ZMF Caldera - New Planar Magnetic from ZMF!

[yolosauce]

As someone who has owned the Susvara and Caldera I can say the Caldera is technically on par with a more nature sound signature. People think elevated treble equals more detailed. The Caldera's bass is also more textured and I'm hearing details in songs that I didn't hear with the Susvara and LCD-5.

 

[AcousticMatt]

Disagree. At this level, it's all about taste vs. anything else. Anything in the ZMF price point and up are typically pretty damn good headphones (They better be for the price!) but people value characteristics of certain headphones over others. Yes, the Susvara are my favorite headphone but I also love my VC, loved my Atrium and will love my Atrium Closed when it comes, I am sure. They're fantastic headphones and there are plenty of people who had a Susvara and sold it for a ZMF just like people who have had ZMF's and sold 'em for Susvaras or, the correct option, kept both and enjoy both equally and in very different ways!


Remember that the folks that have issues are highly more vocal than folks that don't have issues. For every issue you've heard from Hifiman, there are 10 others that have had their headphones for 10+ years without a single issue.

Wise words.

 

[paradoxper]

Disagree. At this level, it's all about taste vs. anything else. Anything in the ZMF price point and up are typically pretty damn good headphones (They better be for the price!) but people value characteristics of certain headphones over others. Yes, the Susvara are my favorite headphone but I also love my VC, loved my Atrium and will love my Atrium Closed when it comes, I am sure. They're fantastic headphones and there are plenty of people who had a Susvara and sold it for a ZMF just like people who have had ZMF's and sold 'em for Susvaras or, the correct option, kept both and enjoy both equally and in very different ways!


Remember that the folks that have issues are highly more vocal than folks that don't have issues. For every issue you've heard from Hifiman, there are 10 others that have had their headphones for 10+ years without a single issue.

Your personal preference is certainly important, however, they don't meet a certain threshold.

ZMF is often lauded for timbre and natural presentation yet R10, AT's, Valkyria are entirely revelatory in comparison.

Yet I'm far from a Susvara fan.

 

[Slim1970]

Build quality and sound quality are two distinctive points. It’s okay to knock the build quality of the Susvara’s to a point in a comparison. Zach builds some of the best looking headphones in our hobby. With that said, having owned the Susvara’s for 4 years I must say the sound quality of the headphone is something special. I think it’s good to have heard or have owned many different headphones to use as reference points, especially in reviews. To say any headphone destroys the Susvara‘s really discredits the reviewer. I enjoy a great sounding headphone as much as the next person, but there are very few headphones that can outperform the Susvara’s. I’m just being honest.

 

[zach915m]

Your personal preference is certainly important, however, they don't meet a certain threshold.

ZMF is often lauded for timbre and natural presentation yet R10, AT's, Valkyria are entirely revelatory in comparison.

Yet I'm far from a Susvara fan.

I think where you're hearing here, is that you're speaking without subjectivity. I know there are many that try to make audio into a subjective or objective arena, but for everyone the experience lies somewhere in the middle as to what we each personally enjoy.

I personally own the Susvara and think it's a wonderful headphone, and suits different moods than any of the stuff I've created. (edit: just as does the other headphones you've mentioned) It's fantastic.

Appreciate that you've tried ZMFs and found they weren't for you, hopefully you'll get to try the Caldera at some point and I hope you enjoy it. If not, I appreciate it either way!

 

[jlbrach]

I know what you mean and the Susvara is obviously a remarkable headphone, but I always found it too soft, lacking bite and impact, and I was running it off a powerful speaker amp. If a headphone had 90 percent of susvara’s resolution and added impact and liveliness it would best the Susvara for my personal preferences.

I have no issue with you not liking the presentation of the susvara but for one to suggest the caldera destroys the susvara is plain foolish...if he simply said I prefer the presentation of some aspect I wouldnt have commented

 

[dfiled]

I have no issue with you not liking the presentation of the susvara but for one to suggest the caldera destroys the susvara is plain foolish...if he simply said I prefer the presentation of some aspect I wouldnt have commented

Hard to disagree with this.

 

[Monsterzero]

Back in the early 1970s Pioneer released the very first 100wpc receiver, the SX1010 in 1974. Soon other stereo manufacturers rushed to put out their own "monster receiver", thus launching an era in audio known as "The Wattage Wars" culminating with the release of the Technics SA1000 in 1977, which clocked in at a whopping 330wpc and weighing over 85 lbs. Many consider this era as the golden years of audio.

