nice review. i currently have the verite and aeolus ordered. i have tried the atticus and eikon and vastly preferred the atticus for its bass and amazing mids (acoustic guitars and vocal focused songs). currently listening to the video on my auteurs which have just been the best thing ive ever heard. sold off my stax l700 for these and dont regret it.
@@wazzupi-pubg same with the blackwood. Zmf have really nailed a great dynamic driver sound which I prefer but planar and stax have had better clarity but now zmf line seems to be just as clear and detailed. I can't wait to try the new ones
Yup,the Auteurs are great. I just bought a heavily figured Bocote pair and theyre in the process of being burned in. My Verite will arrive soon too. You really cannot go wrong with ZMF headphones,but to my ears the Verite and Auteurs are the best of the bunch,and different enough from one another to warrant owning both. That being said,the Aeolus is great in its own way as well,but as I mentioned at the end of the review ,cannot afford all three.
@@alvarg I've heard the Atticus, eikon, and auteur. Still waiting on verite and aeolus. But I would say the auteur is warm while also having smooth highs thay are never sharp or sibilant. They also maintain rally nice bass and smooth midrange. They've Def been am amazing all arounder.
Your channel showed up in my feed last night and I am glad I discovered it. Great review and like how you break down the sound focussing on the kind of music rather than just technicalities which although useful doesn’t hook me for very long. I am hoping for Black Friday sale to get one of these next week else I will just grab them. You should do more reviews 👍🏽 Ps - loved your take on Grado which is very similar to my observations.
Looks can be deceiving! That chair is a Lazy-Boy model and was over $400.00 and it sucks. I recently threw it out and grabbed an Archie Bunker recliner....Sooooo much better! :)
I will most likely pick these up and Ltd version. I live in Chicago and am able to actually listen in person when the opportunity arises, right now I'm just looking at a DAP zx300- headphone amp combo to go with it.
Excellent review as always ... for the vintage receivers you mentioned, are you using the headphone jack, or the speaker tap connections for your Sextett and ZMFs? (as it happens, I have one of each -:) And which models of Onyko, Kenwood and Akai? Thanks in advance ...
Headphone jack is plenty of power for both. The ZMF is more sensitive than the Sextetts,but the jack will give you more than enough. I would suggest a brighter,more detailed receiver for both. My Sansui 881 is fantastic with both but its quite warm. I have a beastly Kenwood Eleven GX, Onkyo TX-6500 mk 2,and Akai AA-1150,which can be hard to find. All three are brighter than my 881 and give both Sextetts and ZMF dynamics an added boost in treble,but the mids and bass of the Sansui is hard to deny.
Rolled off but detailed highs makes all the sense to me. Audioquest Nightowl was just like that, very soft highs but i could clearly hear every cymbal.
I dont have the Atticus any longer,so now I just have the Verite and Auteur. Anything in particular you'd like to know about the 4 I have a lot of experience with?
@@headkarma I am looking for a complemental pair for my lcd2c and denon d5200. was looking at beyer dt1990 and elex but zmfs look awesome. so i was looking out for them.
