[Hansotek]

Gooey to me generally means an overly thick sound, possibly in the mids, sometimes accompanied by slow or overly bloomy bass. Small nuances in the music are glossed over.

The WA6SE is a good amp. I'd take it over much of their higher priced amps. Still a little over-priced new, but good sounding.

That makes sense, I guess I generally think of "gooey" as warm and thick - but consider it more of a neutral characteristic (as in not necessarily positive or negative... not "neutral" the sound signature). Slow, bloomy and lacking in nuance are certainly the first problems out the gate if a warm/gooey amp isn't done right.

I'm not sure either one of us is right or wrong. I blame the english language for giving us the same adjective to describe both caramel and snot.

 

[Gym_Turtle]

How immersive is the sound of the Auteur? Does it send a “wall of sound” to your ears, for example?

 

[givemetacos]

How immersive is the sound of the Auteur? Does it send a “wall of sound” to your ears, for example?

I usually use that phrase "wall of sound" when describing planars. Something about the size of the drivers and the way it forces sound at you, though I think it also does so at the expense of feeling more compressed in presentation. I haven't really loved many planars. The Auteur does not sound like a planar in case that is what you are looking for. It sounds like a really good dynamic. I have said in the past that in terms of general feel and vibe of Auteur that it is closest to the Sennheisers HD6X0.

 

[Gym_Turtle]

I usually use that phrase "wall of sound" when describing planars. Something about the size of the drivers and the way it forces sound at you, though I think it also does so at the expense of feeling more compressed in presentation. I haven't really loved many planars. The Auteur does not sound like a planar in case that is what you are looking for. It sounds like a really good dynamic. I have said in the past that in terms of general feel and vibe of Auteur that it is closest to the Sennheisers HD6X0.

I just wanted to know how well it stacks up in terms of sound immersion. The sound signature based on impressions seems perfect. Besides, I already purchased one, I just want to prepare myself for when nobody rings my doorbell and I have to pick it up at the post office.

 

[jinrawke]

Thanks for the detailed reviews @cskippy and @grizzlybeast . I completely forgot about these since I've been playing around with my Focal Clear and Aeon Flow Opens.

What's funny is I've been rotating between the Clear, AFO, and HD650 and I find my self... reaching for the HD650 more often than I would think. They are just so easy to throw own during long work sessions on the comp, whereas the other 2 fatigue me after some time. If the Auteur really are like an upgraded HD650....

Where are people buying theirs? Directly from ZMF site or somewhere else? It also looks like I would be too late for that preorder price....

 

[givemetacos]

Thanks for the detailed reviews @cskippy and @grizzlybeast . I completely forgot about these since I've been playing around with my Focal Clear and Aeon Flow Opens.

What's funny is I've been rotating between the Clear, AFO, and HD650 and I find my self... reaching for the HD650 more often than I would think. They are just so easy to throw own during long work sessions on the comp, whereas the other 2 fatigue me after some time. If the Auteur really are like an upgraded HD650....

Where are people buying theirs? Directly from ZMF site or somewhere else? It also looks like I would be too late for that preorder price....

Coincidentally enough, there was just a recent discussion about Auteur vs Clear in the Clear thread. @boxxi gave this comparison:
"After listening to the Clears today here are my short impressions:

Gear used- Chord Dave, Mass Kobo 394ii.
I will use the ZMF Auteur to compare against the clear, as it is my go-to balabced headphone.

Excellent detail retrieval here, on par with auteur here, with 60% of the tracks, the Auteur edges out. I do notice that the highs are not as extended on the clear. The clear has a,well, clearer instrument presentation, clean and precise. Thinner than the Auteur, but it is no HD800. Soundstage and imaging is a notch up from the Auteur as well, well defined instrument boundaries and delineation, with a slightly etherial-estat-like presentation; a rather impressive feat, compared to the auteur which has a fatter presentation - each instrument takes up more space on the stage and sometimes overlap. The soundstage depth is as deep/even deeper than the auteur.

