[HeartShapedPillboxHat]

Yeah but no I looked and the Lookbook has no pics of Aeolus and they don’t show the copper grill on a dark cup

 

[biglazymoose]

I use Periapt for cables on my Auteur and Aeolus. They run around $75 and are pretty solid. Great customer service too. They will customize your cable any way you like.

 

[zzzmonster]

When you own multiple zmf or audeze models, you can swap the cables between them. Suggest to try pure occ copper, hybrid and occ silver. Each all have very different signature.

 

[itsikhefez]

A cost efficient option for a high quality cable is to build your own. These are 2 I built for the Aeolus. One with Switchcraft mini-XLR and Neutrik 1/4", the other with Furutech mini-XLR and Neutrik 4-pin XLR.
Canare cable for both.... cost about $30 in parts, a bit more if using Furutech (which are quite nice actually).
I consider my labor free as its my hobby...

The Canare also comes in Purple!

 

[TylersEclectic]

Hey boys and girls, I'm getting ready to order my first ZMF headphone. My better half told me that she wanted to do something special to thank me for being such an incredibly awesome hubby in every aspect of our lives (might not be her exact words). She wants me to choose a high-end headphone, something special that I don't usually consider as within the reach of my wallet. ...Yes, I know, she is that fabulous and I appreciate the offer but she's my endgame.

So I've decided to go with the Aeolus LTD Blackwood. I've pretty much decided on the grill colour but I'm having a hard time finding pictures of any ZMF in Blackwood with copper grills, there wouldn't happen to be someone here with that combo on hand that could post a pic?

I've been seeing comments about a pad called the BE2 that supposedly sounds great on the Aeolus. It's not on the ZMF site but I read that you can ask for it, anyone know of this BE2 pad?

Thanks for the help, I've been an avid reader of Head-Fi and other audio forums but only now decided overcome a keyboard shyness and giveback for the wealth of knowledge I gained through the years

I have Blackwood Aeolus with copper grills, I’ll get some pictures taken and post them here in the next couple days! I’ve been meaning to post pictures of them, but kept getting busy with “adulting” (which is overrated in my opinion lol). I have some low quality pictures I’ll post once the daughter goes to bed.

 

[TylersEclectic]

@HeartShapedPillboxHat here is a quick snap I took when I first got my Aeolus with copper grills and rods



I have a noisy picture with it and my Ziricote Aeolus that these replaced (because I wanted that copper lol) I’ll post that up here in a bit as well...

Edit here is the other less than stellar image...

 

[Wes S]

Don't worry, having a $100 limit on cables is neither cheap nor dumb. It's quite rational actually.

I'd buy a Verite before I spent anywhere near their price on a cable. I'm quite confident the sound difference between the Aeolus and Verite is larger than the Aeolus with a $100 and $2400 cable.

Cables are just icing on the cake. We all like different icing. Other than the slight sonic differences, ergonomics and mechanical noise from a cable, is a big factor in my overall experience, as well.

 

[zzzmonster]

Cables are just icing on the cake. We all like different icing. Other than the slight sonic differences, ergonomics and mechanical noise from a cable, is a big factor in my overall experience, as well.

$250 imho seems to be the sweet spot for cables

 

[Wes S]

@HeartShapedPillboxHat here is a quick snap I took when I first got my Aeolus with copper grills and rods



I have a noisy picture with it and my Ziricote Aeolus that these replaced (because I wanted that copper lol) I’ll post that up here in a bit as well...

Edit here is the other less than stellar image...

I can't stop looking at those LE Aeolus! They are all beautiful in their own way.

 

[KESM]

I've heard the Aeolus on 7 amps IMS, more at CanJam NYC (5 X SS; 2 X tube). It sounded good on all of them. This headphone is definitely not amp-picky.

Like most high impedance headphones, you get some special magic w/OTL tubes (mind is Woo WA3), or big transformer-coupled tube amps (mine was WA22); but I ran the Aeolus for long periods on SS and was very happy. One very good/not pricey match was the Lake People G109-A, a single ended design w/plenty of power. You can pick up a new G109-S (the equivalent current production design), for low $400's, depending on seasonal discount.

I even got fine sound on the Aeolus through my least expensive & powerful SS amp, the M Stage Matrix HPA-1. I rolled opamps to get the best sound, but it now sounds way better than it has any right to. The Aeolus sounded quite good on it.

I would also like to add note that the LTA HP amp designs are a worthy pairing with the Aeolus. I listened to the MZ2 with the Aeolus this past weekend @ Tektonics Design Group (Richmond Va). I’ll say this...to put things into perspective...I have an Oppo 205 player, Woo Audio WA8 Eclipse, a Naim Uniti Core streamer, a Lab12 OTL, a Headamp GS-X mini. I came away noting I’ve NEVER heard the Aeolus sound so immediate...until yesterday. I fed the amp with my Hiby Pro 6. In no way am I name dropping for the sake of doing so...or discounting the equipment listed. I’m making the case that...out of all of my personal gear...the MZ2 presented the music in a starkly different way. I can only suspect it’s the decoupled power supply along with the ZOTL tech design that creates the magic. The slightest rumbling, those seemingly hidden sounds embedded in a track...are present through subtle pokes that were notably startling...against the backdrop of this QUIET amp. The music was coming from a black-ground. I cannot stress the significance that this had on playback. It’s hard to describe; I daringly say the music had a haptic feel...meaning the music was both felt & heard. In terms of passages...I liken it to an electric car; you could not tell if the amp was on or off...this was significant in that it imparted (filtered) the dynamic swings in a natural way...from the barely audible notes to the loudest chords. I experienced no urgency to fidget with the volume pot/knob. It was a set-it and forget-it experience. I couldn’t put my finger on it...I just know it was immediately immersive. I stumbled upon a text book definition that best describes what this HP amp has to offer..‘envelope’. For the uninitiated (like me) see the sound definition below as it captures what I distinctly heard.

