[Pharmaboy]

Impressions ZMF Vérité Open (Limited Edition, Erskine):

** Using Stock cable, so incomplete, 1 month of listening **

The Vérité Open (Erskine) arrived to me at the same time as the Aeolus (Vaskas). In my impressions, you will notice me cross-referencing headphones because I've been listening to them almost exclusively while comparing with other headphones.

As I come to spend more time with my ZMF headphones, the Verite Open, Eikon, and Aeolus, I'm noticing that I can enjoy them without much thought. Moreover, I'm coming to appreciate the headphones as time goes by. ZMF headphones have a house sound that comes in different shapes and forms.

The sound profile for each headphone provides an enjoyable way to listen to music. Because I feel like the beauty and aesthetics speak for themselves, I will speak more to my impressions of the sound.

Similar to the Sennheiser HD800s and HiFiMan HE6SE, the Vérité Open's accuracy, resolution, and imaging gives a nuanced, complex, and detailed version of music. It also has very good instrument separation and layering. The difference between the Vérité Open and HD800s and HE6SE is that the Vérité Open comes with forcefulness and more impact.

I've noticed that with all of my ZMF headphones, there is an element of engagement that provides a unique Hi-Fi enjoyment experience. They all have unique sound profiles that give a large, intimate sound that may give a new unique experience of a song.

It's a very cozy feel; not your typical incisive presentation, as within the HiFiMan HE6SE, or Sennheiser HD800s, but rather has a character of its own in its expressiveness.

The soundstage of the Vérité Open is very wide and big, so the feeling is more like a live setting. The notes presented are very wide, extended, and beautiful.

The sense of engagement is different, in that music is enjoyed via a more complex representation and clarity. This dynamism in combination with the expressive character of notes gives life to the music.

For me, the Verite's signature is for when I want to hear all the details for a complex track. I can also do this with the HE6SE and HD800s, but it doesn't feel as engaging as with the Vérité Open.

The Vérité Open has a great extension, and in combination with the fullness of the notes, the music can sometimes seem to take on a character of its own in the vast soundstage.

My impressions are loosely held. With the Vérité Open, I draw experience from a birds-eye view of the music, rather than the close-up, more intimate feel of the Eikon or the Aeolus.

The house signature of ZMF Headphones helps to give more bounce to the Vérité Open. You can get "into it" with ZMF Headphones; it's a very revealing, engaging experience that goes deep into the notes and gives character to the music.

Something I noticed with ZMF Headphones was that the sound may not be as incisive or orthodox, but that is because notes are given more freedom in form and are more bold, expressive, with imaging that sounds highly immersive, yet detailed speakers. This isn't a bad thing; it adds a dimension of fun that is more prominent than with other headphones.

Where strength of LCD-4 is a more detailed, accurate rendering, the Vérité Open juxtaposes and enhances the notes for an out-of-the-headphone experience -- there is a 3D-like rendering.

A final thought I can give about ZMF Headphones is that, in general, while the detailed resolution is apparent, they are there to be enjoyed in a fun way, not to be exacting. Detail analysis becomes an afterthought when I put on a pair of ZMF Headphones.

Source: Audio-GD HE-7 MK I, Yulong D18

Cables: Blue Jeans Coaxial Cables

USB: Singxer SU-6

Amplifier: Yulong A18, Feliks Audio Euforia, ampsandsound Kenzie OG Rev 2, ampsandsound Agartha

Just about the hardest thing I know of in this hobby is trying to explain why one headphone (or set of speakers, or amp, or any component) sounds more "there," more "fun," more "engaging" than another. These are emotional responses elicited by some things more strongly than other things. You did a very good job of bringing this quality forward in discussing these 3 ZMF headphones (all of which I'm intimately familiar with).

There really is a "ZMF house sound," of that I'm quite sure. And describing that house sound has to go beyond tone, timbre, dynamics, soundstage, etc, and get into that same indefinable "engaging sound" quality. All the ZMF headphones I've heard do that...most to an extent that they become memorable, incomparable transducers, over and above the rest.

