ZMF Atrium Headphone Review and Measurements

Discussion in 'Headphones' started by purr1n, Mar 20, 2022.

  1. Walderstorn

    Walderstorn Friend

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    Unfortunately they do not have, at this moment, for the HD800 but they asked me to ask again in a couple of weeks, so maybe something may happen. I will get back as soon as I get some news.
     
  2. Empyah

    Empyah Facebook Friend

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    How good are microdetail/plankton and microdyanmics compared to a suped up HD600/650 with Zachs new pads?
    Serious question - don't want to sidegrade, but would still be satisifed if it is at least on the same level, plus with that stage and bass.
     
  3. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    • Lows to mids = so much better, e.g. drum reverb, textures, OMG better
    • Mids to highs = equivalent or maybe slightly better to suped up HD6** - transient speed and microdetail about the same - however liveliness and microdynamics is better.
    I brought these to the Schiit factory here to for guys in QA to listen. One of them has a HD6XX with fancy balanced cables to Bifrost and Jotunheim. I just dropped them off to see who was interested in a listen. One of them just tried them from a Magni / Modi combo. This was with the Marv Mesh. He made the express point of walking up to me and exclaiming:

    OMFG. These are really f'ing good.

    I've never heard anything so good. How many organs do I need to sell to buy one of these?

    Now, again, I know that ZMF headphones, like Grados, or Sennheisers, will not be everyone's cup of tea. However, I think this one many HD6** / JAR6** owners (I'm thinking @ChaChaRealSmooth and @Hands) will enjoy and have enjoyed so far.

    I left the ZMF Atrium at the Schiit factory and can't wait to get them back today. @zach915m's pulled a rabbit out of the hat again. The tough part for me is choosing whether I want to experience the ZMF Closed Verite or Atrium. I make no bones that I'm a big ZMF fan, so take that into account.
     
  4. Raidersfan8118

    Raidersfan8118 New

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    I was wondering if anyone has tried an sw51+ amp with the atrium?
     
  5. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Yup. Works great. I would advise the mesh that Zach is currently on that is somewhere between the Marv Mesh and Solid Mesh with the SW51+.
     
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  6. hawaiiancerveza

    hawaiiancerveza Friend

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    Pretty happy to hear you're using Koa wood @zach915m . I'm from Hawaii and don't hear much Koa used for things other than furniture.
     
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  7. sp33ls

    sp33ls Friend

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    Just received my aged cherry (will share thoughts and impressions soon). But first impressions are "holy shit, I see why these generated so much hype..."

    It'll be interesting to see what the consensus ends up as on whether these benefit from burn-in to a similar degree of the Be drivers in the VO/VC.
     
  8. Taverius

    Taverius Smells like sausages

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    Shouldn't be, unless @zach915m drastically changed how he makes the biodynas for these?

    100-150 hours should be plenty, nothing like the 350+ of the beryllium-on-film jobbies.
     
  9. zach915m

    zach915m MOT: ZMF Headphones

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    I've kind of decided to take the "whatever you believe is true" approach to helping people with burn-in and cables and stuff like that. We all hear these things differently, and there is no right and wrong to any of it as long as you get enjoyment etc. I do think some burn in helps all of our headphones, even if it's just the pads breaking in etc etc.
     
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  10. Taverius

    Taverius Smells like sausages

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    I mean, what happens to the Veritè drivers around 300 hours is no subtle thing, yet we know from Tyll's measurements of the effect way back when it sort of has to be, but I was more wondering if the formulation of the driver had massively changed from what the Auteur gets. :)
     
  11. Souldriver

    Souldriver Almost "Made"

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    On my pair there was a big difference at around the 1 hour mark as I went from one song to another. I was initially underwhelmed up until that point but going back to what i listed to the hour before it seems something had changed. Driver, pads, my brain, something.

    Unfortunately I have only had about 3 hours total (work and family with covid) so I dont know much beyond that. But even if it stayed this way and I could only access my BHC+SB I wouldnt be bored or disappointed.
     
  12. roshambo123

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    [​IMG]

    Tidal > Yggdrasil A2 (BAL) > Mjolnir 2 (BAL) > Atrium (BAL)

    My motivation for writing impressions isn't there recently so this won't be flowery. I'm done audio shopping with the exception of perhaps Folkvangr.