I bring this up as I feel we as headphone freaks( yes, we're all freaks) are fortunate to be living in a similar golden age of personal audio, where companies like ZMF, Hifiman, Audeze, STAX, Focal, Meze etc.. are all competing with others to push the envelope with new and cutting edge technology and working to improve upon their previous releases and creating new and exciting headphones.

Without competition from other companies I venture to guess that the headphones we know and love today most likely would not exist. Of course there will always be members who prefer one sound signature over another, those that are loyal to a single headphone company, and those who are always looking for the gear that measures the best. You bring those three types of members together and no middle ground will ever be found. This is the beauty of competition, something for everybody.

Instead of bickering about which is better, rejoice instead that we have so many great sounding headphones to choose from today that did not even exist 5-10 years ago. Go back to some old posts on this site where many members were calling the DT880 the best headphone in the world.

We have truly come a long ways.

I enjoy ZMF but they aren't on the same level as the upper echelon.

I respectfully disagree.

 

[wkesquire]

Back in the early 1970s Pioneer released the very first 100wpc receiver, the SX1010 in 1974. Soon other stereo manufacturers rushed to put out their own "monster receiver", thus launching an era in audio known as "The Wattage Wars" culminating with the release of the Technics SA1000 in 1977, which clocked in at a whopping 330wpc and weighing over 85 lbs. Many consider this era as the golden years of audio.

I bring this up as I feel we as headphone freaks( yes, we're all freaks) are fortunate to be living in a similar golden age of personal audio, where companies like ZMF, Hifiman, Audeze, STAX, Focal, Meze etc.. are all competing with others to push the envelope with new and cutting edge technology and working to improve upon their previous releases and creating new and exciting headphones.

Without competition from other companies I venture to guess that the headphones we know and love today most likely would not exist. Of course there will always be members who prefer one sound signature over another, those that are loyal to a single headphone company, and those who are always looking for the gear that measures the best. You bring those three types of members together and no middle ground will ever be found. This is the beauty of competition, something for everybody.

Instead of bickering about which is better, rejoice instead that we have so many great sounding headphones to choose from today that did not even exist 5-10 years ago. Go back to some old posts on this site where many members were calling the DT880 the best headphone in the world.

We have truly come a long ways.

I respectfully disagree.

I can’t think of a better final post to read before going to sleep…

buuuuut here’s some eye candy, especially for those waiting for their Calderas to arrive. When the reviewer units went out, I wanted to see as many pics of the Caldera in the wild as possible. Even though I have mine, I still love seeing other people share pics of their Calderas.

 

[paradoxper]

Back in the early 1970s Pioneer released the very first 100wpc receiver, the SX1010 in 1974. Soon other stereo manufacturers rushed to put out their own "monster receiver", thus launching an era in audio known as "The Wattage Wars" culminating with the release of the Technics SA1000 in 1977, which clocked in at a whopping 330wpc and weighing over 85 lbs. Many consider this era as the golden years of audio.

I bring this up as I feel we as headphone freaks( yes, we're all freaks) are fortunate to be living in a similar golden age of personal audio, where companies like ZMF, Hifiman, Audeze, STAX, Focal, Meze etc.. are all competing with others to push the envelope with new and cutting edge technology and working to improve upon their previous releases and creating new and exciting headphones.

Without competition from other companies I venture to guess that the headphones we know and love today most likely would not exist. Of course there will always be members who prefer one sound signature over another, those that are loyal to a single headphone company, and those who are always looking for the gear that measures the best. You bring those three types of members together and no middle ground will ever be found. This is the beauty of competition, something for everybody.

Instead of bickering about which is better, rejoice instead that we have so many great sounding headphones to choose from today that did not even exist 5-10 years ago. Go back to some old posts on this site where many members were calling the DT880 the best headphone in the world.

We have truly come a long ways.

I respectfully disagree.

I'm more-so confronting technicalities as qualifiers, whichever you may prefer for enjoyment is different.

Uberamp2 with SR1a is the most resolving I've heard out of a headphone system and I've heard them all with the DIY T2 + SGL very close, however, the enjoyment derived from the 1266 is much greater.

We all know the Ultrasone Edition 10 was ahead of its time. Logic.

