[jnak00]

If someone doesn't mind, could you lay out roughly how each pad sounds on the Aeolus? I'm a little confused, there's a lot of info floating around all over the place.

Also:


Is there a shortage of Aeoluses (Aeoli?) It looks like I can place the order, are they on backorder?

This might help with the pads:
https://www.zmfheadphones.com/zmfpads

Most people go either with stock leather, which is a little more V-shaped or Universe suede perforated which makes the sound a little more neutral.

You can order regular Aeolus. The posts above are talking about the limited stabilized version that went on sale today and sold out in about 12 seconds.

 

[Bimbleton]

This might help with the pads:
https://www.zmfheadphones.com/zmfpads

Most people go either with stock leather, which is a little more V-shaped or Universe suede perforated which makes the sound a little more neutral.

You can order regular Aeolus. The posts above are talking about the limited stabilized version that went on sale today and sold out in about 12 seconds.

Perfect, thank you for the resource. ZMF did an excellent job with their website, this is very helpful.

You're telling me this kilobuck+ headphone is as in-demand as a PS5 or a RTX 3080?! That's nuts.

 

[Marlowe]

Is there a shortage of Aeoluses (Aeoli?) It looks like I can place the order, are they on backorder?

They are not exactly backordered, but each one (like all ZMF headphones) are handmade to order so there is always a lengthy wait. The wait varies at different times, but for the base Aeolus, expect at least 7-10 weeks from order to shipping.

 

[Bimbleton]

They are not exactly backordered, but each one (like all ZMF headphones) are handmade to order so there is always a lengthy wait. The wait varies at different times, but for the base Aeolus, expect at least 7-10 weeks from order to shipping.

Oh man that wait is going to really ramp up the hype. Thanks for the info.

 

[Marlowe]

You're telling me this kilobuck+ headphone is as in-demand as a PS5 or a RTX 3080?! That's nuts.

Why? I'd rather have an Aeolus than either of those. (I do like to game, but I am more a PC gamer. I prefer a mouse and keyboard and, while I do play an action game once in a while. I prefer strategy games, especially 4X games like Civ VI--I've played every Civ since Civ 2, which released twenty-five years ago, and RPGs. Most of those play well enough on my budget Dell gaming laptop with a low level NVidia card. I do have a PS4, though I rarely use it. Of course, I'm 67, so not a typical gamer)

On a slightly more serious note, of course there are far, far more people who'd like to get their hands on a PS5 (even I may get one eventually, my LG CX has four HDMI 2.1 ports). But there are enough people who want ZMF headphones to keep the handcrafters at ZMF (which is undoubtedly a wee bit smaller than the Sony factories) busy.

 

[Junglebook3]

If someone doesn't mind, could you lay out roughly how each pad sounds on the Aeolus? I'm a little confused, there's a lot of info floating around all over the place.

Also:


Is there a shortage of Aeoluses (Aeoli?) It looks like I can place the order, are they on backorder?

I was referring to the stabilized Aeolus set that dropped this morning.

 

[Bimbleton]

Why? I'd rather have an Aeolus than either of those. (I do like to game, but I am more a PC gamer. I prefer a mouse and keyboard and, while I do play an action game once in a while. I prefer strategy games, especially 4X games like Civ VI--I've played every Civ since Civ 2, which released twenty-five years ago, and RPGs. Most of those play well enough on my budget Dell gaming laptop with a low level NVidia card. I do have a PS4, though I rarely use it. Of course, I'm 67, so not a typical gamer)

On a slightly more serious note, of course there are far, far more people who'd like to get their hands on a PS5 (even I may get one eventually, my LG CX has four HDMI 2.1 ports). But there are enough people who want ZMF headphones to keep the handcrafters at ZMF (which is undoubtedly a wee bit smaller than the Sony factories) busy.

Makes me happy to know ZMF is getting plenty of business. They make some gorgeous headphones, I'm sure they look even more spectacular in person.

 

[Pharmaboy]

How would owners of the Aeolus (who also own 6xx/650) compare the Aeolus with the 6xx in terms of resolution/detail? I adore the 6xx sound but am very drawn to the Aeolus in terms of its versatility (hear great things about the range of pad rolling between the Universe, stock, and Verite pads) and shear warm fun.

Would be powering with the Lake People G111 (and Bifrost 2), and am eyeing one of the Feliks amps - Echo mk II most likely...

My HD650 was heavily & creatively modded by Jupiter Audio Research (it's the JAR650). Based on my comparisons of a stock HD650 to the JAR650 several years ago, I'm pretty sure they JAR650 is somewhat higher in resolution than the stock HD650.

