[NutritiousNoodles]

I don't have the hypsos. I would say the OOR is slightly warmer than neutral and the Mini is slightly brighter than neutral. Vocals on the Mini can sound sibilant due to its bright and dry sound. I haven't heard any sibilance on the OOR so far. These impressions only apply to the Caldera. The Mini and OOR both sound great with the Atrium.

Thanks! I suppose synergy between gear is always very hard to predict. You do have the D90 which is more to the brighter side of things.

 

[geoffalter11]

I have a GSX MK ii and it really seemed to turn the Caldera into a very neutral, fast and technical headphone. A bit higher impedance and/or other solid states like the Wells make them more girthy and beefy.

Agree! The CFA3 is very fast with extremely proficient technicalities with Caldera. Greater top end resolution... With my Spring 1 which has a higher impedance and a smidge of color the Caldera has more physical weight. Both are wonderful, but different. My HP8 provides a bit more air around the instruments for an even different presentation. The beauty of the Caldera is that it sounds great on all 3, albeit different.

Happy Holidays and Christmas Eve to Y'all!

 

[geoffalter11]

As I prepare to write my reviews, I have been giving the Caldera a work out on all 3 amps. CFA3, Icon HP8, Cembalo Spring 1. CFA3 and HP8 are running off the Exogal Comet+, and the Spring 1 is running off the Audio-gD R28 as a Pure DAC. I am very lucky to have 3 amps that are all up to the task and bring out the amazing qualities of the Caldera. In addition, both DACs are more than capable of providing me more than enough resolution and an effortless musical delivery. I have written before that the Caldera is my favorite ZMF on a SS amp. While it sounds amazing on the HP8, there is just a bit more "there there" when using 2 SS amps that were both built for planars. Especially the Spring 1 which is a planar specialist and has the perfect impedance, gain and current for the Caldera. It also happens to be an extremely aggressive, dynamic and muscular sounding amp. What a pairing with the speed, transient snap and resolution of the Caldera. It just brings everything to life. The Spring is extremely clean, yet slightly colored. I'd say slightly north of neutral, which is a great pairing for the Caldera. It still sounds like solid state, but it isn't an amp I will ever grow tired of. It has been my daily solid state amplifier for 3 yrs.

The CFA3 is more technically proficient with even greater detail extraction. it is smooth and strolls with the music, never missing a beat. I hear more background instruments filling in the space. The sound of the skins on a bongo, maracas shaking, cymbals lightly shimmering, with slightly forward vocals and near perfect instrument placement. The CFA3 has been here now for 2 weeks. It is opening up, relaxing and gaining more control over the extremities of the frequency response. I must admit, the CFA3 will be a hard amp to best for my listening preferences. It will also never leave my system.

The HP8 brings a more holographic stage, slightly slower transience giving everything a bit more space to unfold. However, the HP8 is 1-2 steps slower, but certainly not slow. What you give up in speed, you make up for with instrument air and a bit slower decay. The sound is still extremely physical and the bass carries more weight and girth. The notes are more rounded creating the sense you are watching the band from the center out. Able to hear it as one, instead of picking apart each piece as its own thing. A different way of listening, no less powerful, no more accurate. Just different and lovely.

Bottom line, all 3 are bringing me tremendous amounts of joy. Preference? I like the Caldera with the CFA3 and Spring 1 most. I am addicted to the speed and the ability for the Caldera's effortlessly move with the music.

There has been a lot of comparison writing to the Atrium. They are so different it is hard to put them into the same box. I am head over heels for the Atrium. However, it is not anywhere close to as good on the CFA3 as the Caldera. The Atrium loves my HP8 and does well with the Spring 1 due to the higher impedance and slight coloration to the sound. Whereas the CFA3 sounds a bit flat with the Atrium. Still eminently listenable, just not to the same level as on the hP8, or the Caldera on the CFA3/Spring 1. I guess this make them perfect bedfellows. My wallet is about to get pretty light.

 

[iamoneagain]

So this is to counter the point that I was too critical of the Expanse. As I listen to music very early Christmas morning, getting in a few songs before my son wakes up and Christmas officially starts for us, I have realized the Expanse strength over most of headphones I’ve heard. It stays balanced even at very low listening volume. Even though no one else is around, I like to listen at low volume in the early morning.

I threw on some early R.E.M. - Reckoning album and while it sound quite nice on the Caldera at low volume, it wasn’t dynamic enough for my tastes. I needed to turn it up just a bit. And this would be the case for most headphones I’ve owned in the past. With that slight adjustment, perfection. But I remember with the Expanse, even at its lowest volume, it somehow kept the same dynamic balance. So add that ability and it’s semi isolation and you have a better headphone for when you’re maybe in an office or around other people, or just prefer quite listening.

