[Rhinomyte76]

FYI for those trying out different cables on the Auteur, wanted to give my 2 cents for what its worth:

Using Aueteurs w. stock cable and Kenzie amp with Auteur pads. Sounded great but wanted to eek out a little more high end due to my own personal preferences.

I like building my own cables and I need them to be 9 feet, so often DIY is how I roll.

Got some Neotech OCC AG-GD Silver/Gold 26 AWG Cryo Treated.

Screwed up the litz braid in a couple places, but other than that, physically its rock solid.

Now...as to the effect. Initially, the highs definitely seemed more present, and I could pick up passages in that range more easily that seemed to be less pronounced on the Auteurs compared to brighter or airier cans. However, I was initially worried because it was a little shrill by comparison, and the lack of this shrillness is one thing I love about the Auteurs. I could hear the track noise on older or less well mastered recordings more too. Good to pick up detail, but not the detail you are looking for. So I've done a 50 hour burn in with Pink noise and wow, what a difference. BTW this is someone who has always been on the fence regarding the effects of burn in, and I don't want this post to cause the thread to devolve, so lets leave sleeping dogs lie on that. Things have settled down a lot. The high end is still there to the extent that I am picking up texture with cymbals and shakers etc that was less pronounced. The big suprise is the bass. Tighter, and it didn't lose any presence. I am happier than I was before!

I was skeptical of confirmation bias, so I did an A B comparison, switching cables with the same track parts. I can tell you, to my ears, it is for real. I have made a lot of cables for a lot of cans and have never heard so much of a difference in sound from just heaphone cables. In my mind, this is not about the cable, as what people look for in their sound is a matter of personal preference. I can say that for me it was an improvement. It just shows that the cans are of such a quality that you can really hear the differences in the peripheral elements that you apply. Thanks again to Zach and the crew at ZMF. You really have a winner.

 

[wazzupi]

is it still weird I can't figure out the eikon to the auteur pads <.<

 

[hikaru12]

is it still weird I can't figure out the eikon to the auteur pads <.<

Just look for the smaller wider opening and you can easily find the difference. The auteur is longer and narrower.

 

[ZenErik]

Wouldn't be a bad idea to have some sort of marking inside each pad that says which version it is just to avoid confusion. It isn't too hard for me to tell, but they are very similar regardless.

 

[wazzupi]

Just look for the smaller wider opening and you can easily find the difference. The auteur is longer and narrower.

i think i figured a way to tell on mine auteurs are flatter near the fatter part of the pad if you look across from them it's flat and the eikon is rounder ?!?!?!?!

 

[cskippy]

That's what I look at, the Eikon pads are round on the ear side. Zach also mentioned the Eikon pads have a smaller ear opening.

 

[wazzupi]

That's what I look at, the Eikon pads are round on the ear side. Zach also mentioned the Eikon pads have a smaller ear opening.

not gonna lie mine look the same LMAO I dont know why !!

 

[cskippy]

I mean...if they both just look like ear pads to you then whatevs hahahaha

 

[HatIsMyFriend]

Could you tell me more about your experience with the ADI-2 and the Auteur? It’s my main amp/dac at the moment for the Focal Clear, but it would be awesome if the ADI matched nicely with the Auteur too.

I was trying it side-by-side with a Soekis 1541, for context.

Overall, it's a clean, dead-flat DAC. Soekris seemed warm by comparison. In consequence, it was rather plain and unexciting. Reminded me of the Gilmore Lite, in fact. I loved the detail for awhile, then it just grew tiring. Auteur just has no innate 'fun' to the sound to me, it needs something to colour in the high or low ends, unless you happen to like a warmish-neutral sound as it is.

The amp section of the RME is sufficient, but a standalone amplifier would be appreciated. While I didn't hook it up to any amp with Auteur, I did listen to the STAX L700 through 353x. Can imagine that a Gilmore Lite with it would be incredibly clean and unaltered, but could be just a chore to listen to.

 

[HatIsMyFriend]

not gonna lie mine look the same LMAO I dont know why !!

I know someone who received mismatched pads; a pair consisting of one Eikon pad, and one Auteur pad. Might want to make sure you didn't get two auteur pairs by accident.

 

[jgwtriode]

FYI for those trying out different cables on the Auteur, wanted to give my 2 cents for what its worth:

Using Aueteurs w. stock cable and Kenzie amp with Auteur pads. Sounded great but wanted to eek out a little more high end due to my own personal preferences.

I like building my own cables and I need them to be 9 feet, so often DIY is how I roll.

Got some Neotech OCC AG-GD Silver/Gold 26 AWG Cryo Treated.

Screwed up the litz braid in a couple places, but other than that, physically its rock solid.

Now...as to the effect. Initially, the highs definitely seemed more present, and I could pick up passages in that range more easily that seemed to be less pronounced on the Auteurs compared to brighter or airier cans. However, I was initially worried because it was a little shrill by comparison, and the lack of this shrillness is one thing I love about the Auteurs. I could hear the track noise on older or less well mastered recordings more too. Good to pick up detail, but not the detail you are looking for. So I've done a 50 hour burn in with Pink noise and wow, what a difference. BTW this is someone who has always been on the fence regarding the effects of burn in, and I don't want this post to cause the thread to devolve, so lets leave sleeping dogs lie on that. Things have settled down a lot. The high end is still there to the extent that I am picking up texture with cymbals and shakers etc that was less pronounced. The big suprise is the bass. Tighter, and it didn't lose any presence. I am happier than I was before!

