MillionAntz
Head-Fier
Very curious to see how they would do with fast paced metal and adjacent music.
ZMF BOKEH - Closed Back (Semi-Portable)
- Thread starter heliosphann
- Start date
Wow! The Product and Info Pages look amazing Zach. Great work, and it's so awesome to see how far y'all have come.
I hope tomorrow goes well for you, and I have a good feeling you are going to be slammed with orders.
BTW, The "Shop Bokeh" button in the Info Page took me to the Atrium page.
For anyone whose heard both the AC and Bokeh - are they different enough to justify owning both? I keep reading the Bokeh is a mini AC. Curious what the consensus here is…
Picked up before work today. Really gorgeous and more brown than red. I've gone straight to the all suede pads since that's what I'll actually use. Unfortunately just a few minutes to listen and the Hugo isn't ideal. Feel super lightweight and comfortable. Can't wait to get them on my tube amps tonight. These have a ton of bass even with the suedes!
heliosphann
Headphoneus Supremus
They're pretty different IMO. I'll go into detail about it in the write-up for potential buyers that I'm working on. Should have it done in the next few hours.
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alreadyused
100+ Head-Fier
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@BooUrns I want some swag with the "Keep The Music In Focus Let the World Blur" slogan and the BOKEH "B" symbol on it. I know you're busy but can you get this done by EOD?
Don’t say that. I’m trying hard not to order the Bokeh. My excuse is I have the AC already
heliosphann
Headphoneus Supremus
I see you have a Piety. I talk about how good that pairing is...
Thanks!!
Lol- maybe not by EOD. I think we should circle back on it in the AM.
Just kidding- I would love to make some swag. I’ll see what I can cook up!
I posted in this other thread (https://www.head-fi.org/threads/zmf-bokeh-review-the-turntable-of-headphones.970815/) but I guess this is the official thread. I think my post was removed. In any case I'm very interested in this headphone. Still waiting on my Auteur to arrive.
Hi @zach915m will the introductory price be available for online purchases only?
I like to keep supporting my local AD (zeppelin in SG) but if no introductory price will be available from them then I’m going to grab mine online. Thanks!
I like to keep supporting my local AD (zeppelin in SG) but if no introductory price will be available from them then I’m going to grab mine online. Thanks!
heliosphann
Headphoneus Supremus
Well, this turned into more of a full-ish review, but I have more to add and further to dig into the Bokeh. This is a little sloppy and I'm probably forgetting a few things that I meant to add, so please excuse my dust. Also if you have any specific questions, feel free to PM me and I’ll do my best to answer.
I’ve only had my Bokeh demo unit for less than a week, but I wanted to get some solid impressions out for potential launch buyers. My full comprehensive review will come in a few weeks.
I was able to squeeze in quite a bit of head time with the Bokeh over this past week. During down time, I was burning in the unit when possible. I’ve probably got around 70-75 hours on this demo currently. I have noticed a subtle change so far. For the first 2-3 days, I was getting a little harshness/fatigue from the Bokeh. I do listen on the loud side, so that might have a little to do with it. However, after getting to about 50 hours on the Bokeh, I didn't have those issues anymore. Usually when I get a brand new ZMF, I immediately burn it in for 100-150 hours. This time I listened as frequently as possible throughout the week, which made me more aware of the changes.
Note that I used the stock Protein pads for the majority of my testing so far.
BUILD and ACCESSORIES
Not only do we have a new ZMF headphone, but a different ZMF model basically from the ground up. While the Bokeh is smaller than previous models, it's not much smaller. The Bokeh still looks like a ZMF, feels like a ZMF and even smells like one (no, I didn’t try and taste it…). My set is made from Cherry, so it’s not the stock wood, Black Limba. It weighs in at 528g, which is slightly heavier than the Limba sets, which are in the 475-495 range (per Zach). Comfort is on par with most other ZMFs I had over the years, especially the earlier versions before the B.B.B. strap. The pads are variations of the Caldera pads, so most people won’t have any issues with comfort.
The foam lined box that the Bokeh comes in is very nice and well designed. Aside from cutouts for two additional sets of pads, there is a spot for a cable or two. The Bokeh will come with a set of protein pads and stock cable. There will also be an option “tuning kit”, which will include the Hybrid and Suede pads along with additional tuning mesh. The Bokeh will come with a stock with a Burst mesh, but I believe you can request the solid mesh (confirm with @zach915m). Coming Q1 next year will be an additional leatherette travel case, with a vegan option available later in 2024.
