ZMF Verite Closed-New Closed Back ZMF Flagship.
Sep 11, 2020 at 7:55 PM Post #3,601 of 12,391
Well, the day has finally arrived! I received my stabilized Verite Closed today! I haven't been this excited for anything since quarantine started. These have got to be one of the most gorgeous headphones I've ever seen. So far, I like the Universe pads a little more... But after using the Auteur with the perforated Auteur pads for so long, the solid pads that came with the Verite Closed feel a little stiff and claustrophobic. I'm sure I'll adjust though. I'll be back later to post impressions. For now, here's the pics!

IMG_20200911_133508.jpgIMG_20200911_133536.jpgIMG_20200911_161258.jpgIMG_20200911_161313.jpgIMG_20200911_161336.jpgIMG_20200911_161358.jpg

Thank you @zach915m for such an incredible product. They're truly a work of art.

.... I'm speechless.
 
Sep 11, 2020 at 8:09 PM Post #3,602 of 12,391
Well, the day has finally arrived! I received my stabilized Verite Closed today! I haven't been this excited for anything since quarantine started. These have got to be one of the most gorgeous headphones I've ever seen. So far, I like the Universe pads a little more... But after using the Auteur with the perforated Auteur pads for so long, the solid pads that came with the Verite Closed feel a little stiff and claustrophobic. I'm sure I'll adjust though. I'll be back later to post impressions. For now, here's the pics!

IMG_20200911_133508.jpgIMG_20200911_133536.jpgIMG_20200911_161258.jpgIMG_20200911_161313.jpgIMG_20200911_161336.jpgIMG_20200911_161358.jpg

Thank you @zach915m for such an incredible product. They're truly a work of art.
You have a headphone that has beauty that matches its sound. Congrats.
 
Sep 11, 2020 at 8:16 PM Post #3,603 of 12,391
Well, the day has finally arrived! I received my stabilized Verite Closed today! I haven't been this excited for anything since quarantine started. These have got to be one of the most gorgeous headphones I've ever seen. So far, I like the Universe pads a little more... But after using the Auteur with the perforated Auteur pads for so long, the solid pads that came with the Verite Closed feel a little stiff and claustrophobic. I'm sure I'll adjust though. I'll be back later to post impressions. For now, here's the pics!

IMG_20200911_133508.jpgIMG_20200911_133536.jpgIMG_20200911_161258.jpgIMG_20200911_161313.jpgIMG_20200911_161336.jpgIMG_20200911_161358.jpg

Thank you @zach915m for such an incredible product. They're truly a work of art.
Very beautiful, reminds me of the color of jade.

1599869698954.png
 
Sep 11, 2020 at 8:45 PM Post #3,604 of 12,391
Well, the day has finally arrived! I received my stabilized Verite Closed today! I haven't been this excited for anything since quarantine started. These have got to be one of the most gorgeous headphones I've ever seen. So far, I like the Universe pads a little more... But after using the Auteur with the perforated Auteur pads for so long, the solid pads that came with the Verite Closed feel a little stiff and claustrophobic. I'm sure I'll adjust though. I'll be back later to post impressions. For now, here's the pics!

Thank you @zach915m for such an incredible product. They're truly a work of art.

Superb looking pair... congrats!!
 
Sep 11, 2020 at 9:11 PM Post #3,605 of 12,391
Stunning. How does one go about ordering a pair of stabilized wood VCs!?!?
 
Sep 12, 2020 at 12:40 AM Post #3,607 of 12,391
Well, the day has finally arrived! I received my stabilized Verite Closed today! I haven't been this excited for anything since quarantine started. These have got to be one of the most gorgeous headphones I've ever seen. So far, I like the Universe pads a little more... But after using the Auteur with the perforated Auteur pads for so long, the solid pads that came with the Verite Closed feel a little stiff and claustrophobic. I'm sure I'll adjust though. I'll be back later to post impressions. For now, here's the pics!

IMG_20200911_133508.jpgIMG_20200911_133536.jpgIMG_20200911_161258.jpgIMG_20200911_161313.jpgIMG_20200911_161336.jpgIMG_20200911_161358.jpg

Thank you @zach915m for such an incredible product. They're truly a work of art.
Wow! Looks like the ocean or the sky. Very nice
WOW Those are gorgeous.
.... I'm speechless.
You have a headphone that has beauty that matches its sound. Congrats.
Very beautiful, reminds me of the color of jade.