Hello, thanks a lot for this great video, very useful and full of information! I’m thinking of replacing my Hifiman Ananda with the Aeolus. Main use would be with a Naim Atom Uniti Headphone amp. Would you recommend this pairing? Would the Aeolus be a noticeable improvement over the Ananda? Grateful for your feedback. Regards, Ignacio
Hey Ignacio, I have no experience with either the Ananda nor the Uniti, so it's impossible for me to say. What I can say is there is a huge difference between dynamic and planar driver headphones. One isnt necessarilly better than the other, rather it's a matter of preferene. I've heard quite a few Hifiman headphones and they seem to be tuned quite differently than ZMF tuning goes. Again, one isnt necessarily better than the other. Finally, ZMF headphones tend to sound better out of amps that have a high-ish output impedance. There are exceptions to that rule, but generally speaking a high output impedance is where it's at for ZMFs
@@headkarma Thanks a lot for the feedback. Greatly appreciated!! This morning, I got to try the Aeolus at a local store and was really impressed. I also tried the Focal Clear MG but the Aeolus are much better (although it’s about the same price). Would you recommend a particular set of earpads and also cables for the Aeolus? Best regards, Ignacio
@@ignicioperez4647 I tend to prefer the pads that ZMF calls stock. Pad rolling is an aspect that I typically do not get involved in. If you're a member on headfi, you can ask for suggestions in the Aeolus thread. Regarding cabling, that depends upon the rest of your chain and preferences. The Aeolus is A pretty warm, rich sounding headphone, so silver cabling could make sense if you want to add more zing to the sound. Personally I use the ZMF 2K copper cables and love them, more so than the Lektrik cables. I haven't heard the new Palladium cable yet, but it might be worth Investigating
Thanks for the informative review! I have an HD650 and recently added an HD800S. I listen to some genre's you mention.. many variations of Rock music. I'm still not sure I will keep the HD800S but have a BH Mainline kit on the way and want to atleast listen to them with the tubes before I make a decision. I have not heard ZMF but have been really considering an Atticus or Aeolus. Would you think either would be a better choice over the 800? They would be used with the Mainline and I would keeping keeping the 650 regardless
IMO theres no reason to keep the HD650 and get an Atticus or Aeolus. Many folks,myself included,consider the ZMFs in question to be "Super HD650s". Warm,mega thump(much more than HD650) with stellar mids. If it were me I'd sell the HD650,buy either the Aeolus or Atticus and keep the HD800 as its a vastly different sounding headphone than the ZMFs and will be good for when you want to change things up. If you keep the HD650s and buy the ZMFs you will literally never have a reason to listen to the 650s again.
@@headkarma Thanks for the reply, makes sense. In that case, assuming having the Mainline and HD800S, would you go with an Atticus or Aelous? Sound isolation and leakage are not concerns.
@@itsik_ Both are great. I think that the Aeolus is better in many ways,due to the slam decrease. As I mentioned in the review,there are times when there is so much slam,and because the cups are wood,and closed the decay isnt as quick as I'd prefer. That mainly comes into play with faster metal,like melodeath,for example. The Aeolus sounds cleaner. If you dont listen to real fast music,then you may prefer the more bass slam that the Atticus provides. Tonally they are the same to my ears. To be clear these differences arent vast. To hear what im talking about you need to have them side by side,and go back and forth to get to hear the differences. I had that luxury,and I prefer the Aeolus. That being said,the Atticus would be more contrasting than the Aeolus vs.HD800, just for the sheer thunder the Atty brings into the mix.
Just wondering if you might be able to help me out a bit. I have had the MrSpeakers AFO for a while now and I really quite enjoy their sound signature, however I'd prefer something with a bit more soundstage as well as a bit more bass. Would you say that the Aeolus would be a good upgrade or would you suggest something else? Great review by the way. Very detailed and concise.
Hey Philip,its hard for me to say as I've never heard the AFO. I like the Aeolus quite a bit but it doesnt have a particularly large stage. It def has a ton more bass than the AFC,as well as most open backs Ive heard as well. How much more than the AFO,again, I cant say. For staging the HD800s,AKG K501, K701 and T1 are famous for their large staging. None are known for particularly big bass though. Sorry I cant give you a more concise answer.
@@headkarma Thank you! The increase in sound stage isn't as important for me as the bass increase and since I already loved the mid and treble presentation for the AFO, I was mainly just wondering if the Aeolus has a similar mid and treble presentation while increasing bass. From what I know, I believe the mid and treble presentation on the AFO and the AFC are very similar just the AFO has a slight bit more warmth in the lower mids. So I guess I'm mainly interested in if you would consider the Aeolus a good upgrade from the AFC to improve bass without sacrificing the quality of the mids and treble? Sorry for not asking this the first time around, maybe I should be a bit more concise with my questions too.
@@philipcurtis3734 The Aeolus is warmer than the AFC. It also has a ton more mid bass,like it hits like a truck,depending upon what amp youre using. Even out of the Gilmore Lite MK 2 it hit hard. Out of my Glenn,the bass was huge. The mids are fantastic on the Aeolus. The treble is gentle,but I didnt miss any detail. If you like the HD650,you'll love the Aeolus,as it has a similar sound,but a clear upgrade,across the board. I would say theres more air out of the AFC. It has a very natural,easy sound to it. The AFC is a lovely sounding neutral HP,but ultimately the lack of tactile bass was a killer for me. If more bass is what youre after with great mids,then I can recommend the Aeolus absolutely,but its quite different sounding vs. the AFC.
