Oct 27, 2024 at 10:34 PM Post #9,616 of 9,725
I’ll freely admit that I’m a little shallow sometimes
I would continually deny that (though it's true in my case).

I love my V.O. It's the best dynamic driver headphone I ever heard.

I'm also a big fan of Forza Audio Works cables. I have 2 of the Noir HCP MK2 cables (2M & 2.5M). Not cheap, but compared to other big copper cables, not expensive, either. I'm a fan of big copper cables. There's just something about that copper sound that nails it for me.

These cables sometimes come up F.S. used, too, as do various Norne models (superb cables).
 
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Oct 28, 2024 at 3:52 AM Post #9,617 of 9,725
I would continually deny that (though it's true in my case).

I love my V.O. It's the best dynamic driver headphone I ever heard.

I'm also a big fan of Forza Audio Works cables. I have 2 of the Noir HCP MK2 cables (2M & 2.5M). Not cheap, but compared to other big copper cables, not expensive, either. I'm a fan of big copper cables. There's just something about that copper sound that nails it for me.

These cables sometimes come up F.S. used, too, as do various Norne models (superb cables).
I think the VO is very amp dependent. It has an alright performance from a lot of diverse amplifiers (solid state or tube) but it start to shine in a big way with the right one. I use it with the Decware/ZMF OTL since a couple of months and it converted me to a single headphone user. It is that good. Simply magical (for me). It opened up considerable. Speed, holograpich soundstage, the bass jist floats around like energy and there is not a single record which would be problematic with this combo. I come back here (head-fi) sometimes just out of habit, but even if I consider something it lasts till I listen to my rig. There is nothing I miss in the presentation. So, the verité can be a true end-game with the right amp and source. And I had almost everything, best of the best, so I speak from my own experience with the big rigs (Raal, Abyss, Audeze, etc...)
 
Nov 2, 2024 at 4:20 AM Post #9,619 of 9,725
Hmm choices, choices... There's a remote possibilty i'll be able to [finally] get my hands on some ZMF's. Here's where i'm at currently and if anyone can offer advise, please do!

Option 1. I can potentailly get a set of used VO in African blackwood - which would be ideal except i'm not keen on the aesthetics of the shiny varnished finish, which is apparently a must for that wood.

Option 2. Or for the same-ish money get a demo set of Auteur Classics in my favorite wood - wenge, which has a lovely matt finish. (plus my hifi shelves etc are all made of wenge, so it would all match. I know, i know, it's about how they sound not how they look. But, if i'm gonna spend that much on potential end game i want them to be right from all aspects.

HOWEVER! Essentially it is about the sound as the deciding factor... I am drawn to the Au's due to them being the most neutral (as far as ZMF neutral goes) which would give a fairly good pairing with my Ref DAC and amp (NJC). Whilst at the same time responding well to tubes for adding colour/warmth (Woo WA6 SE). My biggest concern is, coming from mainly planars - i am a bit of a detail-head - as far as i have read i would be sacrifcing a bit of detail in the Au's over the VO's.

The Question: Is there a vast difference in detail levels/presentations between the Au Classics and VO's? If the difference is hefty and there's simply no comparison between VO detail - as in, the Au C's just can't compete - then i'll probs settle on the VO. But if the Au's hold their own, i may opt for them.

Help please!!! (from owners/listeners of both sets)
 
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Nov 2, 2024 at 7:54 AM Post #9,620 of 9,725
i'm not keen on the aesthetics of the shiny varnished finish, which is apparently a must for that wood
I'm not sure they're all shiny. When I got mine, which had a lovely gloss, another head-fier reached out to me because he was disappointed that his was dull and he'd expected a shiny one. With that said, the majority do seem to be shiny.

My biggest concern is, coming from mainly planars - i am a bit of a detail-head - as far as i have read i would be sacrifcing a bit of detail in the Au's over the VO's
This might be an issue. I got to hear an Auteur Classic in my system and it was less resolving than the Verite. The Verite was also faster, with snappier transients. Even though I'm a detail-head myself, the overall tuning and presentation of the Auteur Classic was so beautiful that I didn't really mind the headphones not being as resolving. It kind of became besides the point.

Is there any chance you could buy both used and sell the pair you like the least?
 
Nov 2, 2024 at 9:03 AM Post #9,621 of 9,725
I'm not sure they're all shiny. When I got mine, which had a lovely gloss, another head-fier reached out to me because he was disappointed that his was dull and he'd expected a shiny one. With that said, the majority do seem to be shiny.


