Snap! The hype is real.Can't wait to get mine!
Latest Thread Images
Featured Sponsor Listings
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
ZMF Verite Open
- Thread starter heliosphann
- Start date
Pharmaboy
Headphoneus Supremus
In recent months my listening time has largely been devoted to the Caldera Open (a wonderfully seductive planar sound) and the loaner Bokeh Open with its very promising dynamic driver.Absolutely!
Currently listening to this concert with the Verite + Icon Audio HP8 (driver tube 12aX7 RCA by Mullard). To my ears, Verite is able to reproduce Mutter's violin in a way I haven't heard in other headphone before, sweet and full-bodied, but raw, detailed and fast at the same time.
Congrats to all the new owners!
![]()
But now and then I plug my VO into the HP8 and fall in love with that sound all over again. ZMF makes some of the best dynamic driver designs around. IMHO the VO is the best of them.
These days I tend to be more interested in planars than dynamics (3 of my 4 serious headphones are planar), but sometimes I get interested in dynamics. For example, I'm following the new HFA Dahlia. Every time I read someone's praise of this new headphone I wonder how it would do in a head-to-head with my VO. Probably an unfair comparison (the VO costs ~2.5X what the Dahlia costs), but nobody said life was fair.
Last edited:
The Cayin HA-2A has given me some love back for the ZMF Verite, I sold off my Feliks Audio Echo earlier this year and regretted fast after. Always loved the Verite but I did not reach for it as much anymore, mostly since I didn't have a amp that synergized well enough with it. Still early with the HA-2A, the tube sound is on the warm and smooth side and synergizes perfectly with the Verite.
@Pharmaboy I will compare the two tomorrow, I guess I'm the only one for now that own both Dahlia and Verite. Love both, Dahlia still has the new toy interest while Verite been here for years. The comfort for me is better on Verite as it uses deeper pads, it also feel more premium both due the wood design and the parts.
@Pharmaboy I will compare the two tomorrow, I guess I'm the only one for now that own both Dahlia and Verite. Love both, Dahlia still has the new toy interest while Verite been here for years. The comfort for me is better on Verite as it uses deeper pads, it also feel more premium both due the wood design and the parts.

Verite is very much still a TOTL dynamic driver headphone and one I'm still enamored by the sound (and looks) of every time I pick them up and listen
s2kphile
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Feb 6, 2009
- Posts
- 1,523
- Likes
- 8,357
Awesome photo as always @Leonarfd. I cannot wait to get my Dahlia *cross fingers* next month. I would to hear your impressions on the VO vs Dahlia especially on tubes.The Cayin HA-2A has given me some love back for the ZMF Verite, I sold off my Feliks Audio Echo earlier this year and regretted fast after. Always loved the Verite but I did not reach for it as much anymore, mostly since I didn't have a amp that synergized well enough with it. Still early with the HA-2A, the tube sound is on the warm and smooth side and synergizes perfectly with the Verite.
@Pharmaboy I will compare the two tomorrow, I guess I'm the only one for now that own both Dahlia and Verite. Love both, Dahlia still has the new toy interest while Verite been here for years. The comfort for me is better on Verite as it uses deeper pads, it also feel more premium both due the wood design and the parts.
![]()
Pharmaboy
Headphoneus Supremus
Wow, you own both headphones! I look forward to reading your comments. Yes, the comfort of the VO would have to be better: it costs more, plus ZMF has really nailed down comfort thoroughly in recent years ... I find nothing to criticize about any ZMF headphone's comfort.The Cayin HA-2A has given me some love back for the ZMF Verite, I sold off my Feliks Audio Echo earlier this year and regretted fast after. Always loved the Verite but I did not reach for it as much anymore, mostly since I didn't have a amp that synergized well enough with it. Still early with the HA-2A, the tube sound is on the warm and smooth side and synergizes perfectly with the Verite.
@Pharmaboy I will compare the two tomorrow, I guess I'm the only one for now that own both Dahlia and Verite. Love both, Dahlia still has the new toy interest while Verite been here for years. The comfort for me is better on Verite as it uses deeper pads, it also feel more premium both due the wood design and the parts.
