ZMF New Headphones: Vérité and Aeolus

I love his Michanikos cable... for aesthetics and ergonomics. Maybe it sounds better too, I dunno. But totally worth it once you've got your system figured out.

 

I have & recommend Forza Audio Work's top copper cable, the HPC Noir. It's all-black, substantial in dimension yet relatively light, pliant, non-microphonic. It sounds very good w/all my headphones. Forza also offers a hybrid silver variant of the HPC Noir...haven't heard that or read any comments about it.

This is pure speculation on my part, based on comments here & there: but several people w/ears I trust purchased all-silver cables from Norne Audio and found them to work superbly well w/various TOTL headphones--including, if memory serves, the Verite.

I heard the Verite quite briefly a couple of times at CanJam/NYC, so really can't say much about its sound & likely sonic outcomes w/this or that cable...

 

I use the HPC Noir Hybrid with HD800s and i like it very much.
It's transparent with great dynamics and very natural sounding.
No sibilance or anything annoying at the high frequencies.
Stock cable sounds like crap compared to this it's grainy and noisy.

 

I got one for the Veritè. It's good.

I prefer pure copper usually, but I have hybrids for the Veritè just to push the fast feel up that last 1%, and for the Kennerton Vali because its laid back enough as it is. Faw hybrid is pretty subtle, which I like as I'm really no fan of straight silver.

Honestly sound wise I can't tell the difference between zach's 2k and matt's (faw) noir copper, but noir is physically softer, or maybe it's the soft black wrap so it edges it out slightly in comfort for me. Costs a little more I think?

Both are great. Periapt is good shit too. Never heard a norne.

 

OK. First impressions of the Verite. Please keep in mind these are very initial, and may change over time.



First off. These are biuriful. Ziricote wood. It looks awesome with the black hardware! I'd love to see them with the brass hardware as well

Soundwise. These are completely different than what I am used to. I'm used to open back planar magnetics that are either lean and brighter or heading that way. These are warm and cozy (wozy - thanks bert reviews.)

Punchy in a way that reminds me of the Utopia. That might just be the DD similarities, more than the headphones themselves though.

The soundstage isn't as big as I am used to, but it is pleasant. The treble sounds a bit muffled compared to what I am used to, but I think as I listen more my ears will get used to it. Not a deal breaker yet anyhow.

Build is really solid, and again, biuriful.

 

First impressions Verité silkwood, likely still far from full break-in. With Phonitor XE (tubes later), jazz and chamber orchestral. My main point of comparison is Ether C Flow 1.1. Verité has deeper and wider soundstage than C Flow, which in comparison feel almost claustrophobic. Upper mids are (still?) a bit rougher than C Flow. Great percussion dynamics, woodwinds and brass warmth, material bass. Universe pads are boomier than I like, Verité pads thin the sound a bit too much, Universe suede perforated just right.

 

Verite silkwood in da house, already broken in by a fellow SBAF member..
Later, I will be comparing to Focal Clear and HD650 with a hybrid Kiss mod(thicker but not denser foam and light cellucotton fill). For now I am just using Crack/Speedball, (with tweaks) and a Liquid Platinum.
Just listening for pleasure.Leonard Cohen Live in Paris.
A spacious recording,well executed, could listen for hours and the Verite don't disappoint. Smooth, spacious, excellent clear well resolved bass.
The Crack is just a great amp with these cans. Everybody Knows is holographic, not large stage but distinctive, smooth vocals, gravelly voice and all.
With the LP, everything moves outwards a bit, bit livelier, sharper .Background singers more forward.
Not as resolving as the Crack at busy times. Seems crack let's the light in better.
Crack is winning so far. I'm sure the choke and Audio Note pot upgrades aren't hurting.

Looking at a Woo WA6 SE with tube upgrades and other accessory tweaks or a Pendant on the used market.
It will take some time to compare with Clear and HD650, Verum and other amps.

 

I have a Woo WA22 w/complete set of NOS tubes & hope to very soon get a loaner Verite to try on it. Also have a WA3, which I like a lot for every high impedance HP I've tried on it. That would be another obvious pairing w/the loaner Verite.

May or may not ultimately keep the WA22. My desktop is very cramped and this amp is large, though compared to some other balanced tube amps, it's somewhat restrained.

 

OK. So I've been going between the universe pads and universe suede on the Verite this morning. It kind of seems like it is about trade offs more so than one is distinctly better than the other one. Some of the changes I'm actually finding it hard to put into words, but they are there.