This might be an issue. I got to hear an Auteur Classic in my system and it was less resolving than the Verite. The Verite was also faster, with snappier transients. Even though I'm a detail-head myself, the overall tuning and presentation of the Auteur Classic was so beautiful that I didn't really mind the headphones not being as resolving. It kind of became besides the point.

Is there any chance you could buy both used and sell the pair you like the least?
Thanks for the response. Definitely can't get both, there's only a chance i'll be able to pay for one set, nothing in the bag yet!

So, having heard both, you wouldn't feel like you were losing out on anything vast over the Verite due to the tuning of the Au's, correct? Sorry, i just want to be as certain as i can. i'm fairly decided on the wenge Au C's if and providing i'm not missing out too much, or left wondering/wanting for more!

Cheers
 
Nov 2, 2024 at 11:02 AM Post #9,622 of 9,725
i just want to be as certain as i can.
I'm sorry to say it but the only way you can determine this is for you to listen to the headphones yourself. There's no other way to be certain, unfortunately. And sometimes you can only figure out something like this after living with a pair of headphones for a while.

I'd strongly advise against relying on others' impressions. They're helpful in giving a general sense of how headphones compare. But as to whether the Auteur Classic's lower resolution would be an issue for you is simply something I can't predict. Remember it's impossible for me - or anyone - to give you good advice without knowing your preferences well. Even then there'd be a risk that we might hear things differently.

So, having heard both, you wouldn't feel like you were losing out on anything vast over the Verite due to the tuning of the Au's, correct?

The most direct answer I'll give is that I didn't mind the lower resolution of the Auteur Classic. I actually preferred its tuning over the Verité's. But the Verite was more exciting and fun, to me. I should note that I've not felt the need to get an Auteur Classic, and in the end, I went with an Atrium instead because it was more fun - again, to me, with my preferences and musical tastes.

I'm not trying to be unhelpful here, I promise, but I don't think you should base a decision on my answer. I just don't want you to make a decision - and an expensive one at that - and regret it, especially as you seem to have a strong sense of what you like.

I'd recommend that you buy used if you've never heard a headphone before in your own system. I tell everyone this. If you get it for a good price and don't like it, the loss on the re-sale shouldn't be too onerous. I should note that the market is slow at the moment, so there's that... I tend to consider the financial loss when re-selling the item to be akin to a rental fee. I'm about to put my African Blackwood Eikon up for sale; I'll probably lose $100-150 by the time PayPal fees and shipping are taken into account. That's not an inconsiderable sum. But I've had these headphones for 3 months now and have enjoyed listening to them, experimenting with pads, and getting to know their sound qualities. And at $30-50 a month, the "rental fee" hasn't been so bad.
 
Nov 2, 2024 at 12:16 PM Post #9,623 of 9,725
Thanks for the response. Definitely can't get both, there's only a chance i'll be able to pay for one set, nothing in the bag yet!

So, having heard both, you wouldn't feel like you were losing out on anything vast over the Verite due to the tuning of the Au's, correct? Sorry, i just want to be as certain as i can. i'm fairly decided on the wenge Au C's if and providing i'm not missing out too much, or left wondering/wanting for more!

Cheers
It sounds to me like you're a bit more drawn to the Auteur Classic for aesthetic and tuning reasons, so if you went with the Verite it's possible you'd be left wondering if the Auteur would been better for your preferences. Of course the reverse could also be true if you went with the Auteur, but Verite is one of the more polarizing ZMFs and Auteur Classic is seen as a very safe entry into the world of ZMF. If your goal is to get a pair of headphones that will provide a totally different presentation than your planars then I think Auteur is also a safe bet as people love the biocell driver's take on timbre. As has been mentioned, if you really value speed and snappy transients for the music you listen to then Verite would be the way to go. Verite has been my only headphone for the past several months and I adore it, but again it sounds like you're a bit more drawn to the Auteur. I think Auteur's resolution would seem sufficient for me, but of course that might not be the case for others
 
Nov 2, 2024 at 3:05 PM Post #9,624 of 9,725
I own a silkwood VO (my favorite dynamic of all) and heard the Auteur Classic for a short time in my system. So my comments really carry no weight. Just pure subjectivity:
  • I admired the sound of the Auteur Classic, thought it a very effective upgrade of the sound of the OG Auteur, which as everyone says (correctly) is the most neutral ZMF dynamic. But the Classic struck me as retaining that core neutrality, but also hinting at some of the musical beauty and foundational weight ZMF's tuning is known for
  • But the VO is next level, in fact, several levels. Yes it's fast, detailed, a more resolving design. It's also just about the most ravishing dynamic driver sound I've ever heard. The VO conveys the tone & timbre of every genre of music to an exemplary degree. It sweeps me away on classic music (choral, symphonic), but also rocks like crazy on funk and electronic music.
We all know cost of a headphone is at best, a poor measure of sonic performance. But the Classic vs the VO is one of those rare cases where their respective retails costs correlate quite well to the differences I hear from them: ie, pay more for a VO, and in my experience, get more--though they both sound like real music, which too many headphones cannot seem to do.
 