1599869698954.png
Superb looking pair... congrats!!
Stunning. How does one go about ordering a pair of stabilized wood VCs!?!?
They look stellar. The cable matches it nicely as well.
What they said. They're fabulously beautiful; they have a downright mystical beauty, like those vivid astronomical images of nebulae, forming stars, etc. The looks and sound of the Verite Closed headphones comprise a truly significant event in headphone history, in my opinion.
 
Sep 12, 2020 at 12:46 AM Post #3,608 of 12,391
Stunning. How does one go about ordering a pair of stabilized wood VCs!?!?

These sets were sold early this year at shows and a couple as pre-order. We quickly decided to revamp the ordering process and will be officially releasing the stabilized sets in November with each set pre-made. We will be changing the website a bit too to make ordering limited and one off sets from us more clear, and getting stock model woods out the door faster.
 
ZMFheadphones ZMF headphones hand-crafts wood headphones in Chicago, USA with special attention to exceptional sound and craftsmanship. Stay updated on ZMFheadphones at their sponsor profile on Head-Fi.
 
https://www.facebook.com/ZMFheadphones https://twitter.com/ZMFheadphones https://www.instagram.com/zmfheadphones/?hl=en http://www.zmfheadphones.com/zmf-originals/ contactzmf@gmail.com
Sep 12, 2020 at 1:56 AM Post #3,609 of 12,391
What they said. They're fabulously beautiful; they have a downright mystical beauty, like those vivid astronomical images of nebulae, forming stars, etc. The looks and sound of the Verite Closed headphones comprise a truly significant event in headphone history, in my opinion.

I agree with all of the comments too. They're stunning! They remind me of a tropical sandy beach... the kind where the water is turquoise/green. My brother said they look like the back of a sea turtle. I liked that comparison too.
 
Sep 12, 2020 at 6:25 AM Post #3,610 of 12,391
I agree with all of the comments too. They're stunning! They remind me of a tropical sandy beach... the kind where the water is turquoise/green. My brother said they look like the back of a sea turtle. I liked that comparison too.

They are gorgeous and that tropical sandy beach description is a great way to describe the look!
Congrats and happy listening.
 
Sep 12, 2020 at 9:50 AM Post #3,611 of 12,391
These sets were sold early this year at shows and a couple as pre-order. We quickly decided to revamp the ordering process and will be officially releasing the stabilized sets in November with each set pre-made. We will be changing the website a bit too to make ordering limited and one off sets from us more clear, and getting stock model woods out the door faster.

Thanks, great to know! I guess I will have to wait a couple of months before placing my Verite order then and will have to let my Atticus and Auteur hold me over 😏
 
Sep 12, 2020 at 9:57 AM Post #3,612 of 12,391
Very complimentary rod colour on this set!
 
Sep 12, 2020 at 9:19 PM Post #3,614 of 12,391
Hm, I don't have the VC yet, but November might be a good time to finally pull the trigger. Perhaps I'll finally fill that fourth slot on my headphone stand with another ZMF. Four together will look nice.
I might have the money for headphones again at that point, too! It's all coming together! Maybe!
 
Sep 12, 2020 at 11:30 PM Post #3,615 of 12,391
The Verite Closed in Desert Ironwood versus the HiFiMAN HE1000 Version 1: A Brief Comparison

Reason for posting: This might be a worthwhile read for people familiar with the HE1000, since they could use that headphone as a reference point to get an idea of how great the VC really is. I was blown away in 2015 when I first heard the HE1000 in 2015. I managed to get picked as a beta tester and wrote a review on the Official HIFIMAN HE1000 Impressions Thread. I still stand by everything I said back then. I realize that these headphones are five years old and that HiFiMAN has since come out with the HE1000 V2 (which I heard once [limited listening] and which I thought sounded almost exactly the same as mine, which is the version one). Also, as everyone knows, they've since come out with the HE1000se, which I haven't heard. Even so, the HE1000 V1 today sound as good as they ever did in absolute terms (well duh!), and I think they're still (at least potentially) relevant in the discussion of ultra high end headphones.

