[shafat777]

how receptive to tube rolling is the LP? I heard one pre-covid and really liked it. it reminded me of the Vali 2 but on refined steriods. really nice tonality and dynamic range. made my Atticus slam so hard!

It works really well with rolling especially after the cap mod. also 12au7 tubes add a 3d ness to the sound.

 

[soundchaos]

Well I have a feeling I'm going to be going down to tube black hole in the near future haha. This is great info, thank you!

 

[robo24]

Thank you so much! Exactly the info I was looking for and you make some great points! Can I ask what amp/dac you ended up with for the Verite? I’ve got a D90/A90 and also a thx 789 + RME DAC, but have been hearing that the Verites really like tube amps? Think I’d be wanting more if I went with the Verite and those combos?

I agree with everything erics75 had to say. As far as the 789 amp, I had 4 ZMFs when I had it, sold it and don't miss it in the least. I know Zach has mentioned that it's less than ideal with his headphones given the output impedance (I think). That said, I don't think they have to have tubes. They've been excellent with all the other SS ones I've had, the Pro iCAN, iFi Micro Black and the TT2.

I don't think treble will be an issue for you with the Auteur or VO. The Pendants are supposed to be stellar with both. I'll know soon enough, myself. Between my favorite VO (Universe suede) and Auteur (Eikon suede) pad combos, I'd have to give the nod to the Verite in just being the overall more impressive and involving headphone. In terms of price the Auteur I think is the better deal, which is often the case with models one down from the top. It's difficult to go wrong with either one, and the good thing is if you decided to ultimately get the other one later, it will be a significantly different experience. Another question is do you like your mids/vocals to be more prominent and clearly stand out (Auteur) or is that less important and you're ok with vocals not being as prominent and more as a part of a whole (Verite-keeping in mind some amps/tubes can bring the mids more forward on them)?

 

[soundchaos]

I agree with everything erics75 had to say. As far as the 789 amp, I had 4 ZMFs when I had it, sold it and don't miss it in the least. I know Zach has mentioned that it's less than ideal with his headphones given the output impedance (I think). That said, I don't think they have to have tubes. They've been excellent with all the other SS ones I've had, the Pro iCAN, iFi Micro Black and the TT2.

I don't think treble will be an issue for you with the Auteur or VO. The Pendants are supposed to be stellar with both. I'll know soon enough, myself. Between my favorite VO (Universe suede) and Auteur (Eikon suede) pad combos, I'd have to give the nod to the Verite in just being the overall more impressive and involving headphone. In terms of price the Auteur I think is the better deal, which is often the case with models one down from the top. It's difficult to go wrong with either one, and the good thing is if you decided to ultimately get the other one later, it will be a significantly different experience. Another question is do you like your mids/vocals to be more prominent and clearly stand out (Auteur) or is that less important and you're ok with vocals not being as prominent and more as a part of a whole (Verite-keeping in mind some amps/tubes can bring the mids more forward on them)?

Thanks! Trying to decide which pads to try too so the recommendations are helping. Vocals being a little in the background is ok, I don’t mind that. Think I’m leaning towards the VO now...I just saw that there’s a small discount on the pendant if you buy it with the headphones...this is a dangerous game (for my bank account)

 

[robo24]

Thanks! Trying to decide which pads to try too so the recommendations are helping. Vocals being a little in the background is ok, I don’t mind that. Think I’m leaning towards the VO now...I just saw that there’s a small discount on the pendant if you buy it with the headphones...this is a dangerous game (for my bank account)

For me the Universe Suede have a certain magic to them, certainly in making the Verite more of a 3D/enveloping experience.

 

[Pharmaboy]

Wouldn’t kick either out of bed.

You are just...listening to them--right?

 

[Pharmaboy]

Rather partial to Audio-gd R2R DAC/amps. Currently the R-27.

Note-to-Self: Get Auteur like this one; go skiing.

 

[jinxy245]

Thanks jinxy245! The SE has the same dimensions. I'll add height, 7" with wiring considered. The height is a consideration if you're using shelving. The upward facing plug/rca jacks make my wires stick up pretty high. I tried some 90 degree adapters but the rca ones would cut in/out when tapping the unit, and the power adapter introduced hum. So i just ditched them all and plug straight in now. It drives my ocd through the roof but i've learned to deal with it.

My pleasure. I usually leave out the height since it's dependent on tube choice, socket savers, adapters or whatever else crazy schemes you might dream up...excellent point about the jacks & such. FWIW, the 90 degree angle adapters I got had no problems ( https://www.ebay.com/itm/291164299054 ) YMMV of course.

 

[skhan007]

I do know the RME/THX combo though, and think that would be a very nice setup for an Atticus/Aeolus (twins). It's neutral, fast, a touch bright (the THX not the RME), and overall really clean/powerful. The twins imo do really well with that kind of setup. The brightness from the THX will give them more air up top, and help with the thickness in the midbass. I had a THX briefly and thought it was very decent with my Atticus. For an Auteur or Verite though my worry is treble fatigue. But I am VERY treble sensitive overall.

I just read the THX 887 thread and there were several RME ADI-2 owners that seemed happy with the set up. At least one or two guys were running ZMF headphones. I read your comments about treble fatigue, but do you think that the EQ in the ADI-2 could smooth things out? Just curious, as I’m thinking the 887 is cost-effective, stacks well with the RME, and might be a viable option.