![]()
My experience with the VO's synergy with various amps is apparently different from yours. I have 9 or 10 amps at present: 2 tube amps (the TC-tube Icon Audio HP8 7 the OTL Woo WA3) and the rest SS. My VO sounds glorious on every one of them.* The only one it didn't sound great on is one I sold, the Monolith Liquid Gold X. That amp is known for favoring planar headphones (it really did).
The VO sounds quite wonderful on my best SS amps: Violectric V281 & V280; Wells Milo; and Cavalli Liquid Carbon V2.
*But of course with certain differences one expects from tubes vs SS. Different doesn't always mean better, though.
Last edited:
I had mostly portable gear last year, and my desktop amp Topping A90 Discrete didn't give Verite justice(it was great with IEMs).Wow, you own both headphones! I look forward to reading your comments. Yes, the comfort of the VO would have to be better: it costs more, plus ZMF has really nailed down comfort thoroughly in recent years ... I find nothing to criticize about any ZMF headphone's comfort.
My experience with the VO's synergy with various amps is apparently different from yours. I have 9 or 10 amps at present: 2 tube amps (the TC-tube Icon Audio HP8 7 the OTL Woo WA3) and the rest SS. My VO sounds glorious on every one of them.* The only one it didn't sound great on is one I sold, the Monolith Liquid Gold X. That amp is known for favoring planar headphones (it really did).
The VO sounds quite wonderful on my best SS amps: Violectric V281 & V280; Wells Milo; and Cavalli Liquid Carbon V2.
*But of course with certain differences one expects from tubes vs SS. Different doesn't always mean better, though.
VO sound great on the Cayin and also the new Class A amp from AUNE, S17 Pro EVO. What the A90D lacked was enough power to make Verite dynamic and powerful, I also preffer more warm amps to enjoy Verite even more. So now I have the Aune for clean dynamic sound with impactful slam, and the Cayin for a more warm and smooth sound.
I'm very happy to get more into headphones again, having reviewed and tested way to many IEMs over the last years the excitement not there anymore. Going to focus less on IEMs next year, and possible more into headphones

andrewchoppa
500+ Head-Fier
I'm interested in this Dahlia - sounds pretty good!In recent months my listening time has largely been devoted to the Caldera Open (a wonderfully seductive planar sound) and the loaner Bokeh Open with its very promising dynamic driver.
But now and then I plug my VO into the HP8 and fall in love with that sound all over again. ZMF makes some of the best dynamic driver designs around. IMHO the VO is the best of them.
These days I tend to be more interested in planars than dynamics (3 of my 4 serious headphones are planar), but sometimes I get interested in dynamics. For example, I'm following the new HFA Dahlia. Every time I read someone's praise of this new headphone I wonder how it would do in a head-to-head with my VO. Probably an unfair comparison (the VO costs ~2.5X what the Dahlia costs), but nobody said life was fair.
And I love planars too but adore my VOs. I needed $$ to buy a Geshelli Dayzee and it wasn't my VOs up for sale, nor was it my HE1000 Stealths. It was my Utopia 2020s. I loved them but they aren't as emotional as my ZMFs. They're super technical but I think my Stealths are too.
s2kphile
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Feb 6, 2009
- Posts
- 1,523
- Likes
- 8,357
Dahlia = Sennheiser HD800/HD650/HD600 but with more bass and warmth. Thats what sold me from @TylersEclectic video. I loved my HD600, it's was my first high end headphone I picked up back in the early 2000s and I wanted a HD800 for so long that I got the HD800s. And while the HD800s is amazing, I wish it had more full bodied notes and bass. And thats where the Dahlia comes in. It may be my new daily over the FT1 Pro Planar that I am currently using.I'm interested in this Dahlia - sounds pretty good!
And I love planars too but adore my VOs. I needed $$ to buy a Geshelli Dayzee and it wasn't my VOs up for sale, nor was it my HE1000 Stealths. It was my Utopia 2020s. I loved them but they aren't as emotional as my ZMFs. They're super technical but I think my Stealths are too.
