[zach915m]

reading through the past page or so with the support emails just reinforces my belief that ZMF is the best headphone company out there - I did a lot of research and reading through this website before I purchased my Eikons a couple years back - I had no opportunity to test any out first hand so I bought mine completely blind and I couldn't be happier! An amazing looking and performing product with some seriously top notch, personal customer support. Keep up the good work @zach915m and co.!

Thank you this makes me happier than you know. I never want anyone to feel worried about working with us.

 

[Nago]

We have a batch of Maple in that we're finishing now. With any luck we will have some up next week. Some flame birch as well. Just trying to figure out the finish and all that as we used to have a local craftsman make them but we are doing them in house now.

Will these be the standard wood options for the time being or are you going to frequently change them?

Not sure if I should wait for a darker wood option.

 

[omega1990]

Just got my blackwood atrium in the mail today. It is my 13th pair of zmf headphones, and as for atrium I originally bought it in Koa to try a wood I've never had before and then cocobolo. Overall I would say the cocobolo atrium is much closer to the Koa variant than blackwood.

Blackwood is a much warmer sound with more physicality and holographicness. It's also a bit faster. There is a blacker background with blackwood, but cocobolo has little better sense of air as expected. Cocobolo has a nice mix of some of Koa's soundstage depth and air but with a little more punch than koa. Holographic 3dness is emphasized on blackwood. Some stage depth is sacrificed on blackwood compared to lighter woods which is "par the course" for any zmf model in blackwood, but for my preferences it continually wins for my use case. Blackwood is a much warmer sounding wood which is understandably not an effect everyone would want. For example, if you value live performances I feel they are better sounding when using a softer/less dense wood for their soundstage advantages. Atriums emphasis on physicality is also further emphasized on blackwood.

To those who got the other 2 blackwoods, enjoy them. To others that got the ones they wanted this Zmf November, congratulations! I'm also glad to read Zach was willing to also make a headphone as close a possible to what one customer wanted but was unable to purchase quick enough.

My dynamic zmfs are now all blackwood again until the closed atrium is released hopefully next year. I am hyped for the closed atrium because of the body and weight this headphone already supplies while as an open back. I expect the atrium closed back to trap that physicality and make its note weight even more impactful than it already is in openback form. If the verite closed is any indication of showing that closed backs can capture what their open back counterparts can do, then my expectations for atrium closed are already very high!

I also still need to get a caldera as I never heard any zmf planar before. I am aware they made some modded planars in the early years of the brand but never had a chance to hear them.

 

[tyk103]

Ugh still waiting for tracking for #225

 

[omega1990]

Ugh still waiting for tracking for #225

Just used the search bar to find a photo of the one you mentioned. Damn, that is one awesome looking pair! Hope they ship yours out soon.

 

[Otrixx]

Just got my blackwood atrium in the mail today. It is my 13th pair of zmf headphones, and as for atrium I originally bought it in Koa to try a wood I've never had before and then cocobolo. Overall I would say the cocobolo atrium is much closer to the Koa variant than blackwood.

Blackwood is a much warmer sound with more physicality and holographicness. It's also a bit faster. There is a blacker background with blackwood, but cocobolo has little better sense of air as expected. Cocobolo has a nice mix of some of Koa's soundstage depth and air but with a little more punch than koa. Holographic 3dness is emphasized on blackwood. Some stage depth is sacrificed on blackwood compared to lighter woods which is "par the course" for any zmf model in blackwood, but for my preferences it continually wins for my use case. Blackwood is a much warmer sounding wood which is understandably not an effect everyone would want. For example, if you value live performances I feel they are better sounding when using a softer/less dense wood for their soundstage advantages. Atriums emphasis on physicality is also further emphasized on blackwood.

To those who got the other 2 blackwoods, enjoy them. To others that got the ones they wanted this Zmf November, congratulations! I'm also glad to read Zach was willing to also make a headphone as close a possible to what one customer wanted but was unable to purchase quick enough.

My dynamic zmfs are now all blackwood again until the closed atrium is released hopefully next year. I am hyped for the closed atrium because of the body and weight this headphone already supplies while as an open back. I expect the atrium closed back to trap that physicality and make its note weight even more impactful than it already is in openback form. If the verite closed is any indication of showing that closed backs can capture what their open back counterparts can do, then my expectations for atrium closed are already very high!

I also still need to get a caldera as I never heard any zmf planar before. I am aware they made some modded planars in the early years of the brand but never had a chance to hear them.

