[rsbrsvp]

I finally struck gold on the amp side with the CC, something with unbelievable synergy. And no, not the Aegis! That's in transit so I can't comment yet. I trust you all, I'm sure it's a home run. Nope, this one's been sitting on my rack neglected for awhile now. My Kenzie OG Rev 2! I know, I already tested the Calderas with it and said it was ok, nothing more. What gives? That first test was with the normal stock type tubes I like for the AC/Atticus. I got off my lazy butt this week and organized my tubes, and found the adapters that let me run 12B4A power tubes in place of the stock 1626. Bam, transformation!

My Kenzie has the 32/300 output impedance taps, not the 8/100 set that's optional, and I'm using 32. So what changed from the usual 1626 power tubes? The 12B4A thickens the notes, but without sacrificing speed. And I found one of my RFT 12AT7 tubes that's on the sweeter side up top. That tube combo helps tame the CC's brightness for me. I tried the heavy green mesh and found it odd sounding, so I'm back to the red mesh paired with the Caldera thick lamb pads. This combo brings some weight to the bones and softness up top, giving me still amazing technical performance, while shifting the tonal balance north towards the AC/Bokeh, which are my favorites. It's still faster and more resolving than those two, but isn't as thin and bright. I know, the CC isn't thin/bright in a vacuum, just in direct comparison, and also just my opinion.

I'm hoping the Aegis further pushes the CC from "i'm really liking but have some reservations" to "i'm buying my demo set!". But even if not, the Kenzie is bringing the goods, and I'm really happy right now. I'll report back when the Aegis is in house of course, but until then I'll just keep on enjoying the sweet sweet Kenzie.

We all have our experiences with hi fi equipment. I have been doing this for too long and my conclusion- although I would never say other options wont also sound good is a SS headphone amp with lots of power and a tube preamp. The SS amp delivers solidity of sound, dynamic punch, and tight bass while the tube preamp add that sparkle, soundstage, and density which is just addictive.

Many have used the CFA-3 with a 300B tube pre. I use the Mass Kobo 365 MK2 with the audio-gd HE-1 vacumme preamp. One of my favorite thing about the preamp (besides the thick textured sound) is there is NO tube rolling. I just dont want to create a new rabbits hole.

This combo sounds stunning with every headphone I throw at it...-- but I fam a fan of thick, meaty, dense sound. For those that like light and airy- they may not be as thrilled.

 

[Wes S]

dynamic punch, and tight bass while the tube preamp add that sparkle, soundstage, and density which is just addictive.

One get all this with a well designed tube amp (with the right tube combo) on it's own as well. The Aegis does all that in one chassis.

 

[rsbrsvp]

One get all this with a well designed tube amp (with the right tube combo) on it's own as well. The Aegis does all that in one chassis.

If I was not already so heavily invested in my set up and so so crazy happy- I would go the Aegis Route- because of all in one and not crazy expensive. now that I have what I do and it is so satisfying- well- no need to start changing things up.

 

[rsbrsvp]

Still- two negitives for me with the Aegis- not sound related as I imagine it sounds glorious.

1. I need a remote for volume. It just makes listening more relaxed for me when I dont need to move to change volume.
2. I do NOT want to get into tube rolling- and if I got this amp- I would. For most people this is a positive, but between IC's, fuses, power cables, power conditioning, settings on my streamer- there is already too much to play with and I dont want any more.

Tubes are a NEVER ending Rabbits hole IMHO. But again- most people want this option to tune sound to their liking. I undersatand this and respect it.... For those who have it- ENJOY....

 

[betula]

I am blessed enough to have some headphones and amplifiers around every now and then for review purposes. I am not a professional reviewer, but always happy to share my honest findings. From ZMF I have reviewed the Caldera open (also purchased), and Caldera closed so far. A Bokeh review is in the make.

I thought I'd ask a few questions from Zach, to gain a little more insight into his mind and design process, approach. Since my Caldera closed review is already out there, and many of the questions are Caldera related, I thought I'd simply share the conversation here. It could go in the Caldera open thread too, but this is the newest ZMF thread, so here we go.

Thank you, @zach915m , for taking the time from your busy schedule to reply and hope you guys will enjoy this mini-interview.

What is ZMF sound if there is one and what do you think makes your headphones stand apart from the competition?

I really think a lot of the ZMF sound has to do with the transient impulse and dynamic nature and the timbral characteristics. Not to say it doesn't include FR stuff, like a slightly relaxed 3/6k area, but overall, the decay character and transient excitement with the relaxed upper mids make our headphones sound the way they do.

How do you decide what tuning to go for in a headphone? Can you briefly lead us through the tuning process of your current 'flagships' the Atrium and Caldera?

There's no one single 'one size fits all' process. The main reason for coming up with the Atrium Damping system was to give myself some bounds to work within. So, overall, managing airflow through the pads and other methods is the mechanical nature of it. Regarding personal stuff, I like to work on projects for a long time, to have periods to leave the headphone alone and live with it before making tweaks, so things aren't super rushed and by the time something comes out I feel at peace with the sound.

