ZMF Atrium - new open-back co-flagship

[ArkNerevar]

A word of caution about your new tubes. It is wise when using new tubes to not connect a good/expensive headphone to the amp initially. Many tube amp owners have a sacrificial pair of headphones to use for the sole purpose of new tube testing. In case of an arc over, or some other unfortunate issue that can happen with tubes, instead of losing the driver(s) of a ZMF, use a headphone that isnt so costly. In my case I have a 600 ohm Beyer DT880 as well as a 600 ohm AKG K340, both of which I use exclusively for new tube testing.
30 minutes is plenty of time in my experience before its safe to use your good headphones.

Oh my
Ive burnt in a number of sets previously and I just used my Verite normally, suppose I have to be grateful that nothing happened during those burn ins
My Atrium was connected to the amp for more than 2 hours before I saw this, as it still sounds normal at least nothing happened this time as well then, I will start following your advice from here on out then and connect a crappy headphone to the amp for the first 30 minutes when burning in a new set before plugging in my ZMF headphones, thanks for the advice man.

 

[Badlands]

congrats on your new ZMF. Theyre lovely!

A word of caution about your new tubes. It is wise when using new tubes to not connect a good/expensive headphone to the amp initially. Many tube amp owners have a sacrificial pair of headphones to use for the sole purpose of new tube testing. In case of an arc over, or some other unfortunate issue that can happen with tubes, instead of losing the driver(s) of a ZMF, use a headphone that isnt so costly. In my case I have a 600 ohm Beyer DT880 as well as a 600 ohm AKG K340, both of which I use exclusively for new tube testing.
30 minutes is plenty of time in my experience before its safe to use your good headphones.

As a new tube amp owner, this is very valuable guidance. Much appreciated. Also enjoy your reviews on YouTube btw.

 

[Somatic]

Oh sorry if I gave conflicting info, the solid mesh is always darker with lesser treble peaks.

Does it effect the mids at all? Still sounds good but I feel it has lost some excitement in the vocals. It’s hard as I can’t quickly A/B them.

Might go back to radial vented mesh and try a good copper cable instead.

 

[AnyDave]

Well, I've definitely been digging my new Atriums. The color of the headphones looks a little bit richer in real life, but you get the idea.

 

[Patmach]

Hi there

It has now been over a month since the ZMF Atrium helmet arrived at my home

I got to know the ZMF brand a little by chance after several searches and readings on the internet. It seemed to me then that ZMF was not yet well known in France, compared to brands like Focal, Hifiman, Kennerton or Sennheiser. Much more in the USA where reviews and comparisons with its big brother "Vérité" are numerous. I had the opportunity to compare the two but my choice fell on the Atrium.

First of all from an aesthetic point of view, the ZMFs are magnificent. Loving wood, the combination of cherry with walnut in my Auris amp is perfect. The exterior railings, which I believe take up the motifs of the rose window of Amiens Cathedral, are also very successful.

Listening to the Atrium for the first time, I was immediately impressed by the power of the sound, the impact of the bass and an unprecedented soundstage. The width of this scene is very different from that of other headsets (like the Vérité or the Grado where the spatialization remains very left-right). Here the feeling of height and depth is beyond measure. This is sometimes destabilizing because you are no longer in front of the stage but inside, in the center of the music (hence the name perhaps of this helmet). You almost participate in the piece. Many people talk about 3D or holographic sound, it's true but the sound remains natural, without artifice. Nothing to do, however, with the “dolby Atmos” or binaural sound created to embellish listening.

The lows and mids are really highlighted (some speak of a "dark" headset) and the instruments benefit from it: guitars, drums, synthesizers but also violins, basses... The voices (especially male) too. You feel the notes, the weight of the fingers on the keys, the friction of the bow on the strings... Something physical, tactile. Unlike very resolving and fast caques, each note decays slowly, with some delay, which adds to that sense of realism. On the treble side, it's calmer, more restful and light and also less tiring on certain female voices

This is the complexity of this helmet. With its huge stage, the sound impact it offers, I find it is not dedicated to very gentle or relaxing and dreamy listening. And at the same time, no listening fatigue, you chain songs for long sessions. A bit like in a concert, at the time of the encores, where you want to hear another song, then another even if your ears start to heat up.

