[chrisnyc75]

A few of questions about Caldera pads...

1 - what is the effectual difference between the "Lambskin stock (top & side perf)" vs "Lambskin Ultra Perf"?
2 - why isn't there a "Lambskin Thick Ultra Perf"?
3 - has anyone tried the Tungsten "Caldera hybrid pads" on Caldera? Why isn't it an option in the ZMF shop"?

 

[djentbat]

Would you say there is no need to purchase another ZMF model? Would a closed back complement the Caldera at all? I agree, so far, the Caldera has ruined the desire to purchase another HP at this time.

For me it definitely has. I’ve had the pleasure of trying out a lot of high end gear and my the three headphones I’ll never part with are the Caldera, Utopia 2020, and the Atrium

 

[coreyb23]

For me it definitely has. I’ve had the pleasure of trying out a lot of high end gear and my the three headphones I’ll never part with are the Caldera, Utopia 2020, and the Atrium

What does the Atrium bring to the table that the Caldera does not?

 

[harris4crna]

What does the Atrium bring to the table that the Caldera does not?

Valid Question.....hmmmmm

 

[wkesquire]

What does the Atrium bring to the table that the Caldera does not?

The soundstage presentation on the Atrium (by Atrium and Caldera I’m referencing the open back versions) is deeper and more exciting to me than it is on the Caldera. I’ve never heard a headphone that had sounds coming at me in such an engaging and fun way as they do on the Atrium. And I say that as someone who without reservation believes that the Caldera Open is the best headphone he’s ever heard. I think the Atrium is also much punchier than the Caldera. Sub bass extension isn’t as great on the Atrium, but the Atrium kicks like a mule.

 

[AcousticMatt]

What does the Atrium bring to the table that the Caldera does not?

For me, Atrium's biocellulose driver sounds tonally so different from Caldera that they're worth having both. It's also punchy in a different way, stages uniquely, and is tuned more like "ok, let's have some fun and use some bright colors here!" vs. Caldera's more neutral tuning in comparison. Caldera is ahead technically in most, if not all ways, but Atrium is just fun, man. A fun color palette that gives everything you listen to it the same musicality treatment.

 

[erics75]

What does the Atrium bring to the table that the Caldera does not?

For me personally it comes down the driver material. You have a metal planar driver vs a biocellulose driver, and the physical composition of these drivers impart a sonic characteristic to the sound. Metal drives tend to be sharper, have harder transients, and overall just have a harsher characteristic vs the more natural biocellulose material. Bio drivers tend to sound smoother, more organic, natural, etc. For me personally that macro sonic signature is my top criterion when choosing headphones. I love how natural the Atrium sounds next to the Caldera. It just sounds more natural to me, more organic and lifelike. What it gives up in detail it makes up for in tone/timbre. That's just my preference, i get why people tend to flock to planars for that ultra detailed and precise look into their music.

 

[iamoneagain]

Ok, it only took 2 days but I’m back with the stock pads. So even with the EQ adjustment, what I ended up finding slightly off with the thick pads was this hall-like, reverb effect. Generally gives things a more spacious sound but then I tried the following:

Girl in Amber - Where the Viaduct Looms - Flaming Lips w/ Nell Smith. It’s a Nick Cave covers album.

Anyway, when played the first song of the album, it just felt off to me. Thought now it’s possible just recorded weird, since Flaming Lips tends to do weird things. But then when switched back to stock the weird reverb effect was fixed. So that’s it for me. Sticking to stock and done playing around with pads. Think I’m all set with the Caldera open but I’ll give the Caldera Closed a good listen at next SoCal CamJam. Pretty confident I’ll like the open version over the closed but just need to be sure.

 

[djentbat]

What does the Atrium bring to the table that the Caldera does not?

Personally for me, the caldera soundstage can be a little small at times, pad rolling and the right tubes can fix this but I think the strength of the caldera is the more intimate presentation.

That said the atriums soundstage, dynamics, and warm timbre are so good that it has a differently feel to the caldera. I also prefer the bass on the atrium vs the caldera

 

[coreyb23]

The soundstage presentation on the Atrium (by Atrium and Caldera I’m referencing the open back versions) is deeper and more exciting to me than it is on the Caldera. I’ve never heard a headphone that had sounds coming at me in such an engaging and fun way as they do on the Atrium. And I say that as someone who without reservation believes that the Caldera Open is the best headphone he’s ever heard. I think the Atrium is also much punchier than the Caldera. Sub bass extension isn’t as great on the Atrium, but the Atrium kicks like a mule.

I could see that. I have the Empy 2s in addition to the Caldera. The Empy's stage is taller/wider, and its images are larger (though not quite as sharply defined) relative to the Caldera IMO.

 

[coreyb23]

Personally for me, the caldera soundstage can be a little small at times, pad rolling and the right tubes can fix this but I think the strength of the caldera is the more intimate presentation.

That said the atriums soundstage, dynamics, and warm timbre are so good that it has a differently feel to the caldera. I also prefer the bass on the atrium vs the caldera

For Caldera thick pad lovers, what pads would folks recommend for the atrium?

 

[iamoneagain]

Ok, so after reading all these posts, I’ll have to give the Atrium open another good listen as well. Really like my 10 minute audition at last CanJam and did feel it sounded better than the Caldera on the Feliks Envy. But then felt the Caldera beat the Atrium on the Ferrum stack. Couldn’t say what I liked best over all but already owned the Caldera, so left it at that. Not worth selling the Caldera for the Atrium. If didn’t own either yet, would have done a much longer comparison.

 

[harris4crna]

Sounds to me, it is worth having both the Caldera and the Atrium. I want a great contrast, so may go with the AC..The CC, well, will need a listen and time to marinate prior to yet another 3k purchase.

 

[AudioDuck]

Sounds to me, it is worth having both the Caldera and the Atrium.

That’s where I landed as well (though with closed-back versions of them due to my listening scenarios).

Having those two covers a LOT of sonic/musical ground.

(I am also fortunate enough to have a VC, which likely “overkill” as it overlaps a bit with the Caldera Closed but with a dynamic driver. I doubt I’ll be willing to part with it, though!)

 

[AcousticMatt]

For Caldera thick pad lovers, what pads would folks recommend for the atrium?

Lambskin Auteurs!