New member here, apologies in advance if I come across naive in my experience in the forum, as well as in the broader audiophile landscape.
TLDR: What are the main differences in sound signatures between the Auteur and the VC from a non-audiophile perspective?
Details:
As someone who has always purchased the latest and greatest NC Bose headsets for the last 2 decades, and as someone who really didn't understand what true hi-fi could mean, last spring I stepped into the work of high-end headphones. My primary goal after months of research was to find a potential end game headphone system to use daily at home, that created a soundstage and experience that I could relax with and also enjoy my favorite music in a new way.
I landed with a system that I love: Apple Music Lossless/Hi-fi Lossless -> Monolith by Monoprice THX Balanced Dac Amp -> Feliks Audio Echo (with Matsushita tubes) -> ZMF Auteur Maple Ambrosia with Suede Eikon pads. (the Eikon's add a little more bass presence and roundness IMO)
I honestly don't know how to use the right terms to describe what I hear, but the words balanced and linear (volumewise) are things I think I have grown to recognize with this setup. I also hear individual instruments like I have never before coming from a space, that when I close my eyes, is massive. I hear a distinct difference when I listen directly out of the balances port on the THX vs the Echo too. The THX seems "clearer", more "precise", perhaps faster??? The Echo is super relaxing and what I intemperate as holographic, but also blurry, in a chill way. Both setups are awesome and have their place depending on the day.
So all is good, then the ZMF bug bites his jaws down a little more...and in May, I get the Zach email announcing a limited batch of about to be released, gorgeous stabilized VCs...holy heck. Based on looks alone, I want. Little did I know that after 25 years of Mario kart skill, (enough to casually still own my son), I was in no league to score a set upon release. So I wait until the next batch in Sept...I make it to the CC payment, sold out... and now I await the infamous November "schedule" from Zach.
Here's my issue: besides the amazing looks of the stabalized VC, I am also considering non-stabilized VCs too if the woods tickle my fancy. I know they will appease my wife a tad more due to reduced sound leakage at night compared with the Auteurs, but I don't really understand what more I would get from VC sound wise even after combing and lurking this forum and others. So here is the ask from you all:
Any chance any of you experts could help a newbie like me understand what the additional $$$ for the VCs means compared to my amazing Auteurs audio wise, but in a way a non-audiophile could understand? Without being able to audition the VCs, seems like a leap of faith without understanding.
Humbly, thanks in advance.
PurdueLion, Chicagoland.
