ZMF Verite Open

[shwnwllms]

I'm weighing my options for an amp upgrade for my Verite and I'm kind of constrained to solid state amps which makes things more difficult. I currently have a Cayin iHA-6 and am hoping for an upgrade that provides better dynamics and imaging/separation. Seems like the DSHA-3FN is the endgame solid state amp pairing with Verite, but I was wondering if anyone knows of solid state amps around $1-1.5k that would synergize well with the VO and that would also be an upgrade from the iHA-6 rather than a sidegrade. ZMF Homage seems like an obvious choice but there's a surprising lack of impressions and reviews online so it's hard to tell how it would compare to my amp and whether the 3FN is still head and shoulders above the Homage and would be worth saving for. I know there probably aren't people who have heard the iHA-6, Homage, and 3FN with the Verite, but I'd appreciate any insights that could help me triangulate how these three (or other amps) might compare!

For SS in that budget I would go with a used V281 (if you can find one)

But my recommendation beyond that would be to go end game SS with a Cen Grand Silver Fox. ZMF dynamics do incredibly well on the SF and do not leave you wanting for tubes. Used they can be found for around $2.4K which is a steal compared to its competition. (Zahl etc)

 

[JerseyD]

I'm weighing my options for an amp upgrade for my Verite and I'm kind of constrained to solid state amps which makes things more difficult. I currently have a Cayin iHA-6 and am hoping for an upgrade that provides better dynamics and imaging/separation. Seems like the DSHA-3FN is the endgame solid state amp pairing with Verite, but I was wondering if anyone knows of solid state amps around $1-1.5k that would synergize well with the VO and that would also be an upgrade from the iHA-6 rather than a sidegrade. ZMF Homage seems like an obvious choice but there's a surprising lack of impressions and reviews online so it's hard to tell how it would compare to my amp and whether the 3FN is still head and shoulders above the Homage and would be worth saving for. I know there probably aren't people who have heard the iHA-6, Homage, and 3FN with the Verite, but I'd appreciate any insights that could help me triangulate how these three (or other amps) might compare!

You might consider the Violectric V202 or V222 (depending on whether you want balanced or single ended).

 

[hafzz123]

I'm weighing my options for an amp upgrade for my Verite and I'm kind of constrained to solid state amps which makes things more difficult. I currently have a Cayin iHA-6 and am hoping for an upgrade that provides better dynamics and imaging/separation. Seems like the DSHA-3FN is the endgame solid state amp pairing with Verite, but I was wondering if anyone knows of solid state amps around $1-1.5k that would synergize well with the VO and that would also be an upgrade from the iHA-6 rather than a sidegrade. ZMF Homage seems like an obvious choice but there's a surprising lack of impressions and reviews online so it's hard to tell how it would compare to my amp and whether the 3FN is still head and shoulders above the Homage and would be worth saving for. I know there probably aren't people who have heard the iHA-6, Homage, and 3FN with the Verite, but I'd appreciate any insights that could help me triangulate how these three (or other amps) might compare!

If you're fine with used amps, Violectric V281 synergize pretty well with Verite Open

 

[TheMiddleSky]

For SS in that budget I would go with a used V281 (if you can find one)

But my recommendation beyond that would be to go end game SS with a Cen Grand Silver Fox. ZMF dynamics do incredibly well on the SF and do not leave you wanting for tubes. Used they can be found for around $2.4K which is a steal compared to its competition. (Zahl etc)

For a bit cheaper in price, with a little darker and meatier character, Little Silver Fox also excellent pick.

 

[Musikfan]

How about the Rogue Audio RH-5? Excellent hybrid headphone amp with some good online reviews.

 

[m9dlh]

Hi All,

I have bought a second hand pair of Verites that are in excellent condition. However, can I please ask if other examples have a slight bend/indent on both of the mettle elements with the fancy patterned parts in the middle of the cups. Apologies for my poor terminology.

 

[carboncopy]

Hi All,

I have bought a second hand pair of Verites that are in excellent condition. However, can I please ask if other examples have a slight bend/indent on both of the mettle elements with the fancy patterned parts in the middle of the cups. Apologies for my poor terminology.

Yes, they are concave by design. Which I personally very much like.

 

[m9dlh]

Yes, they are concave by design. Which I personally very much like.

thanks Carbon - I hoped as much

 

[Pharmaboy]

Yes, they are concave by design. Which I personally very much like.

Me, too!

It varies what would otherwise be a constant/linear dimension. The Caldera Open does something similar

 

[tjkohli]

I know I haven't really posted here much but I'd like to say I am very picky when it comes to headphones. I usually don't keep them long and often see flaws in them since the instant I hear them. Not saying that's good or bad— just wanted to introduce because it makes what I'm about to say more impactful:

I have loved my Verite Open for a couple months now. And it's basically one of the best headphones I have ever owned. Is it the most analytical? No. But the most engaging, fun sound? YES.

I feel like I'm gonna be keeping this thing for a very long time. It also happens to have great synergy with my T+A HA 200.

 

[dbull12]

I know I haven't really posted here much but I'd like to say I am very picky when it comes to headphones. I usually don't keep them long and often see flaws in them since the instant I hear them. Not saying that's good or bad— just wanted to introduce because it makes what I'm about to say more impactful:

I have loved my Verite Open for a couple months now. And it's basically one of the best headphones I have ever owned. Is it the most analytical? No. But the most engaging, fun sound? YES.

