Ah, thank you, looks like they won’t fit, I’ve updated my suggestions.

Ooh that’s a good point. @PSVANE do you have the physical dimensions of your CV181 tubes available?

Schiit Folkvangr I can use pretty much any dual triodes with the right adapters (I’ll be happy to supply the adapters if I win the tubes! Thank you for the giveaway). Some examples: 12AU7-AT x 10 12AT7-AT x 2 + 12AU7-AT x 8 12AU7-AT x2 + 12BH7-AT x8 12BH7-AT x 10 12AT7-AT x 2 + 12BH7-AT x 8...

Zach has measurements for all of the pads on the website, so if you have a ruler you can confirm, but: Universe pads should be the thickest and flattest. Be2 will be the thinnest pair and angled. Auteur will be the middle-thickness pair angled.

Some DACs have higher quality output from their XLR out than their RCA, and XLR outs usually operate at higher voltage than RCA from the same DAC so if nothing else using the XLR output from the DAC would make things sound louder at the same volume level on the amp.

Does anyone else notice a difference between the aluminum chassis and the magnesium chassis in how well the rods stay seated? My Auteur is aluminum chassis and the rods stay seated in the position I set extremely well. My VC is magnesium chassis and even though I keep tightening the set screw...

Looking forward to hearing your impressions. They sound similar on some headphones, remarkably different on others, and of course depending on which tubes you’re running the difference can become greater. I find the FV and MJ3 are both great with the VCs, but the Auteur performs much...

I did try them off of my MJ3 last night and they still sounded dead to me from it. Switched back to the Folkvangr and my foot started tapping, the magic was back. I may try removing the mesh this weekend, mine still have the old-school solid mesh, so that might be depressing the top end too...

I’m good with pad rolling when it’s something the manufacturer supports and makes official options for, so absolutely ZMF, a few Beyerdynsmic models, the Meze planars, and I’m sure some others. When it’s not an official thing it’s been more hit and miss for me. The best results I’ve had were...

I have a Fostex TH909 that has that bass monster energy, but being able to combine that with the sweet ZMF sound seems appealing, especially since the TH909 can be a bit energetic for long listening sessions, it’s more of a short-dose fun flavor type of headphone for me.

I’m going to leave it up to fate and see if it’s still there in a day or two haha. There’s a Red Mallee Atrium Closed on US Audiomart that would be a nice contrast to my green stabilized VC, but I also really love the Cocobolo LTD that ZMF has up right now, or I could wait till he does a...

Oh wow, now that’s a tough choice in front of me. Do I jump on that or save the money towards an Atrium Closed….

Wow, you’ve had a lot of gear come through. I have to be careful about my acquisitions because I’m not good at catch-and-release. I’m good with the catch part but it’s the resell/release I never get around to.

Was it keyboards at the start? I know they make a big deal about them now but I’ve never paid much attention to that side, I’m happy buying an inexpensive wireless Logitech bundle every few years when the old one breaks. I have bought a lot of stuff from them over the years, a couple HD6XX...

That’s the big downside with Drop. The orders happen way way way before the product actually ships.

Ooh, I haven’t tried the CMA400i but I did do an in-home demo on the CMA Fifteen and I remember it being a great amp. I think it was before I picked up my Auteur but it made my HD650 sing more than any amp I’d tried before. IIRC it didn’t have an option for analog input which was just too...

I can’t say I agree, but it could have been the solid state amps I tried. I never really loved the Auteur OGs or got what the fuss was about until I tried them on tubes. With the Massdrop THX AAA 789, RME ADI-2 DAC built in amp, and the Schiit Ragnarok 2 I always thought they looked...

I remember at one point seeing a contributor here who’d posted a ton of impressions of various ZMF headphones with different pads all in one place, but I can never seem to find it on a search. Does anyone have a link to that perhaps?

Th Those are gorgeous. I’ve always wanted a pair of those. There’s something cool about leather-wrapped headphones. I’ve also always wanted one of the Blue Aliigator Skin LCD-XC.

Lucky you. I keep telling myself I don’t need the Aegis but I really want one. Maybe I’m lucky I don’t have space for it right now. Eventually I think I’ll end up getting an Atrium Closed though, so maybe I’ll order one the next time ZMF does a stabilized drop so I can combine them for...

I go back and forth about whether I like it more on the Folkvangr or MJ3, it does sound amazing on both and both give it a different feel. Two great amps and tons of great headphones, it’s a shame I only have two ears.

Sounds like you have a good plan. I can attest the Yggy + MJ3 is a great pairing (though mine is the A2 not the MIB). I do find myself always preferring the Folkvangr for my ZMFs to the MJ3, but the MJ3 is great for planars and other low-impedance headphones that don’t play as well with the...

Congratulations. Personally I’d look at doing a tube amp before the Yggy since you already have the Bifrost, and certainly before spending big money on different cables. There are some Yggy OG A2s showing up in the classifieds for good prices though (that’s where I got mine). The new...

I could, but I already own this one haha. I did try out the Expanse and thought they sounded great. I don’t actually need the pair to be closed back, I just got a great deal on these years ago but they’ve mainly sat in a closet because I have too many other pairs.

I decided to break out a pair of headphones I haven’t listened to in forever tonight, my DCA Ether CX (well, technically Mr Speakers Ether CX since they’re from before the rebrand). One thing I’d forgotten was how comfortable they are. It’s a shame DCA decided to go with the Aeon style...