But so far during the day, my family had not said the Caldera bleed too much. They’re doing their own thing, so probably don’t notice. On the reverse side, the tv bleeds in more than it did with the Expanse, but was willing to take the hit to have a fully open headphone. Perhaps my resent illness was affecting my listening habits, but even semi closed was causing me to to feel restricted. I’m sure a lot of people will be looking forward to a closed Caldera, but not sure I’ll be one of the them.

 

[TheMiddleSky]

Being more transparent, cleaner and more intimate presentation perhaps the main causes low volume listening is better with Expanse. While for Caldera, every time I put it on my head, this headphone just want to "rock and roll" my eardrum (really excellent for Blink182 !!).

Merry Christmas Caldera family

 

[iamoneagain]

Being more transparent, cleaner and more intimate presentation perhaps the main causes low volume listening is better with Expanse. While for Caldera, every time I put it on my head, this headphone just want to "rock and roll" my eardrum (really excellent for Blink182 !!).

Merry Christmas Caldera family

Yeah, think you’re right. For most headphones, you have a sweat spot with the volume. Too low and not dynamic enough, bass too low. Too high and it’s normally the highs that get you first. And on the Expanse I actually think it was the bass that was the issue with too much volume.

When I had the Expanse I was very impressed with how clean it sounded. I even pointed out I found it much more technical than the Utopia but wasn’t sure if that equaled more pleasure. I gave it a win for electric guitar but should have waited longer to see the overall picture. But right away with the Caldera, I’m just enjoying the whole presentation. Not really trying to break it down. The sum of the parts adds up to pure pleasure at an emotional level.

I mostly listen to rock and the Caldera just seem to excel at this. Also quite nice with jazz with nice separation and sense of space. I haven’t tried classical yet but usually save that for when I’m working and need to focus. But so far I haven’t found any songs I’ve preferred on the Expanse or the Utopia over the Caldera.

Blink 182 reminded me of one of my guilty pleasures - Angels & Airwaves - I Empire. The first song is a good test for headphones because the highs can be piercing and you need the right impact to get it right. Once again the Caldera has easily passed.

 

[goldwerger]

fwiw I tend to listen to lower volumes on all headphones/situations and find no need to crank up the volume with the Caldera

 

[iamoneagain]

fwiw I tend to listen to lower volumes on all headphones/situations and find no need to crank up the volume with the Caldera

Oh I’m not talking about cranking up the volume. I’m talking about listening at lower levels than you usually would. With the Expanse, the sound remained unchanged, very balance and clear. With the Caldera, and for the most part every other headphone I’ve heard, you lose dynamic range and some details. There is a certain sweet spot I need to reach. Now I can go beyond that spot for when I really want to rock out but usually don’t. If I go lower, it still sounds good just slight less to my liking. This is not a dig at the Caldera, it’s something almost all headphones seem to do.

At CanJam I was shocked when I would grab a headphone from someone else, it felt like it blow my eardrums out. Started making it a habit to always turn the volume all the way down first. I have no idea how some people could listen at such high volumes.

 

[goldwerger]

Oh I’m not taking about cranking up the volume. I’m taking about listening at lower levels than you usually would. With the Expanse, the sound remained unchanged, very balance and clear. With the Caldera, and for the most part every other headphone I’ve heard, you lose dynamic range and some details. There is a certain sweet spot I need to reach. Now I can go beyond that spot for when I really want to rock out but usually don’t. If I go lower, it still sounds good just slight less to my liking. This is not a dig at the Caldera, it’s something almost all headphones seem to do.

At CanJam I was shocked when I would grab a headphone from someone else, it felt like it blow my eardrums out. Started making it a habit to always turn the volume all the way down first. I have no idea how some people could listen at such high volumes.

Turning volume down when switching between people (and headphone) is a prudent hearing health habit. Same when you hand it to someone else as a courtesy.

 

[dfiled]

Oh I’m not talking about cranking up the volume. I’m talking about listening at lower levels than you usually would. With the Expanse, the sound remained unchanged, very balance and clear. With the Caldera, and for the most part every other headphone I’ve heard, you lose dynamic range and some details. There is a certain sweet spot I need to reach. Now I can go beyond that spot for when I really want to rock out but usually don’t. If I go lower, it still sounds good just slight less to my liking. This is not a dig at the Caldera, it’s something almost all headphones seem to do.

At CanJam I was shocked when I would grab a

I agree that the caldera is nowhere near its best at lower volumes. I also found the dynamics and the low frequency response of the VO to be really lacking at lower volumes, which is why I sold mine. I find this is much less of an issue with the VC and Atrium — they have excellent bass and dynamics even at low volumes.

