[LCMusicLover]

...I have everything as stock. Flat cable and perforated pads...

Originally, Auteur came with two sets of perforated lambskin pads, Auteur and Eikon. Auteur are brighter, so maybe swap to the Eikon pads? Also, the perforated suede pads tend to reduce treble a bit compared to Auteur perf lambskin. Just sayin'.

Based on your music and reaction to the Auteur I think the Aeolus is going to be the better fit for you...

Agreed

...The Auteur excels with classical and jazz for me but not rock ...

So disagree regarding Auteur playing rock. For me, Auteur is a great all-arounder, and is a delight w/ classic rock (Tull, Stones, Who, Santana, Traffic, Clash...I could go on and on).

And they are the greatest Deadphones (headphones for listening to the Grateful Dead) in the universe. I don't even have a strong second-place candidate -- RAD-0 came closest.

JMHO of course

 

[erics75]

Originally, Auteur came with two sets of perforated lambskin pads, Auteur and Eikon. Auteur are brighter, so maybe swap to the Eikon pads? Also, the perforated suede pads tend to reduce treble a bit compared to Auteur perf lambskin. Just sayin'.

Agreed

So disagree regarding Auteur playing rock. For me, Auteur is a great all-arounder, and is a delight w/ classic rock (Tull, Stones, Who, Santana, Traffic, Clash...I could go on and on).

And they are the greatest Deadphones (headphones for listening to the Grateful Dead) in the universe. I don't even have a strong second-place candidate -- RAD-0 came closest.

JMHO of course

I do agree we’ll recorded rock is really good on them like Pink Floyd etc. I’m a bit more treble sensitive than most I think which is why I adore the Atticus and Aeolus so much.

 

[adityadubey]

And they are the greatest Deadphones (headphones for listening to the Grateful Dead) in the universe.

I did notice that they do play the Greatful Dead beautifully and would be inclined to agree with this statement. Also great for CCR, while we're talking classic rock.

 

[LCMusicLover]

I do agree we’ll recorded rock is really good on them like Pink Floyd etc. I’m a bit more treble sensitive than most I think which is why I adore the Atticus and Aeolus so much.

And apparently I'm not so treble-sensitive. The fact that I prefer the Auteur perf lamb pads to the Eikon confirms this. Mind, the rest of my chain probably leans a bit warm, especially when I listen from my Liquid Platinum w/ Siemens tubes.

 

[jonathan c]

So disagree regarding Auteur playing rock. For me, Auteur is a great all-arounder, and is a delight w/ classic rock (Tull, Stones, Who, Santana, Traffic, Clash...I could go on and on).

. While mostly jazz/R&B in my library (Auteur is A-1 for that), I have a few rock classics. The Auteur is a revelation on ‘live’ goodies such as: Allman Bros Live at the Fillmore, Get Yer Yas-Yas Out, Live at Leeds, Humble Pie Rocking the Fillmore...

 

[AngryTank]

Based on your music and reaction to the Auteur I think the Aeolus is going to be the better fit for you. For the genres you like I mainly use my Atticus which sounds mostly the same as the Aeolus. It’sa smoother and less fatiguing listen. The Auteur excels with classical and jazz for me but not rock or metal.

another option is a tube amp if you’re willing to go that route. ZMF and tubes are incredibly synergistic. With the right tubes you can smooth out the Auteurs treble while retaining its lovely tonality.

I wholeheartedly agree that tubes fixed this issue for me too, I had to not have the volume up as high as I was used to when trying to first get used to the signature of the Auteur.

 

[pastorernie]

I don’t think the Auteur is bright at all. I switched to the Eikon perforated suede not longer after purchase and never looked back. Warmish and balanced off of the ZMF Pendant SE, natural timbre.

 

[jarredp1993]

Been a while since I posted but just wanted to provide an update! I’m about 5 months into ownership now and I can still wholeheartedly say that my Auteur’s have changed my appreciation for music (so much so that I’ve started to learn guitar)!

I hadn’t listened to them for a couple weeks, or anything really, due to some craziness at work. After putting them on and listening to Dreaming by Smallpools (not even a super Hi-Fi type song), I was put back into my little, amazing musical world and don’t want to leave again.

After probably 100 hours, it feels like these are finally burned in with what I perceive as a wider soundstage and tighter micro dynamics. Overall, I still wholeheartedly recommend the Auteurs and I hope one day to amplify (sorry for the pun) my source chain to really make these pop even more.