    Atrium Notes:

    Fierce macrodynamic fireworks, exciting. Gets feet tapping, head bobbing.

    Has slam, she hits. Resonant quality in lows

    Roll in highs. Possible option for treble sensitive. Not fatiguing.

    Very well tuned, very "right" sounding

    Deals well with busy passages

    Not ultra wide but wide-ish, tall-ish headstage

    Detail retrieval is very very good, but probably not last word. Don't feel like I'm missing much. Separation and depth excellent

    Not speed like a planar but like LCD-5, has that exciting presentation

    Clarity of mids and vocals is very strong. Think vocals a lot clearer than Aeolus. Male better than female. Female vocals could be more delicate, they're a touch woolly. Still very very good

    Not as warm as I remember Aeolus

    Hard to concentrate on other things. Not a work headphone. Too engaging

    Ultimately, weight and price deal breaker, the later being more important.

    Best ZMF headphone I've heard, although I haven't heard many.
     
    Last edited: May 8, 2022
  13. Failed Engineer

    Failed Engineer Friend

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    I prefer the Atrium with suede pads (even though I like them quite a bit with the Universe Lambskin as well). Not sure which of the Auteur, Universe, or BE2 versions, leaning towards Universe. Is there some technical discussion of what the suedes do better on ZMFs? I believe I'm hearing a little less macrodynamic slam but more openness and clarity of sound.

    I think the suedes make the Atrium less unique (heretofore unknown slam for a dynamic) and bring them closer to neutral-ish headphones but with spot on timbre, so not a universal preference. Probably most will still prefer the lambskin pads.

    I didn't find the hybrid pads I have tried to be all that different from their lambskin equivalents. I use the perforated titan mesh (marv mesh) as a strong preference over the stock mesh. I haven't tried the solid mesh as I doubt I'd like it.
     
  14. Souldriver

    Souldriver Almost "Made"

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    For those that have been able to compare the stock and the Marv mesh, does the Marv mesh let through more treble detail and shimmer (ie, the sizzle from cymbals, the scratchy rattle from steel string acoustic guitars)

    That leading edge seems to be a bit soft and I am seeing if there is something to help define it a little better.
     
  15. Mystic

    Mystic Mystique's Spiritual Advisor

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    Loaner Impressions

    Thank you to SBAF, Zach & crew and the loaner guys for making this possible.

    Usual gear: Bifrost 2 -> Studio B -> Auteur and Verite Closed.


    Was super excited for these since the comparisons to the Auteur first cropped up. I’ve been using my Blackwood Auteurs since 2017 and it is absolutely my favorite headphone I have owned. Thought it would be interesting to compare the two.

    Vs Auteur:

    You can kind of hear a similar lineage here. They both have this way of presenting the music in a warm, pleasant way that sounds natural without any glare. They both have this interesting 3d quality to the soundstage that makes it sound deep and enveloping even though it’s not particularly wide. Might be a combination of the driver design playing off the wood.

    Bass seems a bit tighter, snappier on the Atrium. The Autuer can be a bit wooly or soft here, despite the good quantity. Slams pretty good and quantity is just about perfect for me, just a bit extra without being boomy.

    Mids are great, being a ZMF I didn’t expect any less. This might be my favorite headphone for piano. It sounded so real and detailed that I started going through just about everything I had that was heavy on the keys. I’d rate them a half step ahead of the Auteur here. The Auteur has some of my favorite mids in a headphone, but the realism the Atrium brings to piano takes it a step further.

    Not a hint of glare. I was a little worried it would be too dark on my system. Idk if these have the in between mesh (between stock and Marv mesh), but it’s not real dark and highs come through clear and detailed. Just a bit muted when compared to something like the Verite, Utopia or HD800. I generally prefer a warmer tilt though if my gear didn’t make that obvious. I think I can pick out details a little better with the Atrium but it’s close.

    If you pried the Auteur from my hands and told me I could only listen to the Atrium from then on, I wouldn’t protest too much.

