[Wes S]

Interesting! Maybe I should order a pair - I do enjoy my Atticus with the vegan pads. Just to make sure that I order the right one (from the multitudes of pads available on the ZMF site) you're referring to the ZMF Universe Pads with the ZMF Suede - Perforated covering, correct? Link

Those are the ones. I am looking at getting the suede for my Atticus, as well.

 

[Marlowe]

Just to echo what others have said. . .the suede perf. are legit! The euphonic mids are to die for, and I am not missing anything else. Sure, the bass quantity went down a bit, but the magic in mids make up for it. The air and clarity around instruments and vocals went up a notch, and the overall sound has more ease to it, with better transparency. The change was not huge, but just enough for a different flavor or mood. It has only been an hour after my first pad roll, and I am addicted, and just ordered a pair of Universe Leather Perf, to have another option. Hybrid pads are next. . .

Aren't the stock Aeolus pads and the Universe perforated leather pads only very slightly different? (Per the ZMF site, the Aeolus pad is the same as the Universe pads but " made with a tighter stitched chrome based leather, and stiffer foam.")

BTW, my Aeolus was delivered yesterday morning and have barely been off my head since. It's a good thing they're incredibly comfortable, though the (significantly lighter) Sennheiser HD 700 still beats them for comfort by a nose. I have the suede perforated pads but am not going to try them until I burn the Aeolus in and get used to the sound of the stock pads. (I decided just to let them burn in naturally. Between music and TV (I'm retired and listen to music and game much of the day and stream hours of TV and discs every night) I'll very conservatively put in 6-8 hours of use daily. They should suffice to get them pretty well sorted in two or three weeks; they sound great out of the box anyway!

 

[Wes S]

Aren't the stock Aeolus pads and the Universe perforated leather pads only very slightly different? (Per the ZMF site, the Aeolus pad is the same as the Universe pads but " made with a tighter stitched chrome based leather, and stiffer foam.")

BTW, my Aeolus was delivered yesterday morning and have barely been off my head since. It's a good thing they're incredibly comfortable, though the Sennheiser HD 700 still beats them for comfort by a nose. I have the suede perforated pads but am not going to try them until I burn the Aeolus in and get used to the sound of the stock pads. (I decided just to let them burn in naturally. Between music and TV (I'm retired and listen to music and game much of the day and stream hours of TV and discs every night) I'll very conservatively put in 6-8 hours of use daily. They should suffice to get them pretty well sorted in two or three weeks; they sound great out of the box anyway!

You are correct, in that they are slightly different and in between the stock pad and suede perf. I am looking to fine tune the sound now, so the third option will help. Compared to the stock Aeolus pad, the U. Perf Leather have a bit more treble, but still have punch, and are not quite as neutral as the suede perf. according to the pad guide.

 

[Pharmaboy]

When I first heard Verite pads on the Aeolus, I thought it was the best sound possible from the headphone. I sorta changed my mind on that when I heard universe perforated suedes, and those have been my stock pads ever since.

Pretty soon I'll switch back to Verite pads. My experience with these pads says they'll snap the mids & treble into focus a bit more while lessening the mid-bass emphasis somewhat. I found this to be the most "neutral" sound possible with the Aeolus--but like all pads on the Aeolus, that wonderful relaxed, organic, dynamic sound character remains.

 

[Wes S]

When I first heard Verite pads on the Aeolus, I thought it was the best sound possible from the headphone. I sorta changed my mind on that when I heard universe perforated suedes, and those have been my stock pads ever since.

Pretty soon I'll switch back to Verite pads. My experience with these pads says they'll snap the mids & treble into focus a bit more while lessening the mid-bass emphasis somewhat. I found this to be the most "neutral" sound possible with the Aeolus--but like all pads on the Aeolus, that wonderful relaxed, organic, dynamic sound character remains.

The Universe Perf Suede will be staying on my Aeolus for a good while. This sound is so addictive, and I really like how the sound stage opened up and became a bit more 3D, compared to the darker more intimate stock sound. There is definitely some magic with the U. Suede Perf. that sucks me in even further into the music.