On the comfort part, the helmet is not light but well balanced and the default (universe) pads are very pleasant. I had some difficulties at first to find the most comfortable height position with the notched rods. Between firm position (one notch), looser (two), the second being better suited for long listening. I have not yet tried the other pair of pads delivered (BE2).

Listening to very varied styles of music (pop, folk, electronic, jazz, acoustic), all genres go perfectly. But beware, contrary to what I have read, the recording must be of high quality and not necessarily in Hi-res. Old albums from the 80s in CD format can revive and regain their breath of the past and others, more recent, appear without relief. But overall the ZMF is forgiving compared to other headsets like the Utopia. Electronic music and those of very worked compositions (acoustic effects, reverberations, echoes of voices, appearance of various instruments) are sublimated. I will try to do some reviews of albums listened to with these headphones but for example, the latest Lambchop (The Bible) or Nova Cardinale (Superpose) are a treat to listen to with the ZMF.

Here is a small preview and my first impressions of the ZMF Atrium which I place for the moment in the top of the helmets that I have been able to listen to.

Thanks for reading me (and sorry for the automatic translation because I am French)


Patrick

 

[YtseJamer]

Hi there

It has now been over a month since the ZMF Atrium helmet arrived at my home

I got to know the ZMF brand a little by chance after several searches and readings on the internet. It seemed to me then that ZMF was not yet well known in France, compared to brands like Focal, Hifiman, Kennerton or Sennheiser. Much more in the USA where reviews and comparisons with its big brother "Vérité" are numerous. I had the opportunity to compare the two but my choice fell on the Atrium.

First of all from an aesthetic point of view, the ZMFs are magnificent. Loving wood, the combination of cherry with walnut in my Auris amp is perfect. The exterior railings, which I believe take up the motifs of the rose window of Amiens Cathedral, are also very successful.

Listening to the Atrium for the first time, I was immediately impressed by the power of the sound, the impact of the bass and an unprecedented soundstage. The width of this scene is very different from that of other headsets (like the Vérité or the Grado where the spatialization remains very left-right). Here the feeling of height and depth is beyond measure. This is sometimes destabilizing because you are no longer in front of the stage but inside, in the center of the music (hence the name perhaps of this helmet). You almost participate in the piece. Many people talk about 3D or holographic sound, it's true but the sound remains natural, without artifice. Nothing to do, however, with the “dolby Atmos” or binaural sound created to embellish listening.

The lows and mids are really highlighted (some speak of a "dark" headset) and the instruments benefit from it: guitars, drums, synthesizers but also violins, basses... The voices (especially male) too. You feel the notes, the weight of the fingers on the keys, the friction of the bow on the strings... Something physical, tactile. Unlike very resolving and fast caques, each note decays slowly, with some delay, which adds to that sense of realism. On the treble side, it's calmer, more restful and light and also less tiring on certain female voices

This is the complexity of this helmet. With its huge stage, the sound impact it offers, I find it is not dedicated to very gentle or relaxing and dreamy listening. And at the same time, no listening fatigue, you chain songs for long sessions. A bit like in a concert, at the time of the encores, where you want to hear another song, then another even if your ears start to heat up.

On the comfort part, the helmet is not light but well balanced and the default (universe) pads are very pleasant. I had some difficulties at first to find the most comfortable height position with the notched rods. Between firm position (one notch), looser (two), the second being better suited for long listening. I have not yet tried the other pair of pads delivered (BE2).