Hey, awesome review! Would you recommend these over the Atticus for listening primarily to metal? (Coming from someone who enjoys Fostex TH series levels of bass and slam/impact).
Thanks! For sheer slam,the Atticus is the one you want,esp. if youre coming over from Fostex. The Aeolus being open back simply doesnt match up in the thunder. I do think the Aeolus is a more versatile headphone. Tonally,as I mentioned,to my ears are the same. The differences are subtle and you need to have them side by side to hear the differences. Coming from the TH series,the first time you hear ZMF mids,esp for metal,I think you will be quite happy.
You might check out my Sextett review,where I briefly talk about the Atticus. th-cam.com/video/wDkEYORrJu8/w-d-xo.html And finally if youre an established member of Head-fi,my Atticus are actually up for sale. Sadly they need to go to finance my Verite. www.head-fi.org/threads/fs-one-of-a-kind-zmf-atticus.894237/#post-14624166
HeadKarma Thanks so much for the reply. I figured that the Atticus might be better in the bass. Just confusing because so many reviews were saying that the Atticus is great but the Aeolus is even better. Definitely looking forward to hearing those ZMF mids, the recessed mids on the Fostex have always been disappointing.
Hi Sylvio, I think all headphones are over-priced,but relative to other headphones I think that ZMF is at or near the top for $ to performance. Aeolus and Auteur are very different sounding,and depends upon what sound you like. Aeolus is warm and fun. Auteur is detailed and more audiophile sounding.
HeadKarma Hey! Appreciate your quick response I listen to mostly classical, jazz, acoustic music, rock, blues, quality of recording is not always great. I don’t like headphones that have a lot of bass. With a good amp, what are some headphones you would recommend up to 2K ? Thank you for your time !
@@sylvio1980 Hey Sylvio,no problem. First,allow me to say Im not a Classical or Jazz guy. I do however listen to Blues,Folk,Rock pretty much every day. Your preferences are a bit of a challenge for me. If you dont like bass I would stay away from the Aeolus,although switching pads on them(and pretty much all ZMF headphones)can make them sound much more linear/neutral. Drop an email to ZMF for more details on which pads do what on each headphone. Typically poorly recorded/mastered music sound better on warm headphones,but many warm headphones have +bass. With a transparent OTL amp,swapping tubes can help you get your preferred sound. Auteur is quite detailed and bass is much more linear than other ZMF headphones,but im not sure it would be the perfect headphone for bright tinny sounding recordings. What amp do you have?
HeadKarma Just got into high end headphones, I do have Philips fidelio X2 that I like a lot ( a lot of people say they are bass headphones but I don’t ding them to be bass heavy at all ) I use IFI XDSD portable amp for home and portable use ( I use Pinnacle P1 headphones when I go portable ) Don’t have a really good amp for desk t use yet. Thanks !!!
@@sylvio1980 OK,well if you do not find the X2 to bass heavy(they are quite bassy)then the Aeolus would be great for you,especially on poor masterings over the Auteur. The Auteur will sound bass light vs. X2. ZMF headphones really enjoy tube amps. If you do not want to get into tubes I suggest asking ZMF for a good solid state amp recommendation as I much prefer tubes over S.S. with ZMF.
Not sure. It's been years since I reviewed the Aeolus and I have never heard the Arya. If leaking noise is a major concern you should strongly consider getting a closed back headphone.
I just got an Aeolus recently and I wish to get an OTL to open up the sound more. Since you have a widely acclaimed GOTL, may I ask how do I go about ordering one and how much would it set me back (entry level vs decked out configuration)?
As far as I know the only way to get a Glenn OTL is to contact Glenn on Head Fi, either in the Glenn thread or in private message. He doesn't have a website. When I purchased mine the basic OTL was 750.00 usd. Mine is pretty upgraded with Lundahl transformer, C3G tube sockets , 6,12,25 volt switch, 6 power tube sockets, tube or HEXFRED rectifier option and pre amp outs. My amp was 1500.00. There are other options I didn't get, but I'm quite happy with it and don't forsee myself upgrading anytime soon. One other thing I can add is Glenn can be a bit hit and miss when it comes to him responding to his messages. My advice is if you want a Glenn be persistent and patient.