 

[smoothb0re]

I think I much prefer the universe perf suede pads, now that I've had enough time to form an opinion. The difference isn't massive, but it is certainly enough. Comfort-wise the suede pads are easily superior. Sound-wise I really enjoy the added clarity, slight reduction in bass and the sort of effortlessness you get with suedes - but the mids are the star of the show. The suede mids have this ability to produce emotion and suck you into the music. It's like I forget all about the technical chops and just experience the music. It's cheesy as hell, I know, but still real.

I don't know which experience I should be chasing - the awe I get from the resolution, soundstage, imaging and tightness of headphones like the HEKse or Susvara, or what the Aeolus gives me. I love both ways of experiencing music, but can only afford one for now. I guess I listen to more music when I have the Aeolus. Maybe that's a good metric.

(For the sake of my wallet, please don't release a planar, ZMF!)

Edit: The reduction in bass quantity and slight added clarity is especially nice when paired with my OTL amp. With the current tube setup on my LD MKIII (Voshkod 6ZH1P-EV & Novosibirsk 6N6P-I) the sound of the stock Aeolus is a bit too bass heavy for my taste, but with the suedes the sound is perfect. The bass is probably the most satisfying I've ever heard, and the mids are like smooth, creamy, honey-laced perfection. Can't believe it's a 300€ amp with like 140€ tubes.

 

[Pharmaboy]

I don't know which experience I should be chasing - the awe I get from the resolution, soundstage, imaging and tightness of headphones like the HEKse or Susvara, or what the Aeolus gives me. I love both ways of experiencing music, but can only afford one for now.

Very good descriptions of sound--not just of the Aeolus, but in general.

As for which experience you should chase--you're one of the few people who seems to respond with equal enthusiasm to both ends of the sonic flavor parameter, as you describe. That's good, in that you clearly identify what you like (not everyone finds that easy to do), but bad in that you really should chase both sonic extremes.

FWIW, I'm firmly in the "what the Aeolus gives me" camp: ie, I prize that warmth, dynamic capability, big, engaging midrange, ear-friendly treble, pleasing bass with the weight of live music, and some of the best soundstaging around.

BTW, Zach does offer a planar--actually, 4 of them. IMO the best is the Ori, still one of my favorite headphones of all. It's closed, but has that wonderful "ZMF house sound" in spades, along with exceptional soundstaging for a closed back & some of the best planar bass ever. I often stage little shootouts between the Ori & Aeolus (same amp, same cable). That's a lot of fun because there's no loser and I win big every time.

 

[Wes S]

Very good descriptions of sound--not just of the Aeolus, but in general.

As for which experience you should chase--you're one of the few people who seems to respond with equal enthusiasm to both ends of the sonic flavor parameter, as you describe. That's good, in that you clearly identify what you like (not everyone finds that easy to do), but bad in that you really should chase both sonic extremes.

FWIW, I'm firmly in the "what the Aeolus gives me" camp: ie, I prize that warmth, dynamic capability, big, engaging midrange, ear-friendly treble, pleasing bass with the weight of live music, and some of the best soundstaging around.

BTW, Zach does offer a planar--actually, 4 of them. IMO the best is the Ori, still one of my favorite headphones of all. It's closed, but has that wonderful "ZMF house sound" in spades, along with exceptional soundstaging for a closed back & some of the best planar bass ever. I often stage little shootouts between the Ori & Aeolus (same amp, same cable). That's a lot of fun because there's no loser and I win big every time.

I concur!

 

[Wes S]

I think I much prefer the universe perf suede pads, now that I've had enough time to form an opinion. The difference isn't massive, but it is certainly enough. Comfort-wise the suede pads are easily superior. Sound-wise I really enjoy the added clarity, slight reduction in bass and the sort of effortlessness you get with suedes - but the mids are the star of the show. The suede mids have this ability to produce emotion and suck you into the music. It's like I forget all about the technical chops and just experience the music. It's cheesy as hell, I know, but still real.

I don't know which experience I should be chasing - the awe I get from the resolution, soundstage, imaging and tightness of headphones like the HEKse or Susvara, or what the Aeolus gives me. I love both ways of experiencing music, but can only afford one for now. I guess I listen to more music when I have the Aeolus. Maybe that's a good metric.

(For the sake of my wallet, please don't release a planar, ZMF!)

