[TylersEclectic]

@sp0525 I really enjoy my Verite out of all my tube amps! I recently updated my BHC with speedball and a 6S7N tube w/adapter and wow... a great experience...and I'm not even using exceptional tubes...just low-mid grade Tung-Sols and some others...

Then I'll swap to the Phonitor XE and just as awesome...but clean and neutral... the Verite keeps up and scales up and down, really a great headphone. I have the EC ZDT Jr on the way from the latest batch...as I fried my previous purchase one modding it (I figured I would hence the new model purchase lol). I really enjoyed the Verite with the stock tubes from the EC and look forward to my new one arriving and eventually throwing on some better tubes after getting the stock ones broken in.

The Verite for me has replaced my desire for the Utopia, but I'm on the fence still about the S1Ra, I'll probably pick it up eventually, I'll be grabbing 1 or 2 Vidars to run it when I do based on yours and @Torq conversation. I think after hearing it I concur that it doesn't replace the Verite but is a compliment. I don't think anything could replace my Verite or Aeolus at this point!

 

[BobG55]

This combo is absolutely ridiculous! Crazy expensive too,but worth it IMO. By far the absolute best sound coming into my ears Ive ever heard.
This is where the game officially ends.








Happiness is a warm tube!

Awesome set-up. I'm jealous.

 

[sp0525]

@sp0525 the Verite keeps up and scales up and down, really a great headphone.

Verite definitely deserves to amp adventure. While zdt jr is cool at its price point, various approaches of different tube amps are worth considering. If I weren't with the current amp (Ravenswood), I would have gone for output transformer-coupled SET with exotic transformers for Verite. Again, simple path seems to benefit Verite (and fast dynamic/planar in general) a lot. In general, solid state can't be much simpler because of many adjustments (feedback, servo, etc.) needed to get it right. SS is good in its own ways but beyond a certain point tube may work better for very fast and efficient transducers. I see many Verite users ended their games with top (non-hybrid) tube amps.

 

[musicfrommemory]

I happened to get these two very capable headphones (ZMF Verite and Raal SR1a) nearly simultaneously (roughly 3.5 weeks ago). Worried I might not give enough head time to Verite assuming SR1a technically more competent.

While my assumption wasn't that wrong (SR1a was quite legit), Verite paired with Ravenswood wasn't slouch at all. This amp could maximize the speed of "fast" headphone due to pretty noble approaches (passive-only gain, minimal feedback, extremely simple signal path, etc.) along with other technical criteria. In this configuration, Verite almost catches up with SR1a even where SR1a is supposed to doubtlessly excel (transients, micro-dynamics, micro-details). As a result, I can neither praise nor hype SR1a as much as other fans [1].

Verite has inherent technical advantages over many other dynamic headphones – one of the strongest magnets (N50; equivalently 1.5 Tesla as residual flux density) for headphone drivers, large moving driver radius (50 mm), and acoustically superior material (Beryllium-coated polyethylene naphthalate). Ziricote woods and Verite silver cable support such good drivers slightly but meaningfully. .. And Ravenswood just utilizes all such potentials.. to the extent that it can stack against state-or-the-art performers. Not many are able to do at this level.

Of course Verite is not the sole technicality king, by any means. But many king candidates have critical drawbacks .. at least in my book. And most of them are not as forgiving as Verite.
Bottom line, when my order was placed, I didn't expect this high technicalities.

Footnote
[1] Perhaps SR1a paired with the right amp might cream Verite. But, for now, I can't think of any single power amp that can do the same thing as Ravenswood. At least (well-received) 100W-ish amps of 3k-4k usd I tried (AHB2 included) were all disappointing. I'd rather take Vidar over them any day.

Hi sp5025,

Very interested (and impressed) in your set up and thrilled to hear you're enjoying it so much - your experience chimes with every other owner of the 3F - essentially an other-worldly amp from a different dimension - I too own a Verite (silk wood) and have an ECP Audio DSHA3F Ravenswood being built by Doug. Particularly interested because you own an Auteur too - when I bought the Verite Zach recommended it on the basis of the music I listen to and my general audio preferences - but I have moments of nervosa about the Auteur (which I've never heard) and wondered whether you would very kindly comment on the level of satisfaction (as I suppose this is the most important thing) that you get from both the Verite and the Auteur when they're paired with the 3F.

In a nutshell, if you could take only the Verite or the Auteur with you for the afterlife (with the 3F), which would it be?

