ColSaulTigh
Headphoneus Supremus
Atrium with some pad rolling. I'm also sure VC open would fit the bill, but I don't have any first-hand experience with them.
ZMF Atrium - new open-back co-flagship
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SlothRock
500+ Head-Fier
Atrium is def more neutral than at least the Verite Closed is, I’m sure it’s the same compared to the Verite open. Roll in some warmer pads (I prefer Auteur lambskin) and you’ll get exactly what you’re asking for 
It depends on what you’re looking for. Atrium has more physical impact, which is great for hip hop bass but the VO has a one of a kind soundstage that feels like you are enveloped by music on all sides. Atrium has a fuller body, VO has better detail retrieval.
For that type of music a closed back is going to bring the bass slam moreso than an open back. Try looking into the Atticus, which hits like a truck. It will save you quite a bit of cash and its a great sounding thumpy, warm headphone. I miss my pair.
If youre deadset against a closed back, the new Auteur got rave reviews at Canjam, though ive yet to hear it. Otherwise its the VO vs Atrium. Either will sound good but again if youre into BASS, the Atticus delivers.
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johnnypaddock
100+ Head-Fier
With your preferences I'd lean towards recommending the Atrium. Unfortunately most modern EDM, pop, hip-hop, etc. is poorly recorded or mastered, and the VO will be more revealing of these flaws. The Atrium has a more forgiving nature. It has nice resolution but sacrifices detail for more of a rounded, smoothed out presentation.
I generally prefer the more tight/controlled bass on the VO, but the Atrium is no slouch and has more of a mid-bass presence. Both are excellent in this area, just slightly different.
inseconds99
500+ Head-Fier
I wouldn’t mind closed if it was a semi open th900 design. Not looking for isolation at all. So if the VC isolates (lack of) similar to th900, then I’d consider.
The Atticus has 5 ports per side, so its much more semi closed than the VC, which has just one small port per side
Being an owner (lover) of the Atticus, and a basshead at heart, this headphone never disappoints. I'll second this recommendation for the Atticus.
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helljudgement
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From memory the VC does seem to isolate less than the th900 for me. But if you're more interested in open headphones then both the Atrium and VO seem to fit your description of wanting a warm/neutral tone with bass tilt. The Atrium having a bit more mid-bass presence and heft/weight and the VO having a tighter, more precise bass so it's up to preference. FWIW I've been listening quite a bit to Kendrick's new album and the additional bass heft from the Atrium does provide a tad more oomph to listening. As noted by @johnnypaddock the Atrium is also more forgiving on crappy mastering which seem to plague most mainstream releases so that has to be taken into consideration as well.
Looks like another exercise in mediocrity by Schiit. Pretty typical for them I think.
At least I'm not the only person that fails to see the point of this one.
Pharmaboy
Headphoneus Supremus
Don't know your budget, but here are the 3 open-back ZMFs I can recommend:
- Aeolus: Cheaper than the other two but extremely fine sound in its way. This is a fun, relaxing, very entertaining HP. It has a lot of resolution, but never sounds like a detail-monster or flat-line neutral HP. The sub-bass is not quite as present as with the other two, but the bass is very pleasing, with a somewhat elevated mid-bass (depending on pads used). This is an extremely addictive headphone
- Verite Open: More $$ than the Aeolus with a somewhat different sound: very fast, detailed, and yet extremely musical. This is my currrent favorite headphone. The tone and timbre of instruments and voices are just beautiful on the VO. I use it for every genre, including some that really pound (funk, electronic, EDM). It kills on every genre
- Atrium: Same price as VO but a rather different sound. This HP has real sub-bass; depending on pads used, it borders on bass-monster. But it's very high quality, tonally accurate bass...it's not just about quantity. The soundstaging of the Atrium is spectacular, easily the best I've ever heard. The tone top-to-bottom is ultra clear and very musical. You can readily tweak the sound from warm to neutral using any of 3 or more earpads. I auditioned mine on every genre I have, and it nailed every one...
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jgwtriode
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Have you compared these to the VC and if so what are your thoughts. Love my Leopardwood VC's. Kept my Auteur Blackwoods for a long time but finally realized they were just collecting dust. Tweaked mine a bit with external tuning devices that improve the PRAT, noise floor and midrange tonality to some degree. Looking at Closed Back Atriums in the future, probably around taxtime. Running them on LOrdGywn's Atrium with Monster's preferred roll in the you tube. Lusting after Western Electrics but 5998's are very nice!
Happy Listening,
jgwtriode
Dont overspend for them. I've seen them go for upwards of 3k for a pair! Theyre good, but not 3K good. I got my pair from another Head- Fier for a very reasonable price, made possible by being awesome at Fantasy Basketball....lol.
To be honest, I'd target some GEC 6AS7G before WE 421a, as they offer a much different presentation vs. the 5998s. Not that GEC 6AS7G are much cheaper than the Western Electric 421a, but that would open up the driver spot on your Airmid for other tubes besides the GEC L63. Other members, including myself, like @gibosi have noticed that doubling up on GEC can be too much of a good thing.
There are a ton of great sounding 6j5s out there besides the L63, including National Unions, Fivre from Italy which are quite midcentric, Sylvania which add some sparkle up top, Ken Rad which have bass in your face, Tung Sol black cans, etc...
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Pharmaboy
Headphoneus Supremus
When the VO & VC were first being launched, I had both review pairs here for about a week and listened to them both thoroughly on the amps I had at the time, which included the V281 (still my best amp) and the inexpensive but rather nice OTL, the Woo WA3.
I thought the VC was crazy-good. I had owned an Atticus and an Eikon, so I was pretty familiar with Zach's closed-back designs. But the VC was different. The overall sound was distinctly elevated IMO. It had smoothness, beautiful tone, detail, speed, and accuracy all at the same time (unusual to find that). A very musical sounding headphone, but fast, dynamic as hell, great bass & very exciting/great for electric/electronic music. I thought the VC was the best closed back I'd ever heard. The only reason I didn't chase the VC was that closed back dynamic headphones tend to aggravate my migraine & tinnitus. I knew I couldn't handle the explosive sound of the VC. Regardless, it impressed me greatly.
I fell in love with the VO and now own one. It shares many of the sonic attributes of the VC, but because it's open is somewhat more relaxed.
I don't believe I owned an Aeolus at that time, and I certainly didn't own an Atrium, since it didn't exist yet. In the years since I often had opportunities to compare the VO to the Atrium and Aeolus. VO is still my favorite headphone. That headphone just sings to me. But that doesn't change the fact the other two are insanely good headphones.
Then again, any of the four HPs mentioned herein stomp all over most non-ZMF headphones (IMHO).
jgwtriode
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Agreed....It is the explosiveness and the dynmics of the Atrium that I really enjoy over the Auteur which was a bit restrained. Tonally especially in the heart of the midrange the Auteur is better. But with tuning and strengths of the Airmid amplifier...oops called it Atrium(edited now) that isn't much of an issue. And of coursed the speed, imaging and sound staging are much more involving.
jgwtriode
jgwtriode
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