ZMF Auteur Thread
Dec 18, 2019 at 6:35 PM Post #3,601 of 8,254
I heard the Auteur a number of times at shows (a few times at some leisure & not noisy surroundings). I heard one IMS very briefly one time. To date I've heard all 6 ZMF dynamics IMS, 5 of them (Atticus, Eikon, Aeolus, Verite open, Verite closed) for weeks at a time. Currently I own an Ori, an Eikon, and will soon own an Aeolus.

The only one of this group that was really amp picky was the Atticus. You'll see many comments to that effect in the Atticus & Eikon thread. But I found that all the others not only aren't especially amp picky, but they'll really surprise you with unexpected synergies with this or that amp (I have 6: 5 X SS & 1 OTL tube--and it was 7 until I sold the WA22).

I can suggest 3 currently available mid-priced amps, based on personal experience w/ZMF high impedance dynamics:
  • Liquid Carbon v2 (its equivalent is occasionally available on Drop) -- lots of power, somewhat warm, great bass. Surprisingly, this amp doesn't push ZMF dynamics to greater warmth than they already posess (synergy is unpredictable in ways like this)
  • Lake People G109A (the nearly identical G109S is currently available for ~$475) -- single-ended amp with plenty of power, slight warmth, solid/dynamic bass, and a musical sound on every headphone I ever tried on it
  • Woo WA3: This is Woo's least expensive tube amp, but it pleased me from day-1 on. It has plenty of power for every headphone I've tried; slight warmth (though not gooey/syrupy in the least). I get something special out of every high impedance headphone on this OTL, usually along the lines of quiet, controlled, calm, and very musical sound. This one costs $599 new. I got it w/the upgraded driver tubes for more $$, but you could easily roll your own for ~$100-$150 for top NOS tubes.
I've heard the various ZMF dynamics on much bigger & more expensive amps, but you get so much out of these wonderful headphones on amps like those listed above, all powerful, relatively compact, and affordable.
 
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Dec 18, 2019 at 6:48 PM Post #3,602 of 8,254
What moderate priced amp is recommended for the Auteurs and must it be tubed based?
The term "moderate" is pretty relative to different people. The Monoprice Monolith THX 887 (or the similar but beat out on warranty and slightly on measurements Drop 789) was to me the best deal for a moderately priced SS amp. Tons of power, all the connection options you want, and as clean as you will find on performance. Out does many amps priced far above it.

I have an Auteur ordered and will judge the pairing, but others have said it does great. I can tell you it has done superbly with the 300 Ohm HD6XX and 35 Ohm HE4XX. So if $400.00 is in the ball park of price for you, I'd explore it as an option.
 
Dec 18, 2019 at 6:55 PM Post #3,603 of 8,254
Thanks for the suggestions. Any opinions about a hybrid like the Schiit Lyr 3?
No experience with it personally.

BTW, you didn't mention what wood your Auteur are (or are going to be). That can be a significant factor. Also, if they're not already in hand, you probably want to wait for them, burn them in, and form an opinion of their character with you existing equipment. You'll get better recommendations if you can say '...I'd like to improve xxx compared to the sound Auteur offers when driven by yyy'.
 
Dec 18, 2019 at 7:59 PM Post #3,604 of 8,254
What moderate priced amp is recommended for the Auteurs and must it be tubed based?
Although it may not meet your definition of "moderate" price, I am having a great time with Feliks-Audio Elise and Auteur. I really enjoy the magic this combination produces, seasoned to taste with a bit of tube rolling.
 
Dec 19, 2019 at 12:42 AM Post #3,606 of 8,254
What moderate priced amp is recommended for the Auteurs and must it be tubed based?
What are you using to drive the Auteur now?

What do you want to change, sound wise, in your future Auteur amp?

What is "moderately priced"?

Or are you just doing homework on a future Auteur purchase?
 
