[geoffalter11]

I don't know why I didn't hear it at first. The AO is simple brilliant on the Aficionado. I am now happily enjoying both my AC and AO on the Aficionado with hairs standing on the back of neck. Love it!!!!!

Can't wait to see all the Burls as they start coming in. These are some of the most beautiful headphones I have seen from ZMF in a long time in a limited run. Maybe it is just my affinity for burl woods, but they are all epic. They are all worthy of ownership!

 

[goldwerger]

If you had to choose one amp between the Auris nirvana and Zmf otl for the AC, what would it be? How close are they?
For classic rock.

Such a challenging question as they are both great but offer a very different listening experience.

The Nirvana will feel faster in terms of transients and attack, and provide a very focused center image. If you want a crisp punch and tremendous headroom, this is your amp.

The Decware/ZMF OTL feels very sweet and melodic with a touch more reverb/decay and holographic soundstage presentation.

It’s like comparing a gushing waterfall to natural well water.

The Nirvana is much more powerful and TC, so it is more versatile in driving low impedance and planar headphones. But for purely high Z, I would probably go with the OTL.

 

[sianofabio]

Such a challenging question as they are both great but offer a very different listening experience.

The Nirvana will feel faster in terms of transients and attack, and provide a very focused center image. If you want a crisp punch and tremendous headroom, this is your amp.

The Decware/ZMF OTL feels very sweet and melodic with a touch more reverb/decay and holographic soundstage presentation.

It’s like comparing a gushing waterfall to natural well water.

The Nirvana is much more powerful and TC, so it is more versatile in driving low impedance and planar headphones. But for purely high Z, I would probably go with the OTL.

Much appreciated! That helps a lot. My only concern now is the soundstage. The Decware csp3 is known to be more intimate with a smaller soundstage than the Taboo for example, and we all know the AC can use some help with that! Do you feel the ZMF model exceeds the taboo or csp3.?
Same case for dynamics.

Great Amp collection by the way!!

 

[goldwerger]

Much appreciated! That helps a lot. My only concern now is the soundstage. The Decware csp3 is known to be more intimate with a smaller soundstage than the Taboo for example, and we all know the AC can use some help with that! Do you feel the ZMF model exceeds the taboo or csp3.?
Same case for dynamics.

Great Amp collection by the way!!

Thanks!

I’ll try to do side by side comparison when I’m back home Monday

 

[Benesyed]

I just received the "your zmf is being sanded and finished" email. What does mean for ship date??

I'm so excited! I didn't expect to hear anything so soon!

 

[LXMc]

I just received the "your zmf is being sanded and finished" email. What does mean for ship date??

I'm so excited! I didn't expect to hear anything so soon!

Zach posted some pretty crazy burl AC that were in the process of being finished today on instagram, maybe one was yours

 

[SlothRock]

Loving the new Billie Eilish track for the Barbie movie on the AC. I think it really represents a lot of the incredible qualities of this headphone. The vocals really shine here for me and the soundstage shines beautifully as well. Sounds like an open back with how the sound stage gets represented in this track. Although the bass isn't heavily featured in this song, the depth of the sub-bass really adds a lot to this track and shows not only the presence but control of the sub-bass in the AC. Really lovely tune and representation on the AC

 

[Benesyed]

Zach posted some pretty crazy burl AC that were in the process of being finished today on instagram, maybe one was yours

That would be awesome! I was thinking like 10 weeks wait time.

Can't wait to see and hear the bimble!

 

[sp33ls]

That would be awesome! I was thinking like 10 weeks wait time.

Can't wait to see and hear the bimble!

Looking forward to your impressions!

Especially curious to see if they line up with my own, especially compared to the Z1R.

 

[AstroCEO]

How do you think the sound signature of these compares to the Verite Closed?

 

[Benesyed]

I just received the "your zmf is being sanded and finished" email. What does mean for ship date??

I'm so excited! I didn't expect to hear anything so soon!

Label created email went out today :O

Woohoo

 

[Benesyed]

They have arrived!!

 

[Benesyed]

Looking forward to your impressions!

Especially curious to see if they line up with my own, especially compared to the Z1R.

I will need to A/B at some point but I do notice that these are much less/not sibilant on my sibilance test track!

 

[Benesyed]

One thing I'll point out is that the real life color is much nicer and classier than what the website made it seem.

The yellow seemed brighter. some might like that but I think the more nude IRL color is nicer and more elegant/mature. I had some hesitation about the online image but had convinced myself that this was worth having a heavy wood.

Very happily surprised.


Also for my fellow Sony WMA1-AM2 users I get very good/loud volume at 80-85/120. Wouldn't need to go above this.

 

[sp33ls]

I will need to A/B at some point but I do notice that these are much less/not sibilant on my sibilance test track!

You’ll also need to let them break-in. It’s very real with these drivers and I guarantee you’ll notice it over the next 100 hours.

Also for my fellow Sony WMA1-AM2 users I get very good/loud volume at 80-85/120. Wouldn't need to go above this.

I am surprised by how well my Questyle M15 drives the AC (balanced), but IME, the AC really blooms with higher output amplifiers that have no problem swinging higher voltages.