@@headkarma Thanks a lot! I have PM'ed glenn to get some advice from him. In the meantime, if it is convenient for you, could you give me a brief breakdown on what Lundahl transformer, 6/12/25 volt switch, and HEXFRED rectifier options do? Apologies for my lack of knowledge. I'm browsing through the thread on headfi but it's a little overwhelming (1,000+ pages). Hopefully I can gather some initial insights from you so that it will be easier to absorb the discussions happening in the thread.
@@eugenelim7305 No apologies needed...its a massive thread,and it can be a bit overwhelming. The Lundahl upgrade supposedly makes the amp quieter. I have the Lundahl upgrade on mine,but mine is the only Glenn I have heard,so I cant say how it sounds without it. The 6/12/25v option is a great option,allowing you to use not only 6 volt drivers,but 12 and 25 volt drivers as well. The benefits here are many more tube options,as well as saving money. 12 and 25 volt volt drivers are often much cheaper than 6SN7s,which is all you can use without the option. I highly recommend this option. HEXFRED is a solid state rectifier. The benefit is not having to worry about buying rectifier tubes. In many OTLs the rectifier tube has the least impact on the sound. Not so with the Glenn. The rectifier can change the sound dramatically. My suggestion here is getting the HEXFRED AND tube option together. You can plug a HEXFRED in and forget about it,and then if you decide your tube roll needs something different you can plug in a tube instead of the HEXFRED. There are other great options such as C3G sockets which allows you to use C3TG tubes without the normal driver tube. If you really get into tube rolling this option also allows the use of EL8 tubes(with the correct adapters) in addition to the standard driver,making it a triple driver combo...its a very cool sound with the right tubes. There is also the 6 socket power tube option which allows you to use either 6x 6BX7s or 6x 6BL7s. These power tubes have more gain than most 6AS7 tubes,and are often cheaper. The downside to these are because they have more gain they can get noisy at times if you have a less than perfect tube. They have huge bass slam and are great for bass light headphones. I will also say that the guys in the Glenn thread are quite helpful with tube suggestions.
I havent heard the 500e,though I have heard the other Grados,and while I do like the mids on Grados,for me its no contest. Grados are uncomfortable to me,pinning my ears against my head. Grados also tend to sound "small" vs. ZMF. The imaging on Aeolus is much bigger and tactile,with a thicker rich sound. Personally I feel its no contest between the two,and if they sound like other Grados ive heard,theyre more different sounding vs. similar. Grab the Aeolus.
@@headkarma thanks for the insight. I live in Chicago and plan on visiting his shop when he opens a listening room, then save my schillings lol. I want to hear Meshuggah's bleed and have my face melted lol.
@@headkarma glad to ear u are ok man this week I'm going to order my aeolus , just was waiting for another of ur reviews I already watched those u have
Aeolus you could enjoy...................................low fi beats?!?!?!?!? I think this headphone is great with all avenues. You tube music and videos sound more alive with these and music from a site like spotify these sound amazing as well. This is dare I say a "jack of all trades".
nice review. i currently have the verite and aeolus ordered. i have tried the atticus and eikon and vastly preferred the atticus for its bass and amazing mids (acoustic guitars and vocal focused songs). currently listening to the video on my auteurs which have just been the best thing ive ever heard. sold off my stax l700 for these and dont regret it.
blackwood Auteur owner here and I'm loving them right now, I just don't know if i should look at any other ZMF headphone :(
@@wazzupi-pubg same with the blackwood. Zmf have really nailed a great dynamic driver sound which I prefer but planar and stax have had better clarity but now zmf line seems to be just as clear and detailed. I can't wait to try the new ones
Yup,the Auteurs are great. I just bought a heavily figured Bocote pair and theyre in the process of being burned in.
My Verite will arrive soon too.
You really cannot go wrong with ZMF headphones,but to my ears the Verite and Auteurs are the best of the bunch,and different enough from one another to warrant owning both.
That being said,the Aeolus is great in its own way as well,but as I mentioned at the end of the review ,cannot afford all three.
