[gLer]

i'm considering trading my atticus with eikon... do you think it would be an improvment?? i love the atticus voices , maybe eikon is better due to it's superior driver

I was pondering the same thing, although I do love my Atticus. Why do you consider the Eikon to have a superior driver?

 

[Taverius]

i'm considering trading my atticus with eikon... do you think it would be an improvment?? i love the atticus voices , maybe eikon is better due to it's superior driver

Only if you don't like Atticus for some reason.

They're complimentary cans by design; one is a take at neutrality, the other gives the finger to neutrality while driving away in a cool car, towards the sunset

Jokes aside, a lot of reviewers got to listen to both and chose to buy just one ... split seems roughly 50/50 (totally non-scientific tallying) with another 50/50 split in people regretting their choice as incorrect.

Bottom line, how often do you wish you had a more neutral headphone?

 

[lentoviolento]

I was pondering the same thing, although I do love my Atticus. Why do you consider the Eikon to have a superior driver?

I was pondering the same thing, although I do love my Atticus. Why do you consider the Eikon to have a superior driver?

it's a more expensive and biocellulose driver.. i don't think it's only a matter of tuning...

 

[lentoviolento]

Only if you don't like Atticus for some reason.

They're complimentary cans by design; one is a take at neutrality, the other gives the finger to neutrality while driving away in a cool car, towards the sunset

Jokes aside, a lot of reviewers got to listen to both and chose to buy just one ... split seems roughly 50/50 (totally non-scientific tallying) with another 50/50 split in people regretting their choice as incorrect.

Bottom line, how often do you wish you had a more neutral headphone?

i am not a fan of extreme neutrality but an headfier told me that eikon is even more punchier because the bass doesn't bleed in the mids...

 

[gLer]

i am not a fan of extreme neutrality but an headfier told me that eikon is even more punchier because the bass doesn't bleed in the mids...

I also thought the Atticus wasn’t punchy enough, until I tried it with the new Audio-GD R2R-11 dac/amp. Not sure what it’s doing to the Atticus, but it’s almost as punchy as my old Fostex TH-X00. Until that point I was also considering getting the Eikon instead, for its greater sub bass emphasis, but no longer. Also the Eikon is said to have more peaky treble with some sources, and if there’s one thing I can’t tolerate it’s peaky treble.

By the way the Atticus bass doesn’t bleed into the mids - at least not mine - and definitely not as much as the Fostex (which again only displayed mild bloom/bleed in the lower mids). Atticus mids are as clear as day and sweet and silk regardless of what the bass is doing. That’s actually my favorite feature. Without it, it would be just another bass-emphasized V-can, which it certainly is not.

 

[lentoviolento]

i have r2r too. it sounds super smooth and punchy you are right. the mids are almost like you can touch the singer. i had some mid fi cans like lcdx ,lcd2,he560,hd650,hd600 etc etc but these are the best mids ever heard. even lcd2c or aeon open are not so good in the mids.
i still prefer the piercing bass of afo over atticus but atticus is however punchy.
maybe i will skip eikon because i also can't stand peaky treble or sibilance. maybe one day if i have enough money i'll try the auteur...........

 

[gLer]

i have r2r too. it sounds super smooth and punchy you are right. the mids are almost like you can touch the singer. i had some mid fi cans like lcdx ,lcd2,he560,hd650,hd600 etc etc but these are the best mids ever heard. even lcd2c or aeon open are not so good in the mids.
i still prefer the piercing bass of afo over atticus but atticus is however punchy.
maybe i will skip eikon because i also can't stand peaky treble or sibilance. maybe one day if i have enough money i'll try the auteur...........

I agree - Atticus mids are on another level. I do find my LCD-2F more punchy in the sub-bass but the Atticus is more punchy overall and has better/more natural mids and more refined highs. They are each suited to different genres. If I were to get the Auteur one day it would replace the LCD not the Atticus. An Auteur/Atticus combination must be incredible!

 

[zach915m]

i am not a fan of extreme neutrality but an headfier told me that eikon is even more punchier because the bass doesn't bleed in the mids...

It may be worth trying Eikon suede or Ori suede pads if you want a little lower (in HZ and amount) bass "hump," the suede pushes the bass hump down a few HZ and makes the headphones a touch more neutral. Worth trying before you switch headphones at least IMHO. Eikon suede and Ori suede sound very similar on the Atticus, I slightly prefer the Eikon suede for the greater surface area.

 

[Pharmaboy]

I'm actually on the fence between my (Teak) Auteur and (Padauk) Eikon. I do love both of them.
They sound different. The Eikon is more direct sounding, with very nice liquid textured images. I kind of focus on the individual components (instruments and vocals) of the Eikon, and it's kind of awesome, with natural vocals and instruments.
With the Auteur, the spaciousness and musical space and positioning in all directions is more prevalent and evident, with less individual focus on the the vocals and instruments. But the texture and liquidity of each musical object is still very fine and natural and liquid (especially vocals).
So it's the focus that changes, and I can't decide which is better. When I want to really hear a particular singer or instrument close up, I choose the Eikon.
When I want a broader whole-venue perspective, I prefer the Auteur.

I don't think you were aiming for "audio reviewer-level profound" here, but IMO, that's what you just did. This is one of the best, most illustrative explanations of closed vs open that I ever read.

it's also a necessity to read this post for anyone who loves the Eikon, but hasn't pulled the trigger on one yet--and is also highly interested in the Auteur, though put way off by the pricing (...uhh, that'd be me).

 

[lentoviolento]

It may be worth trying Eikon suede or Ori suede pads if you want a little lower (in HZ and amount) bass "hump," the suede pushes the bass hump down a few HZ and makes the headphones a touch more neutral. Worth trying before you switch headphones at least IMHO. Eikon suede and Ori suede sound very similar on the Atticus, I slightly prefer the Eikon suede for the greater surface area.

mmm... interesting! where i can buy eikon suede pads?

 

[heliosphann]

mmm... interesting! where i can buy eikon suede pads?

They're available directly from ZMF.

 

[lentoviolento]

i don't want to look like a foo. but i can't see eikon suede pads... are the same thing of zmf suede pads?

 

[LCMusicLover]

i don't want to look like a foo. but i can't see eikon suede pads... are the same thing of zmf suede pads?

Yes. If you go to the order page for the zmf suede pads, there are two 'Pad Type' options, Ori and Eikon

 

[lentoviolento]

aaaah! thank you
i'm reading that they reduce mid bass...

 

[Redmetal1897]

Great review!

https://headfonics.com/2018/02/zmf-auteur-review/

Eagerly awaiting canjam and more impressions