Dec 19, 2019 at 1:24 AM Post #3,607 of 8,254
I heard the Auteur a number of times at shows (a few times at some leisure & not noisy surroundings). I heard one IMS very briefly one time. To date I've heard all 6 ZMF dynamics IMS, 5 of them (Atticus, Eikon, Aeolus, Verite open, Verite closed) for weeks at a time. Currently I own an Ori, an Eikon, and will soon own an Aeolus.

The only one of this group that was really amp picky was the Atticus. You'll see many comments to that effect in the Atticus & Eikon thread. But I found that all the others not only aren't especially amp picky, but they'll really surprise you with unexpected synergies with this or that amp (I have 6: 5 X SS & 1 OTL tube--and it was 7 until I sold the WA22).

I can suggest 3 currently available mid-priced amps, based on personal experience w/ZMF high impedance dynamics:
  • Liquid Carbon v2 (its equivalent is occasionally available on Drop) -- lots of power, somewhat warm, great bass. Surprisingly, this amp doesn't push ZMF dynamics to greater warmth than they already posess (synergy is unpredictable in ways like this)
  • Lake People G109A (the nearly identical G109S is currently available for ~$475) -- single-ended amp with plenty of power, slight warmth, solid/dynamic bass, and a musical sound on every headphone I ever tried on it
  • Woo WA3: This is Woo's least expensive tube amp, but it pleased me from day-1 on. It has plenty of power for every headphone I've tried; slight warmth (though not gooey/syrupy in the least). I get something special out of every high impedance headphone on this OTL, usually along the lines of quiet, controlled, calm, and very musical sound. This one costs $599 new. I got it w/the upgraded driver tubes for more $$, but you could easily roll your own for ~$100-$150 for top NOS tubes.
I've heard the various ZMF dynamics on much bigger & more expensive amps, but you get so much out of these wonderful headphones on amps like those listed above, all powerful, relatively compact, and affordable.
I can second the Liquid Carbon V2 pairing. This is what I listen to my Auteurs with and the two have great synergy. The dynamics, detail and bass slam are all there. Like @Pharmaboy says it doesn’t push the warmth factor although it’s a warm sounding amp. The Auteurs midrange excels on the Liquid Carbon V2. I do recommend driving them balanced on LC V2 that way you know for sure you’re getting the most out the amp and the Auteurs.

The Gilmore Lite MK2 is another great amp. It doesn’t have a balanced output but it has nice power, it’s clean sounding, with great dynamics. It’s a magnificent little amp with most headphones but doesn’t provide the musical emotion the Liquid Carbon pairing has with the Auteurs.
 
Dec 19, 2019 at 4:28 AM Post #3,608 of 8,254
What are you using to drive the Auteur now?

What do you want to change, sound wise, in your future Auteur amp?

What is "moderately priced"?

Or are you just doing homework on a future Auteur purchase?

My Auteurs are due to arrive tomorrow. Currently, I’m using a Burson Conductor to drive the LCD-2. However I’m not using the built in DAC within the Burson but is using a PS Audio Perfectwave DAC2 with Bridge 2 instead to serve as DAC duty.

Maybe I should wait to see how the Burson and Auteurs will pair.
 
Dec 19, 2019 at 5:12 AM Post #3,609 of 8,254
My Auteurs are due to arrive tomorrow. Currently, I’m using a Burson Conductor to drive the LCD-2. However I’m not using the built in DAC within the Burson but is using a PS Audio Perfectwave DAC2 with Bridge 2 instead to serve as DAC duty.

Maybe I should wait to see how the Burson and Auteurs will pair.
Let them burn in, see how they pair. That's my advice. If they sound good but you want a certain aspect of the sound to change, at least you'll have an idea if tube or solid state would be the better route.

I've run the Auteur with so many amps, I'm not sure I could list them all. Each amp can impart quite a sonic difference. Maybe it's just that the headphones scale very well with great gear.

The best 2 so far, imo, are the ECP DSHA-3f and EC Aficionado. (Aficionado running crazy expensive glass, upgraded caps, and a feedback mod...) Neither of which I would call mid-fi in price, sound, or availability. Yggy A2 > 3F > Auteur is my endgame, btw. So good, your head will explode.