Listening to very varied styles of music (pop, folk, electronic, jazz, acoustic), all genres go perfectly. But beware, contrary to what I have read, the recording must be of high quality and not necessarily in Hi-res. Old albums from the 80s in CD format can revive and regain their breath of the past and others, more recent, appear without relief. But overall the ZMF is forgiving compared to other headsets like the Utopia. Electronic music and those of very worked compositions (acoustic effects, reverberations, echoes of voices, appearance of various instruments) are sublimated. I will try to do some reviews of albums listened to with these headphones but for example, the latest Lambchop (The Bible) or Nova Cardinale (Superpose) are a treat to listen to with the ZMF.

Here is a small preview and my first impressions of the ZMF Atrium which I place for the moment in the top of the helmets that I have been able to listen to.

Thanks for reading me (and sorry for the automatic translation because I am French)


Patrick

Bienvenue dans le club Patrick

 

[Badlands]

Hi there

It has now been over a month since the ZMF Atrium helmet arrived at my home

I got to know the ZMF brand a little by chance after several searches and readings on the internet. It seemed to me then that ZMF was not yet well known in France, compared to brands like Focal, Hifiman, Kennerton or Sennheiser. Much more in the USA where reviews and comparisons with its big brother "Vérité" are numerous. I had the opportunity to compare the two but my choice fell on the Atrium.

First of all from an aesthetic point of view, the ZMFs are magnificent. Loving wood, the combination of cherry with walnut in my Auris amp is perfect. The exterior railings, which I believe take up the motifs of the rose window of Amiens Cathedral, are also very successful.

Listening to the Atrium for the first time, I was immediately impressed by the power of the sound, the impact of the bass and an unprecedented soundstage. The width of this scene is very different from that of other headsets (like the Vérité or the Grado where the spatialization remains very left-right). Here the feeling of height and depth is beyond measure. This is sometimes destabilizing because you are no longer in front of the stage but inside, in the center of the music (hence the name perhaps of this helmet). You almost participate in the piece. Many people talk about 3D or holographic sound, it's true but the sound remains natural, without artifice. Nothing to do, however, with the “dolby Atmos” or binaural sound created to embellish listening.

The lows and mids are really highlighted (some speak of a "dark" headset) and the instruments benefit from it: guitars, drums, synthesizers but also violins, basses... The voices (especially male) too. You feel the notes, the weight of the fingers on the keys, the friction of the bow on the strings... Something physical, tactile. Unlike very resolving and fast caques, each note decays slowly, with some delay, which adds to that sense of realism. On the treble side, it's calmer, more restful and light and also less tiring on certain female voices

This is the complexity of this helmet. With its huge stage, the sound impact it offers, I find it is not dedicated to very gentle or relaxing and dreamy listening. And at the same time, no listening fatigue, you chain songs for long sessions. A bit like in a concert, at the time of the encores, where you want to hear another song, then another even if your ears start to heat up.

On the comfort part, the helmet is not light but well balanced and the default (universe) pads are very pleasant. I had some difficulties at first to find the most comfortable height position with the notched rods. Between firm position (one notch), looser (two), the second being better suited for long listening. I have not yet tried the other pair of pads delivered (BE2).

Listening to very varied styles of music (pop, folk, electronic, jazz, acoustic), all genres go perfectly. But beware, contrary to what I have read, the recording must be of high quality and not necessarily in Hi-res. Old albums from the 80s in CD format can revive and regain their breath of the past and others, more recent, appear without relief. But overall the ZMF is forgiving compared to other headsets like the Utopia. Electronic music and those of very worked compositions (acoustic effects, reverberations, echoes of voices, appearance of various instruments) are sublimated. I will try to do some reviews of albums listened to with these headphones but for example, the latest Lambchop (The Bible) or Nova Cardinale (Superpose) are a treat to listen to with the ZMF.

Here is a small preview and my first impressions of the ZMF Atrium which I place for the moment in the top of the helmets that I have been able to listen to.

Thanks for reading me (and sorry for the automatic translation because I am French)


Patrick

Thank you for sharing your impressions of the Atrium as I’m in the preliminary stages of deciding between Atrium and Caldera. Your description of the soundstage, texture and realistic timbre plays into characteristics I value in a headphone. Excellent write up Patrick!