Edit: The reduction in bass quantity and slight added clarity is especially nice when paired with my OTL amp. With the current tube setup on my LD MKIII (Voshkod 6ZH1P-EV & Novosibirsk 6N6P-I) the sound of the stock Aeolus is a bit too bass heavy for my taste, but with the suedes the sound is perfect. The bass is probably the most satisfying I've ever heard, and the mids are like smooth, creamy, honey-laced perfection. Can't believe it's a 300€ amp with like 140€ tubes.

Yes sir! I just hooked up my Aelous to my Bottlehead Crack(OTL) for the first time with the U. Perf Suede, and oh my word! The added clarity and transparency is stunning, to where the headphones almost disappear and I am there with the musicians. I can't believe it took me a year to finally try these pads!

 

[smoothb0re]

Very good descriptions of sound--not just of the Aeolus, but in general.

As for which experience you should chase--you're one of the few people who seems to respond with equal enthusiasm to both ends of the sonic flavor parameter, as you describe. That's good, in that you clearly identify what you like (not everyone finds that easy to do), but bad in that you really should chase both sonic extremes.

FWIW, I'm firmly in the "what the Aeolus gives me" camp: ie, I prize that warmth, dynamic capability, big, engaging midrange, ear-friendly treble, pleasing bass with the weight of live music, and some of the best soundstaging around.

BTW, Zach does offer a planar--actually, 4 of them. IMO the best is the Ori, still one of my favorite headphones of all. It's closed, but has that wonderful "ZMF house sound" in spades, along with exceptional soundstaging for a closed back & some of the best planar bass ever. I often stage little shootouts between the Ori & Aeolus (same amp, same cable). That's a lot of fun because there's no loser and I win big every time.

Thanks!

The more I listen to the suede-Aeolus on different amps and dacs, the more I start to realise that these are actually technically pretty damn capable headphones. I think I've been downplaying the Aeolus' technical chops, having come here from the HE1000se. I've been underestimating them. There's a lot more resolution, tightness and speed than what I've given them credit for - but more importantly, the Aeolus is smooth without being dull, congested or muddy. There's this clarity to the sound, but it's never piercing or shrill.

Another thing I've found is that the there's something funny going on about the soundstage and imaging. I need to listen to more music with this in mind, but I've caught myself several times noting that the stage is exactly like it should be. It's hard to explain, especially not in my native language, but there's this feeling of everything sort of being where they belong, and the space they're in being... Right? Correct? Natural? It must sound stupid, but I lack the linguistic ability to express it any better.

‐-----------------------------------------------------

I do know about the Fostex-ZMF planars, but I really just count them as ZMF-modded headphones - not actual ZMF designed and built planars. I'm not a big fan of them, though I haven't heard the Blackwood. Not really even criticizing, just not what I like planar-wise.

To be serious, I think the idea of @zach915m branching out to planar territory souds incredibly exciting. I think an all-ZMF planar could be something truly special - imagine them putting everything they've learned from building and designing the dynamics into making a planar. I don't think there's even ever been any talk of a ZMF planar being in the works even as a concept, but it'd be interesting to know if it's something that Zach sees as a possibility in the future, eventually.

Gosh, I gotta get a grip and stop gushing about the Aeolus.

 

[Astral Abyss]

Thanks!

The more I listen to the suede-Aeolus on different amps and dacs, the more I start to realise that these are actually technically pretty damn capable headphones. I think I've been downplaying the Aeolus' technical chops, having come here from the HE1000se. I've been underestimating them. There's a lot more resolution, tightness and speed than what I've given them credit for - but more importantly, the Aeolus is smooth without being dull, congested or muddy. There's this clarity to the sound, but it's never piercing or shrill.

Another thing I've found is that the there's something funny going on about the soundstage and imaging. I need to listen to more music with this in mind, but I've caught myself several times noting that the stage is exactly like it should be. It's hard to explain, especially not in my native language, but there's this feeling of everything sort of being where they belong, and the space they're in being... Right? Correct? Natural? It must sound stupid, but I lack the linguistic ability to express it any better.

‐-----------------------------------------------------

I do know about the Fostex-ZMF planars, but I really just count them as ZMF-modded headphones - not actual ZMF designed and built planars. I'm not a big fan of them, though I haven't heard the Blackwood. Not really even criticizing, just not what I like planar-wise.