 

[jgwtriode]

Absolutely agreed, quite enjoy the VC's at moderate to low volumes when I just want to kick back, but really love them when they are kickin. Airmid really improves their lower volume performance amongst all the other things it does. Still excited about Atrium closed next year!

jgwtriode

 

[shafat777]

As i am still trying to figure out which of my amps have the best synergy with the caldera, I decided to try another amp that i didnt think would pair well.....my beloved cap modded MJ2. In fact, i have this amp listed on classifieds.

After the less than satisfactory result with the gsx mini + caldera, i was desperate to find an alternative to the only amp that can play caldera to its potential, my new HA6A. The MJ2 has pair of Brimar NOS CV455 KB/Fb tubes fed by a Yggy. Overall, the presentation is smooth. The brimars are NOS and barely used so these will take some time to fully open up, however, the caldera sounds wonderful from the get go. The top end is magical with just enough air and sparkle to really show the technical capabilities of the caldera. The top end is definitely more pronounced with more heft and slam behind each note. The Ha6A still has more layered low end but the MJ2 really competes well in this regard. The mids and vocals are where the HA6A and the MJ2 differ. The MJ2 is more in your face vocals with quite a bit of mid forwardness. The HA6A is really smoother mids and vocals sound more natural while the MJ2 mids sounds more grainy/crispy.

Just when i thouhht i am ready to sell the MJ2, this result came to me as a surpise and now i might just hold on to it for a little longer. I think the MJ2 is a good balance between the SS gsx mini and the tube HA6A. The clean, smooth sound of the MJ2 is certainly a nice change from the warm/tubey/organic sound of the HA6A, while coloring the sound with a hint of British Brimar magic.

 

[jinxy245]

At CanJam I was shocked when I would grab a headphone from someone else, it felt like it blow my eardrums out. Started making it a habit to always turn the volume all the way down first. I have no idea how some people could listen at such high volumes.

Turning volume down when switching between people (and headphone) is a prudent hearing health habit. Same when you hand it to someone else as a courtesy.

Indeed headphones are often played loud at CanJam.

I think you're right that many listen louder than the average audiophile, but at a meet with unfamiliar gear it can be instructive to pump up the jam as it were to overcome some ambient noise & get a feel for what you're listening to. It shouldn't be (too) damaging for short term listening which is what's supposed to happen at these meets.

Either way, turning down the volume is 100% a good idea IMO.

 

[Nothingpersnal]

Indeed headphones are often played loud at CanJam.

I think you're right that many listen louder than the average audiophile, but at a meet with unfamiliar gear it can be instructive to pump up the jam as it were to overcome some ambient noise & get a feel for what you're listening to. It shouldn't be (too) damaging for short term listening which is what's supposed to happen at these meets.

Either way, turning down the volume is 100% a good idea IMO.

I saw someone switch from a sus to a utopia at Canjam and forget to adjust the amp between. Those poor beryllium drivers were crying.

 

[SLC1966]

So this is to counter the point that I was too critical of the Expanse. As I listen to music very early Christmas morning, getting in a few songs before my son wakes up and Christmas officially starts for us, I have realized the Expanse strength over most of headphones I’ve heard. It stays balanced even at very low listening volume. Even though no one else is around, I like to listen at low volume in the early morning.

I threw on some early R.E.M. - Reckoning album and while it sound quite nice on the Caldera at low volume, it wasn’t dynamic enough for my tastes. I needed to turn it up just a bit. And this would be the case for most headphones I’ve owned in the past. With that slight adjustment, perfection. But I remember with the Expanse, even at its lowest volume, it somehow kept the same dynamic balance. So add that ability and it’s semi isolation and you have a better headphone for when you’re maybe in an office or around other people, or just prefer quite listening.

But so far during the day, my family had not said the Caldera bleed too much. They’re doing their own thing, so probably don’t notice. On the reverse side, the tv bleeds in more than it did with the Expanse, but was willing to take the hit to have a fully open headphone. Perhaps my resent illness was affecting my listening habits, but even semi closed was causing me to to feel restricted. I’m sure a lot of people will be looking forward to a closed Caldera, but not sure I’ll be one of the them.

Very good thoughts on Expanse. I am blown away by Caldera from the start. Huge win for Zach. The Expanse took me longer to fully appreciate how special it is. It helped when I accepted that it really is a semi open back. Caldera is very open in comparison. Almost as much as LCD-5 with how much it bleeds noise and lets noise in. Amazing audio toys out there.

On a side note, I sure like your taste in music. I just discovered Bonnie Prince Billy. Along with Jason Molina (Magnolia Electric Co, Song: Ohia) he is my favorite lyricist. They are both demented but oh so good!