    Vs Verite Closed:

    I only just this week got around to finishing burning my VCs in, so don’t have a ton of time on them (was surprised burn in actually changed the headphone).

    VC is closed so a bit apples to oranges. The Atrium clearly sounds more open, but the resonance of the wood in the VC makes it feel more open then it is. VC feels a bit more balanced with more top end sparkle, but the Atrium is more involving and engaging I think. More dynamic. I’m REALLY interested to see if Zach puts these new drivers into a closed headphone in the future.


    Overall these are fantastic. I don’t know if I’ll purchase a pair myself since I just recently got my VC, but it’s on my radar. $2500 is about the max I think headphones are worth, and these get right up to that mark. On the other hand, ZMF headphones are probably one of the only brands where the material and craftsmanship actually match the price. Truly beautiful and well built pieces of art. Five years of constant use and my Auteur still looks almost new, maybe just needs some new pads.
     
  16. Jinxy245

    Jinxy245 Vegan Puss

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    IIRC there is an Atrium closed planned for release...I think by the end of the year (don't quote me there). There's also plans for an Auteur refresh, the OG Auteur is already not listed on the ZMF website.
     
  17. jnak00

    jnak00 Friend

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    I've had the Atrium for about a month now and am loving every minute. Upstream gear is Bifrost 2 to either SW51+ or Jotunheim 2. I also have a turntable that I run though Mani 1 but I don't use that often. I've only used the standard mesh and the stock pads for now.

    They are frigging gorgeous. ZMFs have always looked good and these are, in my opinion, the best of the bunch. The new crescent strap is also incredibly comfortable.

    When I first put the Atrium on, I heard a slight tizz in the cymbal range. This got me worried as it was similar to what I disliked about the TH-X00s I had a few years ago, and the Auteur. To my relief, after a few hours this tizziness disappeared entirely.

    The Atrium is certainly a darker sounding headphone, but it's also dynamic, engaging, and presents plenty of details. So although the treble is less edgy than Aeolus, I still hear a lot of those little details that don't pop out as much on Aeolus - things like a small smack of the lips or a bit more definition of when a guitar string gets plucked.

    The one big revelation I had comparing the Atrium to Aeolus is the sense of space. I always thought "headstage" meant sounds appear to be coming from further away from your head, more in line with speakers or live music. This is not the case with Atrium - you are definitely still listening to headphones. But where Aeolus sounds like you're listening to a band in a studio or small club, the Atrium sounds more like the band's in a cathedral. Instruments feel more spread out, with more air between them, even though they occupy essentially the same headstage compared to the Aeolus.. It's a bit trippy, to be honest, and I quite like it.

    I also like how sounds just pop out of blackness with these - I think this adds to the sense of space. There's a greater sense of clarity here, which makes the Aeolus feel a bit hazy in comparison.

    Tonally, if you like the ZMF sound, you'll like the Atrium. Bass is epic - while it doesn't have the mid-bass hump of Aeolus but it hits hard and digs plenty deep. It's pretty smooth through the mids, like the Aeolus, and then there is a roll-off in the treble. If you want a detail monster or something that prioritizes treble response, look elsewhere. These are fast and energetic - they excel at getting your head bopping or your toe tapping.

    I do have a few minor, non-audio quibbles. First, the finish on the headband is a bit off. The bottom edge bulges out a bit and looks completely unfinished (see picture). Second, mine have a small squeak in the gimbal when the earcups swivel. I think there is a video ZMF did that shows how to correct this, but I haven't watched it yet and it doesn't happen when I'm wearing them. I know these are handmade and there are some imperfections to be expected, but when you pay this much and see how exquisite the wood and the grilles are, these small issues do stick out. Also, these issues aren't Atrium specific - since ZMF uses the headband and gimbal parts on all its headphones, I would expect you may come across this on other models. None of the other ZMFs I've had have these issues.

    Are these worth 2x the Aeolus? Probably not....but obviously at these prices you're well past the point of diminishing returns. They are different enough that I can justify keeping both - while tonally similar, Aeolus is cozy and intimate while Atrium is get up and party. I love them both, and maybe it's still the honeymoon phase, but I think they have unseated the Aeolus as my favourite headphone!