Impressive dynamics- macro and micro. I heard some artifacting from the clear at loud volumes, could be the amp, YMWV. Very punchy sounding headphone, good impact, slightly edges out the Auteur. Transients are faster here, with quicker decays. I prefer the more natural, slower decay of the Auteur.

Tonality- As mentioned, clean, grain-free. Slight mid-bass and treble hump. Bass is well extended and the slight emphasis in mid bass can be quite pleasing. Sub bass rumble is not as satisfying as Auteur. Clear sometimes lack the natural timbre of instruments such as violins, guitars and it is especially apparent in piano recordings because of its refined presentation, but gains in clarity of delivery. Woodwinds and drums lack body just slightly, compared to the Auteur which has more body and oomph to each note. Depending on your preference on how organic you want your music to be, I prefer the Auteur. The treble is well balanced on the Clear, but on poor recordings it can make you wince a little, which is not the case with Auteur. Mids are more laid back, versus the more aggressive mids of the Auteur, i had to reach for the volume knob on the clears more often.

Overall, a great headphone at this price range, striking a good balance between Elear and Utopia. Amazing comfort and accessories set. This headphone will appeal to those looking for a HD800S with better imaging and more forgiving tonality at a slightly lower price. Its flexibility with various genres also makes this appealing. In the end, I Will still reach for the auteur given my penchant for slightly darker headphones but damn the clears come close. Both headphones being worth the money, it is only a matter of chocolate or vanilla."


My response earlier today was this:
"I was also a ZMF Auteur reviewer and those are my main headphones along with ZMF Atticus, HD800, and HD6XX. I got a chance to audition Clear and I agree with this assessment. I think Auteur and Clear are both worth their respective prices and I think they are complements to each other rather than competing against each other. The Auteur to me follows along the general feel and vibe of the HD6x0 series. It is really about that smooth, musical, and natural sound. Very thick with body and coherent in tone with a ton of resolution and technicalities that are present, but not in your face. It really nails that forward mid range and vocals with excellent timbre and refined tonal balance.

The Clear sounds very much in line with the Elear and Utopia's Focal house sound, and similar to how I hear Beyerdynamics. The focus is more on that quick speed that creates a dynamic and punchy sound. Some people might consider that thin, but I think of it more as crisp and edgy. It isn't as natural sounding as Auteur but it is more exciting and fun. Those characteristics make it a visceral experience. It is a far more aggressive type of sound, though less so than Elear.

I think if you are a fan of the Sennheiser HD6X0 series headphones, the Auteur is much more of a direct upgrade to that line and I think it is one of the only headphones I have heard that sort of does everything those do, but even better, and the first headphone that makes me not feel the need to own an HD6X0 in my collection. But if you like those headphones and want a complement that does something different, the Clear is a better choice. Similarly, if you found the HD6X0s to be too laid back and boring, you would probably favor the sound of Clear over Auteur. And just like the HD6X0 headphone gets recommended so much because it is just a really pleasing listen and a safe bet, that is how I feel the Auteur is. I think the Clear could be a more polarizing headphone in sort of the same way the HD800 is. But for those that do like that sound, they will love it. If I could only own 1 headphone as an all rounder I would probably choose Auteur. But I am planning to pick up a Clear myself if they drop under $1k used as it would be a great complement to my collection."

 

[Gym_Turtle]

Thanks for the detailed reviews @cskippy and @grizzlybeast . I completely forgot about these since I've been playing around with my Focal Clear and Aeon Flow Opens.

What's funny is I've been rotating between the Clear, AFO, and HD650 and I find my self... reaching for the HD650 more often than I would think. They are just so easy to throw own during long work sessions on the comp, whereas the other 2 fatigue me after some time. If the Auteur really are like an upgraded HD650....

Where are people buying theirs? Directly from ZMF site or somewhere else? It also looks like I would be too late for that preorder price....

I purchased mine from the ZMF site even though I live in Canada because Hivemind Cables didn’t sell the standard cable at 9’ and only sold 5.5’ variants.