You started with T50RP mods which are planar headphones, but gained success with dynamic driver headphones and haven't touched planars until the Caldera. Why? Is it planar or dynamic for you? Maybe both?

Mostly it was an issue of finding the right manufacturer to make drivers for us that were different than others out on the market and met the configuration I was after. So, a lot of logistical reasons.

To me the Caldera open brings the best of both worlds: dynamic timbre and tone with planar speed/detail. Was that the aim from the beginning? How did you achieve this organic timbre with a planar transducer?

Mainly it's the combination of the ADS system and the membrane/magnet configuration that allows the airflow to be more dynamic and transiently quick/impactful. And yes, it was the goal to make sure that I got the timbre right, make them sound like a ZMF as defined above.

Do you prefer the open or closed version of your headphones? Is closed back a compromise? They are definitely more difficult to get right.

I usually go back and forth, and as always, I'm the most excited about the newest thing. So right now, it's Caldera closed and closed backs, haha.

In the process of creating Caldera closed for instance (or any other closed version of your headphones) did you aim to have the same sound but in closed cups, or do you also slightly alter the tuning on purpose?

Definitely I want to make a different sound for open and closed, so they can complement and not replicate each other. And thankfully, the best sound in each format is usually a bit different.

Is your favourite ZMF headphone always what you are working on or is there an all-time favourite?

Haha, yes, always the most recent one, always!

Would you consider the Caldera as a culmination of your experience/knowledge/preference? I am asking as for me the Caldera sounds exceptional, merging the best of dynamic and planar sound.

Yes, I think each release is a culmination of where I'm at usually. And as we've grown, I've been able to work with others who add things, like with Caldera Closed the magic combination included some electrical damping that one of our staff came up with - Dave Friesema, in a low pass filter that attenuated electrically the 12KHZ area very subtly.

To finish off, allow me to insert two screenshots from @goldwerger 's recent poll. The screenshots are about overall brand and headphone preference. I am not sure how representative the survey is, despite the 100+ participants. Still, it is hard to deny that Zach is doing something right.

 

[muhammedcakin]

I listened to both the Caldera Closed and the Caldera Open through the kindness of @goldwerger connected to his Riviera AIC-10. A beautiful amp. I found that I much preferred the Caldera Open. I preferred its presentation, mids, even the bass. At the show in the ZMF room I was comparing the Atrium Closed with the Atrium Open and figured the same would occur and I would prefer the Open. On the contrary, I ended up preferring the Atrium Closed on the Holo Audio Stack. Much better bass and overall timbre. I also heard the new HP’s as well. My favorites ended up being the Caldera Open and the Atrium Closed for what it’s worth.

 

[goldwerger]

To finish off, allow me to insert two screenshots from @goldwerger 's recent poll. The screenshots are about overall brand and headphone preference. I am not sure how representative the survey is, despite the 100+ participants. Still, it is hard to deny that Zach is doing something right.

For anyone who wants to dig further into the surgery, here it is:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the...usic-and-musings.972819/page-59#post-18146616

I listened to both the Caldera Closed and the Caldera Open through the kindness of @goldwerger connected to his Riviera AIC-10. A beautiful amp.

Most welcome. Glad you had a chance to experience it!

 

[AcousticMatt]

I am blessed enough to have some headphones and amplifiers around every now and then for review purposes. I am not a professional reviewer, but always happy to share my honest findings. From ZMF I have reviewed the Caldera open (also purchased), and Caldera closed so far. A Bokeh review is in the make.

I thought I'd ask a few questions from Zach, to gain a little more insight into his mind and design process, approach. Since my Caldera closed review is already out there, and many of the questions are Caldera related, I thought I'd simply share the conversation here. It could go in the Caldera open thread too, but this is the newest ZMF thread, so here we go.

Thank you, Zach, for taking the time from your busy schedule to reply and hope you guys will enjoy this mini-interview.



What is ZMF sound if there is one and what do you think makes your headphones stand apart from the competition?

I really think a lot of the ZMF sound has to do with the transient impulse and dynamic nature and the timbral characteristics. Not to say it doesn't include FR stuff, like a slightly relaxed 3/6k area, but overall, the decay character and transient excitement with the relaxed upper mids make our headphones sound the way they do.

How do you decide what tuning to go for in a headphone? Can you briefly lead us through the tuning process of your current 'flagships' the Atrium and Caldera?

There's no one single 'one size fits all' process. The main reason for coming up with the Atrium Damping system was to give myself some bounds to work within. So, overall, managing airflow through the pads and other methods is the mechanical nature of it. Regarding personal stuff, I like to work on projects for a long time, to have periods to leave the headphone alone and live with it before making tweaks, so things aren't super rushed and by the time something comes out I feel at peace with the sound.

You started with T50RP mods which are planar headphones, but gained success with dynamic driver headphones and haven't touched planars until the Caldera. Why? Is it planar or dynamic for you? Maybe both?