Big thanks,

MFM

 

[sp0525]

but I have moments of nervosa about the Auteur (which I've never heard) and wondered whether you would very kindly comment on the level of satisfaction (as I suppose this is the most important thing) that you get from both the Verite and the Auteur when they're paired with the 3F.

In a nutshell, if you could take only the Verite or the Auteur with you for the afterlife (with the 3F), which would it be?

Hi MFM, that's a great question -- but damn tough choice for me.

If I write a full review of Ravenswood dsha-3f some day (kinda overdue), it MUST have dedicated paragraphs for ZMF Auteur, as I've never seen such a large synergy delta from other pairing. Yes. Regarding pre-post delta only, Auteur's change was even more dramatic than Verite.

As a disclaimer, I am not a fan of the stock pads (Auteur lamb) that comes with Auteur, which sounds a little too hot and edgy to my taste. I like Eikon suede and Verite/Be2 lamb much better with Auteur headphone. Some owners I know had nearly inverse preference.. so be aware of preference variation. Another thing to consider is that I am using Blackwood Auteur, which sound quite different from other woods like Teak. My guess is that Autuer is a little more wood-dependent, as it has more cup reflection by structure.

Autuer sounds brighter and way more neutral than Verite. It helps me reset my sense to the reference point. And Auteur spanks Verite in the lowest notes. When things go down to 20-30 hz low, Autuer remains rather neutral .. like a good planar. Maybe a little loosely defined compared to better competitors such as Verite, Utopia, and SR1a. But none of them dare to come close to Auteur in bass quantity. Also Auteur has unique timbre, commonly shown in bio-cellulose drivers. Midrange and vocal presentation are .. yeah, to die for.

Now back to your question, I don't think to have a firm and invariant answer. On one hand, Auteur did everything damn right. I can't go wrong with Auteur, good copper cable (currently using Atmos-C), select pads, and Ravenswood. On the other hand, however, Verite does certain things amazingly well when properly amped. Holographic staging, extremely controlled transient, and very synthetic presentation while maintaining fantastic resolution. Can I really give up all these? .. No probably not. Then can I give up Auteur's seductive timbre and hyper-neutral tonal response? I doubt if I will.

Let me put this way. If I have to choose ONLY ONE headphone to complement Verite for the rest of my life, it would likely be Auteur.
I'd rather recommend you to hear Auteur with your amp by any chance!

 

[arnaud]

Hi sp5025,

Very interested (and impressed) in your set up and thrilled to hear you're enjoying it so much - your experience chimes with every other owner of the 3F - essentially an other-worldly amp from a different dimension - I too own a Verite (silk wood) and have an ECP Audio DSHA3F Ravenswood being built by Doug. ...
MFM

You're in for a treat! I've been a happy camper since receiving my DSHA3F, it literally got me back into audio to be honest. I had sold off my stat gear as it was just collecting dust and thought this was just because life got too busy to enjoy any music. I did not have huge expectations and ordered the amp blind. Well, this thing turned all my beliefs around. 1) Even just a "mere" HD600 can sound sublime when properly driven, 2) while headphones are by far the most coloring item of the chain, in the end, it's dealing with small signals (D/A conversion and headamp) that make or brake a system (I get used to headphone voicing but not to distortion/compression/shoutiness).

Even before the Verity arrived, I was totally satisfied with the DSHA3F/HD600 combo, haven't been enjoying listening to music like this in years and I am not exaggerating. A few weeks have passed since I received the ECP amp and the interest has not worn off in the least. For the first time ever, even my wife dropped her jaws so something must be right this time around . In a nutshell, the amp is effortless, resolves galore without ever sounding brittle or clinical. It's just comes up from a total black silence and it is dangerously addictive.

Receiving the Verite has been interesting ride so far. First, I had liked them very much before out of universe pads rather than Vérité pads so I listened to them with these U pads when they arrived (even though Zach sent Verite pads as well as universe suede). Having spent a couple of weeks with the HD600, I have to admit I got a bit concerned upon first listen out of the box as I did get the same excitement from previous trials at Fujiya festival and, while certainly cleaner than HD600, I had expected a bigger jump in SQ.

I started to swap pads around and quickly settled with the Verite pads. Perhaps this is the DAC/amp pairing but the Verite with Verite pads just has the voicing I am presently after (tightest bass and mid/highs presence). Switching back and forth with the HD600, the HD600 comparatively sounded a bit shouty in the mids and bass is not in the same category. The midrange of the HD600 is still excellent (I could totally live happy with just HD600 in this rig) but the Verite is just on another level.