I feel like I'm gonna be keeping this thing for a very long time. It also happens to have great synergy with my T+A HA 200.

Looking at your previously owned headphones, that's some pretty high praise for the Verite! Not sure if you ever got to directly compare the two, but if you don't mind me asking what is it that you prefer about Verite over Caldera?

 

[Tchoupitoulas]

Not sure if you ever got to directly compare the two, but if you don't mind me asking what is it that you prefer about Verite over Caldera?

With apologies in advance for being neither the person you asked nor for having compared the Vérité directly to the Caldera, but I've heard both in my system, and owned the Vérité and got to hear the Caldera on a loaner tour for the better part of a week. I preferred the Vérité for two reasons: it's faster and it's less dampened. The Caldera uses the new ZMF damping system, which does wonders for the staging, but I find it tends to tamp down on the dynamics of the headphones, and makes for a more muted, subdued, compressed sound. The Vérité, by contrast, sounds much livelier and more energetic. It hits harder, is more percussive, and gives a greater sense of openness than the Caldera.

I can see folks preferring the tuning of the Caldera, which is a bit warmer and mellower, with deeper and more robust bass. I found the Vérité a bit more fatiguing, thanks in part to a bit of forwardness somewhere in the upper mids or lower treble - but I hasten to add that this is likely more an idiosyncratic issue for me than a general thing. Since you've got the Vérité, you'll already know if this is an issue or not for you. The Caldera is also more resolving, and it's really great for microdynamics and being immersive, sucking you into the music with its lovely tonality and richness. The Vérité and the Caldera could make for a great, complementary pairing, I suspect.

 

[dbull12]

With apologies in advance for being neither the person you asked nor for having compared the Vérité directly to the Caldera, but I've heard both in my system, and owned the Vérité and got to hear the Caldera on a loaner tour for the better part of a week. I preferred the Vérité for two reasons: it's faster and it's less dampened. The Caldera uses the new ZMF damping system, which does wonders for the staging, but I find it tends to tamp down on the dynamics of the headphones, and makes for a more muted, subdued, compressed sound. The Vérité, by contrast, sounds much livelier and more energetic. It hits harder, is more percussive, and gives a greater sense of openness than the Caldera.

I can see folks preferring the tuning of the Caldera, which is a bit warmer and mellower, with deeper and more robust bass. I found the Vérité a bit more fatiguing, thanks in part to a bit of forwardness somewhere in the upper mids or lower treble - but I hasten to add that this is likely more an idiosyncratic issue for me than a general thing. Since you've got the Vérité, you'll already know if this is an issue or not for you. The Caldera is also more resolving, and it's really great for microdynamics and being immersive, sucking you into the music with its lovely tonality and richness. The Vérité and the Caldera could make for a great, complementary pairing, I suspect.

Thanks for the in-depth comparison. It's interesting that it seems there are a lot of differing opinions about the macrodynamics of the Caldera. I've seen some people say that it's the hardest hitting of all the ZMF open backs. Maybe it just comes down to amp pairings? I could see how a Caldera could have more slam out of a Ferrum stack than the Verite since the Oor is really punchy and much more geared towards planars.

Luckily I don't find the Verite fatiguing. I found the AO and AC more fatiguing - I guess it's just the particular region of the upper mids that's more forward on the Atrium that I struggle with. I've only gotten to try the Caldera Open and Closed briefly so I don't have an amazing sense of how they compare to the VO except through all my reading, so posts like this are really helpful!

 

[Tchoupitoulas]

I've only gotten to try the Caldera Open and Closed briefly so I don't have an amazing sense of how they compare to the VO

Was it enough of a listen to tell if the Calderas are too damped for you? It seems to be something that bothers some but not others. I was aware of it immediately.

I've seen some people say that it's the hardest hitting of all the ZMF open backs. Maybe it just comes down to amp pairings?

Yeah, I've noted this discrepancy with my take on the Caldera, too. I got to hear it with my DNA Stratus, which is likely a poor pairing (but great with the Vérité), and the Raal Requisite HSA 1b, which is an amp designed for ribbon-driver headphones like my SR1a that also drives other headphones well. It's a powerful solid state amp, one that works well for planars, but I had the same issue with the Caldera from it. Still, it could well be a poor amp pairing in this case, as you note.

 

[dbull12]

Was it enough of a listen to tell if the Calderas are too damped for you?

I only listened to a few songs so it wasn't really enough to tell at the time, but I did feel I preferred the CC to the CO in my short time with them I also can't remember what DAC and amp they were hooked up to when Zach let me try them. I've also become more of a metalhead over the past year and listen to a lot of post-metal like Amenra, Neurosis, ISIS, Cult of Luna, Deafheaven, etc. as well as some old school and technical death metal. I didn't really test out metal tracks on the Calderas, but I could see the damping potentially hindering the engagement for those genres whereas I was really drawn to the VO for its speed and proficiency with genres like jazz while also having a unique spatial presentation and that great ZMF dynamic timbre with mid-bass warmth along with present treble to give it plenty of air. I'm really happy to have settled on it as my one headphone, but I'm always curious to hear the views and comparisons of people who have had more time with the various ZMFs than I have