[erics75]

2 solid days in with the VC so far, and i'm finding it definitely likes my bottlehead crack more than my RS-08 amp. I'm hoping with burn in that will lessen, as it did with the Auteur. But so far I must say, the VC has been an incredible listen. I won't go into much detail as i'm still learning it, but what stood out was it's speed and resolution. the Atticus and Auteur are reasonably fast headphones, but nothing like something like an HD800. But man the VC is easily as fast as the 800 while being smoother and just as resolving. i'm very impressed, to say the least. i'll give it a proper review in a few weeks, but just wanted to chime in on the amps. what i'm not liking on the RS-08/VC is an upper mid harshness that is very fatiguing. the RS-08 is ruthlessly neutral and revealing, and the VC straight out of the box is a bit stiff/hard sounding. i thought the exact same thing with the Auteur too, but after 50ish hours, it mellowed out and sounded great out of the RS. Time will tell.

 

[Monsterzero]

2 solid days in with the VC so far, and i'm finding it definitely likes my bottlehead crack more than my RS-08 amp. I'm hoping with burn in that will lessen, as it did with the Auteur. But so far I must say, the VC has been an incredible listen. I won't go into much detail as i'm still learning it, but what stood out was it's speed and resolution. the Atticus and Auteur are reasonably fast headphones, but nothing like something like an HD800. But man the VC is easily as fast as the 800 while being smoother and just as resolving. i'm very impressed, to say the least. i'll give it a proper review in a few weeks, but just wanted to chime in on the amps. what i'm not liking on the RS-08/VC is an upper mid harshness that is very fatiguing. the RS-08 is ruthlessly neutral and revealing, and the VC straight out of the box is a bit stiff/hard sounding. i thought the exact same thing with the Auteur too, but after 50ish hours, it mellowed out and sounded great out of the RS. Time will tell.

I never found the upper mids to be harsh in my system,in fact I rather enjoyed the little extra sparkle it brought to the mix. I have found that aspect does lessen to a certain amount with time.

 

[erics75]

I never found the upper mids to be harsh in my system,in fact I rather enjoyed the little extra sparkle it brought to the mix. I have found that aspect does lessen to a certain amount with time.

even when your pair was really new? i'm under 20 hours so far so i think quite a bit of settling in will occur. i thought the same with my Auteur, i found it a bit hard and abrasive in the 4-6k region, but after some hours it was just fine. i'm super sensitive to the 4-6k region for some reason, i find quite a few headphones really zing me there. how i used the beyerdynamic T90 for months is beyond me.....

 

[Monsterzero]

even when your pair was really new? i'm under 20 hours so far so i think quite a bit of settling in will occur. i thought the same with my Auteur, i found it a bit hard and abrasive in the 4-6k region, but after some hours it was just fine. i'm super sensitive to the 4-6k region for some reason, i find quite a few headphones really zing me there. how i used the beyerdynamic T90 for months is beyond me.....

Yeah,I was using an R2R DAC at the time,coupled with tubes I didnt find it harsh at all. I used to own the Beyer T1 and that one killed my ears,so I also have a history of being sensitive to those freqs.

 

[erics75]

Yeah,I was using an R2R DAC at the time,coupled with tubes I didnt find it harsh at all. I used to own the Beyer T1 and that one killed my ears,so I also have a history of being sensitive to those freqs.

that's the direction i'm taking my system. i'm buying a friend's metrum amethyst R2R dac next month, and i want to upgrade to a better otl. not sure Glenn is taking orders anymore, but will reach out to him, if not i might try to grab a used Pendant or something similar.

 

[Monsterzero]

that's the direction i'm taking my system. i'm buying a friend's metrum amethyst R2R dac next month, and i want to upgrade to a better otl. not sure Glenn is taking orders anymore, but will reach out to him, if not i might try to grab a used Pendant or something similar.

Unless you know something I do not,Glenn hasnt publicly mentioned a halt to taking orders. There is still a lengthy wait though AFAIK.
FWIW im selling the R2R DAC I used to do all my reviews up until the VC...for a steal of a price I might add. I need new cables...somebody buy it please!

 

[MrCypruz]

that's the direction i'm taking my system. i'm buying a friend's metrum amethyst R2R dac next month, and i want to upgrade to a better otl. not sure Glenn is taking orders anymore, but will reach out to him, if not i might try to grab a used Pendant or something similar.