I’m preparing my budget to purchase the MZ3 albeit I also listened to the Z10E (LTAs TOTL electrostatic HP amp). I think the best value, in my case, would be the MZ3 if I don’t go the electrostatic route. I’ll give it some careful thought & financial planning before a purchase.

Christopher Hildebrand (the Tektonics Design Co. owner) did not have the MZ3 on hand for demo but based on the listening demo (of the MZ2) I’m all in. If you’re seeking a HP amp that combines the benefits of tube & solid state (via ZOTL tech) sound qualities then this amp could arguably be number one on any shopping list.

Tektonics Design:
https://www.tektonics.com/linear-tube-audio

Fern & Roby:
https://www.fernandroby.com/products/details/mz3-preamp

Linear Tube Audio:
https://www.lineartubeaudio.com/headphone-amps

LTA MZ3 review:
https://twitteringmachines.com/review-linear-tube-audio-mz3/

Envelope definition:
https://www.britannica.com/science/envelope-sound

Much thanks to Christopher for the tour & demo opportunities.

 

[Pharmaboy]

Interesting timing on the LTA post. I just went on a rampage of online research about the MZ3 ~1-2 wks ago. It looks extremely interesting, though kind of out of my league, at least for now.

 

[HeartShapedPillboxHat]

A cost efficient option for a high quality cable is to build your own. These are 2 I built for the Aeolus. One with Switchcraft mini-XLR and Neutrik 1/4", the other with Furutech mini-XLR and Neutrik 4-pin XLR.
Canare cable for both.... cost about $30 in parts, a bit more if using Furutech (which are quite nice actually).
I consider my labor free as its my hobby...

The Canare also comes in Purple!

I’m actually getting pretty good at making my own cables. My first diy cable was a braided 4 strands that splits to L&R channels for my Sennheiser HD6XX that looked really good. I also made a simple single ended cable with a 3.5mm right angle at one end and a straight 3.5mm at the other that I use with my Argon Mk3.
For some reason, I’ve been reticent to try my hand at balanced cables and XLR connectors even though I had Ryan over Modhouse, rewire my Argons so they’re ready for the day I go balanced. Now with my Aeolus I’ll be ordering within the next 48h, I also have the new Monolith THX AAA 887 and a SMSL SU-8 on the way and I’m looking for a tube amp (something like the Darkvoice 336 or the CHT) for when I want to heat things up with the Aeolus. With all those balanced possibilities coming to my setup, I’ll be reading up on how to wire a balanced cable and finding the right quality to price ratio for the connectors cuz I saw some mini xlr at 150$ each. Furuutech mini xlr looks like a good pick.

 

[HeartShapedPillboxHat]

@HeartShapedPillboxHat here is a quick snap I took when I first got my Aeolus with copper grills and rods



I have a noisy picture with it and my Ziricote Aeolus that these replaced (because I wanted that copper lol) I’ll post that up here in a bit as well...

Edit here is the other less than stellar image...

Thanks for the pics. Do you know if the copper grills would eventually oxidize to that greenish colour that copper does?

So from what I can see of your pics, the picture below is definitely not copper. Probably the black grills with a weird light effect or it is the copper but with a weird light effect?! I'm confused

 

[Propagandist]

Most "copper" accents on things today aren't just bare copper exposed to air. They might be a form of brass or bronze that can resist the corrosion better, but usually they're covered with some kind of sealant. Just wiping the grills down periodically could help substantially.

To my eyes, those do look like "copper" grills, just angled in a way to mostly reflect something dark.

But... if they start to turn green and you just can't stand the look of them, I'll be happy to take the donation!

Those are just gorgeous. Can't stop looking at them.

 

[TylersEclectic]

Thanks for the pics. Do you know if the copper grills would eventually oxidize to that greenish colour that copper does?

So from what I can see of your pics, the picture below is definitely not copper. Probably the black grills with a weird light effect or it is the copper but with a weird light effect?! I'm confused

They are unfinished copper so they “could” go green/sea green-blue, but more likely will get a antiqued tarnish look...or you “treat” them and get a purposeful sea green-blue color then seal it. They are very difficult to get the “real" look of them in pictures as the metal reflects surrounding light causing them to change colors. Which is probably what is happening in the stock photo you posted. The most accurate that I’ve seen is my crappy cellphone pick with them on their case, as far as how the metal looks, but even that is off by a bit.