 

[zach915m]

I put together a quick unboxing video of my Kingwood Caldera. Not my best job, given I couldn't get my bigger gimbal to work, but here it is if you're interested:

Finally got to settle down and check your video out!. Super well done and captures the experience amazingly! Going to show this to the team tomorrow, it's always fun to see our work like this. Thank you!

 

[joshua1122]

Finally got to settle down and check your video out!. Super well done and captures the experience amazingly! Going to show this to the team tomorrow, it's always fun to see our work like this. Thank you!

I'm excited that the man himself got to watch it! Thanks for taking the time to watch it, and I'm glad you liked it.

I used the Caldera while making the video, and I've had a hard time keeping it off my head since. Such an addictive headphone you've made. Thanks again.

 

[buffer]

I know what you mean and the Susvara is obviously a remarkable headphone, but I always found it too soft, lacking bite and impact, and I was running it off a powerful speaker amp. If a headphone had 90 percent of susvara’s resolution and added impact and liveliness it would best the Susvara for my personal preferences.

I own a Susvara and feel the same way you do. I realize I might be in the minority, but for me the D8000 Pro betters the Susvara in resolution and adds impact and liveliness. I defintely prefer the D8000 pro. That said, I would not disparage the Susvara. I do not use mine much, but I certainly respect it.

Now, because this is a ZMF thread, I have a question. I like bright sound, but rich. I do not like boosted lower midrange that congests vocals. I do like impact/slam, value clarity above all else, and generally, I prefer a neutral sound. I do not like treble roll-off, but I do not want it to stick out either. If anything, I prefer forward midrange to recessed. I have heard some say the Atrium or Auteur Classic would be a great choice for me. I hear people clambering for a Caldera Closed - is one scheduled to come out? If so, is there an idea about how it might sound?

For people who have heard the D8000 Pro, given how much I like it, can someone recommend which ZMF headphone that might sound most similar? Only flaw I find is D8000 Pro vocals a little too chesty and I'd like mids a touch more forward, while remaining natural.

Thanks for any help.

 

[helljudgement]

If you like brighter sounding phones perhaps the ZMF is not the best choice. In general they are darker in tonality compared to most other manufacturers and definitely try them out first if possible.

For people who have heard the D8000 Pro, given how much I like it, can someone recommend which ZMF headphone that might sound most similar? Only flaw I find is D8000 Pro vocals a little too chesty and I'd like mids a touch more forward, while remaining natural.

In my experience of all the ZMF dynamics the Verite probably comes the closest though I'd hesitate to call them the same sort of sound. The D8k pro does have a very thin and borderline shouty vocals to my ears but the Verite does sound fuller in comparison and definitely has a more forward sounding vocals than the D8k. In terms of clarity and resolution it is still the best out of all ZMF dynamics I've heard. It is about on par in the mids but the D8k definitely resolves the lower and upper frequencies better. Bass doesn't go as low as the D8k but it is plenty tactile and does provide a satisfying impact though it isn't as strong or as emphasize as on the d8k in my experience. If you want something that sounds closest to the d8kpro this is probably it imo but do keep in mind I've yet to hear the new Auteur and Caldera so others can chime in.

 

[greyforest]

I own a Susvara and feel the same way you do. I realize I might be in the minority, but for me the D8000 Pro betters the Susvara in resolution and adds impact and liveliness. I defintely prefer the D8000 pro. That said, I would not disparage the Susvara. I do not use mine much, but I certainly respect it.

Now, because this is a ZMF thread, I have a question. I like bright sound, but rich. I do not like boosted lower midrange that congests vocals. I do like impact/slam, value clarity above all else, and generally, I prefer a neutral sound. I do not like treble roll-off, but I do not want it to stick out either. If anything, I prefer forward midrange to recessed. I have heard some say the Atrium or Auteur Classic would be a great choice for me. I hear people clambering for a Caldera Closed - is one scheduled to come out? If so, is there an idea about how it might sound?

For people who have heard the D8000 Pro, given how much I like it, can someone recommend which ZMF headphone that might sound most similar? Only flaw I find is D8000 Pro vocals a little too chesty and I'd like mids a touch more forward, while remaining natural.

Thanks for any help.

compare to caldera d8000pro have larger soundstage

resolution is about the same. but d8000pro feels overly smooth out a bit

caldera definitely have a better focusd mids