[spruce]

Hey guys, new Atrium Open owner here. Im looking for an amp that push the vocals forward and smooths out the treble. Any recommendation between 300-600 usd? (tube or ss)

I’d suggest an RTR dac as an option along with perhaps the solid mesh/pad rolling and more burn-in. For example, I just updated the firmware on my Denafrips Ares II which also seems to have enhanced the vocals. It’s a really amazing dac.

 

[HD650GotMeHooked]

Can anyone compare the Atrium to Rosson Audio RAD-0? Thanks all!

 

[Tchoupitoulas]

Can anyone compare the Atrium to Rosson Audio RAD-0?

I own an Atrium and got to borrow a friend's RAD-0 for a few weeks. I didn't compare them directly, and didn't have them at the same time, so I'm going to offer just some broad comparisons of their more obvious qualities:

Similarities:

• both have a nice, warm sound signature
  • The Atrium can be made darker with the solid mesh; its upper mids/lower treble can be more forward (and, for me, piercing) with the perforated mesh. The RAD-0 can come with different dark or bright tunings from the factory but I only heard the standard version
• both have a pleasing kind of analogue sound, what some might call organic or natural
  • transient attacks aren't especially fast on either, which in part accounts for this natural sound
    • the transients are kind of rounded, making for a more mellow, sit-back-and-relax experience
  • there's a bit of mid-bass emphasis, and bloom, that's not overdone
• both have lovely timbre
  • they do a great job of presenting textures; they can convey grit and reverberations and timbral richness of music nicely
• both are nicely resolving without being class-leading in this respect. In other words, there are other headphones that do much better at presenting details in music, but I didn't feel as though I was missing out with either of these headphones

Source, thanks to Crinacle: https://crinacle.com/graphs/headpho...trium_(BE2_perforated_lambskin_pads)&tool=711

Differences - Atrium

• the Atrium is more forward in the upper-mids/lower treble. You can see this in the graph above.
• the Atrium has a much more open and spacious presentation, with more of a holographic/3D soundstage
• it has more slam
• it has more mid-bass emphasis (again, see the graph)
• it has more macro-dynamic contrast/strength

Differences - RAD-0

• the RAD-0 is more laid-back. It has more in common with the old, darker Audeze house sound
• the RAD-0 has a much more intimate soundstage. It's not just smaller, in terms of width and depth, but it also lacks a sense of openness as well as space
  • part of this has to do with less air, which makes the RAD-0 sound closed in (to me, but I'm weirdly fussy about this)
• the RAD-0 is softer and more compressed when it comes to percussiveness and macrodynamics
• it has more even bass, with more sub-bass depth than the Atrium, and the RAD's sub-bass is more line with the mid-bass

One last thought: both are reasonably easy to drive although they can benefit from different kind of setups. I like the Atrium with a tube amp (a DNA Stratus) but I know some prefer the Atrium with solid state amps, which can make the headphones sound more exciting and incisive (I've found this myself, especially with powerful ss amps that really grip the drivers, e.g. an Enleum 13r I had on a loaner tour). The RAD-0 doesn't benefit as much from tubes, well, at least not a SET tube amp (like my Stratus). It'd do better from a tube hybrid (e.g. Schiit Lyr+ or Mjolnir 2, I should think). I liked it best from ss amps, and it sounded exceptionally good from a Chord TT + Mscaler stack I got to borrow from a friend.

I hope this helps!

 

[Aetherhole]

The Rad-0 certainly was too dark/laid back for my taste. The above graph certainly confirms what I heard. The Atrium strikes a fine balance in laid-back but detailed.

That’s just based off my preference.

 

[PinkyPowers]

Does anyone have a comparison between Atrium Open and the HifiMan HE1000 Stealth?

I've been enjoying the hell out of the HEK Stealth the last few days. From Bifrost 2/64>NFB-28, they are surprisingly warm. WAY more than I expected. So now I'm wondering how different Atrium's tuning is.

 

[Aetherhole]

Does anyone have a comparison between Atrium Open and the HifiMan HE1000 Stealth?

I've been enjoying the hell out of the HEK Stealth the last few days. From Bifrost 2/64>NFB-28, they are surprisingly warm. WAY more than I expected. So now I'm wondering how different Atrium's tuning is.

It is verrrrrrrry different tuning.

This is just to give you an idea:

That 8K trough is quite noticeably different sounding than the HEKSE. Treble is quite a bit more relaxed sounding.