TRANSDUCERS
The Bokeh uses 50mm, 80ohm LCP (liquid crystal polymer) dynamic drivers, which are a first in a ZMF headphone. These lightweight drivers deliver a fantastic combination of being nimble and nuanced, while remaining energetic and robust. They distinctly feel tonally different than other drivers Zach has used, which helps set them apart from their brethren.
SOUND
So how does it sound?!? That’s the nine hundred dollar question currently. I’ll do my best to cover the basics, but I still have some time to go to formulate my final opinion.
AMPING
With the Bokeh being only 80hm with a 103 dB/mW sensitivity, these are the easiest ZMF’s to drive to date. The Bokeh was originally referred to as the “portable” ZMF. This was more of a joke, as they’re really not portable in the sense that you’d take them on a walk, etc… They are more manageable to take on a trip or into work vs other ZMF models.
How do they fare with portable gear? Directly out of a Chord Mojo 2, the Bokeh sounded pleasant, but was lacking a little excitement. You could use the excellent EQ on the Mojo 2, but I don’t think you can get the Bokeh’s full potential out of them. I had great hopes for the WooAudio Tube Mini, as I’d previously powered ZMFs to good results. Unfortunately, the pairing was hit and miss. The Mini drove them with plenty of power (perhaps a little too much), but delivered a slightly boomy sound with poor staging. I also used my venerable iBasso DX200 (with AMP4 module) to decent success. The 4.4mm balanced connection delivered a solid sound, but I still felt the Bokeh was being held back slightly. It’s more than likely that the newer, even more powerful DAPs on the market will be able to fully drive the Bokeh to it's limits.
Moving on to smaller desktop amps, I paired the Bokeh with the small, but mighty Nitsch Piety. What a fabulous duo this was. The Piety provided ample power (on low gain) to the Bokeh, and delivered robust dynamics that I was missing from the portables I tried. The Piety is a warmer SS amp, which matches especially well with the Bokeh’s lively protein pads. I also used a Beyerdynamic A2, with its 100ohm output setting on. This is a leaner, more neutral sounding amp, but the Bokeh still sounded fun and dynamic. Surprisingly, I liked this pairing almost as much as the Piety. I'm starting to come the to conclusion that the Bokeh is very amp and source dependent. Maybe even more so than with other ZMF models? I need to test this further...
Lastly we come to the full size, higher end amps. My longstanding Cavalli Liquid Gold (OG) powered the Bokeh effortlessly (on low gain) and delivered a larger staging, with commanding dynamics. The LAu has a slightly smooth top end, which paired really well with the protein pads. Next up was the DNA Stratus. I run a neutral warm tube roll, which gave the Bokeh a hint of tube magic. This delivers a slightly smoother and overall warmer presentation vs the LAu, with similar levels of detail and dynamics. Whatever the opposite of “pick your poison” is, these two amps are that. They pair incredibly well with the Bokeh and bring the best out of it. I had similar results with a few other high end amps. The one thing I did find is that if you're amp doesn't have a switchable gain section, you might have a limited amount volume control on more powerful amps.
PADS
I primarily used the stock Protein pads, but I did spend a little time with the Hybrid pads. The Hybrids are a very linear step down from the Protein pads. You lose a little of the crisp transients and bombastic dynamics from the Proteins, but otherwise they’re just a slightly smoother sounding option. Sometimes hybrid pads can be a little quirky, but hybrid pads are a very nice fine tuning option for the Bokeh.
ATRIUM CLOSED COMPARISON
I haven't listened to my Atrium Closed much recently, so after spending time with the BOKEH non-stop, it was kind of a shock to go to the AC. While they share the same DNA, they’re very different beasts. Technically, the Atrium Closed is superior in most aspects, and that’s not really debatable. It does a lot of things better than the Bokeh, but that doesn’t mean that it outright sounds better all of the time. In fact, going through a variety of tracks that I selected, I preferred the Bokeh on quite a few of them over the AC. The vocal intimacy of the Bokeh in particular can really shines with certain artists and recordings. Then there’s that thunderous mid bass, which sounds oh so good with quite a few genres.