 

[soundchaos]

Thanks both for measuring and the dimensions! Trying to see where this can fit on my desk I just sold a guitar amp I wasn’t expecting to, so some funds have opened up. VO LTD and a pendant might be getting ordered...

 

[dematted]

Does this thread have any posts that list favorite amp choices for the Auteur? What have you tried? What did you like? I did a search and there was a thread in 2018 that only had two replies, so I was hoping we could generate some suggestions for amps that pair well.

I'll go first:

I listened to my Auteur at the HiFi shop through the absolutely glorious MicroZOTL MZ2 tube amp. Glorious, I tell you!! Maybe someday.

https://www.lineartubeaudio.com/products/mz2mz2-s

Here's my tier list, as I've now listened to the auteur on a variety of amplifiers.

S Tier

ZMF Pendant: Best I've ever heard the Auteur: rich and euphonic, but also hard-hitting, detailed, and snappy, with tons of tonal contrast and fun-factor. The most engaging amp on this list.

A Tier

ECP DSHA-3F: Really, really excellent. Smooth, fluid, addicting sound. The most detailed and resolving of microdynamics of any amp on this list. But lacking just a bit in bass impact, ultimate macrodynamic punch, and overall body.
SW51+: A lot like the Pendant, at a fifth of the price. What you lose is bass quality, staging, and ability to roll a variety of tubes. But really, this is by far the best value amp on this list.

B Tier

DNA Sonett 2: A little too relaxed for the Auteur, but a very pleasant, warm sound, with generally solid technicalities and fantastic sense of staging and microdynamic nuance.

C Tier

Lyr 3: Just didn't match well. Didn't much like the Auteur on this.
Magni 3+: Better than the other two here, but still nothing special.
Schiit Asgard 3: This amp didn't really do much to correct any of the Auteur's weaknesses, and made it sound sleepy and dull.

Overall, if you have money to spend, I would recommend pairing the Auteur with the Pendant and a more neutral dac. That was, in my opinion, the best I've heard the Auteur. If you're on a budget, look for the SW51+ or possibly (if you're not an SBAF member or don't have access to the amp) a Valhalla 2. If you really want a solid state, I'd recommend the ECP DSHA-3F, though I really do think Auteur pairs -best- with neutral tube amps. This means either ultralinear stuff or more neutral SET designs. I'd generally avoid OTL's, as many of them are a little gooey and smoothed over (like the Feliks stuff), which doesn't match well with the Auteurs inherent timbral wetness (Too much of a good thing). If you don't want to "tighten up" the transients and general wetness of the Auteur, you can look instead at something like the Starlett, which is (from what I've read) similar to the Sonett 2 but a big, big step up in most categories. Jot 2 should also be a worthy SS competitor at its pricepoint, though I haven't heard the pairing myself.

 

[LCMusicLover]

you sure can bro. In case you havent, you can try to cap mod for the LP as well as use 12au7 tubes (with adapters) in the LP to make it sound like a completely different amp. Right now i am using it to drive my Auteur and i have yet to hear a better 3d/ holographic soundstage out of any headphones in my collection.

I’ve done both. Cap mod is great, and I have 12au7 adapters.

I wasn’t suggesting anything negative about LP, which I like so much that I own 2, both cap-modded, one running 12au7s and the other running 6DJ8s. Just talking about how tube rolling in tube-hybrid amps has less effect on the signature than tube rolling in ‘full tube’ amps.

BTW, DSHA-3F w/ amorphous transformers produces great headstage from all my cans.

 

[LCMusicLover]

For me the Universe Suede have a certain magic to them, certainly in making the Verite more of a 3D/enveloping experience.

Others say the same about pairing w/ Verite, but I didn’t like them w/ Auteur. They’re really good on my HE-560s though.

 

[jonathan c]

you sure can bro. In case you havent, you can try to cap mod for the LP as well as use 12au7 tubes (with adapters) in the LP to make it sound like a completely different amp. Right now i am using it to drive my Auteur and i have yet to hear a better 3d/ holographic soundstage out of any headphones in my collection.

You can also go one step further with an external linear power supply (besides the capacitor modifications + 12AU7s). Wonderful with the Auteur! and the Auteur is wonderful with the “LP+”! (...tubes are Brimar CV4003...
a 12AU7 type)

 

[LoryWiv]

Here's my tier list, as I've now listened to the auteur on a variety of amplifiers.

S Tier

... I'd generally avoid OTL's, as many of them are a little gooey and smoothed over (like the Feliks stuff), which doesn't match well with the Auteurs inherent timbral wetness (Too much of a good thing).

Fair enough, @dematted and I appreciate that you hear the combination that way, but it illustrates how variable our impressions can be and dependant upon other aspects of our audio chain. In mine, Auteur & Feliks Elise OTL is sublime, definitely not gooey or overly wet. In addition, Elise-Auteur it is very responsive to tube rolling and it has been great fun (albeit a bit spend-y) to seek and find different enjoyable combinations and synergies. I have some fairly lean and bright sounding vintage Sylvania driver tubes in now and gooey is the last word I'd use to describe the sound.