@@c4monkey which of the zmf line up is the most warm? and has the smoothest highs
@@alvarg I've heard the Atticus, eikon, and auteur. Still waiting on verite and aeolus. But I would say the auteur is warm while also having smooth highs thay are never sharp or sibilant. They also maintain rally nice bass and smooth midrange. They've Def been am amazing all arounder.
Great detailed review, and very easy to follow and understand. You should have way more subscribers!
Thank you.
Your channel showed up in my feed last night and I am glad I discovered it. Great review and like how you break down the sound focussing on the kind of music rather than just technicalities which although useful doesn’t hook me for very long. I am hoping for Black Friday sale to get one of these next week else I will just grab them. You should do more reviews 👍🏽
Ps - loved your take on Grado which is very similar to my observations.
Holy hell that chair looks comfortable.
Looks can be deceiving! That chair is a Lazy-Boy model and was over $400.00 and it sucks.
I recently threw it out and grabbed an Archie Bunker recliner....Sooooo much better! :)
I will most likely pick these up and Ltd version. I live in Chicago and am able to actually listen in person when the opportunity arises, right now I'm just looking at a DAP zx300- headphone amp combo to go with it.
Your intro cLipped my iPads internal speakers lol
Excellent review as always ... for the vintage receivers you mentioned, are you using the headphone jack, or the speaker tap connections for your Sextett and ZMFs? (as it happens, I have one of each -:) And which models of Onyko, Kenwood and Akai? Thanks in advance ...
Headphone jack is plenty of power for both. The ZMF is more sensitive than the Sextetts,but the jack will give you more than enough.
I would suggest a brighter,more detailed receiver for both. My Sansui 881 is fantastic with both but its quite warm.
I have a beastly Kenwood Eleven GX, Onkyo TX-6500 mk 2,and Akai AA-1150,which can be hard to find.
All three are brighter than my 881 and give both Sextetts and ZMF dynamics an added boost in treble,but the mids and bass of the Sansui is hard to deny.
@@headkarma Thanks, HK!
Rolled off but detailed highs makes all the sense to me. Audioquest Nightowl was just like that, very soft highs but i could clearly hear every cymbal.
How about a full comparison of your ZMF line up ?
I dont have the Atticus any longer,so now I just have the Verite and Auteur.
Anything in particular you'd like to know about the 4 I have a lot of experience with?
@@headkarma I am looking for a complemental pair for my lcd2c and denon d5200. was looking at beyer dt1990 and elex but zmfs look awesome. so i was looking out for them.
Hello, thanks a lot for this great video, very useful and full of information! I’m thinking of replacing my Hifiman Ananda with the Aeolus. Main use would be with a Naim Atom Uniti Headphone amp. Would you recommend this pairing? Would the Aeolus be a noticeable improvement over the Ananda? Grateful for your feedback. Regards, Ignacio
Hey Ignacio, I have no experience with either the Ananda nor the Uniti, so it's impossible for me to say.
What I can say is there is a huge difference between dynamic and planar driver headphones. One isnt necessarilly better than the other, rather it's a matter of preferene.
I've heard quite a few Hifiman headphones and they seem to be tuned quite differently than ZMF tuning goes. Again, one isnt necessarily better than the other.
Finally, ZMF headphones tend to sound better out of amps that have a high-ish output impedance. There are exceptions to that rule, but generally speaking a high output impedance is where it's at for ZMFs
@@headkarma Thanks a lot for the feedback. Greatly appreciated!! This morning, I got to try the Aeolus at a local store and was really impressed. I also tried the Focal Clear MG but the Aeolus are much better (although it’s about the same price). Would you recommend a particular set of earpads and also cables for the Aeolus? Best regards, Ignacio
@@ignicioperez4647 I tend to prefer the pads that ZMF calls stock.
Pad rolling is an aspect that I typically do not get involved in.
If you're a member on headfi, you can ask for suggestions in the Aeolus thread.
Regarding cabling, that depends upon the rest of your chain and preferences.
The Aeolus is A pretty warm, rich sounding headphone, so silver cabling could make sense if you want to add more zing to the sound.
Personally I use the ZMF 2K copper cables and love them, more so than the Lektrik cables.
