[zach915m]

The Auteur pads everyone has been trying out...have those been lambskin fenestrated?

Most are lambskin as it's what was sent, but some users have swapped out for suede, which usually is mentioned.

 

[Souldriver]

because people all have differing listening habits of source, level {dB} of listening, preference of treble both subjectively and objectively (age/hearing loss), and mood and genre.

....allergies, weather. Now until June is like playing a listening lottery.

We will be shipping production units with a custom titan mesh that we just finished that is perforated but not as open as the Aeolus Titan mesh. I think this final iteration will suit the vast majority of listeners. But if you feel daring enough to tweak you cna always purchase the other titan mesh option with the headphone from that page in the DIY section of our site.

The titan mesh intrigues me a lot. It reminds me of what Ultrasone did with their shields but much much better researched and implemented. And i say that with praise as I was one of the few that the "S-Logic" worked for, and i still have my hfi-780. There are dozens of us! Dozens!

 

[Nostoi]

Treble sharpness is something that reviews are always going to diverge on because people all have differing listening habits of source, level {dB} of listening, preference of treble both subjectively and objectively (age/hearing loss), and mood and genre. Based on measurements the Atrium has an overall higher level of treble than verite, but the peaks are less. I would suggest that anyone who wants more "edge" leaves a note when purchasing that they want the brightest titan mesh installed.

We will be shipping production units with a custom titan mesh that we just finished that is perforated but not as open as the Aeolus Titan mesh. I think this final iteration will suit the vast majority of listeners. But if you feel daring enough to tweak you can always purchase the other titan mesh option with the headphone from that page in the DIY section of our site.

Great, thanks - good to hear. You're totally right, indeed - treble must be the context-sensitive area of the FR.

 

[decur]

Most are lambskin as it's what was sent, but some users have swapped out for suede, which usually is mentioned.

zach,
will you be showing the atrium's at the upcoming ear gear expo at axpona in Chicago this April?

 

[Deceneu808]

Most are lambskin as it's what was sent, but some users have swapped out for suede, which usually is mentioned.

Does the Universe Hybrid perf work well on the Atrium ?

 

[DeweyCH]

Very interesting, thanks, especially the D8000 comparison. If it is "sonically similar to the Atrium," then it would be a radical departure for ZMF.

Looking over these reviews, there's some understandable but nevertheless divergent accounts of the top end.

- You describe it as "unaccented and unexaggerated."

- @DeweyCH says the "treble may be a little less forward than some would like."

- @jinxy245 remarks that the treble is "not the strong suit of the Atrium to be sure."

I point this out because, for me, an airy and crisp top end would be the main thing that distinguishes a new/novel ZMF tuning. If it is smooth and rounded off, then it would be in keeping with the house sound. I personally would welcome a brighter sounding ZMF headphone, so if the Atrium is leaning that way, then I'm in. If it's as smooth as VC, then probably not for me.

I also noted some piercing treble on certain tracks, and that it gets borderline piercing on others. Well, piercing on one (Cara Mia Addio), borderline on another (Canon in D Major). Do take my impressions as what they are - a rando schmuck on the Interwebs with opinions and an unabashed fan of ZMF.

 

[DeweyCH]

Listening a little bit with my favorite pads for my Auteurs - perf suede Eikons. The track I found piercing - Cara Mia Addio - is totally great now. There's a bit more bass presence - perhaps a touch less clarity in the bass, but it's very substantive and satisfying. I think this is a better pad for these, at least to my ear.

On The Chain by Fleetwood Mac, the staging with the Eikon suede pads is great. Kick drum is just where I want it to be - it drives the rhythm and has a very satisfying heft, but doesn't overtake anything. Guitars are shockingly real. The steel-string acoustic licks are perfect.

Vocals are slightly recessed vs. the stock Universe Perf Lambskin (I think). But they're very natural.

I strongly, strongly recommend considering these pads if you're considering the Atrium. They're the de facto pad recommendation from most people for the Auteur, and I'd say absolutely should be the same for the Atrium.

Plus they're sooooooooo comfy. Pillowy soft, feel like there's more cushion, and I want to say my ears are a tiny bit further from the drivers.

Dat bass. Mmm.

 

[DeweyCH]

One other note: moving from low-Z to high-Z on the Mogwai ramps the overall presentation up a not-insignificant notch. I will note that my impressions/comparisons earlier were from the low-Z output, so take that for what you will (I wanted to make sure the whole thing was the same for all my test cans, and the Susvaras cannot play well with high-Z outputs).

