The red ring indicates that is the right hand side connector. Not sure what to do about the black cover
ZMF Caldera - New Planar Magnetic from ZMF!
- Thread starter ScornDefeat
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psy472
500+ Head-Fier
That black rubber thing keeps the wire in place. It’s structured like a [==]. If it slips out because you accidentally yanked it, just push it back in.
Just push the black plug back in, it's not a big deal. The clamps and solder points hold the wire in place to the 3.5 or other connector, while the plug keeps the wire centered in the enclosure.
I've gotten so tired of pushing mine back in it's just been like this for like a year. lol
Bubinga Atrium looks stunning ! I have got one already.
What pads and mesh for the Caldera would produce the warmest full body sound and least brightness? Has anyone compared the solid mesh vs the mantle mesh on the Caldera?
Sound Eq
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2013
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I as well would like to know the differences between the meshes
Pharmaboy
Headphoneus Supremus
I first heard the Caldera (several Calderas on several amps) at the ZMF room in CanJam NYC a year ago. I quickly formed the impression of a high resolution but also musical planar. It seemed a bit honest in the upper mids, but I knew the only way I could assess this was to get one for myself, which I did a couple months later.
The mantle mesh (if memory serves) was just becoming available as an option last spring. I'm reasonably sure most if not all the Calderas at the ZMF booth had the stock mesh. When I learned of the mantle mesh, I asked that it be installed on my new coffee stained oak Caldera instead of the stock mesh. So I never actually compared stock vs mantle mesh.
I ordered 4 sets of pads w/this headphone: stock; thin cowhide; suedes; and lambskin thicks. In my review posted on Head-Fi, I compared the sound of all 4 sets and landed on the lambskin thicks as my favorite (by a wide margin).
My conclusions from all this, in answer to your question:
- Apparently the mantle mesh did for me, exactly what it was designed to do--slightly bring down the level of the upper midrange, and make that portion of the frequencies smoother. I think I heard that smoothness after burn-in was done.
- Choice of pads makes a larger, more immediately audible difference in the sound. As I am quite treble averse (translation: averse to "flat" frequency headphones whose upper midrange and treble sound unnaturally bright and insistent compared to music IRL), the thicks instantly locked in the best sound for me, as described in my review.
- Net/net: IMO, the mantle mesh + lambskin thick pads push the Caldera's sound the most toward a full body sound and least brightness (exactly what I wanted).
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Thanks so much for the detailed response. I think that our preferences are similar so I may just go ahead and place my order later this week.
psy472
500+ Head-Fier
Superglue.I've gotten so tired of pushing mine back in it's just been like this for like a year. lol
AntonRisto
100+ Head-Fier
As far as I know, the only mesh option for the Caldera is the Mantle mesh. Stock option is no mesh at all.
Out of curiosity, will there be prototypes of the Caldera Closed to try at Axpona in April? It seems like they might be at CanJam NYC, but since I'm much closer to the Chicago area, that's my best chance to demo some ZMFs again. 
idairyou
500+ Head-Fier
For a warmer full body sound, I always like the suede pads.
I am not as sensitive to brightness as others, so I am not the best person to ask on that one.
I recently added the mantle mesh and then tried the suede pads (which I liked before but preferred the stock) and wow... really been loving that combo.
I need to try that next. After putting on the mantle mesh I put on the thick pads (which I did not like without the mesh) and wow. Haven't wanted to switch pads. At some point I need to swap to the suede and stock to see how the sound with the mantle mesh.
