[Deleeh]

Hello,

Yes, that's one way of looking at it.
But you can also question the manufacturers why they do not have a tube design that is tube-friendly.
There are still enough tubes out there that do their job well.
But I don't understand why they go for musem tubes.

Little Dot,Cayhin with their 22DE,and many others do the job,but in 5-6 years the amp is just not a paperweight because the market doesn't have any available or tubes are sold at rock bottom prices.
See rare 300b,6080,7236,2A3, and many more.

Personally, I don't like it.
I wish it were otherwise.

The other side is that there are hardly any tube manufacturers left, it is a craft that has been lost.
And the knowledge died with our grandfather and fathers generation.
The market for it has also become smaller, also due to the change in technology.
Would you really still want to watch a film or play a game on a tube television today?
Probably not.
We would be much too spoiled, and Skat cable Rgb cable has become a foreign word - few people know what it is, except us old hands .

 

[idairyou]

Is it just me or have a lot of the pictures people have uploaded disappeared from the forums.

 

[Bkido]

I'm having a blast currently with my Atrium. Especially thanks to a pad swap to Be2 perf. suede pads. I've had them for while and didn't like them for some reason a few month back. Yesterday I gave them another go and it made me fall in love with them all over again.

Maybe it's due to other changes in the chain or I just had a bad day when I tried them last time. Current chain is Roon -> Spring 3 KTE -> Zähl HM1 as pre/EQ -> Cayin HA-3A. Added just a tiny bass shelf and sound stage with the Zähl and it's able to produce just a crazy enjoyable sound.

What the pads changed primarily for me is that the bass sounds snappier with amazing kick to it, vocal intimacy is amazing while at the same time the staging doesn't really suffer. The treble also sounds more tactile while at the same time seems to be a bit smoother. Lately Atrium didn't get too much attention since I often used my VC for closed back listening and D8000 for open back listening but I think in this config they'll get more listening time again in the future

 

[magiccabbage]

Can anyone compare zmf atrium to hd800 for soundstage and imaging ?

 

[Hitorijanae]

Can anyone compare zmf atrium to hd800 for soundstage and imaging ?

I'd say the HD800 is just ever so slightly wider but imaging on the Atrium is far better in my experience. Imaging on the Atrium has more height and a more natural feel where the 800 feels a bit like things are being forced apart horizontally

 

[Hifiearspeakers]

I'd say the HD800 is just ever so slightly wider but imaging on the Atrium is far better in my experience. Imaging on the Atrium has more height and a more natural feel where the 800 feels a bit like things are being forced apart horizontally

Also, the SIZE of the images on the 800 are very different. Things might sound a little wider, but they also sound miniaturized compared to the Atrium.

 

[idairyou]

Also, the SIZE of the images on the 800 are very different. Things might sound a little wider, but they also sound miniaturized compared to the Atrium.

FYI, the suede pads that ZMF makes for the HD800 and the crescent strap are awesome. I can wear them for more than an hour now without getting a headache. Caution for the crescent strap, depending on the size of your head it may not work for you.

Zach seems to be the only person that can make 3rd party pads for Sennheiser headphones that don't alter the sound signature.

 

[Nicolas Yance]

FYI, the suede pads that ZMF makes for the HD800 and the crescent strap are awesome. I can wear them for more than an hour now without getting a headache. Caution for the crescent strap, depending on the size of your head it may not work for you.

Zach seems to be the only person that can make 3rd party pads for Sennheiser headphones that don't alter the sound signature.

You are right, the crescent strap also was a game changer for my hd800s.

Have you try the leather pads?

 

[idairyou]

You are right, the crescent strap also was a game changer for my hd800s.

Have you try the leather pads?

No, I have not tried them yet as Zack showed measurements in a video the suede was closest to stock tuning, and I wasn't trying to change the tuning. Plus, I wanted to see what my ears heard before I ordered any others.

No way you can do any meaningful A/B testing since it takes a bit to change the pads, but after listening to stock and then swapping I didn't hear any real change. The only way to do a real subjective A/B test is to have 2 of them, one stock and the other with the ZMF pads and quickly switch between.

 

[rizena]

How do I distinguish the earpad? I wonder how to distinguish be2 from universe pad.

 

[Deceneu808]

How do I distinguish the earpad? I wonder how to distinguish be2 from universe pad.

Be2 should be slightly thinner in thickness than Universe and it has a bigger ear cavity than the Universe

 

[rizena]

Be2 should be slightly thinner in thickness than Universe and it has a bigger ear cavity than the Universe

Is there a difference in tone balance depending on the type of earpad?

I think the tone of be2 is much brighter.

 

[Deceneu808]

Is there a difference in tone balance depending on the type of earpad?

I think the tone of be2 is much brighter.

Should be. Judging by the graph shown on ZMFs website they should be on the brighter side of the spectrum. I've personally only had Universe pads while I had my Atriums. Didn't get the chance to hear the BE2s

 

[rizena]

Should be. Judging by the graph shown on ZMFs website they should be on the brighter side of the spectrum. I've personally only had Universe pads while I had my Atriums. Didn't get the chance to hear the BE2s

I see. Thank you for your time.

 

[TheMiddleSky]

A question, to any of you who don't really like Atrium sound with Universe Pad, which pad is your preference? I don't really like Auteur Pad on Atrium, so that option can be ruled out.