FINALLY THOUGHTS BEFORE I PASS OUT
A long time in the making, the Bokeh is finally here and it’s another fantastic entry into the ZMF lineup. I’ve always praised the Auteur and Auteur Classic as being some of the best band-for-your-buck deals in high end headphones, but the Bokeh at $1099 ($899 initially) arguably beats those. Considering that you can pick up a Bokeh, a Nitsch Piety and Modi for $1400 and have a complete desktop setup, well that’s pretty amazing. Also like I previously mentioned, the Bokeh scales well with a wide range of higher end gear, so it will fit right in with a lot of owners existing setups.
SO, SHOULD I BUY THE BOKEH?!?
Yes. Your family and relatives don’t need all those presents this year. TREAT YO SELF.
BOKEH IMPRESSIONS
I’ve only had my Bokeh demo unit for less than a week, but I wanted to get some solid impressions out for potential launch buyers. My full comprehensive review will come in a few weeks.
I was able to squeeze in quite a bit of head time with the Bokeh over this past week. During down time, I was burning in the unit when possible. I’ve probably got around 70-75 hours on this demo currently. I have noticed a subtle change so far. For the first 2-3 days, I was getting a little harshness/fatigue from the Bokeh. I do listen on the loud side, so that might have a little to do with it. However, after getting to about 50 hours on the Bokeh, I didn't have those issues anymore. Usually when I get a brand new ZMF, I immediately burn it in for 100-150 hours. This time I listened as frequently as possible throughout the week, which made me more aware of the changes.
Note that I used the stock Protein pads for the majority of my testing so far.
BUILD and ACCESSORIES
Not only do we have a new ZMF headphone, but a different ZMF model basically from the ground up. While the Bokeh is smaller than previous models, it's not much smaller. The Bokeh still looks like a ZMF, feels like a ZMF and even smells like one (no, I didn’t try and taste it…). My set is made from Cherry, so it’s not the stock wood, Black Limba. It weighs in at 528g, which is slightly heavier than the Limba sets, which are in the 475-495 range (per Zach). Comfort is on par with most other ZMFs I had over the years, especially the earlier versions before the B.B.B. strap. The pads are variations of the Caldera pads, so most people won’t have any issues with comfort.
The foam lined box that the Bokeh comes in is very nice and well designed. Aside from cutouts for two additional sets of pads, there is a spot for a cable or two. The Bokeh will come with a set of protein pads and stock cable. There will also be an option “tuning kit”, which will include the Hybrid and Suede pads along with additional tuning mesh. The Bokeh will come with a stock with a Burst mesh, but I believe you can request the solid mesh (confirm with @zach915m). Coming Q1 next year will be an additional leatherette travel case, with a vegan option available later in 2024.
TRANSDUCERS
The Bokeh uses 50mm, 80ohm LCP (liquid crystal polymer) dynamic drivers, which are a first in a ZMF headphone. These lightweight drivers deliver a fantastic combination of being nimble and nuanced, while remaining energetic and robust. They distinctly feel tonally different than other drivers Zach has used, which helps set them apart from their brethren.
SOUND
So how does it sound?!? That’s the nine hundred dollar question currently. I’ll do my best to cover the basics, but I still have some time to go to formulate my final opinion.
- The Bokeh’s treble response is very pleasant, with good extension and no peaks or sibilance. Very much what you’d come to expect from a ZMF.
- The midrange is your trademark ZMF sound, but with a little twist. The LCP drivers aren’t as lush and weighty sounding as the Bio-cell or Be PEN drivers. They are a bit more “in your face”, which sounds especially well with vocals and certain instruments. The upper mids fall somewhere in between the Atrium and Verite.
- The bass? It’s good. Moving on… Okay, okay. The bass is certainly the star of the show when it comes to the Bokeh. The mid bass is big and bold, but it doesn’t get in the way due to the Atrium Dampening System. This certainly ups the “fun” factor for the Bokeh, but I don't really think of it like that due to how well implemented it is. It’s far more than a one trick pony, and wide range of music sounds exceptionally good on the Bokeh. Also, the sub bass is strong and authoritative, but it doesn’t quite match up with its closed back brethren.
- The Bokeh has a big sound, despite not having particularly large staging. It has good depth and verticality, but it’s not exceptionally wide (especially compared to the AO). It also has that “wrap around” effect to a certain degree. It’s a very welcome change up from the VC and AC, and just another aspect that sets the Bokeh apart.
- The Bokeh images quite well despite its more intimate staging. Instrument separation is well defined and spatially, everything feels where it’s supposed to be.