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Nov 2, 2024 at 5:38 PM Post #9,626 of 9,725
Excellent responses guys, cheers. Hmm, what to do! I'll have a think and possibly go with the used VO as, like you say, resale loss will be minimal. I'll keep you guys posted as to the result!
I’ve owned the Verite Closed several times, but I’ve actually never heard a Verite Open, so I can’t speak specifically to your question. I’ve owned and enjoyed my OG Auteur for many years now. I actually sold off my last VC after deciding I preferred my Auteur. The tuning and sound of the biocellulose drivers in the Auteur won me over in the end.

I also got to spend a week with the Auteur Classic and compared it to my OG Auteur. There were definitely some objective upgrades in the sound, but subjectively I am content with the unique presentation of the OG, especially since I also currently have an Atrium Closed and Meze Elite if I’m craving more resolution. When I listen to my OG Auteur on my Aegis, I never feel like I’m missing out on any detail-retrieval compared to my two other more expensive headphones, mainly because they just sound so coherent and musical that it never crosses my mind.

All that being said, I think you’ll probably be happy with either the Verite or Auteur. With ZMF’s, I wouldn’t underestimate the importance of the look of the headphones. If you really prefer the Wenge, that is going to add you enjoyment of the headphones. I’ve owned multiple versions of the same ZMF models over the years because a particular wood has really called to me. In my case, it’s Ash.
 
Nov 2, 2024 at 7:10 PM Post #9,627 of 9,725
When I listen to my OG Auteur on my Aegis, I never feel like I’m missing out on any detail-retrieval compared to my two other more expensive headphones

I can compare VO only to Atrium (on Aegis). VO has more detailed sound which matters more if you listen to metal and electronic music. But I prefer the Atrium if I listen to Bruce Springsteen or London Grammar :)
 
Nov 2, 2024 at 7:14 PM Post #9,628 of 9,725
I can compare VO only to Atrium (on Aegis). VO has more detailed sound which matters more if you listen to metal and electronic music. But I prefer the Atrium if I listen to Bruce Springsteen or London Grammar :)
That’s an important point for sure. The musical genres you listen to definitely impact which headphone you might prefer. I personally don’t listen to metal or electronic, so Auteur won out for me over the VC.
 
Nov 2, 2024 at 7:19 PM Post #9,629 of 9,725
I’ve owned the Verite Closed several times, but I’ve actually never heard a Verite Open, so I can’t speak specifically to your question. I’ve owned and enjoyed my OG Auteur for many years now. I actually sold off my last VC after deciding I preferred my Auteur. The tuning and sound of the biocellulose drivers in the Auteur won me over in the end.

I also got to spend a week with the Auteur Classic and compared it to my OG Auteur. There were definitely some objective upgrades in the sound, but subjectively I am content with the unique presentation of the OG, especially since I also currently have an Atrium Closed and Meze Elite if I’m craving more resolution. When I listen to my OG Auteur on my Aegis, I never feel like I’m missing out on any detail-retrieval compared to my two other more expensive headphones, mainly because they just sound so coherent and musical that it never crosses my mind.

All that being said, I think you’ll probably be happy with either the Verite or Auteur. With ZMF’s, I wouldn’t underestimate the importance of the look of the headphones. If you really prefer the Wenge, that is going to add you enjoyment of the headphones. I’ve owned multiple versions of the same ZMF models over the years because a particular wood has really called to me. In my case, it’s Ash.
Cheers bud. Yeah, the look is important to me. If i'm going to spend that kind of money i'd want them to look right and sound right too! Well, back on the fence i go!! I was fairly decided on the VO but now i'm swaying back to the AC. Choices choices!! Thanks again, guys
 
Nov 2, 2024 at 10:46 PM Post #9,630 of 9,725
Cheers bud. Yeah, the look is important to me. If i'm going to spend that kind of money i'd want them to look right and sound right too! Well, back on the fence i go!! I was fairly decided on the VO but now i'm swaying back to the AC. Choices choices!! Thanks again, guys
What music do you listen to? I would vote Verite for instrumental (jazz and classical) and Auteur Classic for vocals. But that might be just me.
 

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