[iamoneagain]

Reading all these comments and admiring @Kbeau's photos and awaiting a shipping notification have me like:

This is how I feel but with Grado SR-60. It’s all I have while I wait. At least they are a fun headphone.

I keep hearing references to the stock pads implying their is only a single type of stock pad. But I thought their were two different stock pads, suede and lamb?

Also finally got to listen to the Caldera yesterday. Loving it so far, rocking the cow hides

Yeah, I chose suede as my stock and the Caldera thick as 2nd pair. Might buy the leather stock and the cowhide thin at later point just to see.

 

[iamoneagain]

-dup

 

[heliosphann]

I keep hearing references to the stock pads implying their is only a single type of stock pad. But I thought their were two different stock pads, suede and lamb?

Also finally got to listen to the Caldera yesterday. Loving it so far, rocking the cow hides

Stock pads are the Caldera Lambskin perf pads, but Zach always has an alternate vegan option for his headphones.

So in this case it's the Caldera Suede pads.

 

[goldwerger]

I keep hearing references to the stock pads implying their is only a single type of stock pad. But I thought their were two different stock pads, suede and lamb?

Also finally got to listen to the Caldera yesterday. Loving it so far, rocking the cow hides

The stock pads are called “Caldera” and are perforated lambskin with medium depth.

There are other 4 pads available:
Cowhide, Suede, and a Thin and Thick versions of the Caldera lambskin pads.

 

[NutritiousNoodles]

I’ve got the suede, caldera thick and cowhide. Suede is getting most head time followed by caldera thick. Definitely curious to try out stock lambskin at some point. It’ll probably sit between suede and thick, which could strike a good balance. The cowhides are mixed for me, the very punchy sound works well on some tracks, but overall loses that magical staging, and that “effortless” quality too much for me to use them for long.

 

[trollbearpig]

Clamp force seems to be enough on the Caldera if you want to do some quick A/B pad testing, you don't need to actually roll the pad and attach it. Just put it in place and the headphone clamp will hold it proper.

 

[trollbearpig]

any better strategies to A/B pads ?

 

[dfiled]

Your idea sounds good. I found changing pads to be a PITA — maybe I’m used to worn-in ZMF pads.

 

[robo24]

any better strategies to A/B pads ?

Purchase at least 2 Calderas of course!

 

[WillieB]

....From the fan ZMF fan club on FB:

I believe this was made collectively by the group admin with some observations from others. Not sure, though. I thought Pierpaolo was in here somewhere?

 

[Raidersfan8118]

....From the fan ZMF fan club on FB:


I believe this was made collectively by the group admin with some observations from others. Not sure, though. I thought Pierpaolo was in here somewhere?

That looks like the one a different person made. The one pierpaolo made had mids and stuff included and went against verite and atrium.

 

[dfiled]

If anyone is looking to trade a pair of Atriums for a newly-received pair of Calderas let me know. I like the Caldera a lot, but I am missing the thunderous slam of dynamics.

 

[NutritiousNoodles]

If anyone is looking to trade a pair of Atriums for a newly-received pair of Calderas let me know. I like the Caldera a lot, but I am missing the thunderous slam of the Atriums.

If you were after slam, you should’ve gotten the bigger ben instead of ovation. Justin told me that mogwai had more slam on the caldera than the Kenzie OG. And that the ovation is a better Kenzie and the bigger ben is a better mogwai.

 

[dfiled]

If you were after slam, you should’ve gotten the bigger ben instead of ovation. Justin told me that mogwai had more slam on the caldera than the Kenzie OG. And that the ovation is a better Kenzie and the bigger ben is a better mogwai.

Well Justin steered me to the Ovation over the Mogwai for the Caldera, so I guess I got played. And the Bigger Ben is thousands of dollars more, so don't assume I could have afforded that.

That said, I've listened to the Calderas on my Ovation and GS-X mini, which has tons of power, and I haven't noticed any difference in terms of slam. These are the slammiest planars I've yet heard (I've owned almost all TOTL planars other than the 1266), but I don't think any planar can really match what dynamics can do for that particular feature. Maybe the 1266, but I'm not wearing those things.

 

[YungOmbat]

Just saw an announcement for a very exciting upcoming new headphone launch, from the beloved ZMF Headphones; the Caldera, ZMF's first original foray into a Planar Magnetic driven headphone!

Very excited to find out more details for this November-slated release, particularly details on the driver itself.

this is such a different kind of headphone from zmf. pretty excited