[saidentary]

I finally joined the club today



(Better pics to follow later)

Nice collection, indeed! Would love to hear your comparisons, if you have a chance!

Agree with smallcaps! In fact I'd bet that a lot of us would love to hear your comparisons.

 

[MWeston]

Your name and post sounded familiar so I went and checked my PMs, I sent this PM to you last time you posted something similar to this, this was on May 5th:


"Hey I wanted to check in after seeing your post. I'm happy to get you a set of Verite pads to try since it sounds like that would be your preferred sound signature. I just feel bad that it sounds like you haven't gelled with the Verite closed.

I would just feel bad if you sold the headphones while not getting to hear them with the pads you might prefer.

Can you just confirm your order number and address so I can get them to you?"

---

You never replied to my message, and now I see you're saying a similar thing. Do you want to try the verite pads since it sounds like you want the headphones to be brighter? Did you not get my PM for some reason? I am trying to help but am a little confused.

I am willing to go to any length to help you, including get you a free pair of pads or check your headphone out to make sure nothing is wrong with it. Please let me try to help.

Hi Zach,

Sorry to leech onto your conversation but I was going to reply to that post and say that I feel the same way. I got my VC Ironwoods the day before the world shut down and I've never really enjoyed them. I can't find a good EQ setting and I tried the other pads they came with which sounded worse (but I really should try them again now that I have them somewhat burned in - maybe 50 hours on a rack and 20 more on my head). The only way I've liked them was on a tube amp at high volume playing the new Tool album but I can't do that all day! They seem so lifeless unless I really push them hard.

What are these verite pads? Can you post a link? Don't Verite headphones come with Verite pads? I've thought about selling the headphones but they are works of art and I feel like I'm just doing something wrong based on all the feedback from most people. I have other $1K to $3K headphones and I love them all. I just can't be bothered to put the VC on. I sometimes wonder if mine are just duds. My current plan was to just let them sit here until I find some different amps to try but who knows if that will help.


Thanks,

Michael

 

[Klmahnn]

Hi Zach,

Sorry to leech onto your conversation but I was going to reply to that post and say that I feel the same way. I got my VC Ironwoods the day before the world shut down and I've never really enjoyed them. I can't find a good EQ setting and I tried the other pads they came with which sounded worse (but I really should try them again now that I have them somewhat burned in - maybe 50 hours on a rack and 20 more on my head). The only way I've liked them was on a tube amp at high volume playing the new Tool album but I can't do that all day! They seem so lifeless unless I really push them hard.

What are these verite pads? Can you post a link? Don't Verite headphones come with Verite pads? I've thought about selling the headphones but they are works of art and I feel like I'm just doing something wrong based on all the feedback from most people. I have other $1K to $3K headphones and I love them all. I just can't be bothered to put the VC on. I sometimes wonder if mine are just duds. My current plan was to just let them sit here until I find some different amps to try but who knows if that will help.


Thanks,

Michael

Out of interest, what is your chain? What kind of music are you listening to? What other headphones are you enjoying atm?

 

[maszynista1987]

For me, Verite is a perfect headset, the purchase itself threatened to divorce my wife sometimes says that she has a cheaper car than me headphones ... But she understands my hobby and knows that if I was in a difficult situation, I would sell my toys ...

I owned a K270, DT980 Pro, Audioquest Nightowl-Nighthawk, Lcd-xc, Diana Abyss and every adventure with the listed ones was extraordinary.

Each of us has a different taste and can not be satisfied with all unfortunately, but very cool is the support on the forum and the manufacturer and the zmf lovers trying to help other users ...

I noticed that the headphones have to play and the more hours they have, the better. With me it's already about 60-80 hours and the headphones play nicer than when I bought them, now I can listen to some pieces quite loudly without getting tired.

Verite Closed have perfect bass, they sound like open and are fast.

They need a strong companion, you should give them a chance...
Sorry about the interpreter.

 

[zach915m]

Hi Zach,

Sorry to leech onto your conversation but I was going to reply to that post and say that I feel the same way. I got my VC Ironwoods the day before the world shut down and I've never really enjoyed them. I can't find a good EQ setting and I tried the other pads they came with which sounded worse (but I really should try them again now that I have them somewhat burned in - maybe 50 hours on a rack and 20 more on my head). The only way I've liked them was on a tube amp at high volume playing the new Tool album but I can't do that all day! They seem so lifeless unless I really push them hard.

What are these verite pads? Can you post a link? Don't Verite headphones come with Verite pads? I've thought about selling the headphones but they are works of art and I feel like I'm just doing something wrong based on all the feedback from most people. I have other $1K to $3K headphones and I love them all. I just can't be bothered to put the VC on. I sometimes wonder if mine are just duds. My current plan was to just let them sit here until I find some different amps to try but who knows if that will help.


Thanks,

Michael

From our earpad page here: https://www.zmfheadphones.com/zmfpads

The verite c comes with two sets of pads that are warmer, punchier and really, not totally neutral. For people who want a more neutral headphone experience the Be2 pads or Verite pads are great options, also using suede has the same effect as it let's more air through the front element. With suede the headphone will be more neutral and also more "diffuse." the reason the Verite C ships with those pads is that the majority of people who buy closed headphones want that "punchier" experience, but it's definitely not mandatory on the V Closed.