    IMG_0909.jpg IMG_0910.jpg
     
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  18. futbutts

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    Received the loaner unit today and love the Atrium so far. Sound-wise I was expecting something very different due to various impressions calling them ‘dark’ and ‘warm’ but it doesn’t strike me as such; in fact I found the high end surprisingly ‘tizzy’. Certain tracks (a specific one being ‘Sgt Pepper’s’, with its very bright guitar lead) were actually a bit piercing for me — and this from someone who likes vanilla HD800’s. So I switched the mesh to the solid Titan, which tamed those zingy highs in a favorable way, but at the cost of some of that lower-upper-mid sweetness. (Drums sound a touch flatter and less impactful.) So I think I can agree that some middle ground between the vented and solid titan mesh might be the just-right for the Atrium.

    Mids are excellent with both setups though, and are probably the most deeply yet naturally resolving I’ve ever heard, while avoiding the veiled or ‘hazy’ sound mid-forward speakers and headphones sometimes display. When I think ‘detailed’ I tend to think of embellished highs, yet that’s not what the Atrium reveals, rather it unmasks stuff through the mids that were just seemingly not there before; a good example being Beatles ‘A Little Help From My Friends’ and how on one of the melodies I can hear Ringo and Co open their mouths and inhale just before launching into a harmony, all still awash in the rest of the music, but just effortlessly presented. Speaking of, the rendition of vocals is excellent. Vocals are something I think I tend to not pay a lot of attention to on songs (compared to my appreciation for the timbre and engineering and mixing of instruments, I just kind of don’t care ) but with the Atrium I catch myself really enjoying vocal performances to an extra extent.

    I don’t know how Zach did it either but the sense of panning and space is remarkable. The first track I cued up (‘Change My Life’ by Spoon) concerned me a bit; I thought maybe in their travels the headphones had developed a channel imbalance, because there was no way I’d been listening to this song for the past week and not noticed how panned over the drums were in relation to the guitars. Lo and behold, they are, actually, as most other tracks sounds comparatively normal. But magically that same spaciousness between channels also somehow makes hard-panned tracks totally utterly enjoyable (aforementioned Sgt Pepper’s album as a glaring example of horrific hard-panning) to the extent that I seriously wondered if there was some crossfeed trickery Zach worked out, and tried some listening with trading ears off (no trickery). I subsequently love love love the Atrium for jazz. The Atrium seems to be an excellent match for typical jazz tones and makes for a very soothing, comforting listening experience in that genre.

    As a small aside, because I don’t think about it much usually, but comfort with these is off the charts for me. Like, better than HD800 comfortable. This new headband design is phenomenal, and I’ll need to see about getting my VC all set up the same way if possible.

    This is just one day’s worth of impressions, with what I believe are the Universe perforated. I’ll hold on further impressions til the end of my time with them but overall, I’m absolutely smitten.
     
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    Last edited: May 21, 2022
  19. wadec22

    wadec22 Almost "Made"

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    First, thank you to both @zach915m and @ChaChaRealSmooth for the loaner. I know it is a significant cost and some risk for the ZMF team and it takes a ton of work to manage the route, pm's, etc for the tour. I genuinely appreciate it gents.

    [​IMG]

    Testing gear & notes
    • RME UCX II->Monoprice THX 887->miniDSP EARS
    • I also did listening with the ifi Gryphon so I could check it out via 4.4mm balanced but did not do any measurements that way.
    • My measurements are done following miniDSP manual and recommended curve. I stick to my comfort zone to minimize variables. Obviously my measurements are only comparable to each other and void against anything else.
    • I have tried the Aeolus, Eikon, Auteur and Verite Open. I did not like the Aeolus at all. I loved the Eikon but the weight got to me. The Auteur I found boring. I found the Verite Open to be incredibly dynamic but it quickly gave me fatigue regardless of using tubes, ss or EQ. It just never played nice with my HRTF.
    Disclaimer
    • I've gotten pretty comfortable on the miniDSP EARS but I would certainly still consider myself a beginner with audio measurements in general.
    • I welcome any and all feedback in this area.
    [​IMG]