Thanks for the write up. It confirms what I was hoping for. I got Blackwood 136. Still waiting for mine to ship.

 

[4LoveOfSound]

I have a blackwood VC and I’m just not crazy about them. I loved the sound from the camphor burl I had and really miss them. I seem to be in the softer wood ZMF camp vs the hardwood ZMF camp.

 

[william12211]

We have a batch of Maple in that we're finishing now. With any luck we will have some up next week. Some flame birch as well. Just trying to figure out the finish and all that as we used to have a local craftsman make them but we are doing them in house now.

Would love for the flame birch to be stained red, missed out on the bloodwood. https://www.woodworkerssource.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/curly-maple-dyes-other-002.jpg

 

[JerseyD]

I have a blackwood VC and I’m just not crazy about them. I loved the sound from the camphor burl I had and really miss them. I seem to be in the softer wood ZMF camp vs the hardwood ZMF camp.

Been reading so many threads about the various ZMF models and people’s wood preferences for each (in regard to sound). It does seem like it comes down to the ear of the beholder, which is tough when you can’t audition the various models, much less the different woods for each model. There seems to be some consensus around preferring a harder wood for the warmer-skewing models and softer wood for the brighter-leaning models - at least among forum-dwellers. There are probably just as many who prefer the opposite. The only solution seems to be to “buy and try” them all!

 

[goldwerger]

Been reading so many threads about the various ZMF models and people’s wood preferences for each (in regard to sound). It does seem like it comes down to the ear of the beholder, which is tough when you can’t audition the various models, much less the different woods for each model. There seems to be some consensus around preferring a harder wood for the warmer-skewing models and softer wood for the brighter-leaning models - at least among forum-dwellers. There are probably just as many who prefer the opposite. The only solution seems to be to “buy and try” them all!

Be comforted that if you like any specific ZMF model, you would like it in all woods, and vice versa. This is the smallest level of fine-tuning, and won’t affect your overall enjoyment either way.

Imho pad rolling is dramatically more meaningful to sonic signature, as are synergies with amps, dacc, and sources. After all that, I would still optimize first for cables (power, interconnects, headphone).

Different woods definitely have different sonic characters, but I do strongly recommend making the choice based on aesthetics (or weight), as the sound profile differences are too minute relative to all the other significant changes in your chain that you can easily affect.

Edited for typoes

 

[No Deal]

I just hope that between the solid-state amp (Burson), the tube amp (WA2), and the box of overpriced old tubes, I can find a combination that will make me believe that my money was well spent. So far, I haven't been disappointed. All my ZMFs love my music on one amp or the other.

I have the VO coming and I'm in no hurry. They will get here soon enough. Today, loving me some Lindsey Webster on the Aeolus/Burson combo. Sweet!

 

[zach915m]

Just a quick reminder - ZMF November ends after tomorrow. Some beautiful sets left!

https://shop.zmfheadphones.com/collections/zmf-november

 

[ItHz]

Been reading so many threads about the various ZMF models and people’s wood preferences for each (in regard to sound). It does seem like it comes down to the ear of the beholder, which is tough when you can’t audition the various models, much less the different woods for each model. There seems to be some consensus around preferring a harder wood for the warmer-skewing models and softer wood for the brighter-leaning models - at least among forum-dwellers. There are probably just as many who prefer the opposite. The only solution seems to be to “buy and try” them all!

In my experience comparing the same models in different types of wood, changing earpads has had a more noticeable effect than the type of wood.

Also of critical importance: adjust the headband to get a proper fit and seal. This can make a huge difference, and I suspect it is the real reason some folks hear large differences between the same model in different woods, but they misattribute the difference to the type of wood.

In the end, just pick whichever looks prettiest to you

 

[TheMiddleSky]

In my experience comparing the same models in different types of wood, changing earpads has had a more noticeable effect than the type of wood.

Also of critical importance: adjust the headband to get a proper fit and seal. This can make a huge difference, and I suspect it is the real reason some folks hear large differences between the same model in different woods, but they misattribute the difference to the type of wood.

In the end, just pick whichever looks prettiest to you

I found that VC is the most sensitive with seal, even only changing the shape of my glasses make noticeable change for midrange and bass response

 

[4LoveOfSound]

I apparently have a very small head. All my ZMFs are adjusted on the rod as low as they can go and sometimes I feel that isn’t even enough.