You're indeed a blessed man, I listed my beloved Holo Audio Spring Level 3 Kitsune Tuned Edition DAC today. Open for offers and trades. Check it out, and do some Google search to read the reviews on it.

VC are the most accurate representation of the ZMFness Magic indeed! Everything sounds big, wide, sweet.....just magic!

 

[Wildcatsare1]

Okay, back from vacation and finally caught up with reading the Thread. Christmas came early, waiting in my mail was a pair of the new Hybrid Pads!!!

Very early impressions, so, please take that into consideration.

First, they are extremely comfortable, second, they are the perfect bridge between the Universal and Auteur Pads. Personally, to my taste, with the music, I listen too I preferred the Auteur Pads. Though, it dawned on me that I wasn't listening to classical music any longer. After getting the VC, the energy and drive kept me tuning rock, old metal, classic rock, and folk. Not so with the Hybrids, everything, rock, jazz, opera (yes I'm old) and classical are equally beautiful. The tonality, pace, percussion, bass, really all the beautiful aspects of the VC’s performance remain, but with an even better balance from the top too bottom.

Listening to some old Warhorses from Mahler and Wagner, in high res on Qobuz is almost menacingly powerful, thunderous, absolutely awe-inspiring!

 

[subguy812]

Okay, back from vacation and finally caught up with reading the Thread. Christmas came early, waiting in my mail was a pair of the new Hybrid Pads!!!

Very early impressions, so, please take that into consideration.

First, they are extremely comfortable, second, they are the perfect bridge between the Universal and Auteur Pads. Personally, to my taste, with the music, I listen too I preferred the Auteur Pads. Though, it dawned on me that I wasn't listening to classical music any longer. After getting the VC, the energy and drive kept me tuning rock, old metal, classic rock, and folk. Not so with the Hybrids, everything, rock, jazz, opera (yes I'm old) and classical are equally beautiful. The tonality, pace, percussion, bass, really all the beautiful aspects of the VC’s performance remain, but with an even better balance from the top too bottom.

Listening to some old Warhorses from Mahler and Wagner, in high res on Qobuz is almost menacingly powerful, thunderous, absolutely awe-inspiring!

Wagner is the heavy metal of classical anyway so rock on

 

[Lyssky]

Okay, back from vacation and finally caught up with reading the Thread. Christmas came early, waiting in my mail was a pair of the new Hybrid Pads!!!

Very early impressions, so, please take that into consideration.

First, they are extremely comfortable, second, they are the perfect bridge between the Universal and Auteur Pads. Personally, to my taste, with the music, I listen too I preferred the Auteur Pads. Though, it dawned on me that I wasn't listening to classical music any longer. After getting the VC, the energy and drive kept me tuning rock, old metal, classic rock, and folk. Not so with the Hybrids, everything, rock, jazz, opera (yes I'm old) and classical are equally beautiful. The tonality, pace, percussion, bass, really all the beautiful aspects of the VC’s performance remain, but with an even better balance from the top too bottom.

Listening to some old Warhorses from Mahler and Wagner, in high res on Qobuz is almost menacingly powerful, thunderous, absolutely awe-inspiring!

So, as your view of course, can you say that you hybrid is enough for listening to symphonic, folk metal? I am trying to figure out if I should pay an extra $60 for the universal pads?

 

[Wildcatsare1]

So, as your view of course, can you say that you hybrid is enough for listening to symphonic, folk metal? I am trying to figure out if I should pay an extra $60 for the universal pads?

@Monsterzero prefers there Universal (please correct me if I am wrong), and he does listen to folk, but not much symphonic. I listen to everything, except twangy, traditional country, and I prefer the Auteur for rock, metal, and equally for folk, with the Hybrid, I haven't found a genre where it's not exceptional.

A music note, Jennifer Warnes, ”Famous Blue Raincoat.The Songs of Leonard Cohen.” is a great album for a showing of the sweet tonal balance of the Hybrid.

 

[chrisdrop]

Pad commentary for the desert ironwood on my head:

All of them are good and different. They each have their qualities and I think they are all "worth having" for novelty / changing/ experience/ fun. Each has its own bias or style.