 

[DeweyCH]

@zach915m what is your decision process on picking primary pads for headphone models? Do you go for the most "neutral" presentation on a particular design, or something that plays to its perceived strengths, or something that the ZMF team subjectively likes the best? I ask because, wow, the suede Eikons make such a positive difference.

 

[erics75]

One other note: moving from low-Z to high-Z on the Mogwai ramps the overall presentation up a not-insignificant notch. I will note that my impressions/comparisons earlier were from the low-Z output, so take that for what you will (I wanted to make sure the whole thing was the same for all my test cans, and the Susvaras cannot play well with high-Z outputs).

High z has amazing synergy with ZMFs (and 300ohm Sennheisers). What surprised me was the treble region actually gains more presence on high z vs low. I thought low z would be brighter, and told this to Justin of Ampsandsound. He corrected me and said with 300ohm drivers high z would give more air up top, as well as fill in the bass a bit more. I can't wait to get my Atrium to try on all the impedance taps of my Ovation.

 

[Sebastien Chiu]

I'm looking forward to seeing the feedback on the Atrium from y'all going to CanJam SG!

 

[aloki]

For reviewers who have tried multiple pads or @zach915m , which pads have the most impactful bass without sacrificing bass accuracy or losing treble sparkle and air?

 

[YtseJamer]

Put on the perforated titan mesh. Definitely some more bite and treble energy, especially on most of the metal tracks I listened to. A little too much for my tastes actually. I do listen to music pretty loud, and I had to dial it back some on a few tracks. Like on Celtic Frost's "A Dying God Coming into Human Flesh" I had to turn the volume down a little when the guitars kick in around the two minute mark. That wasn't the case with the solid mesh.

Hard to say how other people will respond to the differences, a lot of factors to consider. The stock mesh that will be shipped out with new Atrium's will be something in between the solid and perforated version. So that should be a great compromise for everyone.

Thanks for your feedback, much appreciated

 

[Pharmaboy]

Very interesting, thanks, especially the D8000 comparison. If it is "sonically similar to the Atrium," then it would be a radical departure for ZMF.

Looking over these reviews, there's some understandable but nevertheless divergent accounts of the top end.

- You describe it as "unaccented and unexaggerated."

- @DeweyCH says the "treble may be a little less forward than some would like."

- @jinxy245 remarks that the treble is "not the strong suit of the Atrium to be sure."

I point this out because, for me, an airy and crisp top end would be the main thing that distinguishes a new/novel ZMF tuning. If it is smooth and rounded off, then it would be in keeping with the house sound. I personally would welcome a brighter sounding ZMF headphone, so if the Atrium is leaning that way, then I'm in. If it's as smooth as VC, then probably not for me.

Interesting comments.

I can only speak re my own hearing & sound impressions. With the stock Universe pads (the 2 other pairs sounded somewhat different)--I might've found the treble of the Atrium a bit too neutral* on certain cuts/genres/volumes if not for 2 other factors that totally trumped that:

• The borderline sensational soundstaging, which I was never not aware of (I mean that as praise)
• And the detail-rich, engrossing midrange. While this isn't a headphone with "shouty," over-emphasized mids, the midrange is so good that I tended to focus less on the treble and bass than I usually do (again, I mean this as praise)

From the start, I experienced this headphone as quite different psychoacoustically--its spatial rendering and clarity are outstanding, and at least for me, the usual focus on frequencies took a back seat.

*Zach's comment earlier in this thread really explains a lot to me:

"Based on measurements the Atrium has an overall higher level of treble than verite, but the peaks are less."​

 

[Hifiearspeakers]

Treble sharpness is something that reviews are always going to diverge on because people all have differing listening habits of source, level {dB} of listening, preference of treble both subjectively and objectively (age/hearing loss), and mood and genre. Based on measurements the Atrium has an overall higher level of treble than verite, but the peaks are less. I would suggest that anyone who wants more "edge" leaves a note when purchasing that they want the brightest titan mesh installed.

We will be shipping production units with a custom titan mesh that we just finished that is perforated but not as open as the Aeolus Titan mesh. I think this final iteration will suit the vast majority of listeners. But if you feel daring enough to tweak you can always purchase the other titan mesh options with the headphone from that page in the DIY section of our site.

Are we still able to order them with solid mesh if we prefer your original tuning?