 

[jinrawke]

@givemetacos

I actually did read those posts, which lead me to here. I've been struggling to justify if I really do need the 3 headphones (HD650, Clear, AFO). I've made the decision today that the AFO is going to go first.

Once I got my Clear in, I was constantly swapping back and forth them and the AFO. Very different sound between the 2 yet I was leaning towards the Clear because I started gravitating towards it's larger soundstage. The thing with these 2, and I didn't realize it until I got my Mjolnir2 in a few days ago, that I forgot about the HD650s and remembered reading about how well they pair with the Mjolnir2.

I also found that I was getting fatigued by both the Clear and AFO. At first, I ruled it out as 'my ears just need to get used to it' but after over 2 weeks, I don't think that's the case. I've also been listening at much lower volumes to see if that was the case as well.

Like you mentioned, the HD650 is just oh so easy to listen to and I can throw them on while I sit at work for hours at a time.

 

[jinrawke]

I purchased mine from the ZMF site even though I live in Canada because Hivemind Cables didn’t sell the standard cable at 9’ and only sold 5.5’ variants.

Ah nice - I would've gotten from the ZMF site but I missed out on the preorder price Checking with my dealer to see what they have.

 

[givemetacos]

@givemetacos

I actually did read those posts, which lead me to here. I've been struggling to justify if I really do need the 3 headphones (HD650, Clear, AFO). I've made the decision today that the AFO is going to go first.

Once I got my Clear in, I was constantly swapping back and forth them and the AFO. Very different sound between the 2 yet I was leaning towards the Clear because I started gravitating towards it's larger soundstage. The thing with these 2, and I didn't realize it until I got my Mjolnir2 in a few days ago, that I forgot about the HD650s and remembered reading about how well they pair with the Mjolnir2.

I also found that I was getting fatigued by both the Clear and AFO. At first, I ruled it out as 'my ears just need to get used to it' but after over 2 weeks, I don't think that's the case. I've also been listening at much lower volumes to see if that was the case as well.

Like you mentioned, the HD650 is just oh so easy to listen to and I can throw them on while I sit at work for hours at a time.

Yeah the Auteur is a bit brighter than HD650 with as it has fully extended treble, but it isn't as sharp sounding as the Clear. If fatigue is a big concern for you at all, you actually might really like the Atticus as well. Very similar type of gently rolled treble like HD650 and just super lush and warm mids, but the bass absolutely slams. Just a really easy headphone to listen to for long sessions.

 

[rhenom]

I ended up ordering the Blackwood Auteur's. Pretty excited to see how they turn out. You can debate audio quality all day, and I'm sure these do sound great, but I love the wood look on ZMF headphones that you can't get from Focal Clear's, AFO, or HD800 S.

 

[jinrawke]

Yeah the Auteur is a bit brighter than HD650 with as it has fully extended treble, but it isn't as sharp sounding as the Clear. If fatigue is a big concern for you at all, you actually might really like the Atticus as well. Very similar type of gently rolled treble like HD650 and just super lush and warm mids, but the bass absolutely slams. Just a really easy headphone to listen to for long sessions.

Thanks for the advice! The clear is right at the border for me. For most music it's fine but there are those tracks that are just mastered so 'hot' (Michael Jackson's remastered albums for example). I'm going to take that bet that the Auteur smooth it out enough for me.

I ended up ordering the Blackwood Auteur's. Pretty excited to see how they turn out. You can debate audio quality all day, and I'm sure these do sound great, but I love the wood look on ZMF headphones that you can't get from Focal Clear's, AFO, or HD800 S.

Agreed. I just ended up ordering the Blackwoods as well. The craftsmanship on these look fantastic.

 

[mwhals]

I also have the Blackwood on order after switching to it from Teak.

 

[Vicks7]

I also have the Blackwood on order after switching to it from Teak.

Why the switch?

 

[mwhals]

I also have the Blackwood on order after switching to it from Teak.

Why the switch?

Because it gives me a different look compared to my Cherry Eikon, Paddock Atticus and Coffee Stained Zebrawood Ori.