However, the Aeolus is on a higher plane than the HD650/JAR650--in resolution as in everything else. The Aeolus is such an entertaining, seductively fun headphone that it's easy to miss just how resolving it is. Try Verite pads on your Aeolus and suddenly, with less mid-bass bump, you'll hear that resolution even more clearly.

I'm in no danger of getting rid of my JAR650. But the Aeolus is distinctly better in resolution and just about anything else you'd care to name. The HD650 is a bona fide classic headphone--but so is the Aeolus.

 

[Pharmaboy]

I agree with Renexx. I went from Sapele to Stabilized to Blackwood on my Aeolus journey. The harder woods definitely have more slam, texture and detail, and they do sound more immediate.

I thought I was happy with Sapele, and just bought Stabilized because it was pretty. But once I actually listened to it I knew I needed the hardest wood Aeolus I could get, and luckily a Blackwood came up for sale.

I too had 600 and 650 for a long time. Once I got my final Aeolus in, they were sold pretty quickly.

I did all my early Aeolus listening to @jinxy245's sapele/stock model. Later, when I had the opportunity to get my new Aeolus in blackwood, one of the hardest woods around, I jumped on it. My theory was that whatever slight effect wood has on the sound would be in the right direction--dialing in a bit more shiver and slam on bass notes and a bit less reverb in the mids & treble. But once I got the blackwood Aeolus burned in and heard that amazing sound (w/perforated universe suede pads), my theory became irrelevant. I keep meaning to compare that sapele Aeolus to mine, but never get around to it.

The VO was a different proposition: I'd heard a stock VO at some length on the loaner tour in 2018. I guessed that a really dense hardwood might push that wonderful sound into a little hardness/zinginess, so went with the stock silkwood for the new VO. That silkwood sound is wonderful--completely satisfying for me. The sound is somewhat different from the Aeolus in a number of small ways, but the core sound (classic ZMF music-first voicing) is similar. These are 2 outstanding headphones...

 

[eTHE2]

Below..

 

[eTHE2]

If someone doesn't mind, could you lay out roughly how each pad sounds on the Aeolus? I'm a little confused, there's a lot of info floating around all over the place.

Also:


Is there a shortage of Aeoluses (Aeoli?) It looks like I can place the order, are they on backorder?

All ZMFs are built to order, so when one tries to order it, there will be a 1-3 month wait till there built and delivered.

 

[granularclouds]

I did all my early Aeolus listening to @jinxy245's sapele/stock model. Later, when I had the opportunity to get my new Aeolus in blackwood, one of the hardest woods around, I jumped on it. My theory was that whatever slight effect wood has on the sound would be in the right direction--dialing in a bit more shiver and slam on bass notes and a bit less reverb in the mids & treble. But once I got the blackwood Aeolus burned in and heard that amazing sound (w/perforated universe suede pads), my theory became irrelevant. I keep meaning to compare that sapele Aeolus to mine, but never get around to it.

The VO was a different proposition: I'd heard a stock VO at some length on the loaner tour in 2018. I guessed that a really dense hardwood might push that wonderful sound into a little hardness/zinginess, so went with the stock silkwood for the new VO. That silkwood sound is wonderful--completely satisfying for me. The sound is somewhat different from the Aeolus in a number of small ways, but the core sound (classic ZMF music-first voicing) is similar. These are 2 outstanding headphones...

What do you mean by your "theory became irrelevant"? It seems like what you thought would happen (more slam of bass, less reverb in mids/treble - also what do you mean by shiver?), no?

And you're saying you keep meaning to compare the Sapele with the Blackwood but aren't because you just love listening to the Blackwood over the Sapele so much that you aren't even bothering? Thanks!

 

[erroneous]

@granularclouds Not speaking for @Pharmaboy , but check a few pages back on the thread. Sapele gets you hooked, but then you go down the path of denser woods and you don't feel the need to revisit your earlier pursuits.

 

[granularclouds]

@granularclouds Not speaking for @Pharmaboy , but check a few pages back on the thread. Sapele gets you hooked, but then you go down the path of denser woods and you don't feel the need to revisit your earlier pursuits.

Thanks, I read the previous comments - I think the first one in fact was a response to one of my earlier questions. That just seemed like a very bold statement from @Pharmaboy, if I understood him correctly. All this has definitely got me set on tracking down a Stabilized or Blackwood version... Hope I won't have to wait for the next November deal for a realistic amount of stock of said headphone to be available (not interested in buying two Aeoluses, and would really preferably buy new from Zach directly).

 

[jinxy245]

I honestly don't think it's that one is so much better than the other, it's just that the Aeolus is so good. The wood choice becomes a fine tuning, but not a prerequisite for good sound. Knowing @Pharmaboy as I do, I think he means once he heard his own Aeolus he was happy enough not to care about the wood differences. Thus his theory was irrelevant. I'm sure he'll chime in when he's able.