 

[LegatoB]

Just about the hardest thing I know of in this hobby is trying to explain why one headphone (or set of speakers, or amp, or any component) sounds more "there," more "fun," more "engaging" than another. These are emotional responses elicited by some things more strongly than other things. You did a very good job of bringing this quality forward in discussing these 3 ZMF headphones (all of which I'm intimately familiar with).

There really is a "ZMF house sound," of that I'm quite sure. And describing that house sound has to go beyond tone, timbre, dynamics, soundstage, etc, and get into that same indefinable "engaging sound" quality. All the ZMF headphones I've heard do that...most to an extent that they become memorable, incomparable transducers, over and above the rest.

Agreed. It's also the imaging and maybe some engineering I haven't studied yet? But the way the music comes is so satisfying (not to derail the thread, but I am listening to the Eikon right now). In the future, I want to spend a little more time before I rush to an impression. I feel like my thoughts may be too base and not really useful or elucidating enough.

 

[DeweyCH]

Agreed. It's also the imaging and maybe some engineering I haven't studied yet? But the way the music comes is so satisfying (not to derail the thread, but I am listening to the Eikon right now). In the future, I want to spend a little more time before I rush to an impression. I feel like my thoughts may be too base and not really useful or elucidating enough.

I always feel like that. Especially on cans like the VO that have a strongly-suggested long burn-in period. For me, I think the key just has to be stop buying headphones. Burn in the ones I have, give them the breathing room they deserve, enjoy the hell out of them, and quit letting the shopaholic itch dictate things.

 

[Marutks]

I always feel like that. Especially on cans like the VO that have a strongly-suggested long burn-in period. For me, I think the key just has to be stop buying headphones.

You have so many headphones already !

 

[DeweyCH]

You have so many headphones already !

Precisely.

 

[cdanguyen08]

After delaying for months, I took a dive and placed an order for VO Blackwood to pair with my VC Leapardwood. Though I enjoy how the stabilized and epoxy ones turned out, I love the look of natural woods. Thank you @zach915m ! As always, your customer service is exemplary. Now begins the ZMF wait again!!

 

[heliosphann]

 

[Snowclouds81]

anyone here have or have tried both the ironwood verite open and closed?? trying to find out how different each sounds

 

[LegatoB]

Thank you! I believe I’m using Universe pads but will have to double check on that.

So I think I used the stock VO pads that came installed on my VO Erskine.

I just received my VO Camphor Burl.

Here are some photos

Thank you ZMF Headphones

Update: I apologize to anyone that was interested in these headphones from my previous post where I stated I might be selling. I really like my VO Camphor Burl and will be keeping them . They sound awesome. something I’m noticing so far, I really like the timbre and imaging. Very cool.

 

[skhan007]

Right now, I've been enjoying my VO so much (pad rolling too) and I cannot imagine that my beloved Auteur will be plugged in ever again! I'm sad to say this, because I love the Auteur, but since the VO has arrived, they are no longer used and I cannot foresee using them. Anybody else feel this way after receiving the VO and the other cans getting no play time? Perhaps I'm headphone monogamous!

 

[Nick-s-f]

Right now, I've been enjoying my VO so much (pad rolling too) and I cannot imagine that my beloved Auteur will be plugged in ever again! I'm sad to say this, because I love the Auteur, but since the VO has arrived, they are no longer used and I cannot foresee using them. Anybody else feel this way after receiving the VO and the other cans getting no play time? Perhaps I'm headphone monogamous!

VO has helped complete the transition to the cohesive sound of open headphones. I used to only have closed hps for a while until getting the Aeolus and porta pro..which led to VO eventualy. Nothing I own can image as clearly or punch as hard as Verite. Much like yourself, VO is all I have used for the past month+. My favorite thing about them is the tiniest specs of detail show through quite well and expertly recorded music is a real treat to hear through them.

 

[gKalkin]

Just got my crescent band in! Definitely very comfortable.

However it has reduced the clamp force enough that if I look down the headphones start to slide off my head. @zach915m Any recommendations? In your video on the crescent band you don't recommend bending it other than to align the two sides.

 

[zach915m]

Just got my crescent band in! Definitely very comfortable.

