[g0ldl10n]

Black and white ebony wood. It's really epic in person, like a semi-gloss finish. Not quite matte, not quite gloss. One of my nicest sets by far.

When I was going through the headphones up for ZMF November, those would have been my choice too if I was in the market - I bet they are stunning in person, congrats!

 

[UnfetteredWandering]

The other way. Forza cable are very supple but the Verite silver is plenty flexible as well. Both very well made cables.

Thanks! I'll have to look further into Forza Audio Works as an alternative to Arctic and Norne.

 

[OnlySoMany]

Ah Gotcha! I have a Denon Dl-103 phono cartridge with a black and white ebony body. I should have known but a friend is borrowing the cart so I haven't seen it in a while. Ebony tends to be a very good sounding wood with solid bass response. I'll be curious to hear your impressions of your ebony Atrium compared to your other Atrium(s).

I can already tell that it's a bit better in the bass. My other Atrium is a Camphor Burl. Wood seems a bit "harder" and not as smooth as the new set. I'll still keep them because they are gorgeous though lol.

Currently testing them with this playlist. I highly recommend it for testing high-end gear (and also enjoying it!)

 

[JerseyD]

Just got one of my limited ZMF November sets, super excited! Zach and his team are true craftsmen. I can't see any sand marks, or deviations. Absolutely perfect. ZMF customer for life! Went with the vegan pads and headband since I wear headphones all day for work. What a work of art.

I will say those are even more beautiful in your photos than they were on the ZMF site! Stunning.

 

[OnlySoMany]

I will say those are even more beautiful in your photos than they were on the ZMF site! Stunning.

Thank you! I think ZMF tend to use a lot of saturation in their images, I'm sure they have someone touch up the images (as expected) before listing them. On the site they looked a lot darker than in my pictures, but I am very happy with them. I have two more on the way, but these definitely are in my top 4 sets. Compared to my Camphor burl Atriums, these sound a bit softer. Like there is more absorption/room for the bass to "grow" in the ear cups. Its a very euphoric sound. Kinda hard to explain, don't flame me

Here is the picture from their site:

 

[g0ldl10n]

This might all be known, but thought I would share anyways for anyone that likes to explore mods themselves.

Been doing some further experimentation with pad rolling, and picked up a pair of b stock solid lamb Aeolus and decided to just try creating my own limited perfs on just the inside rim. The idea was brought on by the personally good results I achieve for myself, when I cover up just the perfs on the outside of ZMF pads.

Well, I started out with just eight 2mm holes, and continued to make more and retesting them - finally got to 34 2mm holes for each pad - obviously, cant get them absolutely perfect between the two pads, but close. And have to say, perfs on just the inside of otherwise solid pads is really nice imo.

I have some other non ZMF pads on their way, which already have this exact "configuration" - perfs just inside, solid everywhere else. Will be interesting to give those a try, but wish ZMF offered pads in this type of config.

 

[goldwerger]

Just got one of my limited ZMF November sets, super excited! Zach and his team are true craftsmen. I can't see any sand marks, or deviations. Absolutely perfect. ZMF customer for life! Went with the vegan pads and headband since I wear headphones all day for work. What a work of art.

Stunning! one of the nicest pairs I've seen... love this wood

 

[wolfstar76]

Just received two ZMF pads. Tried oval solid only found the traditional way to put them on is impossible: size too small. I simply put the pads on without securing them to test, and I immediately know why many people say No to solid pads. Before that, I was a little skeptical of pad rolling since I tried that in my Hifiman HE6SE V2 and ended with 5 to 6 pairs of pads collecting dust and I simply cannot tell the difference.

Okay for the Oval Solid (I got lambskin), they completely changed the sound sigature, creating a huge bass and sub-bass, almost drown everything else. It could be exciting to basshead, and it reminds me my impression for the highly regarded Fir Audio XE6: great bass but in some track simply way too much and dominates everything else.

Second try is the Auteur perf lambskin. It is thinner, and indeed sound just the opposite of Oval Solid, the bass and sub-bass is reduced compared to the stock. I need to spend more time to appreciate Auteur pad.

But the temporary conclusion for me is: Stock universal perf lambskin is the best.

 

[goldwerger]

Listening to the Atrium this evening. This track is just so perfect for it

https://open.qobuz.com/track/70033938

 

[g0ldl10n]

Well, I have a new favorite pad, but it is not one you can buy, you have to make the modifications to it yourself. However, ZMF November gave perfect opportunity with their B stock pads.

Grabbed a pair of Aeolus Solid Lamb pads, and did this to them, as evenly and accurately across the two pads, ending up with two rows of 17 2mm holes around the inside.

Now, the solid lamb Aeolus pads with no perfs are def too bloated in the low end - that said, all pads I have tried with perfs everywhere are way too thin (pretty much exact opposite, so where is this happy medium??) with little to no sub or mid bass impact, at least in my subjective opinion. Comparing say the Focal Elex sub and mid bass impact vs Atrium's with fully perf'd pads, the Elex wins easily on this aspect, while also carrying the detailed mids and highs as well.

However, when I covered up the outside perfs on say the Uni perf lambskin, this changes completely. Suddenly, the sub and mid bass impact is there, along with Atriums ungodly, and already legendary timbre - and it nearly completes the sound signature for me, but there was still something just a bit off that I couldn't quite put my finger on.

Well, I like to try to think outside of the box at times, and experiment in places I have not seen others go, so I picked up a pair of Oval Suede solid pads, and made six 2mm holes on the inside of these pads, and I was 98% of the way there! These pads with the slight modification of the six 2mm holes are super good, and they are still a very, very close 2nd. These have by far gotten the most playing time for me. I was sure I was done pad rolling, as I thought there was likely no way I was gonna get anything I enjoyed more.

Well, due to the b stock pricing (since I was not sure if it was going to be a complete waste of money), I decided to pick up the solid lamb Aeolus pads, and put the perfs on the inside, and perfection! (at least for me). I am quite confident these are going to be the Atrium pads for life.

I used a tool similar to the one shown below.

Just wanted to provide a more detailed explanation + pictures to show (and maybe inspire) any other adventurous souls out there that may be curious. The amount of changes to the final sound reproduction one hears with simple pad rolling with the Atrium's is crazy. I have rolled pads on many many headphones, but the Atrium's SQ is effected the most by far.

 

[Ticonz]

Forgive my terrible photos but my set of Resin Stab Atrium arrived today to join my Aeolus Mango and Verite Closed Stabs! They are so beautiful in person. T_T

 

[karangovil]

It’s here!!! So happy to be reunited with my Atrium again. I had recently sold my Bubingas to go for the #128 and was so worried that I might have made a mistake but ZMF never disappoints. This is a real beauty

 

[sp33ls]

Oh man... Back-to-back posts showing off gorgeous Stabilized Atriums.

Y'all are making me even more impatient for mine. Shipped yesterday, but despite overnight shipping, looks like FedEx will end up making me wait until Monday.

Definitely the adult version of night before Christmas vibez.

 

[tyk103]

It’s here!!! So happy to be reunited with my Atrium again. I had recently sold my Bubingas to go for the #128 and was so worried that I might have made a mistake but ZMF never disappoints. This is a real beauty

Good lord #128....

 

[karangovil]

Bonus pic of ZMF stabilized/LTD fam