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hamipe26 t1_iy9zbmv wrote

Reply to comment by super_smoothie in Focal Clear are melting my ears and not in a good way (review) by super_smoothie

If you dont like “shout” that may tell me you wont enjoy harman-ish tunings so I wouldn’t tell you to buy an Auteur (buy it tho) which is my favorite headphone they make and I see it as the upgrade to get if you enjoyed the HD650 or 6XX but it leans towards the harman target a bit which has the upper midrange emphasis (i dont think it was intended, they were just looking to make a more “neutral” headphone while still retaining the ZMF essence and that was the result.) I would recommend to buy used since you can find them at amazing prices; the Atticus and Aeolus are very separated from that type of sound signature, the upper midrange is more relaxed so you wont find any “shout” even if you tried, even the Eikon which is basically the closed back auteur doesn’t have too much emphasis in that area as the auteur but that one is a bit too bright for me.

But… big but im still going to say to try and get an auteur (preferably the new model the auteur classic since it has an improved driver) because the realism of the midrange timbre is just excellent, you wont find any hints of metallic timbre anywhere on any ZMF headphone and that was a big factor for me becoming a fanboy of ZMF headphones. Realistic Timbre every day and twice on Sunday.

Now, one advantage (and disadvantage in a good way) these headphone have is that you can change the pads and those pads can change the sound of the headphone to your liking. Its a double edged sword because you’re going to spend money on pads just so you can have peace of mind that a certain pad is the one you like but Zach and the community are there to help you choose which pads will suit your sound preferences.

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super_smoothie OP t1_iya4w9p wrote

Thanks for this detailed writeup! Did all the legwork for me! I'll definitely be picking up a pair to try myself in the near future, even if I do end up with an Arya as well.

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Thuraash t1_iyan494 wrote

My turn to preach (and make your wallet sad).

I read your impressions and likes/dislikes post. From what I understood, you wanted natural timbre, good resolution, precision in soundstage, neutral or recessed mids, and no sibilance. The Auteur will do all of that, less the slam and bass presence (that's just not what the headphone is going for). While the Auteur is an EXCELLENT headphone, I don't think it's the best one in ZMF's lineup for your preferences.

When you get a chance, if you can find one at an event or HiFi store to try, you should try the Verite. Its beryllium-coated bio cellulose drivers slam like planars, but sing like dynamics. Everything is audible and discernible, yet nothing oppresses the ears. They are magnificent.

The only "downside" is that they achieve this comfortably listenable sound signature by "sucking out" the mids. It takes maybe fifteen minutes or half an hour to adjust to the effect, during which time it feels like you're working to listen for the mids you can hear are there, mixed in with everything else. But that's the key: they're still there. They're just not shouting over everything else. Once your ears adjust, the mids settle into place and you'll hear and enjoy them just fine.

And if you want more mids than the Verite offers and are willing to sacrifice some precision and slam to get it, look at the Atrium.

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hamipe26 t1_iya891e wrote

My pleasure, you wont be disappointed.

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