[jinxy245]

Now that I have been listening to my Auteurs for a month or so, and loving them, I have resigned myself to the notion that I will have to buy the Verite open (which I ordered recently after too many cocktails) and the Atrium, and listen for extended periods to find out if one is my Goldilocks (just right) headphone. Or perhaps one is perfect for jazz while another is my favorite for rock. Can’t imagine keeping all three, but some of you have even more ZMFs than that!

As I sit here listening to Joe Henry’s new album, I am thinking it couldn’t get much better. However, on some music that is not as well recorded, the Auteurs have sounded a bit harsh and I know it is merely conveying the harshness of the recording itself. I have read that the Verite is unforgiving but amazing with well-recorded music. Would the Atrium be more “forgiving” and smooth out poor recordings?

That has been my experience, yes I find the Atrium to be nearly as forgiving as the Aeolus, which I sold to fund the Atrium. I love the Aeolus sound as well, but the added resolution & biodynamic tone of the Atrium just won me over.

I'm using the solid mesh, not the perforated so that could definitely be a factor, but I haven't felt the upper mids to be too fatiguing. Chain of components could also be a part of my experience, YMMV. I find many of @haasaaroni 's observations to be similar to my own, so there could be some other factor I'm missing. I haven't gotten ears on an Atrium Classic, but I should be able to spend some time with a loner soon (I'll surely hear them at CanJam as well)

Good luck!!

 

[haasaaroni]

I'm using the solid mesh, not the perforated so that could definitely be a factor, but I haven't felt the upper mids to be too fatiguing.

I gotta hear an Atrium with the solid mesh one of these days…but I worry for my Auteur Classics if I do

 

[Minkypou]

I found a post on Superbestaudiofriends that is really interesting, i will copy paste here :

Both in that way. Autuer lies in-between.

Impact - end of attack: Atrium > Auteur > Verite
Speed: Verite > Auteur > Atrium
Resolution: Atrium = Verite > Auteur

if this is accurate, the atrium is actually slower.
+
*Transient performance, as @purr1n mentioned, kind of lies between the Verite and the Atrium. The Atrium is the slowest of the three, but slams the hardest and has the most impact. The Verite is the fastest of the three, but has rounded attacks and doesn't quite slam that hard*

 

[jonathan c]

Au contraire! You already have a one of the more forgiving headphones in the ZMF lineup. I think the VO, like you said, will be less forgiving than the Auteur Classic in the highs, but the Atrium less forgiving in the upper mids. That’s what I’ve found anyway.

The only headphones that are more forgiving of bad recordings in the ZMF lineup are the Aeolus and Atticus IMO (though it’s been a while since I’ve heard the Atticus). The Aeolus are a great complement to the Auteur Classic for me, for times when I just want to get lost in music without worrying so much about picking it apart. It has a more forward sound than the Auteur Classic for sure, and a more noticeable 5khz peak (which can be tamed with the Aeolus lambskin pads), but for me it’s an overall warmer, more forgiving sound.

Of course you should really hear own them all for yourself anyway

FTFY…[Reg. TM; © bcowen: 2021]

 

[haasaaroni]

I found a post on Superbestaudiofriends that is really interesting, i will copy paste here :


if this is accurate, the atrium is actually slower.
+
*Transient performance, as @purr1n mentioned, kind of lies between the Verite and the Atrium. The Atrium is the slowest of the three, but slams the hardest and has the most impact. The Verite is the fastest of the three, but has rounded attacks and doesn't quite slam that hard*

I could be wrong, but like @jinxy245, the SBAF crowd also originally got a pair of Atrium with the solid mesh. To me, with the now-stock Atrium mesh, the Atrium sounded considerably faster than the AC.

 

[Dawgfish]

I could be wrong, but like @jinxy245, the SBAF crowd also originally got a pair of Atrium with the solid mesh. To me, with the now-stock Atrium mesh, the Atrium sounded considerably faster than the AC.

The Atrium is faster to me as well.

 

[Dawgfish]

I found a post on Superbestaudiofriends that is really interesting, i will copy paste here :


if this is accurate, the atrium is actually slower.
+
*Transient performance, as @purr1n mentioned, kind of lies between the Verite and the Atrium. The Atrium is the slowest of the three, but slams the hardest and has the most impact. The Verite is the fastest of the three, but has rounded attacks and doesn't quite slam that hard*

I don't hear things the same way as the SBAF descriptions. To my ears the impact of the Atrium and Verite are similar with both slightly ahead of the AC. They are all very close. For speed the Verite is definitely the quickest with the Atrium next and then the AC very slightly behind the Atrium. I find resolution to be the best on the VO with the Atrium a very close second, followed by the AC.

 

[Deleeh]

I gotta hear an Atrium with the solid mesh one of these days…but I worry for my Auteur Classics if I do

You don't need to!
The Auteur Og and Atrium are very different and can be interesting for your collection.
I see it differently with the Auteur Classic and Atrium.
Owners or testers have often reported that the Classic is a kind of baby Atrium.
Therefore I would say that the Auteur OG is what it is.
And not to be compared with the Atrium.

What the OG embodies is the well dosed midrange which can be stunning on certain chains.
You would probably have less of that on the Classic.

And another aspect I can see is that if you own an Auteur Classic, the logical step would be to go for the Verite rather than the Atrium, because the jump between them would probably not be very big.
And could even hurt and disappoint financially.
Although the Atrium would be the better player in the end.