 

[goldwerger]

the exterior railings, which I believe take up the motifs of the rose window of Amiens Cathedral

Now, that would be damn cool... (@zach915m coincidence, inspiration, or divine intervention...? )

 

[LCMusicLover]

Before I read all these 221 pages of posts, can anyone quickly comment about their synergy with Kann Max and Fiio M17? i have both DAPs but still not sure which presentation is the best match.

I don’t understand— aren’t you saying you have both DAPs? So can’t you answer your own question? Just looking for other opinions?

 

[Somatic]

Ok, went back to radial mesh. Solid mesh lost all harshness in certain offending tracks but I felt it lost some excitement. It was a more polite version. It did not sound overall dark or anything with solid mesh ... just seemed to tame the peaks a bit.

I'll test out a Artctic Magnus (copper) in a few days vs the Lavricable Grand (silver) cable I am using now ...

 

[g0ldl10n]

You know, I just want to make a post targeting anyone that may be shying away from spending the money on a pair of headphones like the Atrium because everywhere you turn all you see and hear are people saying to get amazing ("the best") SQ out of them you must have some ungodly expensive tube amp (not to say those won't provide good SQ, because I am sure they will and do - but I am willing to bet a vast majority of people either have enough coin for one or the other, or maybe not enough for either - hell ,tbh, I count my blessings everyday that I am well off enough to have purchased a pair of Atriums, but as of this moment, I am not well off enough to spend another good chunk of money on a new tube amp - and we definitely can't forget some of the tubes these expensive amps use, in some cases, they're becoming more expensive than the amps themselves! ).

Now, the headphones already cost a small fortune, and the thought of having to spend another small fortune can certainly make anyone cringe and retreat never to look back.

And maybe you are like me - you already own a few mid level sources (Geshelli J2 DAC, THX 789, etc), and also maybe one that is arguably the most loved, and the most hated tube amps of all time, the good ol' Darkvoice. Now, maybe you are also like me and land on the "love" side of that argument in regards to the DV, however, you doubt that it has what it takes to make you grin from ear to ear for countless hours while listening to music with the Atriums, because isn't that what it is all about? And if that is not going to be achievable, well then, forget about it, right?

Well, I am here to tell you, as I was once one of those individuals with doubts that my humble sources would get me to the place of pure audio bliss, you need not worry!

Geshelli J2 -> DV with 6SN7 and it's triode variants (7N7, 6F8G, 6C8G) which can be used with adapters gets me to that place of enjoyment, where I will literally listen to music from 9am-7pm, with normal day job interruptions in between. And again, not to say that those more expensive sources wouldn't be even more enjoyable, but the point is you can definitely find that level of enjoyment from these headphones with a humble setup such as mine. And who knows, maybe one day you will have the means to pick up one of those legendary tube amps, and if that day comes, guess what, you're all set to go with your pair of ZMF cans.

Now, I want to get into something that some may find beneficial (especially people that are strapped for cash), and actually where I find the most enjoyment with the Atriums, and it's about those costly tubes, which are just getting even more costly as time goes on. Well, we've all heard of the known tubes which can be used with adapters in the 6SN7 socket such as the 6C5, 6J5, 6J7, 6CG7, etc. etc., but there are undiscovered/unmentioned gems out there that are selling for pennies on the dollar in mint, NIB/NOS condition, compared to most of these, and definitely compared to any 6SN7 variant, especially in NIB/NOS mint condition, they are not even in the same ballpark.

One such triode gem that search results for this entire forum come up completely blank is the 6R7. You have to use these in dual config with the proper adapter, which is simply the dual 7193 to 6SN7 adapter, connecting only the grid top cap, and leaving the anode tc disconnected. They also come in the '6R7-G' config with the ST glass, however, I have found that the metal envelopes sound spectacular, and just as good, and you can get true NOS/NIB JAN RCA 6R7 tubes for about $6 a piece from one of the best tube vendors out there, which is mentioned on this forum all the time. I am refraining from mentioning the specific vendor, as I do not want this to be seen as an advertisement, and only valuable information for people looking for great tubes they can stock up on for great/reasonable prices still, which can bring a whole new light to their current tube amp to be used with the Atriums.

