[David222]

Yes sir universal perforated lambskin, just ordered some b stock original lambskin to try

Nice. I did the same - picked up a pair of b-stock original lamb.

Great get on the green Aeolus. Beautiful pair!

 

[DenverW]

Since there were aeolus pads for sale I picked up a pair of lambskin perf. May be too warm, but I enjoy the universe lambskin a lot, so thought I'd give it a try.

 

[David222]

Since there were aeolus pads for sale I picked up a pair of lambskin perf. May be too warm, but I enjoy the universe lambskin a lot, so thought I'd give it a try.

I had the same concern - possibly too warm - but we must try

 

[Dawgfish]

Personally the original Aeolus pads are my favorite, even on tube amps with warmer sounding tubes. I tend to prefer a warmer sound though. I'm interested to hear what y'all think of the OG Aeolus pads once y'all get them and have a chance to listen.

 

[Dawgfish]

My new babies lol.

Awesome! I'm glad you picked those up as I almost pulled the trigger on those myself. I'm saving for some Atriums so I really don't need a second Aeolus. Lol! Those are gorgeous!

 

[mildmannered]

Hey folks I've been in a bit of a headphone daze lately trying to determine where to go from Emu-Teaks. Thus far I've tried closed headphones MDR-Z1R and Denon 9200 but neither have really left me feeling like they were what I was after (caveat, I didn't EQ the MDR-Z1R which is a regret).

I like the Emu-Teaks because of the bass quantity especially when EQ'd and their relative neutrality otherwise. The Denon 9200s feel more studio-like / reference in their bass department which isn't a fault, it's just not what I'm after. I've been mulling over Atticus/Eikon in particular but as I've poured through reviews and mulled things over I decided I would really be missing out if I ignored the Open backs since there's no reason I can't use them at the house. With this as you can imagine I've been considering the Aeolus and Auteur. I know the Auteur is more capable of digging deep into the sub frequencies than the Aeolus and I can only assume the Atticus has more slam than the Aeolus, but I don't really know to what extent either of those are true. Does the Aeolus still represent sub notes or are they missing entirely? Is the Aeolus equivalent to the Atticus in bass while adding more soundstage? If these are true then it seems like a very appealing option for me to consider. Unfortunately I cannot demo these, I need to buy used or new.

The only open headphone I'm aware that I've ever listened to is the Beyerdynamic DT 1990 so I really don't have much reference when it comes to Open vs Closed, I just know I appreciated the soundstage from the MDR-Z1R when it was there (which wasn't always). I've also been considering the DCA Ether 2 but I'm scared of the pad options and planar crinkle (I have never listened to a planar though so I don't know how realistic it is to be concerned of it).

Chain is my PC -> Optical to SMSL D300 -> Flux FA-22

 

[DenverW]

Welp I gave the Aeolus lamb perf pads a try yesterday and....I was not a big fan. I'm a bit surprised because I prefer the universe lamb over the suede (while preferring suede on all my other zmf) so I figured this would be even more of a good thing. I found them a bit too 'dulled' for a lack of a better word. Not bad by any means, but missing some of the energy the universe pad brought. I'm glad I did the experiment, but the universe lambs went back on after a couple hours.

@mildmannered I'm a big fan of the teaks, great headphone. I'm a lover of great tonality. However doing a head to head with both the atticus and eikon showed me that there isn't anything the teaks bring that the other two headphones didn't do better. I preferred the bio drivers on the eikon over the atticus; it's the natural closed back upgrade to the emu-teak. I can't speak for your amp, though, so take this with a grain of salt as far as that synergy goes. If you're ok with an open back, the auteur classic is a great headphone as well. Eikon or Auteur for you, i'd say.

 

[jinxy245]

Hey folks I've been in a bit of a headphone daze lately trying to determine where to go from Emu-Teaks. Thus far I've tried closed headphones MDR-Z1R and Denon 9200 but neither have really left me feeling like they were what I was after (caveat, I didn't EQ the MDR-Z1R which is a regret).