Auteur Og,tends to be Atrium but also with the option to Verite.
I would have rather said personal taste is the deciding point.
Some say it should be faster and have all the things the Verite is described as having.
Others say more pressure, more powerful, more resolution, then Atrium.

Not that the Classic is bad per se or wants to make it bad.
If you have one and are thinking about getting another Zmf it is important to know where you want to go.
Of course the update of the Classic is not wrong, it might have been necessary for the future.
And at some point there will only be a handful of Auteur Og that might even be sought after (like the Lcd 2 pre fazor).
Because he embodies certain things better.
Nevertheless, we didn't see a single person who didn't like the Classic, either by buying a new one or upgrading.

The Auteur OG has somehow acquired a sentimental value for me, even though I haven't had it for long.
It was one of the last ones where I had to do a lot to get one.
Sound-wise, it complements my necklace.
It will be epic for the future collection when an Atrium and Verite open.
And it's just visually very good, the look reflects what I feel when I hear it.

 

[haasaaroni]

You don't need to!
The Auteur Og and Atrium are very different and can be interesting for your collection.
I see it differently with the Auteur Classic and Atrium.
Owners or testers have often reported that the Classic is a kind of baby Atrium.
Therefore I would say that the Auteur OG is what it is.
And not to be compared with the Atrium.

What the OG embodies is the well dosed midrange which can be stunning on certain chains.
You would probably have less of that on the Classic.

And another aspect I can see is that if you own an Auteur Classic, the logical step would be to go for the Verite rather than the Atrium, because the jump between them would probably not be very big.
And could even hurt and disappoint financially.
Although the Atrium would be the better player in the end.

Auteur Og,tends to be Atrium but also with the option to Verite.
I would have rather said personal taste is the deciding point.
Some say it should be faster and have all the things the Verite is described as having.
Others say more pressure, more powerful, more resolution, then Atrium.

Not that the Classic is bad per se or wants to make it bad.
If you have one and are thinking about getting another Zmf it is important to know where you want to go.
Of course the update of the Classic is not wrong, it might have been necessary for the future.
And at some point there will only be a handful of Auteur Og that might even be sought after (like the Lcd 2 pre fazor).
Because he embodies certain things better.
Nevertheless, we didn't see a single person who didn't like the Classic, either by buying a new one or upgrading.

The Auteur OG has somehow acquired a sentimental value for me, even though I haven't had it for long.
It was one of the last ones where I had to do a lot to get one.
Sound-wise, it complements my necklace.
It will be epic for the future collection when an Atrium and Verite open.
And it's just visually very good, the look reflects what I feel when I hear it.

I completely agree! The OG Auteur is its own work of art, one that has a beautiful sound and doesn’t compare to anything.

I’ve owned the VO before, and while I loved it for its technical abilities and warmth, the slightly off vocal timbre really got to me after a while. If I listened to more instrumental music, the VO would be my dream headphone. I’ve also borrowed an Atrium for an extended period, but wasn’t able to try out the solid mesh when I had it. For now I’m quite satisfied with the Auteur Classic and Aeolus

 

[jinxy245]

I could be wrong, but like @jinxy245, the SBAF crowd also originally got a pair of Atrium with the solid mesh. To me, with the now-stock Atrium mesh, the Atrium sounded considerably faster than the AC.

We should probably have this conversation in the Atrium thread, but IIRC it was Purr1n that suggested some perforations for the mesh, he's definitely heard it both ways so his quote would be with a perforated mesh.

It could easily be a my/ears/your ears or my system/your system, but as @Deleeh is saying, despite there being a house sound, all the ZMFs have a uniqueness that makes them complimentary rather than redundant.

To hopefully glide back on track I am very much looking forward to getting ears on the Auteur Classic & hearing the difference myself.

 

[Pharmaboy]

I may be biased (I am), but the Auteur Classic + Pendant SE is such a winning combo. The meeting of the Atrium damping system with a Telefunken G73-R opens up a supremely natural sense of space and timbre, with such hard-hitting bass from Zach's biocellulose driver and clarity from Justin's output transformer magic. I want to go to sleep, but I don't want to stop listening!

That Classic has knockout wood!

 

[MacMan31]

Still looking to get an Auteur some day. There is one one CAM right now but the price may be a bit high for me at the moment. Also does not say if it's a classic or not.
https://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649943518-zmf-auteur-ambrosia-maple-headphones/

There's also an Aeolus Canary on there which I would love even though I have an Aeolus (Sepele).

 

[haasaaroni]

That Classic has knockout wood!

Thanks! It was hand picked from the ZMF shelf at CanJam SoCal last year If you get a chance to go to CanJam NY and visit the ZMF room(s), make room for an eventual hole in your wallet

 

[haasaaroni]

Still looking to get an Auteur some day. There is one one CAM right now but the price may be a bit high for me at the moment. Also does not say if it's a classic or not.
https://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649943518-zmf-auteur-ambrosia-maple-headphones/

There's also an Aeolus Canary on there which I would love even though I have an Aeolus (Sepele).

Beautiful! If it doesn’t say it’s an Auteur Classic, though, it probably isn’t one.

 

[MacMan31]

Beautiful! If it doesn’t say it’s an Auteur Classic, though, it probably isn’t one.

So then it's an "OG"?