I'm definitely happy to help, send me an email with what you're looking for and this is the exact reason we make a bunch of earpads, as different people have far different tastes from each other, it's rare that we don't make an earpad that suits your taste. The stereophile A+ rating we got was a result of me having a conversation with Herb Reichert and realizing he wanted a neutral headphone and me sending him Verite solid pads.

Also remember, these headphones actually need around 300 hours of burn in to get fleshed out completely. The surround on the drivers is really thick and the membrane is thin and stiff. It really does change the headphones character and eases the sound.

Hit me up and we can have a discussion, I always enjoy helping our owners out, knowing your chain, tastes, and preferred sound will definitely help: zach@zmfheadphones.com

 

[JM1979]

I deleted a bunch of posts after feeling "done" with this hobby (lol, I'll die or go deaf, first) after receiving the Sony MDR-7506, and instantly preferring it to the ZMF Verite Closed. It is understandable that my reaction was "this hobby is bull" (I've been in it since ~2006, btw, if that means anything [it doesn't, actually]), given that no audiophile types mention the MDR-7506 anymore and it has been in its current form for many, many years, but here I am reaching for it over a $2500, endlessly-hyped headphone released in late 2019.

Since then, the ZMF has seemed to become more clear-sounding with burn-in, to the point where it is "clear enough" to me even with the Auteur (default, thick-backed) pads. The problem is, I still don't like it, and I still prefer the MDR-7506 (and Sennheiser HD 800 S, and the $40 Blon BL-03, and the $6 Panasonic RP-HT21, etc.).

The VC is, in a word, unimpressive, and I feel nothing but a sense of disappointment when listening to it. Also, I still feel that there is something missing/weird in the frequency response curve (no matter the pads).

I switch over to the HD 800 S, and with this headphone, I immediately get what it is going for. While the HD 800 S essentially a diffuse field headphone with its tuning changed to more match the harman target curve, it feels, to me, less of a compromise than the VC, which feels like it was designed by a committee (yes, I know that this is an ironic statement) trying to go for analytical and musical at the same time, resulting in the VC having no real character of its own or special traits to warrant its price ("open-sounding for a closed headphone" is not much to celebrate at $2500).

In direct comparison with the VC, the MDR-7506 has a noticeably thumpier and less textured bass and a maybe peaky (in a way that I love, but, still) treble response, but it is SO CLEAR - without being thin at all, amazingly - and involving as hell! Everything is balanced almost perfectly to what I want! Get those boring, weird VCs out of here!

Ultimately, I was expected to be amazed by the VC, and I never have been, although my (now deleted) posts showed how much I tried to fool myself into believing that I just had to find the right trick to fix it. I think the combination of my exhausting fight against the VC plus the insane price (not going to argue this point [or any other - I haven't read this thread since I first posted in it]) make it one of my least-liked headphones. And I am not saying that it is bad and everyone else is wrong, just that I personally don't find it a particularly worthwhile listen. If you like the MDR-7506 a lot, you might find the VC to be a downgrade (not on technical merits, though, I guess).

Good that (almost?) no one else has the same experience with these headphones. I envy the people who are able to enjoy the VC, especially to such an opposing degree to my own experience.

Thanks for clearing that up. The other half dozen identical posts you’ve made really had me wondering if you liked the VCs or not.

 

[heliosphann]

Sure hence h8ers gonna h8 (I say this in jest) and by the way I do appreciate and welcome all views, positive and negative, as I feel it brings balance to the discourse of the thread and enriches the discussion. It's totally uninteresting to follow any thread that is just an echo chamber of similar views.

Having said that, the tone here is a little odd. If something about a headphone really irks you, why is it surprising that other headphones (even at a lower price point) are more appealing. A $1000 headphone will not sound better to you than a $20 one if the former's sound signature is completely at odds with your preferences. It's not at all understandable how the conclusion was "this hobby is bull****".

I think @ferraro25's frustration stems from trying so hard to like a headphone based on other people's impressions. No need to force yourself to like something you innately detest or envy other people's satisfaction. There are plenty of fish in the sea! I'll have to try the Panasonic RP-HT21, thanks for sharing

He's also never said what gear he's using his VC's with, despite several people asking (including me). For all we know he could be using them with a Fiio E17 or a Sandisk Clip...

 

[MWeston]

Out of interest, what is your chain? What kind of music are you listening to? What other headphones are you enjoying atm?

I updated my signature to show some stuff. I have DS DACs from all the major manufacturers, and a Qutest. I have a couple of solid state amps but I prefer the VC on the tube amp (Littledot MKIII with upgraded tubes). I play audio from my computer over USB and mainly rock or metal music.