Now, the 6R7 is not the only undiscovered and completely unmentioned gem out there that will work in your 6SN7 sockets, which also cost significantly less in NIB/NOS mint conditions. There are tubes that easily outshine any 6SN7, its variants, or any popular/known compatible tubes, and with a little bit of research and time spent looking into pinouts + datasheets you can definitely find them!

Finally, there are also undiscovered pentode gems which need to be strapped as triodes that sound exceptional. Now, with the pentodes strapped as triodes they usually have a low mu rating, so with just my J2 -> DV only, they can lack strength/body with the Atriums - well, I solved this quite easily adding my THX 789 to the chain. When using my pentodes in the 6SN7 socket, the chain is as follows ... J2 -> THX 789 -> DV ... I have the THX going to the DV from the 6.35mm SE out which splits into RCA jacks going into the RCA input of the DV. With this setup, the Atriums imo are so so good - this really opens up the soundstage and imaging to a exceptional place.

6U7G is one of these pentodes you can find for $3-$5 for NIB/NOS JAN and commercial types, which is mentioned a total of a single time as far as I can tell on head-fi. To use this in the 6SN7 socket, you can simply use an adapter already on the market, the EL32 -> 6SN7 adapter. Again, there are more pentodes in this same ballpark of SQ and availability!

To wrap things up, the point is you can get more than enough enjoyment from Atriums with a humble setup, and you do not need to spend another small fortune on a new tube amp + the tubes to go along with it, that's nonsense! And if you are willing to put in a bit of time and research into discovering those unmentioned/undiscovered gems (tubes) out there for a tube amp you might already own, I'm confident you will find even more enjoyment out of them!

I do hope some of this information helps some of you out there!

 

[tb303]

I don’t understand— aren’t you saying you have both DAPs? So can’t you answer your own question? Just looking for other opinions?

Exactly, trying to find out what others think about their gear and to what extent they are happy with their Kann Max or M17 when paired with ZMF Atrium - there are definitely folks out there having one of these DAPs, who knows, maybe even both, so worth asking. What I'm trying to figure out is what music genres these DAP sound best with, when compared. Both DAPs are great, however I cannot see many direct comparisons, so looking for opinions. Another question is whether these DAPs are capable of handling Atrium to their full extent, when compared with mid tier tube - are we talking about a real upgrade or going diminishing returns? If tubes are definitely a way to go (a significant differentiator), it unfortunately renders my portable setup a bit redundant, as the only DAP (according to my knowledge), AK2k one with tubes, is unfortunately not too powerful to drive Atriums, no the gear is no longer portable. So many questions...

 

[Patmach]

Thank you for sharing your impressions of the Atrium as I’m in the preliminary stages of deciding between Atrium and Caldera. Your description of the soundstage, texture and realistic timbre plays into characteristics I value in a headphone. Excellent write up Patrick!

With pleasure ! It is thanks to all your opinions that I finally tried and bought the Atrium. Currently testing Be2 Pads which are also very good. the highs are better highlighted but the sound seems a little flatter to me. Indeed the Caldera agitates the ZMF community at the moment, it will be very interesting to read the comparisons to come with the Atrium and the Susvara

 

[Skyediver]

Well, I've definitely been digging my new Atriums. The color of the headphones looks a little bit richer in real life, but you get the idea.

Striking in the best possible way!

 

[Skyediver]

It’s been hard lurking in this thread as I had to focus on paying off my new Holo May DAC, but happy to say that I’m now triangulating on buying my own pair of Atriums this winter, perhaps at Zach’s November event. I want a “blingy”, stabilized pair, me thinks