I should also receive the ultra perf pads soon... hoping that they will live up to my expectations because at 130 euros (half the price in shipping costs and customs taxes because I live in France), it starts to be expensive. But what wouldn't we do for this fabulous Atrium. My report very soon !
ZMF Atrium - new open-back co-flagship
- Thread starter DeweyCH
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Failed Engineer
500+ Head-Fier
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If anyone wants to sell the ultra perf caldera pads let me know. I’m cheap so I’m waiting for the time I buy the AC and I can ask for them as the second pair of pads instead of buying a fresh pair now but I’ll take a used set if someone didn’t like them.
The atrium is a suede pad headphone and I'll die on that hill. Not sure what exotic models of ZMF you guys special ordered.
Sigh... *opens ZMF browser tab
Sigh... *opens ZMF browser tab
Ahh those are the pads I'm selling ... Really don't like them on the Atrium and feel they just don't do it any favours at all.
JackarlTwo
500+ Head-Fier
Yeah everyone's preference and ears/ HRTF are different. I definitely prefer the Auteur pads over the Universe while others despise them. Another reason why I really like ZMF is of how much you can finely tune the sound to your preference with a plethora of pad and mesh combinations. It might seem daunting with so many pads but I think the majority of people are completely fine with the stock tuning or any of the recommended options. To me it's just fun to try out different pads, part of the hobby so to speak. 
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eugene2
100+ Head-Fier
So true, Zach recommends caldera pads alsoYeah everyone's preference and ears/ HRTF are different. I definitely prefer the Auteur pads over the Universe while others despise them. Another reason why I really like ZMF is of how much you can finely tune the sound to your preference with a plethora of pad and mesh combinations. It might seem daunting with so many pads but I think the majority of people are completely fine with the stock tuning or any of the recommended options. To me it's just fun to try out different pads, part of the hobby so to speak.
heliosphann
Headphoneus Supremus
Just the Ultra Perf Caldera pads to be clear.
The half-perforated Caldera pads don't sound great with the AO's. Zach even said as much earlier in this thread.
Yeah I found that out the hard way. "Don't sound great" is a gross understatement!
heliosphann
Headphoneus Supremus
Usually I'm very blunt and foul mouthed, but when it comes to pads, I'm all about taking care of business. After all, I've got a reputation to uphold.
heliosphann
Headphoneus Supremus
New pad review dropping soon!
Ultra perf caldera pads received today. Excellent first impressions... I will compare them to Universe and Be2 with a playlist of various musical genres before giving you a feedback
Look likes these headphones are REALLY popular in Tel Aviv these days…
So I did pad rolling part of last night to compare the Be2 (suede), Universe and Caldera Ultra Perf.
For this I listened to a playlist of different styles on my Auris Ha2 (tube 12AU7 telefunken 6211 gold pins in preamp)
Some examples of songs listened to: Shiver (Fever Ray), Space (JB Dunckel), No hotel (Lykkie Li), Serene walk (Renaud Garcia Fons), Quattro (Robert Plant), I want to live (Cristobal Tapia de Veer), People are good (Depeche Mode), Hells Bells (AC/DC), Kingmaker (Tami Neilson), Pibroch (Jethro Tull), NDA (Billie Elish), Apnea (NTO), All these pieces highlight a sound space worked with very marked voice timbres.
On the Be2, I will pass quickly, not appreciating these pads because if they bring a little clarity, the sound depth which makes me appreciate the atrium so much disappears as well. The scene is too flat (right-left) and less immersion.
The Universe pads outclass them in all points. It is therefore especially between these pads and the ultra perfs that I made my comparison
1 - The voices: strong difference especially on songs where the voice is the main element (Lykkie Li for example). With the Universe the voice is on you, in front of you, at the limit of the intimate. On the Ultra perfs, we feel a distance, something more calm and relaxed. The stamps remain perfect, no difference, female or male voice.
2 - The bass: No worries, the Universe remains superior, it rumbles, it hits, the impact is physical. On electronic music or with a lot of percussion, the universes outclass the ultra perfs but these are not unworthy, they soften the impact but keep it, sometimes even detailing it better. NDA by Billie Elish is more listenable and pleasant on ultra perf
3 - The mediums: difficult for the moment to judge, I am very sensitive to the mediums and with the Universes, they are very highlighted, deep, sometimes a little forced. Same quality with ultra perfs with a little less presence, more natural
4 - Treble: Here the Utra perf win hands down. It pushes further, with more detail and adds a luminosity and dynamism to the music that can sometimes be lacking with the dark side of the Universes on the Atrium.