With the Universe pads on things sound a bit harder edged, with more impact. Not less warm, but less rounded. Smaller soundstage than the Suede, but there isn't much in it so I could be wrong.

With the Univese suede pads on, things from the mids down sound a bit warmer and rounded. However, the treble does seem a bit more extended and snare drums sound more "crisp."

Both pads are really comfy, I think it will depend on your personal preferences as to which material you prefer on your skin.

Those are the main things I have noticed so far. I may change these opinions with more listening over the next month or so, but that seems to be the main stand outs for me so far.

 

OK. I'm trying to not be soppy here, but bear with me.

Zachs headphones, the Eikon and Verite (that I am borrowing for review) have sparked my interest in headphones and audio again. Most importantly, they have sparked my interest in listening to music again.

I was getting so burnt out on audio and how much everything cost and trying desperately to get my system put together that I wasn't even really enjoying the tunes anymore, and that is the most important part of all of this.

The Verite and Eikon are just epic, and complementary even though one is a closed back. I'm listening to all my old favourites again, and enjoying them just as much as with my Susvara and Abyss.

The Abyss is still my favourite headphone, there is just something about it. However, in a conversation with Jeff Wells, he expressed how I feel perfectly (I hope he doesn't mind me quoting him here...)

"The ZMF Auteurs are my second favorites to the Abyss. The ZMFs are sweeter, harmonically fuller and richer than the Abyss. They are very musical but still quite detailed. The soundstage isn’t as large and they aren’t as neutral as the Abyss. They may be slightly tilted to the midrange compared to the Abyss also. In the end I reach for the Abyss when I want to hear the best but love when I switch to the ZMFs."

That is exactly how I feel, just switch out Auteur for Eikon and Verite.

These headphones are special. Seriously. I normally like planar magnetics, but there is just something about the Eikon and Verite that I want to listen to music with them.


/soppy off.

 

@ufospls2 , sorry if I missed it but what dac and amp do you have upstream of your Eikon & Verite?

 

Right now I'm just using my iFi Micro iDSD BL, and it is actually a bloody awesome pairing with the Verite and Eikon. I love how they are fairly easy to drive, and I don't need my big set up, like I do with my Susvara. Now, thats not to say I don't enjoy the Verite and Eikon more on my big desktop set up, I do, but I don't need it for a great experience. Does that make any sort of sense?

Anyhow, my big desktop set up currently is a Holo Audio Spring 2 Level 2 DAC (which is on loan for review as well) and a Kinki Studio EX-M1 amp, which I own. I was worried the ZMF's wouldn't work well with the Kinki due to their sensitivity, but they bloody rock on it. The background is so black, no hiss at all!

Both are great pairings imo.

 

Makes sense to me. When I travel I usually bring an IDSD nano, and I have an IDAC2 almost always plugged into my rig somewhere because it's good, and based on my experience familiarity with it it is a "neutral" reference.

 

I understand soppy with the Vérité, my Abyss 1266 (og), Utopia, Clear are all gone, truly not missed at all. Have I heard better, yes, but for me, having the Vérité and Aeolus have made me a true, ZMF Fan Boi. I may yet add a planar at some point, but atm I am sonically satisfied!

 

Hey Guys,

So for the last few days I’ve been listening to the ZMF’s I have on loan exclusively. This morning, I decided it was time for some A/B testing with my current headphones, the Diana Phi, and Susvara

My overall take away is below

Though the ZMF’s might not match the technical prowess and detail of the Diana Phi and Susvara, they bring such an enjoyable tone and timbre to the table that I *still* feel very strongly about them (in terms of loving them.) The ZMFs, both the Verite and Eikon, have a wonderful harmonically rich sound that leaves one wanting more. I certainly have spent a few nights over the last week listening *way* too late into the night.

The Abyss are still, for me, my favourites. A bit cold and clinical (the exact *opposite* of the ZMF’s) and very exacting. Detailed, fast, and precise, with epic amounts of impact.

The Susvara is as detailed as the Abyss but with a slightly warmer tone, and a less intense treble response. Less impact than the Abyss. Presents a bigger sounding image than any of the headphones.