HFA Dahlia vs ZMF Verite Open - Short comparison
Comfort is a step up for me on Verite since the cups are deeper, also my favorite pad being the Universe Suede Perf being soft as a puppy. Dahlia is lighter on the clamp force and weighs less, has as big room inside the cups as the Verite. But on Dahlia my ears touch the driver enclosure, this is since it uses the slimmer Caldera Thin Hybrid pads.
Both have nice designs, the Verite is more luxurious with the wood. The design of Dahlia is cool in its own way, sort of minimalistic and industrial. Headphone socket is 3.5mm jack on the Dahlia while the Verite uses MMCX, would have preferred ZMF to move over to the same as they have done on their model Bokeh.
The Verite is more of a L-shape sound signature, as in having more weight into the bass with some bloom into the midrange while not being that bright up top. I can be sensitive to upper midrange and low treble when listening to metal, the Verite manages to soften stuff like cymbals while still sounding realistic making it less intense. The Verite still has a good lingering shimmer up top, without pushing it to be too aggressive. Bass can get really strong on Verite when you use a good amp.
Verite has a more dynamic approach to the stage with more height and forward projection, also going closer and more intimate when called for.
Music I prefer on Verite: Classical, Rock, Metal and Jazz
Dahlia is more of a U-shape where bass is strong and mids are clean, going up top it also has crisp highs. The bass is more present on Dahlia, while the slam is not as fast and powerful as Verite. Midrange is cleaner and has more presence especially to instruments like sax or trumpets or even female vocalists, darker instruments have less weight than on Verite. Up top Dahlia has more shimmer and air, but can get tiresome on the wrong source.
The tuning of Dahlia is good at making it sound resolving, but even so it's not more technical than Verite as Verite has a more capable driver with more speed.
Dahlia being more wide and has less forward projection, I would say this sound more open but lacks some of Verite’s holographic stage.
Music I prefer on Dahlia: Electronica, Pop, Folk and Soundtracks
I like both of them, and they are sets that work well together instead of replacing each other. While some match some genres better, both sound great on most music.
Comfort is a step up for me on Verite since the cups are deeper, also my favorite pad being the Universe Suede Perf being soft as a puppy. Dahlia is lighter on the clamp force and weighs less, has as big room inside the cups as the Verite. But on Dahlia my ears touch the driver enclosure, this is since it uses the slimmer Caldera Thin Hybrid pads.
Both have nice designs, the Verite is more luxurious with the wood. The design of Dahlia is cool in its own way, sort of minimalistic and industrial. Headphone socket is 3.5mm jack on the Dahlia while the Verite uses MMCX, would have preferred ZMF to move over to the same as they have done on their model Bokeh.
The Verite is more of a L-shape sound signature, as in having more weight into the bass with some bloom into the midrange while not being that bright up top. I can be sensitive to upper midrange and low treble when listening to metal, the Verite manages to soften stuff like cymbals while still sounding realistic making it less intense. The Verite still has a good lingering shimmer up top, without pushing it to be too aggressive. Bass can get really strong on Verite when you use a good amp.
Verite has a more dynamic approach to the stage with more height and forward projection, also going closer and more intimate when called for.
Music I prefer on Verite: Classical, Rock, Metal and Jazz
Dahlia is more of a U-shape where bass is strong and mids are clean, going up top it also has crisp highs. The bass is more present on Dahlia, while the slam is not as fast and powerful as Verite. Midrange is cleaner and has more presence especially to instruments like sax or trumpets or even female vocalists, darker instruments have less weight than on Verite. Up top Dahlia has more shimmer and air, but can get tiresome on the wrong source.
The tuning of Dahlia is good at making it sound resolving, but even so it's not more technical than Verite as Verite has a more capable driver with more speed.
Dahlia being more wide and has less forward projection, I would say this sound more open but lacks some of Verite’s holographic stage.
Music I prefer on Dahlia: Electronica, Pop, Folk and Soundtracks
I like both of them, and they are sets that work well together instead of replacing each other. While some match some genres better, both sound great on most music.