AMPING
With the Bokeh being only 80hm with a 103 dB/mW sensitivity, these are the easiest ZMF’s to drive to date. The Bokeh was originally referred to as the “portable” ZMF. This was more of a joke, as they’re really not portable in the sense that you’d take them on a walk, etc… They are more manageable to take on a trip or into work vs other ZMF models.
How do they fare with portable gear? Directly out of a Chord Mojo 2, the Bokeh sounded pleasant, but was lacking a little excitement. You could use the excellent EQ on the Mojo 2, but I don’t think you can get the Bokeh’s full potential out of them. I had great hopes for the WooAudio Tube Mini, as I’d previously powered ZMFs to good results. Unfortunately, the pairing was hit and miss. The Mini drove them with plenty of power (perhaps a little too much), but delivered a slightly boomy sound with poor staging. I also used my venerable iBasso DX200 (with AMP4 module) to decent success. The 4.4mm balanced connection delivered a solid sound, but I still felt the Bokeh was being held back slightly. It’s more than likely that the newer, even more powerful DAPs on the market will be able to fully drive the Bokeh to it's limits.
Moving on to smaller desktop amps, I paired the Bokeh with the small, but mighty Nitsch Piety. What a fabulous duo this was. The Piety provided ample power (on low gain) to the Bokeh, and delivered robust dynamics that I was missing from the portables I tried. The Piety is a warmer SS amp, which matches especially well with the Bokeh’s lively protein pads. I also used a Beyerdynamic A2, with its 100ohm output setting on. This is a leaner, more neutral sounding amp, but the Bokeh still sounded fun and dynamic. Surprisingly, I liked this pairing almost as much as the Piety. I'm starting to come the to conclusion that the Bokeh is very amp and source dependent. Maybe even more so than with other ZMF models? I need to test this further...
Lastly we come to the full size, higher end amps. My longstanding Cavalli Liquid Gold (OG) powered the Bokeh effortlessly (on low gain) and delivered a larger staging, with commanding dynamics. The LAu has a slightly smooth top end, which paired really well with the protein pads. Next up was the DNA Stratus. I run a neutral warm tube roll, which gave the Bokeh a hint of tube magic. This delivers a slightly smoother and overall warmer presentation vs the LAu, with similar levels of detail and dynamics. Whatever the opposite of “pick your poison” is, these two amps are that. They pair incredibly well with the Bokeh and bring the best out of it. I had similar results with a few other high end amps. The one thing I did find is that if you're amp doesn't have a switchable gain section, you might have a limited amount volume control on more powerful amps.
PADS
I primarily used the stock Protein pads, but I did spend a little time with the Hybrid pads. The Hybrids are a very linear step down from the Protein pads. You lose a little of the crisp transients and bombastic dynamics from the Proteins, but otherwise they’re just a slightly smoother sounding option. Sometimes hybrid pads can be a little quirky, but hybrid pads are a very nice fine tuning option for the Bokeh.
ATRIUM CLOSED COMPARISON
I haven't listened to my Atrium Closed much recently, so after spending time with the BOKEH non-stop, it was kind of a shock to go to the AC. While they share the same DNA, they’re very different beasts. Technically, the Atrium Closed is superior in most aspects, and that’s not really debatable. It does a lot of things better than the Bokeh, but that doesn’t mean that it outright sounds better all of the time. In fact, going through a variety of tracks that I selected, I preferred the Bokeh on quite a few of them over the AC. The vocal intimacy of the Bokeh in particular can really shines with certain artists and recordings. Then there’s that thunderous mid bass, which sounds oh so good with quite a few genres.
FINALLY THOUGHTS BEFORE I PASS OUT
A long time in the making, the Bokeh is finally here and it’s another fantastic entry into the ZMF lineup. I’ve always praised the Auteur and Auteur Classic as being some of the best band-for-your-buck deals in high end headphones, but the Bokeh at $1099 ($899 initially) arguably beats those. Considering that you can pick up a Bokeh, a Nitsch Piety and Modi for $1400 and have a complete desktop setup, well that’s pretty amazing. Also like I previously mentioned, the Bokeh scales well with a wide range of higher end gear, so it will fit right in with a lot of owners existing setups.
SO, SHOULD I BUY THE BOKEH?!?
Yes. Your family and relatives don’t need all those presents this year. TREAT YO SELF.
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Much appreciation to everyone who crammed in as much listening time as they could to get us launch impressions for the Bokeh (but also you're about to cost me 900 bucks).
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