I haven't heard the new Palladium cable yet, but it might be worth Investigating
Thanks for the informative review! I have an HD650 and recently added an HD800S. I listen to some genre's you mention.. many variations of Rock music. I'm still not sure I will keep the HD800S but have a BH Mainline kit on the way and want to atleast listen to them with the tubes before I make a decision.
I have not heard ZMF but have been really considering an Atticus or Aeolus. Would you think either would be a better choice over the 800? They would be used with the Mainline and I would keeping keeping the 650 regardless
IMO theres no reason to keep the HD650 and get an Atticus or Aeolus. Many folks,myself included,consider the ZMFs in question to be "Super HD650s". Warm,mega thump(much more than HD650) with stellar mids.
If it were me I'd sell the HD650,buy either the Aeolus or Atticus and keep the HD800 as its a vastly different sounding headphone than the ZMFs and will be good for when you want to change things up.
If you keep the HD650s and buy the ZMFs you will literally never have a reason to listen to the 650s again.
@@headkarma Thanks for the reply, makes sense. In that case, assuming having the Mainline and HD800S, would you go with an Atticus or Aelous? Sound isolation and leakage are not concerns.
@@itsik_ Both are great. I think that the Aeolus is better in many ways,due to the slam decrease. As I mentioned in the review,there are times when there is so much slam,and because the cups are wood,and closed the decay isnt as quick as I'd prefer. That mainly comes into play with faster metal,like melodeath,for example. The Aeolus sounds cleaner.
If you dont listen to real fast music,then you may prefer the more bass slam that the Atticus provides.
Tonally they are the same to my ears.
To be clear these differences arent vast. To hear what im talking about you need to have them side by side,and go back and forth to get to hear the differences. I had that luxury,and I prefer the Aeolus. That being said,the Atticus would be more contrasting than the Aeolus vs.HD800, just for the sheer thunder the Atty brings into the mix.
@@headkarma Thanks alot for the info, helps alot!
Hd650 has very special mids, zmf hps don't do mids the same way.
Just wondering if you might be able to help me out a bit. I have had the MrSpeakers AFO for a while now and I really quite enjoy their sound signature, however I'd prefer something with a bit more soundstage as well as a bit more bass. Would you say that the Aeolus would be a good upgrade or would you suggest something else? Great review by the way. Very detailed and concise.
Hey Philip,its hard for me to say as I've never heard the AFO.
I like the Aeolus quite a bit but it doesnt have a particularly large stage. It def has a ton more bass than the AFC,as well as most open backs Ive heard as well. How much more than the AFO,again, I cant say.
For staging the HD800s,AKG K501, K701 and T1 are famous for their large staging. None are known for particularly big bass though.
Sorry I cant give you a more concise answer.
@@headkarma Thank you! The increase in sound stage isn't as important for me as the bass increase and since I already loved the mid and treble presentation for the AFO, I was mainly just wondering if the Aeolus has a similar mid and treble presentation while increasing bass. From what I know, I believe the mid and treble presentation on the AFO and the AFC are very similar just the AFO has a slight bit more warmth in the lower mids. So I guess I'm mainly interested in if you would consider the Aeolus a good upgrade from the AFC to improve bass without sacrificing the quality of the mids and treble? Sorry for not asking this the first time around, maybe I should be a bit more concise with my questions too.
@@philipcurtis3734 The Aeolus is warmer than the AFC. It also has a ton more mid bass,like it hits like a truck,depending upon what amp youre using. Even out of the Gilmore Lite MK 2 it hit hard. Out of my Glenn,the bass was huge.
The mids are fantastic on the Aeolus. The treble is gentle,but I didnt miss any detail.
If you like the HD650,you'll love the Aeolus,as it has a similar sound,but a clear upgrade,across the board.
I would say theres more air out of the AFC. It has a very natural,easy sound to it.
The AFC is a lovely sounding neutral HP,but ultimately the lack of tactile bass was a killer for me.
If more bass is what youre after with great mids,then I can recommend the Aeolus absolutely,but its quite different sounding vs. the AFC.
@@headkarma Ok great. I think the Aeolus sounds like my next step. Thanks for your help and keep up the great reviews!