I like the Emu-Teaks because of the bass quantity especially when EQ'd and their relative neutrality otherwise. The Denon 9200s feel more studio-like / reference in their bass department which isn't a fault, it's just not what I'm after. I've been mulling over Atticus/Eikon in particular but as I've poured through reviews and mulled things over I decided I would really be missing out if I ignored the Open backs since there's no reason I can't use them at the house. With this as you can imagine I've been considering the Aeolus and Auteur. I know the Auteur is more capable of digging deep into the sub frequencies than the Aeolus and I can only assume the Atticus has more slam than the Aeolus, but I don't really know to what extent either of those are true. Does the Aeolus still represent sub notes or are they missing entirely? Is the Aeolus equivalent to the Atticus in bass while adding more soundstage? If these are true then it seems like a very appealing option for me to consider. Unfortunately I cannot demo these, I need to buy used or new.

The only open headphone I'm aware that I've ever listened to is the Beyerdynamic DT 1990 so I really don't have much reference when it comes to Open vs Closed, I just know I appreciated the soundstage from the MDR-Z1R when it was there (which wasn't always). I've also been considering the DCA Ether 2 but I'm scared of the pad options and planar crinkle (I have never listened to a planar though so I don't know how realistic it is to be concerned of it).

Chain is my PC -> Optical to SMSL D300 -> Flux FA-22

I'm not that familiar with the Atticus TBH, but I can tell you that the Aeolus does render sub frequencies well. It's not fathomless planar bass, but it is there. Sometimes overshadowed by mid bass a bit, but still detectable. Gear will make a bit of a difference ofc, IDK what kind of rig you're running, or if you're a techno freak (not derogatory at all IMO) which might alter the recommendation, but for my tastes Aeolus didn't leave me wanting.

 

[Dawgfish]

Welp I gave the Aeolus lamb perf pads a try yesterday and....I was not a big fan. I'm a bit surprised because I prefer the universe lamb over the suede (while preferring suede on all my other zmf) so I figured this would be even more of a good thing. I found them a bit too 'dulled' for a lack of a better word. Not bad by any means, but missing some of the energy the universe pad brought. I'm glad I did the experiment, but the universe lambs went back on after a couple hours.

@mildmannered I'm a big fan of the teaks, great headphone. I'm a lover of great tonality. However doing a head to head with both the atticus and eikon showed me that there isn't anything the teaks bring that the other two headphones didn't do better. I preferred the bio drivers on the eikon over the atticus; it's the natural closed back upgrade to the emu-teak. I can't speak for your amp, though, so take this with a grain of salt as far as that synergy goes. If you're ok with an open back, the auteur classic is a great headphone as well. Eikon or Auteur for you, i'd say.

We all have different tastes so thankfully ZMF offers all the different pads so we can tailor the sound to our own preference. If I didn't have the Auteur I could easily see myself running the Universe lamb or suede pads since these pads push the sound of the Aeolus a little more towards neutral (especially the Universe suedes).

The original Aeolus pads give the Aeolus a warmer tilt which I enjoy as a change of pace from the Auteur and Verite. I may have to roll the Universe lambs back on it to see if I was missing something. I do have the radial vented mesh on my Aeolus also. I know a lot of people say they hear no difference between the solid mesh and the radial mesh but to my ears there is definitely more high frequency energy with the radial mesh. Maybe there is better synergy between the radial mesh and original Aeolus pads though I do remember liking the sound of the solid mesh and OG Aeolus pads.

I do agree with you that if @mildmannered is looking for more sub bass then the Auteur would probably be the better choice.

 

[Dawgfish]

I'm not that familiar with the Atticus TBH, but I can tell you that the Aeolus does render sub frequencies well. It's not fathomless planar bass, but it is there. Sometimes overshadowed by mid bass a bit, but still detectable. Gear will make a bit of a difference ofc, IDK what kind of rig you're running, or if you're a techno freak (not derogatory at all IMO) which might alter the recommendation, but for my tastes Aeolus didn't leave me wanting.

I have to agree that the Aeolus is not really lacking sub bass, it just puts more of an emphasis on mid bass. This makes it really great with all genres of rock, country, pop, etc where it really accentuates the kick drum. As a drummer I very much enjoy this sound.

I do have the Atticus and was listening to both yesterday. @mildmannered the Aeolus does not have quite the amount of bass that the Atticus has but I will say as @jinxy245 has noted its not lacking either. Its actually better defined while still being quite present. Having said all that if you are looking for more bass rumble while maintain a more reference type tuning than the Auteur is probably the way to go. If you are looking for a warmer, more fun sound, with a mid bass thump than I would go with the Aeolus.