To these ears, the Verite is combining best of all headphones I've tried, e.g. the resolution and punch of Utopia without its treble issues and physical weight, the bass of audeze planars without the (to my ears) coarse mid/highs, the midrange of SR009 without the upper mids emphasis). It's the first time I see a small boutique maker running circles around the big boys of Focal / Sennheiser etc. To top it off, Zach is just the most friendly and generous mot I've come across in these 20 or so years in the hobby, I am proud to support his business by owning one of his creations .

cheers,
arnaud

PS: Copper cable on the Verite and nickel core transformer on the amp.

 

[tommytakis]

Thank you for the awesome write up @arnaud and @sp0525 All the high praise about the DSHA-3F is making me more eager to receive mine!! I can't wait to try it on my Verite! I'm hoping this amp will complete my setup and I can happily end this journey searching for THE setup

On a separate note, I noticed myself listening to more bass heavy music lately since the Verite. I normally listen to a genres that focus on vocals, but the bass on the Verite soooooooooooooooo satisfying

Oh shoot, maybe i'm a closeted bass head

 

[antdroid]

This is such a lovely photogenic headphone. It also sounds great. I've been using the Universe Perforated Suede pads mostly but switched over to the BE2 pads and the extra little sparkle they provide is nice.

 

[mixman]

Now not having heard the Verite, I would like to confirm something. I took a listen to the Z demos of all of the ZMF dynamics. Yes, I know, his demos generally suck big time, but what i could make out on my Adam monitors was a 3D feel to the images that didn't quite exist with the other models. Would that be a correct assumption? I am an imaging and soundstage nut, hence why I love my HEK SE's. As I already understand, the Verite already have much of the speed and dynamics of the Utopia with an added warmth and if it also combines ZMF's best soundstage I might be sold.

 

[jgwtriode]

This is such a lovely photogenic headphone. It also sounds great. I've been using the Universe Perforated Suede pads mostly but switched over to the BE2 pads and the extra little sparkle they provide is nice.

Oh my gosh that ZMF pheasentwood porn.....omg!

 

[antdroid]

Oh my gosh that ZMF pheasentwood porn.....omg!

It's actually Mahogany.

 

[sp0525]

I am an imaging and soundstage nut, hence why I love my HEK SE's. As I already understand, the Verite already have much of the speed and dynamics of the Utopia with an added warmth and if it also combines ZMF's best soundstage I might be sold.

I don't know HE1000SE but owned Arya and auditioned previous gens HE1000 multiple times. Compared to them, Verite renders stages and images a bit differently from Hifiman. If you like very open and wide feeling and sense of boundlessness, Verite would not be your cup of tea. Verite's stage is very immersive at a cost of a little boxy and closed feeling. Not super wide like HD800 but very deep instead (indeed deeper than most concurrent headphones). Images feel more realistic and meaty but not as sharp as HE1000's. Note that all my statements are amp-dependent (as well as pad-dependent)

Verite has a little unique tonality (uneven treble responses), even compared to other ZMF open headphones. For this high price, interested consumer should audition it before making any decision.

 

[mixman]

I don't know HE1000SE but owned Arya and auditioned previous gens HE1000 multiple times. Compared to them, Verite renders stages and images a bit differently from Hifiman. If you like very open and wide feeling and sense of boundlessness, Verite would not be your cup of tea. Verite's stage is very immersive at a cost of a little boxy and closed feeling. Not super wide like HD800 but very deep instead (indeed deeper than most concurrent headphones). Images feel more realistic and meaty but not as sharp as HE1000's. Note that all my statements are amp-dependent (as well as pad-dependent)

Verite has a little unique tonality (uneven treble responses), even compared to other ZMF open headphones. For this high price, interested consumer should audition it before making any decision.

The soundstage and imaging seems to sound like that of the Audeze LCD's in that the images are larger with a more full bodied sense as opposed to the pinpoint imaging of cans like the HEK's. Unfortunately, I have not found a store near NJ or NYC like Audio46 that has the ZMF for audition.

 

[sp0525]

PS: Copper cable on the Verite and nickel core transformer on the amp.

Haha, what an opposite configuration!

Mine are silver cable (Verite-silver) on the headphone and amorphous core on the amp. I am happy with my setup but also curious about how your combination sounds!

 

[jgwtriode]

It's actually Mahogany.

Didnt know verite was available in mahogany


jgwtriode