[ckhirnigs113]

Actually I am very happy with VO and X9000. For the next step I am torn between Atrium and Meze Elite. Which one would complement VO and X9000 better? Amps are Niimbus US 4+ and Euforia. Thanks for your hints and advice.

I can’t speak specifically to whether the Elite or Atrium would be a better complement to your current headphones. In case it helps, I thought I’d give you some general impressions of the Elite vs the various ZMFs I’ve owned.

I have had the Elite for about a month and a half at this point. I’ve owned quite a few ZMFs over the years, but the only one I still have is my OG Auteur. I started with the Aeolus, then moved to the Verite Closed. The VC was my main headphone for over a year. Then I got an Auteur and to my surprise, found myself preferring it to my VC.

Recently, I got interested in the Elite after reading the thread here and thought it would be interesting to try out a TOTL planar after using ZMF dynamics exclusively for the last 3 years. I managed to trade the VC I had at the time straight up for an Elite. Ever since I got them, my Auteur has been almost entirely neglected. They are an amazing combination of attributes. They’re super-comfortable, even more so than ZMFs on my head. The sound is more detailed and resolving than any ZMF I’ve owned, but not in a forced/artificially accentuated way. They are relaxed and laid back in presentation, but I definitely wouldn’t call them boring at all. They are highly musical and are the best headphones I’ve heard up to this point.

I actually have an Atrium loaner due to arrive in the next couple of weeks, and I’m excited to compare them to the Elite as well as my Auteur. I’ll be sure to post my impressions once I get some quality time with the Atrium.

 

[swissheadphonelover]

I’ll be sure to post my impressions once I get some quality time with the Atrium.

Thanks for your impressive description of your experience with the Elite. Looking forward to your side by side evaluation of the Elite and the Atrium.

As you do I will probably have to hear both to decide which one suits best for me.

 

[thecrow]

Thanks for your insights which confirms that VO and Atrium are excellent ZMF’s that go very well side by side. Obviously just two sides of the same shining medal.

X9000 and VO are very different and I like both. They both are very detailed and fast, therefore I am looking for some “kind of a little bit more relaxed”. My preferred genres are acoustics, singer songwriters, Jazz and classical. No electronics, rock, techno etc.

Out of curiousity have you demoed or considered the susvaras, since you have the niimbus amp which is extremely well suited to the susvaras? (and that’s before we take personal preferences into consideration in this subjective hobby of ours)

 

[buke9]

Just got the email that my Cocobolo Atrium is in assembly so just a few more weeks to go.

 

[Kapazza]

Raise your hand if you see purple here... 🖐

Not at all, right? It's clearly a shade of brown in this picture. Let's check the actual color (RGB)...

Yep, that's brown alright...same as the text in the marketing label. So, why am I asking?

This thing is PURPLE. What the...? And you might be thinking "Are you sure? It looks like you just put it in certain lighting to make it look purple." Nope:

Wow...feeling pretty bamboozled right about now. You'd think someone would've had the foresight (and 5-7 seconds it takes) to list the color on a pair of three-thousand dollar headphones. I'm not mad, just disappointed. When spending this type of money on something, especially when it's not cancelable or returnable, it better be well represented BEFORE the time of purchase.

Now to find a buyer out there who likes purple...

 

[helljudgement]

I'm not mad, just disappointed.

Perhaps a touch too heavy contrast slider. The picture looked nothing like the actual product and hopefully @zach915m can sort it out for you.

 

[shwnwllms]

Now to find a buyer out there who likes purple...

Shouldn’t be difficult at all (FYI the studio shots always look different)

 

[darktooth8]

Raise your hand if you see purple here... 🖐



Not at all, right? It's clearly a shade of brown in this picture. Let's check the actual color (RGB)...



Yep, that's brown alright...same as the text in the marketing label. So, why am I asking?