However it has reduced the clamp force enough that if I look down the headphones start to slide off my head. @zach915m Any recommendations? In your video on the crescent band you don't recommend bending it other than to align the two sides.

You can bend in that same spot on both sides - to tighten it further if needed. So you would angle each side in congruently as you hold the headband in that spot between the last two cushions.

 

[omega1990]

I recently received my VO Blackwood (purchased in November 2021) and wanted to post my own impressions compared to a VO Pheasantwood I had bought back in December of last year. I decided to compare them using the be2 lambskin perf pads and a regular stock ZMF cable in balanced. I agree with every other post on this comparison that the Blackwood is punchier than the Pheasantwood.

While both headphones are VO's and the general characteristics are the same, how each one presents this information is noticeable and at times significantly different. I'll start with the Pheasantwood as I was listening to that one over the course of waiting for my Blackwood to come in. Pheasantwood is significatnly less punchy than the Blackwood, but is still has punch. Pheasantwood has a greater emphasis on depth in the stage. There is more air, and the general presentation reminds me of early reviews of the VO in that some said it reminded them of an electrostatic headphone. It's airier presentation has less weight than the Blackwood, so I have the impression that while its holographic, it is not exactly a reach out and grab effect, more like having a better sense of space and location of the images.

The VO Blackwood is noticeably faster and has a tighter presentation. It has a blacker background and is more holographic, but in a way that is coming at the listener leading to a more exciting presentation. If the Pheasantwood is more electrostatic ethereal, the Blackwood is more like a musical dynamic/planar hybrid. The Blackwood has more body and weight to the sound. Bass is very punchy and hits hard. However, the Blackwood has a natural kind of dampened-warm-sweetness that allows this more aggressive presentation to be heard without fatigue. The punch of the Blackwood could be felt in my chest, and my head felt like it was being given a massage by a boxer lol. Soundstage while still wide had less depth and more immediacy.

In an over generalized summation, the Pheasantwood sounds like a deep-softer-etheareal sound that reminds me of a tube sound and the Blackwood has a fast, dynamic, and holographic solid state effect. While my preference has been to preferring Blackwood since receiving my first ZMF headphone which is the Aeolus Blackwood, I enjoy the differences from the Pheasantwood that I will keep it and change the pads to the universe perf lambskin as I preferred hearing this VO with the added stage width I get from the universe pads.

Probably sometime next month I will be receiving my VC in Blackwood, so I can compare that to my Leopardwood VC when the time comes. My Blackwood collection is almost complete, I just need a Blackwood in the Atticus and Eikon but I believe those only had a micro run so... moving on.

As far as how the wood looks and feels. I can feel the texture of the Pheasantwood, and while smooth to the touch it has the texture that reminds me of a kind of wax coating. The Blackwood has a shiny polish look about them and they feel smooth like the surface of a marble, your fingers will seamlessly travel on it without really feeling the woods texture. Both are very fancy looking but in different ways, and both are a real pain to get good photos of because of how lighting effects them, as the photos you see here when taken up close, the lighting makes them appear brighter than they would be if you had seen them in person.

For overall looks I'd use a comparison with watches to describe how I feel about their appearances. The Pheasantwood reminds me of a pocket watch as it appears to have this aged appearance, like it was owned by someone many decades ago and has an understated prototype appearance (It's emphasizing that heirloom look). The Blackwood with rose gold looks like a blinged out rolex watch lol.

Lastly I did see one of Zach's comments recently that a new limited run might be announced next month, so I'm definitely looking forward to that.

 

[Fatdoi]

Right now, I've been enjoying my VO so much (pad rolling too) and I cannot imagine that my beloved Auteur will be plugged in ever again! I'm sad to say this, because I love the Auteur, but since the VO has arrived, they are no longer used and I cannot foresee using them. Anybody else feel this way after receiving the VO and the other cans getting no play time? Perhaps I'm headphone monogamous!

maybe I'm similar to some out there, after the initial honeymoon period, i tend to swap HP/iem around for different listening experience... yes i listen to iem in my room as well.... sometimes when i want to get away from VO rich and luscious tone or Utopia's hyper detail & dynamics, I'd switch to Auteur for smoother, relaxing sessions......