    Aesthetics and build
    • The headphones are very comfortable. I perceived them to be rather lightweight in the cherry wood. I wore them for up to four hours and never experienced any hot spots or muscle fatigue/aches.
    • I think the grill has the best design to-date and looks pretty fantastic.
    • The cherry wood is very nice but given Zach has spoiled us with so many unique wood varieties and new stabilized versions, I personally find this headphone a little boring to look at. Again, I feel spoiled now.
    • ZMF's pads are pretty darn nice, and that comes as no surprise. The coverings are very soft to the touch and feel fantastic.
    • I have noted before that the ear pad fill is a little lackluster compared to competition. However, I know this is because Zach and his team are focusing on a fill that gives them the acoustic result they want. Clearly they are balancing nice pads and measurements in the best way they see fit.
    • One of the most interesting things for me that I noticed is how I was picking up more of a tactile bass experience coming through the pads that I had not noticed on any ZMF headphone to date and I really like it!
    [​IMG]

    Measurements

    It is interesting to me that some call this headphone dark. I am obviously sensitive to spikes around 5 & 6k. I do not find this headphone dark at all. Here is my first comparison against the Verite Open I owned previously. The Atrium is clearly less peaky in the areas I am sensitive to.

    [​IMG]

    Here is a measurement to contrast with the Clear MG Pro. For me, the bass extension of the Clear MG Pro, as well as it's emphasis around 1.5k were the biggest differentiators. The bass extension of the Clear MG Pro makes it feel like a more bassy headphone. The Atrium is no slouch in the bass department though, it actually has a very fun and impactful bass quality.

    [​IMG]

    The LCD-X (most recent revision) is currently my favorite headphone to date. The Atrium comes across as having more bass and a more natural timbre. The LCD-X comes across as more detailed, which makes sense given where it's treble spikes show up at.

    [​IMG]

    For completeness, I did check the distortion levels against the Verite. The Atrium does indeed have more distortion. That difference shows up in measurements but I cannot discern any distortion difference by ear with it vs the Clear MG Pro or LCD-X.

    [​IMG]

    Sound

    This headphone sounds incredible! I can EASILY call it my favorite ZMF headphone. Given the loaner tour is limited to only 5 days, I hesitate to get too gushy about it, but I am pretty sure I actually prefer it over the LCD-X. It does everything perfect for my taste (although at twice the cost).
    • The bass is fun and punchy. It does not get obnoxious and never feels like it bleeds into the mids. If I had it longer, I MAY give it a slight sub bass boost, but I'm not settled on that. It has a very slight tactile play coming through the pads that I absolutely love.
    • Imaging is very very good. IMHO, it's not as razor sharp as a stock HD800 and maybe even a touch behind the Clear MG Pro.
    • Resolution is fantastic! I think that the timbre of the Biocellulose driver and this resolution capability is my favorite balance to date. You may get more perceived resolution out of a different driver, but I feel you lose the great timbre. This is my ideal balance.
    • The wood reverb combined with Zach's new dampening system gives a very intoxicating room feel. The sound stage is nice and open. The ZMF team has definitely made this the most open sounding headphone they've made yet.
    • The wood effect and dampening system also give this headphone a larger speaker presentation, more closely resembling the large planar magnetic drivers. It's not as much of that big speaker feel but it gets closer.
    • The comments on the ZMF site about neutrality scared me a bit, as I found the Auteur boring (albeit with a great timbre). The Atrium is MUCH more fun than the Auteur.
    • For those that care about gaming - it is a very capable competitive set and an amazing single player gaming headphone.

    Final Thoughts
    I could not take these things off. Every time I put them on it was "one more song". Kudos @zach915m, the Atrium is a masterpiece!

    I want my own Atrium. It's not in the budget for me now. I'm hoping by the time I have the extra funds, maybe there will be a wood that more fits my taste or maybe even a stabilized.

    Thank you so much again for the loaner opportunity!

    [​IMG]
     
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  20. Souldriver

    Souldriver Almost "Made"

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    The trick with the cherry is it truly gets better with age. The honey like amber it eventually turns to will go so well with the black and copper grills. With that said i sprung for the LTD Bubinga....
    [​IMG]
     

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