 

[mildmannered]

@mildmannered I'm a big fan of the teaks, great headphone. I'm a lover of great tonality. However doing a head to head with both the atticus and eikon showed me that there isn't anything the teaks bring that the other two headphones didn't do better. I preferred the bio drivers on the eikon over the atticus; it's the natural closed back upgrade to the emu-teak. I can't speak for your amp, though, so take this with a grain of salt as far as that synergy goes. If you're ok with an open back, the auteur classic is a great headphone as well. Eikon or Auteur for you, i'd say.

I'm not that familiar with the Atticus TBH, but I can tell you that the Aeolus does render sub frequencies well. It's not fathomless planar bass, but it is there. Sometimes overshadowed by mid bass a bit, but still detectable. Gear will make a bit of a difference ofc, IDK what kind of rig you're running, or if you're a techno freak (not derogatory at all IMO) which might alter the recommendation, but for my tastes Aeolus didn't leave me wanting.

I do agree with you that if @mildmannered is looking for more sub bass then the Auteur would probably be the better choice.

I have to agree that the Aeolus is not really lacking sub bass, it just puts more of an emphasis on mid bass. This makes it really great with all genres of rock, country, pop, etc where it really accentuates the kick drum. As a drummer I very much enjoy this sound.

I do have the Atticus and was listening to both yesterday. @mildmannered the Aeolus does not have quite the amount of bass that the Atticus has but I will say as @jinxy245 has noted its not lacking either. Its actually better defined while still being quite present. Having said all that if you are looking for more bass rumble while maintain a more reference type tuning than the Auteur is probably the way to go. If you are looking for a warmer, more fun sound, with a mid bass thump than I would go with the Aeolus.

Thanks for the responses and insight, I very much appreciate everyone's thoughts! I think what makes this choice so difficult is truly that all 4 headphones between Atticus, Aeolus, Eikon, and Auteur seem like direct upgrades over the EMu-Teaks and the true question is what is someones' preferences? I could be wrong but it sounds like:
If you want mids with the biggest thumps then Atticus, if you want mids and prioritize a little more soundstage over big thumps then Aeolus. Similarly if you want the deepest rumbles in a warm neutrality then Eikon, if you want rumbles and prioritize more soundstage over deep rumble then Auteur. It seems none are wrong choices but I have to say coming from the Denon 9200 I think I've decided that a more neutral tuning is not really going to get me excited without a strong emphasis on bass quantity which I feel is where the EMu-Teaks in particular really show their value, providing that tonality and lingering bass.

When it comes to bass EMu-Teaks are also quite mid-bass focused but with some EQ the sub-bass presence is certainly not what I would call lacking and I do feel they lean towards warmth. This does make me feel that the Aeolus or Atticus are the best choices despite the better technicalities of Auteur/Eikon given my position on the Denon 9200s - but again I am inferring this based on personal preference and reviews/advice as I've never listened to any of these. Few things in music bring a smile to my face and get my heart beating faster as reliably as deep, thumping bass but I also don't crave that feeling all the time as you can imagine - I'm more likely listening to metal, hardcore, punk, or rap and typically male vocals across all. Jazz, classical, classic rock, and EDM have their times in the light but they're not my go-tos.

As far as rig if the Flux FA-22 is similar to the Little Dot MK3 SE then it should be at 800mW for 300ohm since it also is 2.5W for 32ohm which if true I believe should be more than enough for anything from ZMF, although obviously not as customizable as tubes. My rig should provide a decent amount of airiness for solid-state and perhaps a tilt towards warmth, so I'm assuming no issues with compatibility.

Anyway thanks again for all your thoughts! I will continue to read more reviews and ponder, and keep an eye on Classifieds in the meantime

 

[ardbeg1975]

Thanks for the responses and insight, I very much appreciate everyone's thoughts! I think what makes this choice so difficult is truly that all 4 headphones between Atticus, Aeolus, Eikon, and Auteur seem like direct upgrades over the EMu-Teaks and the true question is what is someones' preferences? I could be wrong but it sounds like:
If you want mids with the biggest thumps then Atticus, if you want mids and prioritize a little more soundstage over big thumps then Aeolus. Similarly if you want the deepest rumbles in a warm neutrality then Eikon, if you want rumbles and prioritize more soundstage over deep rumble then Auteur. It seems none are wrong choices but I have to say coming from the Denon 9200 I think I've decided that a more neutral tuning is not really going to get me excited without a strong emphasis on bass quantity which I feel is where the EMu-Teaks in particular really show their value, providing that tonality and lingering bass.