@@philipcurtis3734 Hope it works for you. Its a great headphone.
Hey, awesome review! Would you recommend these over the Atticus for listening primarily to metal? (Coming from someone who enjoys Fostex TH series levels of bass and slam/impact).
Thanks!
For sheer slam,the Atticus is the one you want,esp. if youre coming over from Fostex. The Aeolus being open back simply doesnt match up in the thunder.
I do think the Aeolus is a more versatile headphone. Tonally,as I mentioned,to my ears are the same. The differences are subtle and you need to have them side by side to hear the differences.
Coming from the TH series,the first time you hear ZMF mids,esp for metal,I think you will be quite happy.
You might check out my Sextett review,where I briefly talk about the Atticus.
th-cam.com/video/wDkEYORrJu8/w-d-xo.html
And finally if youre an established member of Head-fi,my Atticus are actually up for sale. Sadly they need to go to finance my Verite.
www.head-fi.org/threads/fs-one-of-a-kind-zmf-atticus.894237/#post-14624166
HeadKarma Thanks so much for the reply. I figured that the Atticus might be better in the bass. Just confusing because so many reviews were saying that the Atticus is great but the Aeolus is even better.
Definitely looking forward to hearing those ZMF mids, the recessed mids on the Fostex have always been disappointing.
Hey, great review ! Aeolus or Auteur ?
Do you think Auteur is worth the price ?
Thanks !
Hi Sylvio,
I think all headphones are over-priced,but relative to other headphones I think that ZMF is at or near the top for $ to performance.
Aeolus and Auteur are very different sounding,and depends upon what sound you like.
Aeolus is warm and fun. Auteur is detailed and more audiophile sounding.
HeadKarma
Hey! Appreciate your quick response
I listen to mostly classical, jazz, acoustic music, rock, blues, quality of recording is not always great. I don’t like headphones that have a lot of bass. With a good amp, what are some headphones you would recommend up to 2K ?
Thank you for your time !
@@sylvio1980 Hey Sylvio,no problem.
First,allow me to say Im not a Classical or Jazz guy. I do however listen to Blues,Folk,Rock pretty much every day.
Your preferences are a bit of a challenge for me. If you dont like bass I would stay away from the Aeolus,although switching pads on them(and pretty much all ZMF headphones)can make them sound much more linear/neutral. Drop an email to ZMF for more details on which pads do what on each headphone.
Typically poorly recorded/mastered music sound better on warm headphones,but many warm headphones have +bass. With a transparent OTL amp,swapping tubes can help you get your preferred sound.
Auteur is quite detailed and bass is much more linear than other ZMF headphones,but im not sure it would be the perfect headphone for bright tinny sounding recordings.
What amp do you have?
HeadKarma
Just got into high end headphones, I do have Philips fidelio X2 that I like a lot ( a lot of people say they are bass headphones but I don’t ding them to be bass heavy at all ) I use IFI XDSD portable amp for home and portable use ( I use Pinnacle P1 headphones when I go portable )
Don’t have a really good amp for desk t use yet.
Thanks !!!
@@sylvio1980 OK,well if you do not find the X2 to bass heavy(they are quite bassy)then the Aeolus would be great for you,especially on poor masterings over the Auteur. The Auteur will sound bass light vs. X2.
ZMF headphones really enjoy tube amps. If you do not want to get into tubes I suggest asking ZMF for a good solid state amp recommendation as I much prefer tubes over S.S. with ZMF.
Just curious? How sound leaky are these.....compared to say a HiFiMan Arya?
Not sure. It's been years since I reviewed the Aeolus and I have never heard the Arya.
If leaking noise is a major concern you should strongly consider getting a closed back headphone.
I just got an Aeolus recently and I wish to get an OTL to open up the sound more. Since you have a widely acclaimed GOTL, may I ask how do I go about ordering one and how much would it set me back (entry level vs decked out configuration)?
As far as I know the only way to get a Glenn OTL is to contact Glenn on Head Fi, either in the Glenn thread or in private message.
He doesn't have a website.
When I purchased mine the basic OTL was 750.00 usd. Mine is pretty upgraded with Lundahl transformer, C3G tube sockets , 6,12,25 volt switch, 6 power tube sockets, tube or HEXFRED rectifier option and pre amp outs. My amp was 1500.00. There are other options I didn't get, but I'm quite happy with it and don't forsee myself upgrading anytime soon.