I was skeptical of confirmation bias, so I did an A B comparison, switching cables with the same track parts. I can tell you, to my ears, it is for real. I have made a lot of cables for a lot of cans and have never heard so much of a difference in sound from just heaphone cables. In my mind, this is not about the cable, as what people look for in their sound is a matter of personal preference. I can say that for me it was an improvement. It just shows that the cans are of such a quality that you can really hear the differences in the peripheral elements that you apply. Thanks again to Zack and the crew at ZMF. You really have a winner.

This is the same cable I previously mentioned which I had Dave at Zenwave braid and Furutech for me! So hopefully another confirmation will wake a few of you up to the possibilities. Mine is not cryoed. But Take 5 Audio will do it for 35 bucks. I may try that after another 100 hrs of burn in. Burn in usually substantially cleans up and opens the highs amongst all the other aspects improving. That has always been my experience! This is awesome looking and sounding wire. It is not litz however. It's about 20 strands uninsulated which allows great flexibility...but there is a hint more grain perhaps then the same in solid core or possibly a true separately insulated multi hundred strand litz. I don't know of anyone doing this metallurgy in a litz wire. This is simply a standard quad bundle which still works very nicely. Nothing fancy just effective. Mine is a quad 24awg which perhaps adds a bit more punch and dynamics! Congrats on your diy cable and Happy Listening. What connectors did you use? I believe that at least a third of the sound is in the connectors. I like eidolics rhodium plated berylium copper or furutech rhodium plated alpha(OCC)copper or alpha phosphor bronze in xlr's!

Happy listening with your Auteurs!

Jgwtriode

 

[NickedWicked]

I was trying it side-by-side with a Soekis 1541, for context.

Overall, it's a clean, dead-flat DAC. Soekris seemed warm by comparison. In consequence, it was rather plain and unexciting. Reminded me of the Gilmore Lite, in fact. I loved the detail for awhile, then it just grew tiring. Auteur just has no innate 'fun' to the sound to me, it needs something to colour in the high or low ends, unless you happen to like a warmish-neutral sound as it is.

The amp section of the RME is sufficient, but a standalone amplifier would be appreciated. While I didn't hook it up to any amp with Auteur, I did listen to the STAX L700 through 353x. Can imagine that a Gilmore Lite with it would be incredibly clean and unaltered, but could be just a chore to listen to.

Thanks that helps a lot! I’ve heard some people say the ADI sounds a bit dull but EQ should help wonders with that, it’s what I do with the Clear as well, otherwise things would be a little too clean and boring like you said.

Now I just need to wait for a new limited wood to come out on the ZMF site so I can pick my poison from Zach.

 

[zach915m]

is it still weird I can't figure out the eikon to the auteur pads <.<

It's easier if you just look at the the thickness/width of the X axis (while facing you) of the pad. If you just look at that portion the thinner portion is always the auteur pad. I've attached an image to help with this too.

I know someone who received mismatched pads; a pair consisting of one Eikon pad, and one Auteur pad. Might want to make sure you didn't get two auteur pairs by accident.

We measure every single earpad with each specific headphone that goes out so that they match. My guess is what happened was that a single eikon pad was left on the headphone with a single auteur pad during the matching process. Sets of pads that come with your headphone should always be kept together, as every set of Eikon and Auteur pads is matched to each other as there are micro-variances among earpads so each set will sound best when used with it's respective mate.

 

[Rhinomyte76]

This is the same cable I previously mentioned which I had Dave at Zenwave braid and Furutech for me! So hopefully another confirmation will wake a few of you up to the possibilities. Mine is not cryoed. But Take 5 Audio will do it for 35 bucks. I may try that after another 100 hrs of burn in. Burn in usually substantially cleans up and opens the highs amongst all the other aspects improving. That has always been my experience! This is awesome looking and sounding wire. It is not litz however. It's about 20 strands uninsulated which allows great flexibility...but there is a hint more grain perhaps then the same in solid core or possibly a true separately insulated multi hundred strand litz. I don't know of anyone doing this metallurgy in a litz wire. This is simply a standard quad bundle which still works very nicely. Nothing fancy just effective. Mine is a quad 24awg which perhaps adds a bit more punch and dynamics! Congrats on your diy cable and Happy Listening. What connectors did you use? I believe that at least a third of the sound is in the connectors. I like eidolics rhodium plated berylium copper or furutech rhodium plated alpha(OCC)copper or alpha phosphor bronze in xlr's!

Happy listening with your Auteurs!

Jgwtriode

Stereo Jack: Furutech FT-763SM (R) http://www.furutech.com/2013/03/19/6102
R & L: Furutech FT-610mf http://www.furutech.com/2013/03/19/6098/

Just so you know, Furutech stereo jacks are a PITA when it comes to soldering in my opinion because you have to be very precise and careful not to burn the plastic dividing right and left channels, and ensure you do not have solder overflow that would connect them. I also find that I always need to heat things up hotter than I anticipated with them. If you have done some soldering, you will be fine, but not suggested given the challenges and expense and if you screw up for a first timer. The 4 pin mini xlrs on the other hand were super easy with how they come apart. Definitely recommended. I have used eidolic in the past but didn't personally care for their plastic outer housing.

 

[Redmetal1897]

We measure every single earpad with each specific headphone that goes out so that they match. Sets of pads that come with your headphone should always be kept together, as every set of Eikon and Auteur pads is matched to each other as there are micro-variances among earpads so each set will sound best when used with it's respective mate.

Amazing. Difference for my ones are pretty obvious.