The chain: Lenovo computer with USB output ==> Arcam irdac ==> Parasound R/EQ-150 equalizer (it's always on bypass, so maybe I should delete it from the chain, but I haven't) ==> MicroZOTL 2 amplifier with its original (switching, entry level) power supply ==> Headphones

Headphone cables:
HE1000: ZMF Verite Silver Hybrid, 4 stranded, 6 feet long (this was a remarkable improvement over the HiFiMAN stock cable)
Verite Closed: ZMF 2K Copper, 4 stranded, 10 feet long

I've been listening back and forth between the Verite Closed (VC) in desert ironwood and the HiFiMAN HE1000 V1 (HE1Kv1). They both sound fabulous. There are several areas where, in my opinion, the VC outshines even the fabulous HE1Kv1:

1. Detail Resolution: I now think that the VC has even more detail resolution than the HE1000, which to me is very significant because one of the things that made the HE1K famous back in 2015 was its phenomenal detail resolution, due at least in part to its "nanometer thickness" diaphragm (to this day I never learned the actual thickness of its diaphragm--although certainly it's extremely thin, it was never clear to me whether it was actually only one nanometer or somewhat thicker than that). To me the detail of the VC is reminiscent of the detail of the Focal Utopia (which I heard once at a headphone meet), but without (what I perceived to be) the Utopia's occasional stridency bordering on harshness (at times).
2. Transient Attack/Impact: From almost the very beginning, one of the criticisms (from many but not all listeners) of the HE1000 was its relative "lack" of transient attack/impact, in spite of being a very fast headphone. Although I agreed with this at the time, I also felt that this criticism was rather overblown by many people. However, now that I've heard the VC, it's much more evident what those people were talking about. One of the most striking differences between the two headphones is the VC has much better transient attack/impact. Crucially, this is NOT achieved by adding low end boom or high end sizzle. As highly resolving as the HE1Kv1 is, the VC is more so. Obviously this overlaps (a lot) with the superior detail resolution noted in number 1. Example: On some recordings of "Seven Nation Army" the drum has an impressive snap that's very primal. The HE1kv1 sound very good but the VC are far superior at conveying the power and immediacy of Meg White's drums. The VC actually approach (but do not match) the magic of my 2 channel system on this (it has 2 Rel Storm III subwoofers set up in stereo). The HE1Kv1 sound quite good with the drums on that song, but they don't approach the sound my 2 channel system.
3. Treble Extension/Detail: Something that surprises me is that the VC also has greater treble extension/detail than the HE1000 (I think it's both detail and extension but I don't know if I'm correctly separating those two things in my head, so I'll just say extension/detail). Anyway, I am hearing significantly more treble detail/extension and this is without any perceivable harshness {after burning in (Purist Audio System Enhancer CD played multiple times through them)}. After listening to something on the HE1Kv1, then listening to the same thing on the VC, new details seem to emerge. I wasn't expecting that. I really would have expected the opposite.
4. Bass: Another area of VC superiority is the bass. The bass on both headphones is really superb, but the VC is noticeably better in several respects. The overall bass impact is far, far superior on the VC. The depth of deep bass extension seems to be about equal for the two headphones. However the deep bass of the VC is tighter, whereas that of the HE1000 is a bit more resonant and also softer, with less impact. The midbass punch is also far superior on the VC (even though it isn't terrible on the HE1000), which of course relates back to the overall bass impact.
5. Midrange: To my ears, the midrange is incredible on both headphones. I think (but I'm not at all certain of this) that the midrange tonality of the VC is slightly more "correct" than that of the HE1000, but they both sound extremely good to me.

Those are my thoughts on comparing the two high end headphones, both of which I think are amazing. Overall I think the VC is superior, and in the related areas of transient attack/impact and overall bass impact, the VC is significantly superior to the HE1Kv1. This seems like a noteworthy achievement, particularly given the fact that some people thought the HE1000 might be the best headphone in the world when they debuted.

Bottom Line: At this point, the VC are far and away the finest headphones I've ever heard.
 
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