One other thing I can add is Glenn can be a bit hit and miss when it comes to him responding to his messages. My advice is if you want a Glenn be persistent and patient.
@@headkarma Thanks a lot! I have PM'ed glenn to get some advice from him. In the meantime, if it is convenient for you, could you give me a brief breakdown on what Lundahl transformer, 6/12/25 volt switch, and HEXFRED rectifier options do? Apologies for my lack of knowledge. I'm browsing through the thread on headfi but it's a little overwhelming (1,000+ pages). Hopefully I can gather some initial insights from you so that it will be easier to absorb the discussions happening in the thread.
@@eugenelim7305
No apologies needed...its a massive thread,and it can be a bit overwhelming.
The Lundahl upgrade supposedly makes the amp quieter. I have the Lundahl upgrade on mine,but mine is the only Glenn I have heard,so I cant say how it sounds without it.
The 6/12/25v option is a great option,allowing you to use not only 6 volt drivers,but 12 and 25 volt drivers as well. The benefits here are many more tube options,as well as saving money. 12 and 25 volt volt drivers are often much cheaper than 6SN7s,which is all you can use without the option. I highly recommend this option.
HEXFRED is a solid state rectifier. The benefit is not having to worry about buying rectifier tubes. In many OTLs the rectifier tube has the least impact on the sound. Not so with the Glenn. The rectifier can change the sound dramatically.
My suggestion here is getting the HEXFRED AND tube option together. You can plug a HEXFRED in and forget about it,and then if you decide your tube roll needs something different you can plug in a tube instead of the HEXFRED.
There are other great options such as C3G sockets which allows you to use C3TG tubes without the normal driver tube. If you really get into tube rolling this option also allows the use of EL8 tubes(with the correct adapters) in addition to the standard driver,making it a triple driver combo...its a very cool sound with the right tubes.
There is also the 6 socket power tube option which allows you to use either 6x 6BX7s or 6x 6BL7s. These power tubes have more gain than most 6AS7 tubes,and are often cheaper. The downside to these are because they have more gain they can get noisy at times if you have a less than perfect tube. They have huge bass slam and are great for bass light headphones.
I will also say that the guys in the Glenn thread are quite helpful with tube suggestions.
@@headkarma Thank you so much for your explanations. I have a much clearer understanding now. See you around in the thread!
how does the aeolus compare to say the hd650?
Very similar sound,however the Aeolus has better sub-bass,and its faster.
Very nice review thank you
You're welcome, glad I could help
@@headkarma I think those are gonna be my end game headphones subscribed
@@TexasCorgiGun Hope you enjoy them as much as I do,and thanks for the sub!
Nice !!!
Should I skip the grados ps500e's and save up for these?
I havent heard the 500e,though I have heard the other Grados,and while I do like the mids on Grados,for me its no contest.
Grados are uncomfortable to me,pinning my ears against my head. Grados also tend to sound "small" vs. ZMF. The imaging on Aeolus is much bigger and tactile,with a thicker rich sound.
Personally I feel its no contest between the two,and if they sound like other Grados ive heard,theyre more different sounding vs. similar.
Grab the Aeolus.
@@headkarma thanks for the insight. I live in Chicago and plan on visiting his shop when he opens a listening room, then save my schillings lol.
I want to hear Meshuggah's bleed and have my face melted lol.
Hey man how u doing , waiting for a new review are u ok .
Doing fine,thanks.
Look for a review on another brand new TOTL headphone coming soon.
@@headkarma glad to ear u are ok man this week I'm going to order my aeolus , just was waiting for another of ur reviews I already watched those u have
Aeolus you could enjoy...................................low fi beats?!?!?!?!? I think this headphone is great with all avenues. You tube music and videos sound more alive with these and music from a site like spotify these sound amazing as well. This is dare I say a "jack of all trades".
where can i listen to these expensive headphones? oh sure could use a small loan too.mhh32452
The best bet is to attend a CanJam near you. If that isnt possible check your local hifi dealers(not Best Buy)
It’s pronounced Aeolus