Second place goes to (somewhat surprisingly) the Mjolnir 2. Nothing has slam and impact like the Mj2 with good glass, and with a favorable DAC pairing, it just created an engaging - sometimes consuming - synergistic pairing. It's not super great at soundstage, but if I want that I'll go listen to speakers.

I would say that most other tube hybrids are just going to leave you yearning for a full tube experience, so perhaps the Pendant or Glenn OTL would be the best route instead.

You know... the Bottlehead Crack is a criminally underrated pairing with them, when using good glass. It's also super rewarding building your own. It might be a great place to start, given the price. Just don't drink the Kool Aid on ultra expensive bypass caps, $200 goldpoint pots, and whatever other nonsense the upgrade-crazies will tell you are essential. The squeeze isn't worth the juice. Stick with the speedball, an Alps pot, and good glass.

Uh... Anyway, enjoy the new cans!
 
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Dec 19, 2019 at 9:32 AM Post #3,610 of 8,254
I'm going to make a rather odd suggestion here about a piece of kit that I think I've mentioned here before. I have as part of my bedside setup a little known and very inexpensive DAC/Amp combo call a TubeMagic D1 by Maverick Audio. I picked this up on a whim several years ago. It retails for around $200. I'm currently using only the DAC section fed into an XDUOO TA-10 for amplification. But when I was using this as a hybrid solution, the synergy with my Teak Auteurs was unbelievable, especially considering the price point. Might be worth a try for you.

https://www.highfidelityreview.com/maverick-audio-tubemagic-d1-dac.html
 
Dec 20, 2019 at 10:05 PM Post #3,611 of 8,254
My new Auteurs do not like my Burson as it seems to me to be rather shouty. The Burson has a certain bite whereas my LCD2F had the same trait playing through the amplifier portion of the Burson Conductor.

I patiently wait for the Schiit MJ2 arrival towards the end of next week. It was time to get a dedicated amp without the DAC.
 
Dec 21, 2019 at 1:30 PM Post #3,612 of 8,254
My new Auteurs do not like my Burson as it seems to me to be rather shouty. The Burson has a certain bite whereas my LCD2F had the same trait playing through the amplifier portion of the Burson Conductor.

I patiently wait for the Schiit MJ2 arrival towards the end of next week. It was time to get a dedicated amp without the DAC.
Are they new production? Or a used set? If new give it a week or two to see how they burn in. I hated the auteur and verite closed out of my rs08 amp at first, I found it harsh and shouty. After about a week or so that shoutiness went away and I liked the pairing quite a bit.
 
Dec 21, 2019 at 3:13 PM Post #3,613 of 8,254
I hated the auteur and verite closed out of my rs08 amp at first, I found it harsh and shouty.
The Auteur definitely needs some burn in to tame the upper mids/highs. Mine too felt quite tiring at first and it took them (or my brain) a couple of weeks to settle down.
 
Dec 21, 2019 at 4:46 PM Post #3,614 of 8,254
Are they new production? Or a used set? If new give it a week or two to see how they burn in. I hated the auteur and verite closed out of my rs08 amp at first, I found it harsh and shouty. After about a week or so that shoutiness went away and I liked the pairing quite a bit.
The Auteur definitely needs some burn in to tame the upper mids/highs. Mine too felt quite tiring at first and it took them (or my brain) a couple of weeks to settle down.
What is the most effective method to break in the Auteur, Pink Noise?
 
Dec 21, 2019 at 5:00 PM Post #3,615 of 8,254
Are they new production? Or a used set? If new give it a week or two to see how they burn in. I hated the auteur and verite closed out of my rs08 amp at first, I found it harsh and shouty. After about a week or so that shoutiness went away and I liked the pairing quite a bit.
The Auteur definitely needs some burn in to tame the upper mids/highs. Mine too felt quite tiring at first and it took them (or my brain) a couple of weeks to settle down.
This is why I always burn in new equipment unattended. I prefer to avoid the angst.
 

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