To be serious, I think the idea of @zach915m branching out to planar territory souds incredibly exciting. I think an all-ZMF planar could be something truly special - imagine them putting everything they've learned from building and designing the dynamics into making a planar. I don't think there's even ever been any talk of a ZMF planar being in the works even as a concept, but it'd be interesting to know if it's something that Zach sees as a possibility in the future, eventually.

Gosh, I gotta get a grip and stop gushing about the Aeolus.

Another vote for the perforated suede pads. I got them along with the stock Aeolus pads when I bought my Blackwood Aeolus. After a short stint with the stock pads I thought I'd give the suede's a try. Needless to say, the slight reduction in bass is actually a positive because of the clarity add. The midrange is the star now. Wonderful imaging and soundstage. I can wear them for hours with no fatigue. There's no going back for me.

 

[jinxy245]

Thanks!

The more I listen to the suede-Aeolus on different amps and dacs, the more I start to realise that these are actually technically pretty damn capable headphones. I think I've been downplaying the Aeolus' technical chops, having come here from the HE1000se. I've been underestimating them. There's a lot more resolution, tightness and speed than what I've given them credit for - but more importantly, the Aeolus is smooth without being dull, congested or muddy. There's this clarity to the sound, but it's never piercing or shrill.

Another thing I've found is that the there's something funny going on about the soundstage and imaging. I need to listen to more music with this in mind, but I've caught myself several times noting that the stage is exactly like it should be. It's hard to explain, especially not in my native language, but there's this feeling of everything sort of being where they belong, and the space they're in being... Right? Correct? Natural? It must sound stupid, but I lack the linguistic ability to express it any better.

‐-----------------------------------------------------

I do know about the Fostex-ZMF planars, but I really just count them as ZMF-modded headphones - not actual ZMF designed and built planars. I'm not a big fan of them, though I haven't heard the Blackwood. Not really even criticizing, just not what I like planar-wise.

To be serious, I think the idea of @zach915m branching out to planar territory souds incredibly exciting. I think an all-ZMF planar could be something truly special - imagine them putting everything they've learned from building and designing the dynamics into making a planar. I don't think there's even ever been any talk of a ZMF planar being in the works even as a concept, but it'd be interesting to know if it's something that Zach sees as a possibility in the future, eventually.

Gosh, I gotta get a grip and stop gushing about the Aeolus.

I agree with @Pharmaboy , there is no "should" in that department...if you like a sound signature, enjoy. That is one of the many reasons people have multiple headphones (and amps etc.). Unfortunately that can also be why this hobby has a tendency to be expensive.

As far as Zach's planars, IIRC the Blackwood is his favorite tuning...I heard it a a show & I agree, A bit more neutral than the Ori, but still deep fathomless planar bass, classic ZMF mids & polite treble. If I was getting a closed back headphone, the Blackwood would be at near the top of my list. If you have a place to check them out, I highly recommend it (when it's safe to do so that is).

In the meanwhile, enjoy the Aeolus...I am...

 

[Benno1988]

Aeolus owners. Any other cans, similar price point, worth considering? Anything else you like as much as the Aeolus?

 

[Wes S]

I agree with @Pharmaboy , there is no "should" in that department...if you like a sound signature, enjoy. That is one of the many reasons people have multiple headphones (and amps etc.). Unfortunately that can also be why this hobby has a tendency to be expensive.

As far as Zach's planars, IIRC the Blackwood is his favorite tuning...I heard it a a show & I agree, A bit more neutral than the Ori, but still deep fathomless planar bass, classic ZMF mids & polite treble. If I was getting a closed back headphone, the Blackwood would be at near the top of my list. If you have a place to check them out, I highly recommend it (when it's safe to do so that is).

In the meanwhile, enjoy the Aeolus...I am...

You just made me wish I never sold my first ever ZMF headphone the Blackwood! That really is a great headphone, and has a very easy going sound. I still prefer my Ori by a mile, but they both have there strengths.

 

[Wes S]

Aeolus owners. Any other cans, similar price point, worth considering? Anything else you like as much as the Aeolus?

Yes sir. I recommend the Atticus, if wanted closed back.