This is also with the BE2 suede pads which makes the Atriums a bit more neutral tuned.

 

[PinkyPowers]

It is verrrrrrrry different tuning.

This is just to give you an idea:



That 8K trough is quite noticeably different sounding than the HEKSE. Treble is quite a bit more relaxed sounding.

This is also with the BE2 suede pads which makes the Atriums a bit more neutral tuned.

Does that 6khz peak Atrium has in that graph sound anything like the HD800 6khz peak? That ended up being a deal breaker for me. I tried to love them, but had to sell, in the end.

 

[PinkyPowers]

Also, the HE1000SE and HE1000 Stealth are two different headphones, even though they are both using the Stealth Magnets. lol. So confusing. But the HE1000 Stealth is the HE1000 V2, but with the upgraded Stealth Magnets. Should be mostly the same tuning. While the SE is tuned definitively different.

If that's as clear as mud, you're not alone. The naming schemes are insanely hard to follow.

 

[Aetherhole]

Does that 6khz peak Atrium has in that graph sound anything like the HD800 6khz peak? That ended up being a deal breaker for me. I tried to love them, but had to sell, in the end.

I am sensitive to the 6K peak, as well. One of the reasons why I don’t think I’ll ever own the HD800S. That said, I honestly don’t have any problem with the Atrium one bit. It’s a headphone that I can listen to for hours without fatigue. The pads also help change the sound of them, too.

 

[Aetherhole]

Also, the HE1000SE and HE1000 Stealth are two different headphones, even though they are both using the Stealth Magnets. lol. So confusing. But the HE1000 Stealth is the HE1000 V2, but with the upgraded Stealth Magnets. Should be mostly the same tuning. While the SE is tuned definitively different.

If that's as clear as mud, you're not alone. The naming schemes are insanely hard to follow.

It’s true, the HFM revision scheme is utter nonsense! lol Yeah, I just pulled the HE1000SE just to give a relative reference.

Just for clarification here’s the HE1000 SE and HE1000 v2 comparison. The comparison to the Atrium still is relevant, for sure.

 

[PinkyPowers]

It’s true, the HFM revision scheme is utter nonsense! lol Yeah, I just pulled the HE1000SE just to give a relative reference.

Just for clarification here’s the HE1000 SE and HE1000 v2 comparison. The comparison to the Atrium still is relevant, for sure.

Yeah, they're quite close, indeed. The SE looks to have less sub-bass and slightly more upper treble, but that's about it. Interesting.

I gotta say, the HEK Stealth is such a steal at its current price. I bought it kind of on a whim, to tide me over until my Atrium arrived. I was just itching for a new headphone to play with. The LCD-3F and Atticus I've owned for years now. But man, I've been loving the hell out of this HifiMan. If you have a mildly warm DAC and Amp, this thing can be practically lush. Not at all what I was expecting. But I'm digging it.

 

[Mattyjm]

Can anyone compare the Atrium to Rosson Audio RAD-0? Thanks all!

for me rad-0 is a little too syrupy for my library; for jazz/acoustical genres its amazing, but for other genres like EDM/ Metallica that benefit from a "cleaner"/ "faster" sound, the thicker sound is not ideal.

the biggest dealbreaker for me was the weight and comfort. At 660g? its definitely something to consider before buying.

i think @Tchoupitoulas did a great job in bringing up the main differences.

 

[JackarlTwo]

Does that 6khz peak Atrium has in that graph sound anything like the HD800 6khz peak? That ended up being a deal breaker for me. I tried to love them, but had to sell, in the end.

That 6KHz peak looks a lot worse in that graph than what it actually is. The diffuse field measurements from ZMF are more accurate to what I hear myself. I'm pretty sensitive to that area as well and have no issues.

https://www.zmfheadphones.com/measurements

 

[PinkyPowers]

My Atrium Zebra LTD are in CnC now.

 

[JackarlTwo]

I've posted plenty of impressions before. I have to say when you're in the mood to listen to sit back, relax and just listen to some damn music these still makes me wow. There are times when nothing sounds good and it's all about getting into the right mindset. The snap and realism of a snare drum, the spacious ambience and the realistic vocals, guitars, bass are what makes Atrium so great. If I had to sum up my experience over the past year with Atrium it's all about enjoying the music. It's been the best escape.
I think @zach915m has made a masterpiece.