Thanks for literally changing my appreciation and love of music @zach915m and @BooUrns!

 

[erics75]

I don’t think the Auteur is bright at all. I switched to the Eikon perforated suede not longer after purchase and never looked back. Warmish and balanced off of the ZMF Pendant SE, natural timbre.

The Auteur-Pendant SE combo is stellar. I totally agree that combo is so natural sounding. Where I start to fatigue with the Auteur is on neutral solid state amps. Do you use high or low z? I love the high z for its warmer tilt.

 

[LoryWiv]

Auteur + OTL tube headphone amplifier (BHC, Woo WA3...) = . Also, use good hp cables: copper/silver mix is great (Norne Vykari, etc.).

Would add Feliks-Audio. I use F-A Elise to drive Auteur and treble is extended but not fatiguing at all.

 

[adityadubey]

Been a while since I posted but just wanted to provide an update! I’m about 5 months into ownership now and I can still wholeheartedly say that my Auteur’s have changed my appreciation for music (so much so that I’ve started to learn guitar)!

I hadn’t listened to them for a couple weeks, or anything really, due to some craziness at work. After putting them on and listening to Dreaming by Smallpools (not even a super Hi-Fi type song), I was put back into my little, amazing musical world and don’t want to leave again.

After probably 100 hours, it feels like these are finally burned in with what I perceive as a wider soundstage and tighter micro dynamics. Overall, I still wholeheartedly recommend the Auteurs and I hope one day to amplify (sorry for the pun) my source chain to really make these pop even more.

Thanks for literally changing my appreciation and love of music @zach915m and @BooUrns!

Wenge Auteur Hi(gh)-Fi(ve)!

 

[jarredp1993]

Wenge Auteur Hi(gh)-Fi(ve)!

Awesome set!

 

[DenverW]

Wenge Auteur Hi(gh)-Fi(ve)!

Love it! Auteurs, a whole shelf of books and a Capri sun. Man after my own heart.

 

[Varmint Cong]

My Auteurs finally came in this week and I have been completely smitten. They are exactly what I was looking for and make a great all-arounder. I have been pleased with just about everything that I've listened to through them. I was a bit worried about how they would handle metal, but they have been great so far. I'm listening to Opeth's "Blackwater Park" as I type this and I cannot quit grinning like an idiot. They replaced an LCD-2 and I couldn't be happier. The darkness of the LCD-2 just did not jive well with my ears, but these are unadulterated bliss. One of my biggest complaints with the LCD-2 was how banjos sounded through them, but the Auteurs handle them easily. Bluegrass and folk are especially engaging through the Auteur. They sound so natural...as if they were made for my ears. I have been listening to records nonstop. Vinyl+tubes+Auteur = my new raison d'etre. I'm still trying to decide which pads I like best, but I'm leaning towards the Auteur perf. lambskin. The Eikon suede are probably a close second, with the Eikon perf. lambskin being in last place (for now). Honestly, I could live with these as my sole pair of headphones if needed.

 

[arftech]

My Auteurs finally came in this week and I have been completely smitten. They are exactly what I was looking for and make a great all-arounder. I have been pleased with just about everything that I've listened to through them. I was a bit worried about how they would handle metal, but they have been great so far. I'm listening to Opeth's "Blackwater Park" as I type this and I cannot quit grinning like an idiot. They replaced an LCD-2 and I couldn't be happier. The darkness of the LCD-2 just did not jive well with my ears, but these are unadulterated bliss. One of my biggest complaints with the LCD-2 was how banjos sounded through them, but the Auteurs handle them easily. Bluegrass and folk are especially engaging through the Auteur. They sound so natural...as if they were made for my ears. I have been listening to records nonstop. Vinyl+tubes+Auteur = my new raison d'etre. I'm still trying to decide which pads I like best, but I'm leaning towards the Auteur perf. lambskin. The Eikon suede are probably a close second, with the Eikon perf. lambskin being in last place (for now). Honestly, I could live with these as my sole pair of headphones if needed.

Congratulations. They are indeed awesome and in fact they’re so awesome that I‘m selling my teak pair because my Cocobolo with dark stain came in on yesterday. The brass finish is simply superb.

Eventually, the plan is to acquire a pair of the VC as this will go perfect with my open Auteurs. This hobby of ours can be expensive to participate in but having the opportunity to listen to your favorite music is the reward.