The Verite is just fun to listen to. Not as detailed as the Abyss, but bringing a smoother more relaxing, thicker listen to the table. It’s not far off in terms of detail, and it punches in a very similar way. Its weird, the Verite is punchier, where the Abyss has more impact. Thats the best way I can describe it, which I know isn’t very helpful. The mids are lovely on the Verite, warmer than the Susvara, and they just fill out the sonic spectrum nicely. They don’t sucked out and hollow.

The Eikon is sort of the odd man out. It’s a closed back headphone, so keep that in mind. It is also the most affordable of the bunch (which isn’t an indicator of quality just something to note.) It’s soundstage isn’t as wide as the others, which makes sense. Detail isn’t at the same level as the other three. HOWEVER, tone and timbre are epic. I love this headphone. Its lower treble can be a bit crunchy and have a tiny bit too much bite, but apart from that, this headphone just presents music in a way that sounds real. Is it the bio-cellulose driver combined with wood housing? I’m really not too sure. It just *works.* Similar to the Verite, the Eikon is punchy.

The Planar Magnetics seem to be "airier" sounding, and the DD's seem to be more focused and full sounding. They compliment each other well. If I had to chose, I would keep my Diana Phi and Susvara. However, what this has shown me is that there is a hole in my set up in terms of sound signatures, and I didn't fully realise that before.

I’m going to be straight up honest. I want to buy these headphones. I’m not sure I’ll be able to figure it out, as I just spent my headphone budget on my new amp, but….I’m definitely going to try. They are that enjoyable to me

 

I find that helpful. That is how I could describe the difference between the Eikon's "punch" vs. the Focal Clear's "impact" I am hearing. I suspect it has to do with transient (particularly decay) speed. As far as the Eikon's driver/wood effect, there just has to be something to this (as opposed to placebo). Sometimes, particularly on some drum strikes the Eikon's organic sound just brings a "wow" to my mind...

 

Second Verité silkwood + suede pads impressions (Warnings: I'm a rank amateur at describing what I hear, my high-frequency hearing is well past its sell-by date, I have a weird hearing notch around 2kHz on my left ear, and my music preferences are idiosyncratic). DAC: Metrum Onyx. Amps: Phonitor XE and Apex Peak with Psvane 6SN7-SE tube. Soundstage is bigger with Phonitor XE with crossfeed set on 3, angle on 30 deg. Unsurprising, but for small-ensemble, mostly modern, jazz, Apex Peak feels more intimate, more like a small-ish club (think Village Vanguard). OTOH, large ensemble sounds a bit congested compared with XE. With either amp, individual instruments sound full, layered, with lots of detail, such as breath for sax, brushes for cymbals, fingering for bass. Liking piano with Apex better, with XE sounds almost aggressive. Single voices are very present and detailed, revealing breath, airflow by lips, nasal resonances, underlying vocal cord vibrations. With either amp, Verité is more involving yet more open than the MrSpeakers Ether C Flow 1.1 I've been using with the same amps and DAC for a while. But the C Flow might be a tad more able to separate layers in busy multi-instrument passages, I need to do a lot more comparative listening to confirm. Which I'm having some trouble getting to, as I'm having so much fun with Verité.

 

Update to my Verité update: now listening to modern chamber music, Kalevi Aho's Wind Quintets no. 1 and 2 (Berlin Philarmonic Wind Quintet, BIS2176). Apex Peak amp. The physical subtleties of wind instruments come through very well, including breaths and subharmonics (bassoon especially). Quite a bit of space between instruments. Slightly warm tonality makes the performance glow. I used to be a neutral fanatic, but this combination (Apex+Verité) is definitely seducing me.

 

I just ran a little side-by-side comparison of the two Verité amp pairings I mentioned earlier: Phonitor XE vs Apex Peak. Since my wife volunteered just a bit of time as test subject, I could not ask her to listen to track after track, so I used Alexandre Kantorow's performance of the piano transcription of Stravinsky's Infernal Dance from Firebird (BIS2150 à la russe, PCM 24/96, a delightful solo piano recording). Like me, she found the XE more transparent and totally black, but she preferred the Peak's dynamics and tone. In general, she's got a more musical ear and can make finer distinctions than I can, FWIW. So far, everything points to a more involving pairing between Verité and the Apex Peak for solo and small ensemble acoustic work. Lots more to explore, of course.

 

Verite silkwood arrived yesterday. In the next days i will share my thoughts about them. The burn-in will be done via normal listening...
I have 3 pads in the case... Verite, Universe and the new Be2. How should I distinguish between them?
I don't know which is what...and neither which one is now in place on headphones

Thanks