This thing is PURPLE. What the...? And you might be thinking "Are you sure? It looks like you just put it in certain lighting to make it look purple." Nope:



Wow...feeling pretty bamboozled right about now. You'd think someone would've had the foresight (and 5-7 seconds it takes) to list the color on a pair of three-thousand dollar headphones. I'm not mad, just disappointed. When spending this type of money on something, especially when it's not cancelable or returnable, it better be well represented BEFORE the time of purchase.

Now to find a buyer out there who likes purple...

I think this is a beautiful set! However, I thought they were purple from the pictures already, just a darker purple. Maybe a description of the color would be helpful for future stabilized drops in addition to the name they give it?

 

[Kapazza]

FYI the studio shots always look different

Totally get that (looking at you, Apple "Space Gray"), but if the product page simply said "purple stabilized" anywhere at all on it, I would've taken another look at the picture, scratched my head, moved my finger off the "Add to Cart" button, and went on with my day.

 

[shwnwllms]

Totally get that (looking at you, Apple "Space Gray"), but if the product page simply said "purple stabilized" anywhere at all on it, I would've taken another look at the picture, scratched my head, moved my finger off the "Add to Cart" button, and went on with my day.

My VO does not say gold in the photo, there’s barely a hint of gold if you look at the studio photos from the sale. (FWIW I don’t even care for gold very much in general, jewelry, watches etc have never been gold)

When I got them and they said gold stabilized VO I was anything but disappointed. I couldn’t be happier to own a one of a kind ZMF. (I thought they looked more caramel colored from the photo, gold hadn’t even crossed my mind)

Mine are a one of a kind work of art as well as a TOTL ZMF, as is your Atrium (which looks purple to me in the studio photo just darker which is typical of Zach’s studio shots. Possibly due to the white background and being oversaturated). Be happy with that, or don’t and sell them to someone who will be. (I doubt you’ll even take much of a hit on them if you choose to sell)

 

[Kapazza]

When I got them and they said gold stabilized VO I was anything but disappointed. I couldn’t be happier to own a one of a kind ZMF. (I thought they looked more caramel colored from the photo, gold hadn’t even crossed my mind)

Gold and caramel (i.e., both still generally various forms of neutral on the color spectrum) sound great to me! I wouldn’t be disappointed with those either.

My VO does not say gold in the photo

It should have. That's my point: if you're going to bother with memorializing the color on a wooden card, why not include the information on the website?

 

[LCMusicLover]

Raise your hand if you see purple here... 🖐



Not at all, right? It's clearly a shade of brown in this picture. Let's check the actual color (RGB)...



Yep, that's brown alright...same as the text in the marketing label. So, why am I asking?



This thing is PURPLE. What the...? And you might be thinking "Are you sure? It looks like you just put it in certain lighting to make it look purple." Nope:



Wow...feeling pretty bamboozled right about now. You'd think someone would've had the foresight (and 5-7 seconds it takes) to list the color on a pair of three-thousand dollar headphones. I'm not mad, just disappointed. When spending this type of money on something, especially when it's not cancelable or returnable, it better be well represented BEFORE the time of purchase.

Now to find a buyer out there who likes purple...

Well, I won’t be happy if my Cocobolo Atrium turn up purple.

I know, I know — boring old guy with boring, conventional taste, right?

I’ve just never been a fan of the BarneyPhone look

 

[Thaddy]

My Atrium's got delivered earlier this morning. These are pretty poor pictures from an iPhone but the wood looks incredible. I love the matching blonde streak on the back of the cups. This piece of cocobolo is definitely more chocolate in color with less reddish hues, and looks very unique. I'm extremely happy with the wood selection Zach & team made for my pair, they compliment my Koa VC's nicely.

 

[LCMusicLover]

First pic looks like a completely different set than the other two. But then the ‘tone’ of the tabletop is completely different in that first pic as well.

In any case, gorgeous headphones … where are mine?

 

[Thaddy]

First pic looks like a completely different set than the other two. But then the ‘tone’ of the tabletop is completely different in that first pic as well.

In any case, gorgeous headphones … where are mine?

Yeah, you’re right but I’m not very good at capturing the true color. I’d say the first picture is a better representation of their actual color, which is more brown and less red.