ZMF Atrium - new open-back co-flagship
- Thread starter DeweyCH
- Start date
PapaIV
100+ Head-Fier
There are some very confusing reports about the Caldera UP lambskin pads in this thread - some people love them and others say they completely killed the low end. Then there’s the Caldera UP suedes and those seem to be recommended more often. Which secondary pads would you recommend for a new owner? I’m stuck choosing between the Cup lamb, the Cup suede and the Auteur lamb!
I am actually doing this exact experiment with my Atrium at the moment. I find the UP suedes add a little too much mid-bass bloom to the Atriums already stellar low end performance. I think the AO is a relatively bassy zmf headphone to start with (compared to VO or Auteur). The suedes tame the top end a little while narrowing the soundstage. The UP lambskin actually keeps the top end as it and it opens up the sound some more. The bass quantity is a little shy with these pads but its tight and more precise. Quality of bass is definitely improved. However, I am using the radial vented mesh with my AO, not the stock Atrium mesh which have more perforations than the radial vented mesh. As a result, the vocals and treble is a little smoothed out in my AO, resulting in a more prominent mid bass.
Hope this helps. I have settled with the lambskin variants but i am sure i ll some swapping in the future just for the fun of it
PapaIV
100+ Head-Fier
Thanks, it helps a lot! If the suedes narrow the soundstage then I think I’ll avoid those for now because I’m getting the AO for its, apparently, excellent soundstage. I think I’ll try the lamb ones for the secondary set and maybe get the suedes later!
Sounds like a great plan. I think you should defnitely try the UP lambs first and then mess with the mesh to tune your treble/ top end preference.
Caldera lamb ultra perf are my favorite pads for the AO, highly recommended!
idairyou
1000+ Head-Fier
Another vote for the Lamb Ultra Perf.
JackarlTwo
500+ Head-Fier
Love the Auteur lamb as a secondary set. Caldera UP lamb is another solid option. I like to rotate between them depending on the day.
Knee Deep In Epoxy
500+ Head-Fier
Caldera UP lamb and the stock universal Lamb are tied at the top for me... Different qualities but I love both depending on the day.
I went through all th mesh options, settled on the stock... The other were enjoyable to begin with, the novelty factor I guess... But then I found they added a little too much of something or lost too much of something... Stock is the right middle ground for me
I went through all th mesh options, settled on the stock... The other were enjoyable to begin with, the novelty factor I guess... But then I found they added a little too much of something or lost too much of something... Stock is the right middle ground for me
ThanatosVI
Headphoneus Supremus
Another bonus question to the pad and mesh Rollers.
How do you store your collection, any neat solutions?
How do you store your collection, any neat solutions?
JackarlTwo
500+ Head-Fier
I just store them in these ZMF zip bags: https://shop.zmfheadphones.com/collections/diy/products/earpad-bag
Knee Deep In Epoxy
500+ Head-Fier
I'm having another Atrium moment as I have done many times in the past and hope to again in future.... but I'm really struggling to think of a better tuned headphone (or iem).... So much so, that I'm struggling to understand why the Atrium has a reputation for being "coloured"...
Right now I'm listening to to Soundtrack to the Struggle 3 by Lowkey (someone I happen to know personally) and the timbre on the Atrium is simply spot on... it just sounds real... like I'm in the room watching him perform.... At most I would say the midbass is marginally boosted, compared to other headphones and iems the Atrium sound only boost above neutral only to extent necessary to make the bass detailed and enjoyable. I can enjoy other headphones and iems but there is usually a period of adjusting to the sound... the Artium sounds natural to me from the moment I hit play.
As someone who works in the music industry I would say mixing engineers should have an Atrium in every studio. They should mix as usual, then listen on the Atrium, and then adjust their mix to sound like it does through the Atrium. It just brings music to life!
Can someone explain to me in what way the Atrium is regarded as coloured/not natural/not neutral (other than the slight midbass hump, that is)
Right now I'm listening to to Soundtrack to the Struggle 3 by Lowkey (someone I happen to know personally) and the timbre on the Atrium is simply spot on... it just sounds real... like I'm in the room watching him perform.... At most I would say the midbass is marginally boosted, compared to other headphones and iems the Atrium sound only boost above neutral only to extent necessary to make the bass detailed and enjoyable. I can enjoy other headphones and iems but there is usually a period of adjusting to the sound... the Artium sounds natural to me from the moment I hit play.
As someone who works in the music industry I would say mixing engineers should have an Atrium in every studio. They should mix as usual, then listen on the Atrium, and then adjust their mix to sound like it does through the Atrium. It just brings music to life!
Can someone explain to me in what way the Atrium is regarded as coloured/not natural/not neutral (other than the slight midbass hump, that is)
erics75
Headphoneus Supremus
I agree 100%! For some reason the industry/hobby has marked bright/lean headphones as neutral. That has become the standard. Anything north of that is labeled colored. But IMO you're spot on saying the Atrium is in reality a far better measure of neutral. And by this that means neutral = what it sounds like live. That's my test. I am not a musician, but I know what live music sounds like. It's weighty and tangible. That's something the Atrium portrays amazingly well. The so called neutral headphones sound lean and thin in comparison. I wish the mark for neutral would be changed, IMO it's time for a reevaluation of what neutral really is. Just my useless 2c though, unfortunately most seem to disagree.
ThanatosVI
Headphoneus Supremus
Well as you said yourself it has a midbass boost and warmer tone.
If recording Studios would use Atriums, the music mixed they create would be tuned colder. I don't think that this is what you want
It might make music sound neutral with Atrium then, but cold with headphones that are more neutral to begin with
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