Last edited:
TheMiddleSky
Headphoneus Supremus
HFA Dahlia vs ZMF Verite Open - Short comparison
Comfort is a step up for me on Verite since the cups are deeper, also my favorite pad being the Universe Suede Perf being soft as a puppy. Dahlia is lighter on the clamp force and weighs less, has as big room inside the cups as the Verite. But on Dahlia my ears touch the driver enclosure, this is since it uses the slimmer Caldera Thin Hybrid pads.
Both have nice designs, the Verite is more luxurious with the wood. The design of Dahlia is cool in its own way, sort of minimalistic and industrial. Headphone socket is 3.5mm jack on the Dahlia while the Verite uses MMCX, would have preferred ZMF to move over to the same as they have done on their model Bokeh.
The Verite is more of a L-shape sound signature, as in having more weight into the bass with some bloom into the midrange while not being that bright up top. I can be sensitive to upper midrange and low treble when listening to metal, the Verite manages to soften stuff like cymbals while still sounding realistic making it less intense. The Verite still has a good lingering shimmer up top, without pushing it to be too aggressive. Bass can get really strong on Verite when you use a good amp.
Verite has a more dynamic approach to the stage with more height and forward projection, also going closer and more intimate when called for.
Music I prefer on Verite: Classical, Rock, Metal and Jazz
Dahlia is more of a U-shape where bass is strong and mids are clean, going up top it also has crisp highs. The bass is more present on Dahlia, while the slam is not as fast and powerful as Verite. Midrange is cleaner and has more presence especially to instruments like sax or trumpets or even female vocalists, darker instruments have less weight than on Verite. Up top Dahlia has more shimmer and air, but can get tiresome on the wrong source.
The tuning of Dahlia is good at making it sound resolving, but even so it's not more technical than Verite as Verite has a more capable driver with more speed.
Dahlia being more wide and has less forward projection, I would say this sound more open but lacks some of Verite’s holographic stage.
Music I prefer on Dahlia: Electronica, Pop, Folk and Soundtracks
I like both of them, and they are sets that work well together instead of replacing each other. While some match some genres better, both sound great on most music.
![]()
Thanks for the comparison! Finally I have clearer "picture" of how Dahlia sound. Interesting that Dahlia provide even more bass quantity than Verite, I thought the opposite.
More sub bass on Dahlia, Verite instead have more mid bass focus. But pure quantity the Dahlia have a little more low end, ofc it's not day and night differenceThanks for the comparison! Finally I have clearer "picture" of how Dahlia sound. Interesting that Dahlia provide even more bass quantity than Verite, I thought the opposite.

anthony9574
New Head-Fier
Had my Verite open for a month now and loving it. I listen away from home a lot and use an ifi go bar that I had lying around. It gets the job done, doesn't sound close to my home setup and is clearly lacking power but that isn't surprising from the size. Was wondering if anyone had experience with the cayin RU7, since its the only portable amp ZMF sells on their site is it a better pairing? Or is it better to save the money and go for something like a chord mojo
Pharmaboy
Headphoneus Supremus
Haven't heard the RU7, but I have an RU6 (use it while traveling) and like that a lot. It trades some resolution for ear-friendly musical realism (a trade I'm usually OK with) and has more power than you'd expect.Had my Verite open for a month now and loving it. I listen away from home a lot and use an ifi go bar that I had lying around. It gets the job done, doesn't sound close to my home setup and is clearly lacking power but that isn't surprising from the size. Was wondering if anyone had experience with the cayin RU7, since its the only portable amp ZMF sells on their site is it a better pairing? Or is it better to save the money and go for something like a chord mojo
Haven't heard it with the VO, though--because that one never travels.
ch1525i
100+ Head-Fier
Had my Verite open for a month now and loving it. I listen away from home a lot and use an ifi go bar that I had lying around. It gets the job done, doesn't sound close to my home setup and is clearly lacking power but that isn't surprising from the size. Was wondering if anyone had experience with the cayin RU7, since its the only portable amp ZMF sells on their site is it a better pairing? Or is it better to save the money and go for something like a chord mojo
I picked up a VO in November I'm waiting to receive. However I used my Auteur Classic with both my RU7 and Mojo2. Personally I prefer the RU7 as it is warmer while the Mojo2 is still great. Both power them fine and I fully expect to use them with the VO when it arrives