Figured I would ask on the Atrium thread first. I have pair of Verite, which I love but looking for more ZMF goodness. I also have the a pair of Atticus. Should I be looking at the Atrium or Caldera? I have heard neither. Had VC but preferred the VO. I am into warm( but not too warm) with detail, but also a nice soundstage. Figured pad rolling can do the rest. Which ZMF's would be best for me?
A few things I'll add that haven't been touched on:
The Atrium is more forgiving to poorly recorded/mastered music compared to the Verite. Just ask @Monsterzero about listening to some 80's metal albums.
The Atrium seems to pair well overall with a large range of gear. I've found the Vertie can be a little more picky to achieve great synergy, but when they do, it's bliss.
They are both quite different from the VO imo. Warmth with details and nice staging is a general ZMF characteristics so if it's just a slightly different flavor I'd say toss a coin. What do you find lacking from your current headphone collection?
Figured I would ask on the Atrium thread first. I have pair of Verite, which I love but looking for more ZMF goodness. I also have the a pair of Atticus. Should I be looking at the Atrium or Caldera? I have heard neither. Had VC but preferred the VO. I am into warm( but not too warm) with detail, but also a nice soundstage. Figured pad rolling can do the rest. Which ZMF's would be best for me?
I don't have the Caldera yet. I'm saving up and most likey will pick one up at a CanJam or maybe the November ZMF sale. I can share some experience I've had with the Atrium Open (AO). The AO is superb with the ADS damping system and works well on many amps compatible with the 300 Ohms ZMFs. The AO on an RME ADI-2 paired with the THX works very well, and now with the recent software release for RME's ADI-2 remote dashboard for the PC, it is very easy to adjust the sound/settings to your preference.
The RME's default sound is kind of flat IMO since it evolved from pro-audio developers so I do add a bass shelf and tweak the parametric EQ some. Then I paired the RME (with some minor adjustments) to an Icon Audio HP8 tube amp and it sounded fuller and more expansive on the AO. The AO definitely shines with tube amps. Planars generally pair better with solid state amps but many users here are getting good results on the Caldera with tube and SS amps.
from which webshop can you order Atrium Open headphones, within Europe, which are at a normal price and are delivered immediately, do they have them in stock?
from which webshop can you order Atrium Open headphones, within Europe, which are at a normal price and are delivered immediately, do they have them in stock?
Edit: you can also order directly from ZMF, what is a good experience since they have a very good customer care service. In this case be aware that you will have to pay Taxes (VAT...) and custom fees additionally to the price paid to ZMF
Edit: you can also order directly from ZMF, what is a good experience since they have a very good customer care service. In this case be aware that you will have to pay Taxes (VAT...) and custom fees additionally to the price paid to ZMF
I don't have the Caldera yet. I'm saving up and most likey will pick one up at a CanJam or maybe the November ZMF sale. I can share some experience I've had with the Atrium Open (AO). The AO is superb with the ADS damping system and works well on many amps compatible with the 300 Ohms ZMFs. The AO on an RME ADI-2 paired with the THX works very well, and now with the recent software release for RME's ADI-2 remote dashboard for the PC, it is very easy to adjust the sound/settings to your preference.
The RME's default sound is kind of flat IMO since it evolved from pro-audio developers so I do add a bass shelf and tweak the parametric EQ some. Then I paired the RME (with some minor adjustments) to an Icon Audio HP8 tube amp and it sounded fuller and more expansive on the AO. The AO definitely shines with tube amps. Planars generally pair better with solid state amps but many users here are getting good results on the Caldera with tube and SS amps.
A cheaper tube amp from xDuoo will sound better with ZMF dynamics than any sub $1k solid state amp I've found. IMO obviously.
Like even the hybrids are a noticeable improvement (ta 20 plus, ta 22, ta 30). Haven't heard the OTL ta26 which gets mixed reviews for how much tube flavor it truly adds but there's also the newer ta84 coming out. Tube rolling NOS tubes even makes a difference in these cheaper amps. Lots of people swear by the feliks echo or you could go the bottlehead crack route or used/classifieds route. Guess you weren't impressed by the Liquid Platinum since you list it as "gone", which I haven't heard, but I have heard it is less tubey than the xDuoos.
You'll probably want something higher end for the Caldera with tubes. The Caldera sounds hideous on my hybrid xDuoo TA30 lol and OTL is not a great idea. IMO Caldera shines with one of the various SET 300b amps (Cayin HA, Feliks Envy, etc; I mean if you're already spending Caldera money...) that add a bit of perceived note weight to the "thinner" planar sound. Plus better clarity and resolution which is necessary for getting the most out of the Caldera. I could listen to my VC all day on the warmer/fuzzier lower end xDuoo but it's also clearly improved on higher end stuff.
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I need it from Europe right away.
