteur subbass is still excellent.

Vocals on both ZMFs are going to be like 20 levels up from what you’re used to. Not trashing the Alpha Prime at all by saying that, ZMFs just shred everything else on vocals. It’s not a coincidence that the earcups are the same geometric shape as a concert hall. And real tone woods vs. any other material? Come on.

I pretty much stopped listening to the Abyss once I got the Auteur. I really don’t think you’re gonna miss the Alpha Prime.

Yeah after doing some more research and also finding the frequency response graphs for both and alphas and the zmf lineup, its obvious to me that the auteur is exactly what I'm looking for. It really solidified my choice honestly, as did your input. I feel like thats a solid headphone I can use and over time upgrade the rest of my chain, and it will keep up with those changes. Thanks for the help guys!

 

[Johnny1982xyz]

I'm waiting for the aeolus... I want to have both
By now my auteur + estro armonico otl amp is an amazing combo. It's very hard for me to find something that is sounding better...