When it comes to bass EMu-Teaks are also quite mid-bass focused but with some EQ the sub-bass presence is certainly not what I would call lacking and I do feel they lean towards warmth. This does make me feel that the Aeolus or Atticus are the best choices despite the better technicalities of Auteur/Eikon given my position on the Denon 9200s - but again I am inferring this based on personal preference and reviews/advice as I've never listened to any of these. Few things in music bring a smile to my face and get my heart beating faster as reliably as deep, thumping bass but I also don't crave that feeling all the time as you can imagine - I'm more likely listening to metal, hardcore, punk, or rap and typically male vocals across all. Jazz, classical, classic rock, and EDM have their times in the light but they're not my go-tos.

As far as rig if the Flux FA-22 is similar to the Little Dot MK3 SE then it should be at 800mW for 300ohm since it also is 2.5W for 32ohm which if true I believe should be more than enough for anything from ZMF, although obviously not as customizable as tubes. My rig should provide a decent amount of airiness for solid-state and perhaps a tilt towards warmth, so I'm assuming no issues with compatibility.

Anyway thanks again for all your thoughts! I will continue to read more reviews and ponder, and keep an eye on Classifieds in the meantime

FA-22 should be great with any of the ZMFs.

 

[Dawgfish]

Thanks for the responses and insight, I very much appreciate everyone's thoughts! I think what makes this choice so difficult is truly that all 4 headphones between Atticus, Aeolus, Eikon, and Auteur seem like direct upgrades over the EMu-Teaks and the true question is what is someones' preferences? I could be wrong but it sounds like:
If you want mids with the biggest thumps then Atticus, if you want mids and prioritize a little more soundstage over big thumps then Aeolus. Similarly if you want the deepest rumbles in a warm neutrality then Eikon, if you want rumbles and prioritize more soundstage over deep rumble then Auteur. It seems none are wrong choices but I have to say coming from the Denon 9200 I think I've decided that a more neutral tuning is not really going to get me excited without a strong emphasis on bass quantity which I feel is where the EMu-Teaks in particular really show their value, providing that tonality and lingering bass.

When it comes to bass EMu-Teaks are also quite mid-bass focused but with some EQ the sub-bass presence is certainly not what I would call lacking and I do feel they lean towards warmth. This does make me feel that the Aeolus or Atticus are the best choices despite the better technicalities of Auteur/Eikon given my position on the Denon 9200s - but again I am inferring this based on personal preference and reviews/advice as I've never listened to any of these. Few things in music bring a smile to my face and get my heart beating faster as reliably as deep, thumping bass but I also don't crave that feeling all the time as you can imagine - I'm more likely listening to metal, hardcore, punk, or rap and typically male vocals across all. Jazz, classical, classic rock, and EDM have their times in the light but they're not my go-tos.

As far as rig if the Flux FA-22 is similar to the Little Dot MK3 SE then it should be at 800mW for 300ohm since it also is 2.5W for 32ohm which if true I believe should be more than enough for anything from ZMF, although obviously not as customizable as tubes. My rig should provide a decent amount of airiness for solid-state and perhaps a tilt towards warmth, so I'm assuming no issues with compatibility.

Anyway thanks again for all your thoughts! I will continue to read more reviews and ponder, and keep an eye on Classifieds in the meantime

I really think giving your posts that the Aeolus may be the best fit for you since you already have good closed back phones. The Aeolus will give you more of an open soundstage (duh lol!) compared to your closed back phones. The Aeolus is probably the best out of all the phones I've tried at sounding great with every genre thrown at it while being forgiving of less than optimal recordings. The Aeolus just sounds great with everything and is an incredibly musical phone to listen to.

 

[jonathan c]

FA-22 should be great with any of the ZMFs.

It is !!!

 

[FiGuY1017]

I know these cans are good, not good for their price" not good for their humble station in the zmf lineup but just plain good.. compared to everything I've heard or own Hek v2 Susvara hd800 Ether 2 etc these are just good.

I listen to something after I listen to Susvara and alot of the times it's a let down. When I switch to Aeolus, it's just such an easy transition, no adjustments just immediate lazy boy and even in their juicy sound they still surprise me with their technicalities, nice deep stage, sharp leading edges, not the airest stage but plenty wide and especially deep.

Love these more every day I listen to them, usually after two hour session or so with Susvara