I have the Sony MDR-Z1R which I absolutely love for a full, bassy sound and great highs (with some EQ). I have the Hifiman Arya for clarity and great holographic sound. I like using the HD800 with SDR mod sometimes, especially on the tube amp, for great spacial response and decent spectral neutrality (again with some EQ!). I have some cheaper cans for travel because I don't want to haul multi-thousand dollar headphones on planes. Then I got the VC Ironwood, hoping it would be like the Z1R but with faster attack and perhaps even more body but they are just dull. Maybe I really do need to remember to leave them on the amp overnight for another week.

 

[zach915m]

I updated my signature to show some stuff. I have DS DACs from all the major manufacturers, and a Qutest. I have a couple of solid state amps but I prefer the VC on the tube amp (Littledot MKIII with upgraded tubes). I play audio from my computer over USB and mainly rock or metal music.

I have the Sony MDR-Z1R which I absolutely love for a full, bassy sound and great highs (with some EQ). I have the Hifiman Arya for clarity and great holographic sound. I like using the HD800 with SDR mod sometimes, especially on the tube amp, for great spacial response and decent spectral neutrality (again with some EQ!). I have some cheaper cans for travel because I don't want to haul multi-thousand dollar headphones on planes. Then I got the VC Ironwood, hoping it would be like the Z1R but with faster attack and perhaps even more body but they are just dull. Maybe I really do need to remember to leave them on the amp overnight for another week.

Based in you liking the z1r and hd800, you actually might like monkeypod more than Ironwood due to the much added decay. The ironwood with a low impedance amp will sound super dull, because not only does the extreme hard wood take any decay out of the equation, but the high damping factor will kill any decay that was left. This along with using verite or Be2 pads to make the headphone more linear would likely be to your taste.

As mentioned send me an email and I'll help you out.

Edit: @MWeston I found your email and sent you a message as well. I have some ideas to help get to your subjective preferences better met.

 

[MWeston]

I replied to Zach but for public record, I have put the Auteur pads back on which I only tried shortly after receiving these headphones. I didn't like them then, but I am finding them more enjoyable. The treble is much hotter but I am a man of EQ, so I can tweak. My future plan will be to consider getting the Verite pads for comparison. ZMF really are the kings of tuning. I can't do this with any of my other headphones. I don't really feel like I need to but if I did, I can't. Hell, I don't even know what the nightmare will be like if I try to order new Sony pads from Japan. I'm sure that will be a costly import.

 

[zach915m]

I replied to Zach but for public record, I have put the Auteur pads back on which I only tried shortly after receiving these headphones. I didn't like them then, but I am finding them more enjoyable. The treble is much hotter but I am a man of EQ, so I can tweak. My future plan will be to consider getting the Verite pads for comparison. ZMF really are the kings of tuning. I can't do this with any of my other headphones. I don't really feel like I need to but if I did, I can't. Hell, I don't even know what the nightmare will be like if I try to order new Sony pads from Japan. I'm sure that will be a costly import.

If you're liking what you hear now from auteur pads except for the treble and wanting a more diffuse presentation, the suede auteur pads (or even hybrid) would be worth trying. Solid suede that is.

 

[Hi Rez]

Interesting discussion. I've had my VC Leopardwoods for a couple of months now.

I also at first had difficulty appreciating the headphone. I listened first with the Auteur pads, and always felt that voices were more recessed than I liked. To get voices sounding right, I had to listen at volumes louder than I preferred. I expected voices would be a bit recessed compared to my LCD-3 classics, but voices also seemed recessed compared to my speaker system, which is quite linear. After a month with the Auteur pads, I appreciated the headphone, but was ambivalent about using it. Figured I needed to give it a chance and check out what other pads might do.

So I ordered the Vérité pads and swapped over to the Universe pads. The Universe were a definite improvement for me, but to get voices in balance, I still found myself at times listening at louder volumes than I liked. I have to admit, even after reading here about how much difference swapping pads made to the sound, I was still surprised how much the apparent sound signature changed between the Auteur and Universe pads.

The Vérité pads arrived in about a week. I didn’t expect the “gift wrapped” packaging, but it was a nice classy touch. For me, the Vérité pads brought the sound into better balance yet. Bass certainly didn’t go away with the Vérité pads - it was still solid, and had maybe even better detail than with the Universe and Aeteur pads, but on the other hand, bass heads might not be happy with these pads. I still occasionally wish vocals were a bit more prominent, but that is generally only with certain recordings. Balance is fine with classical and instrumental music. Nothing about the VC's sound presentation jumps out at me any more - it just comes across as balanced, which in my experience is how high end systems should sound.

After about a month with the Vérité pads I went back to my LCD-3s. It was a short trip. I still liked the prominence of vocals thru the LCD-3, but that was about it. The VC with Vérité pads is much more linear, and has a clarity that lets me hear much deeper into the music. The VC is a great headphone, and I’m quite happy with it - though it did take a couple of months for me to get to this point.

 

[Audiosolace]

I finally joined the club today



(Better pics to follow later)

Great selection and welcome aboard

 

[Zachik]

For all we know he could be using them with a Fiio E17 or a Sandisk Clip.

SanDisk Clip -> E17 -> Susvara == best setup EVER!!

 

[Klmahnn]

If you haven’t yet... I would highly recommend! Comfort beast mode activated. Looks like my Verité has been working out