5 - The sound stage. This is the main difference here. Everything is very detailed and staged on the Universes but the Ultra Perfs push the limits of the helmet, each instrument is identifiable, distinct, the orchestra is more around you than in front or next to it. Details appear and sometimes surprise on pieces that we know by heart. And all this with a preserved or even improved 3D. Perfect with classical or heavily loaded soundtracks. As a member of the forum said, the atrium becomes even more atrium
Verdict: The Universes are good and the Ultra Perfs too, hard to prefer one to the other. Classical music is better reproduced with the Ultra Perfs, electronics or metal on the Universe, folk, pop or jazz on the 2. But since I'm not going to change pads depending on the album, I continue to the moment with ultra perfs to give me a better opinion as I listen. It still seems to me that the Ultra Perfs would be a little higher, due to the richness of what it gives to hear, the more natural immersion and less glued to the head and keeping the sound signature specific to the atrium
Last thing, the ultra perfs are very comfortable, slightly "lighter" than the Universes
This is just my feeling, thank you for your opinions for the next owners of these pads.
For this I listened to a playlist of different styles on my Auris Ha2 (tube 12AU7 telefunken 6211 gold pins in preamp)
Some examples of songs listened to: Shiver (Fever Ray), Space (JB Dunckel), No hotel (Lykkie Li), Serene walk (Renaud Garcia Fons), Quattro (Robert Plant), I want to live (Cristobal Tapia de Veer), People are good (Depeche Mode), Hells Bells (AC/DC), Kingmaker (Tami Neilson), Pibroch (Jethro Tull), NDA (Billie Elish), Apnea (NTO), All these pieces highlight a sound space worked with very marked voice timbres.
On the Be2, I will pass quickly, not appreciating these pads because if they bring a little clarity, the sound depth which makes me appreciate the atrium so much disappears as well. The scene is too flat (right-left) and less immersion.
The Universe pads outclass them in all points. It is therefore especially between these pads and the ultra perfs that I made my comparison
1 - The voices: strong difference especially on songs where the voice is the main element (Lykkie Li for example). With the Universe the voice is on you, in front of you, at the limit of the intimate. On the Ultra perfs, we feel a distance, something more calm and relaxed. The stamps remain perfect, no difference, female or male voice.
2 - The bass: No worries, the Universe remains superior, it rumbles, it hits, the impact is physical. On electronic music or with a lot of percussion, the universes outclass the ultra perfs but these are not unworthy, they soften the impact but keep it, sometimes even detailing it better. NDA by Billie Elish is more listenable and pleasant on ultra perf
3 - The mediums: difficult for the moment to judge, I am very sensitive to the mediums and with the Universes, they are very highlighted, deep, sometimes a little forced. Same quality with ultra perfs with a little less presence, more natural
4 - Treble: Here the Utra perf win hands down. It pushes further, with more detail and adds a luminosity and dynamism to the music that can sometimes be lacking with the dark side of the Universes on the Atrium.
5 - The sound stage. This is the main difference here. Everything is very detailed and staged on the Universes but the Ultra Perfs push the limits of the helmet, each instrument is identifiable, distinct, the orchestra is more around you than in front or next to it. Details appear and sometimes surprise on pieces that we know by heart. And all this with a preserved or even improved 3D. Perfect with classical or heavily loaded soundtracks. As a member of the forum said, the atrium becomes even more atrium
Verdict: The Universes are good and the Ultra Perfs too, hard to prefer one to the other. Classical music is better reproduced with the Ultra Perfs, electronics or metal on the Universe, folk, pop or jazz on the 2. But since I'm not going to change pads depending on the album, I continue to the moment with ultra perfs to give me a better opinion as I listen. It still seems to me that the Ultra Perfs would be a little higher, due to the richness of what it gives to hear, the more natural immersion and less glued to the head and keeping the sound signature specific to the atrium
Last thing, the ultra perfs are very comfortable, slightly "lighter" than the Universes
This is just my feeling, thank you for your opinions for the next owners of these pads.
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