1. Auteur: I have used these the most. I prefer these at this stage. I think they have the widest stage of the bunch. Natural, wider bias. I kept wanting to put these back on, but stuck out at least week-long sessions with each pad set. I think the bass is the fastest, sweetest of the lot.
2. Universe: I have used these the 2nd most I preferred these to the Auteurs while using them, especially in the 1st few weeks. When moving back to the Auteur pads, I preferred the Auteurs (repeat of past comments). I think they have a 3d intimacy bias. I think they are a bit more narrow, but they do have a lovely 3d feel. Less clear slam in the bass, but more detail in the upper mids?
3. Hybrid: I have used these for just over a week of constant listening, then swapped to the Auteurs for a week. I really wanted these to be the best of the 3, i.e.; the best of Auteur and Universe pads. I found them more like less than either sadly (so far!). Perhaps I like their biases as they are? I do like them and will use them. It is possible I have not rolled them with the right tubes yet? I will report back as opinion varies.

Caveats:

• Maybe the desert ironwoods are harder wood or different some way to the other pads.
• Maybe the other things in my environment "count more" than any pad change.
• Maybe my opinion isn't worth the digital bits I am relaying to anyone else.

YMMV, etc. I am relaying my notes for the potential benefit of others... But hey - who the hell am I anyway? Just some nut listening to music I will finally reiterate; you can't really go wrong. I could probably put a pair of socks over the speakers in these things and I would sound better than just about any alternatives !

Best,
Chris

This post brought to you by: Thom Yorke - Anima https://tidal.com/browse/album/112207359

 

[SmashBruh]

Pad commentary for the desert ironwood on my head:

All of them are good and different. They each have their qualities and I think they are all "worth having" for novelty / changing/ experience/ fun. Each has its own bias or style.

1. Auteur: I have used these the most. I prefer these at this stage. I think they have the widest stage of the bunch. Natural, wider bias. I kept wanting to put these back on, but stuck out at least week-long sessions with each pad set. I think the bass is the fastest, sweetest of the lot.
2. Universe: I have used these the 2nd most I preferred these to the Auteurs while using them, especially in the 1st few weeks. When moving back to the Auteur pads, I preferred the Auteurs (repeat of past comments). I think they have a 3d intimacy bias. I think they are a bit more narrow, but they do have a lovely 3d feel. Less clear slam in the bass, but more detail in the upper mids?
3. Hybrid: I have used these for just over a week of constant listening, then swapped to the Auteurs for a week. I really wanted these to be the best of the 3, i.e.; the best of Auteur and Universe pads. I found them more like less than either sadly (so far!). Perhaps I like their biases as they are? I do like them and will use them. It is possible I have not rolled them with the right tubes yet? I will report back as opinion varies.

Caveats:

• Maybe the desert ironwoods are harder wood or different some way to the other pads.
• Maybe the other things in my environment "count more" than any pad change.
• Maybe my opinion isn't worth the digital bits I am relaying to anyone else.

YMMV, etc. I am relaying my notes for the potential benefit of others... But hey - who the hell am I anyway? Just some nut listening to music I will finally reiterate; you can't really go wrong. I could probably put a pair of socks over the speakers in these things and I would sound better than just about any alternatives !

Best,
Chris

This post brought to you by: Thom Yorke - Anima https://tidal.com/browse/album/112207359

Do the auteur pads have that nice subby sub bass tho?? I don't often pad roll since it triggers my audio nervosa; but I added the hybrids based on the fact that it sounded like it added extra low end on top of keeping a nice, wide and 3D presentation. Do you find the hybrids at least fill in-between niche??

 

[chrisdrop]

Do the auteur pads have that nice subby sub bass tho?? I don't often pad roll since it triggers my audio nervosa; but I added the hybrids based on the fact that it sounded like it added extra low end on top of keeping a nice, wide and 3D presentation. Do you find the hybrids at least fill in-between niche??

>>Do the auteur pads have that nice subby sub bass tho??
I love sub-bass . Yes. The sub-bass is why I went for the Eikon over the Atticus (office headphones now). The VC will only impress using any pads, including the Auteurs.

If you don't want to pad roll, others on this thread may suggest the Hybrids and I would suggest the Auteurs as of today. It is perhaps worth noting that @zach915m current default (unless he decides to change it) is the Auteurs and he is more experienced than all of us with his headphones. Based purely on the idea of maximising customer happiness /minimising customer complaints, he is incentivised to put on the best overall pads by default. In my case, ZMF has maximised customer happiness FWIW.

 

[bmichels]

I received 2 type of pads. How can I know wich are fitted on the VC and which are spare in the box ? is there a way to easily differentiate between the 3 sets mentioned here ?