[ECKHUAAA]

FWIW, the left and right cups will have better matching wood in production. Those are just prototypes.

Sometimes the non-matching wood themselves may become valuable rare items ...works of Art and I for one won't mind them when I place my oder

 

[ECKHUAAA]

I managed to hear the Caldera Closed at CanJam. Found this to sound very good. Essentially a closed back version of the Cladera sound with a bit better bass while retaining clarity. There is a slight drop in treble which I overall prefer. I am a bit treble averse so for the Caldera Open I listen with mantle mesh + thick pads. Comparatively on the Caldera Closed with the stock hybrid pads I didn’t run into any treble issues. Very tempted to sell my Caldera Open to now get the Closed.

I am hoping Zach goes all the out on the Caldera Closed like a no holds barred version of the open so they are different enough for one to want to keep both, I would really like that.

 

[L0rdGwyn]

Just finished up a midday listening session with the Caldera on my home rig, really, really lovely. In some ways going to CanJam feels like it gave me a new appreciation for the hobby. It was fantastic seeing everyone's passion for music up close. I may have even converted a few people over to the dark art of tubeology

 

[G8torbyte]

Just finished up a midday listening session with the Caldera on my home rig, really, really lovely. In some ways going to CanJam feels like it gave me a new appreciation for the hobby. It was fantastic seeing everyone's passion for music up close. I may have even converted a few people over to the dark art of tubeology

Sorry I missed meeting you. Working with electronics is intimidating to me but I would have enjoyed chatting with a master wizard of the art as I'm an engineer of other sciences. Incredible work. Maybe at a another future CanJam.

 

[chrisnyc75]

As a JRR Tolkien fan "Imladris" or something elven or vernal comes to mind for a name. Beautiful and elegant.

Yes! Or even Shire.

 

[goldwerger]

Just finished up a midday listening session with the Caldera on my home rig, really, really lovely. In some ways going to CanJam feels like it gave me a new appreciation for the hobby. It was fantastic seeing everyone's passion for music up close. I may have even converted a few people over to the dark art of tubeology

That amp... oh my...

 

[Pharmaboy]

Officially joined the ZMF family after meeting the tremendously passionate, talented, and amazing team consisting of Zach, Bev, AJ and so many others at CanJam! So far, I am a fan of the Calderas but am waiting to try out the mesh mantle + thick pads to try and tame some of those upper mids, particularly for vocals. I also have a WA23 LUNA coming in tomorrow so I am excited to see how that pairs. But in the meantime, the Calderas definitely seem to act more akin to a dynamic driver than any other planar I've heard. You sacrifice some speed for a meaty, powerful sound with strong timbre and PRaT---definitely a musical treat.

I also had some fun taking and editing some photos of a Stabilzed Wood LTD pair that I took home with me (still deciding what to name her ). She is a bit more turquoise than green IRL.

Beautiful headphones!

I love the sound of mine w/mantle mesh and thick pads. It's exceptionally good sound IMO.

 

[Pharmaboy]

I use thick pads + mantle mesh on my CO. Listening to the CC it did have slighty more bass to me. The “stock” pads on the CC I heard were hybrid pads

When I listened to the CC in the ZMF room, I thought the sound very promising, but found myself wondering if the closed-back equivalent of the CO's lambskin thick pads would be available. I can't get over how much good those pads did for my Caldera.

The bass on the CO is the real deal, planar bass done very well. I'm not sure EQ is needed at all there.

 

[Pharmaboy]

Just finished up a midday listening session with the Caldera on my home rig, really, really lovely. In some ways going to CanJam feels like it gave me a new appreciation for the hobby. It was fantastic seeing everyone's passion for music up close. I may have even converted a few people over to the dark art of tubeology

I'm the dumbass who mistook you for a ZMF employee on Sunday. Once we got that straightened out, it was very nice to meet & speak with you, also to get a look at one of your gorgeous amps (love those copper/verdigris covers).

Many people say complimentary things about various tube amps on Head-Fi--and there's little doubt ZMF dynamics love tubes--but the comments I read about your amps are unusually positive and passionate.

 

[zach915m]

but found myself wondering if the closed-back equivalent of the CO's lambskin thick pads would be available

As is/has been usual with prototypes at shows (same thing happened with BOKEH) the pads on the Caldera Closed's got swapped to other things than intended at times, so it's hard for me to say what many listeners heard for pads. What we brought originally was 4 sets with Hybrid Caldera Closed pads (stock thickness) and 4 sets with Lambskin Caldera Closed THICK pads (the ones you mention above.) But some units ended up with protein THIN on them and apparently Caldera THIN with more perfs that really killed the bass. There were a couple units out on the floor as well.

So anyways - likely many people heard it with different pads, so understandably impressions will be a bit all over the place until we get them in people's hands so they can differentiate and triangulate exactly what pads were on the set they heard.

Totally our fault for providing all the options for sure!

Looking towards a likely May release date.

 

[LXMc]

What we brought originally was 4 sets with Hybrid Caldera Closed pads (stock thickness)

Are the the new CC pads going to be [more or less] thicker Bokeh pads? Like Caldera stock pad dimensions but solid outer wall vs the Bokeh's version being closer to the Caldera thin?

(Also, slightly unrelated, but any ETA on the Suede Caldera ultra perforated)

 

[NyanNyanNyan]

Hi, can you explain the difference between CC and AC? I'm considering buying one of the two

 

[G8torbyte]

As is/has been usual with prototypes at shows (same thing happened with BOKEH) the pads on the Caldera Closed's got swapped to other things than intended at times, so it's hard for me to say what many listeners heard for pads. What we brought originally was 4 sets with Hybrid Caldera Closed pads (stock thickness) and 4 sets with Lambskin Caldera Closed THICK pads (the ones you mention above.) But some units ended up with protein THIN on them and apparently Caldera THIN with more perfs that really killed the bass. There were a couple units out on the floor as well.

So anyways - likely many people heard it with different pads, so understandably impressions will be a bit all over the place until we get them in people's hands so they can differentiate and triangulate exactly what pads were on the set they heard.

Totally our fault for providing all the options for sure!

Looking towards a likely May release date.

Nice to have all the options! I'm amazed you all can keep track of everything as good as you do and assist visitors so well during the show. I'd lose my mind if I was trying to control the chaos. Thanks again for setting up the wonderful listening stations!

 

[zach915m]

Are the the new CC pads going to be [more or less] thicker Bokeh pads? Like Caldera stock pad dimensions but solid outer wall vs the Bokeh's version being closer to the Caldera thin?

(Also, slightly unrelated, but any ETA on the Suede Caldera ultra perforated)

Yeah that is in essence what they are. All new headphones going forward will likely be designed using a version of the Caldera pads.

And whoops, thanks for the reminder, I just added the suede to the webaote as they are in stock: https://shop.zmfheadphones.com/collections/pads/products/calderapads?variant=44121706266787

Hi, can you explain the difference between CC and AC? I'm considering buying one of the two

The biggest difference is the dynamic driver vs planar driver thing. The CC has the slightly higher resolution due to driver type and that firm sound, Atrium has the euphonic breath that only dynamic drivers can have.

I know that's an incredibly short explanation, I'm sure others will compare much better soon.

 

[LXMc]

And whoops, thanks for the reminder, I just added the suede to the webaote as they are in stock:

Awesome, thanks! I think I need to try these for my Auteur...