Mostly it was an issue of finding the right manufacturer to make drivers for us that were different than others out on the market and met the configuration I was after. So, a lot of logistical reasons.

To me the Caldera open brings the best of both worlds: dynamic timbre and tone with planar speed/detail. Was that the aim from the beginning? How did you achieve this organic timbre with a planar transducer?

Mainly it's the combination of the ADS system and the membrane/magnet configuration that allows the airflow to be more dynamic and transiently quick/impactful. And yes, it was the goal to make sure that I got the timbre right, make them sound like a ZMF as defined above.

Do you prefer the open or closed version of your headphones? Is closed back a compromise? They are definitely more difficult to get right.

I usually go back and forth, and as always, I'm the most excited about the newest thing. So right now, it's Caldera closed and closed backs, haha.

In the process of creating Caldera closed for instance (or any other closed version of your headphones) did you aim to have the same sound but in closed cups, or do you also slightly alter the tuning on purpose?

Definitely I want to make a different sound for open and closed, so they can complement and not replicate each other. And thankfully, the best sound in each format is usually a bit different.

Is your favourite ZMF headphone always what you are working on or is there an all-time favourite?

Haha, yes, always the most recent one, always!

Would you consider the Caldera as a culmination of your experience/knowledge/preference? I am asking as for me the Caldera sounds exceptional, merging the best of dynamic and planar sound.

Yes, I think each release is a culmination of where I'm at usually. And as we've grown, I've been able to work with others who add things, like with Caldera Closed the magic combination included some electrical damping that one of our staff came up with - Dave Friesema, in a low pass filter that attenuated electrically the 12KHZ area very subtly.



To finish off, allow me to insert two screenshots from @goldwerger 's recent poll. The screenshots are about overall brand and headphone preference. I am not sure how representative the survey is, despite the 100+ participants. Still, it is hard to deny that Zach is doing something right.

Thanks for posting this! Very cool to read Zach's answers in this kind of focused format.

 

[AudioDuck]

I am blessed enough to have some headphones and amplifiers around every now and then for review purposes. I am not a professional reviewer, but always happy to share my honest findings. From ZMF I have reviewed the Caldera open (also purchased), and Caldera closed so far. A Bokeh review is in the make.

I thought I'd ask a few questions from Zach, to gain a little more insight into his mind and design process, approach. Since my Caldera closed review is already out there, and many of the questions are Caldera related, I thought I'd simply share the conversation here. It could go in the Caldera open thread too, but this is the newest ZMF thread, so here we go.

Thank you, Zach, for taking the time from your busy schedule to reply and hope you guys will enjoy this mini-interview.



What is ZMF sound if there is one and what do you think makes your headphones stand apart from the competition?

I really think a lot of the ZMF sound has to do with the transient impulse and dynamic nature and the timbral characteristics. Not to say it doesn't include FR stuff, like a slightly relaxed 3/6k area, but overall, the decay character and transient excitement with the relaxed upper mids make our headphones sound the way they do.

How do you decide what tuning to go for in a headphone? Can you briefly lead us through the tuning process of your current 'flagships' the Atrium and Caldera?

There's no one single 'one size fits all' process. The main reason for coming up with the Atrium Damping system was to give myself some bounds to work within. So, overall, managing airflow through the pads and other methods is the mechanical nature of it. Regarding personal stuff, I like to work on projects for a long time, to have periods to leave the headphone alone and live with it before making tweaks, so things aren't super rushed and by the time something comes out I feel at peace with the sound.

You started with T50RP mods which are planar headphones, but gained success with dynamic driver headphones and haven't touched planars until the Caldera. Why? Is it planar or dynamic for you? Maybe both?

Mostly it was an issue of finding the right manufacturer to make drivers for us that were different than others out on the market and met the configuration I was after. So, a lot of logistical reasons.

To me the Caldera open brings the best of both worlds: dynamic timbre and tone with planar speed/detail. Was that the aim from the beginning? How did you achieve this organic timbre with a planar transducer?

Mainly it's the combination of the ADS system and the membrane/magnet configuration that allows the airflow to be more dynamic and transiently quick/impactful. And yes, it was the goal to make sure that I got the timbre right, make them sound like a ZMF as defined above.

Do you prefer the open or closed version of your headphones? Is closed back a compromise? They are definitely more difficult to get right.

I usually go back and forth, and as always, I'm the most excited about the newest thing. So right now, it's Caldera closed and closed backs, haha.

In the process of creating Caldera closed for instance (or any other closed version of your headphones) did you aim to have the same sound but in closed cups, or do you also slightly alter the tuning on purpose?

Definitely I want to make a different sound for open and closed, so they can complement and not replicate each other. And thankfully, the best sound in each format is usually a bit different.

Is your favourite ZMF headphone always what you are working on or is there an all-time favourite?

Haha, yes, always the most recent one, always!

Would you consider the Caldera as a culmination of your experience/knowledge/preference? I am asking as for me the Caldera sounds exceptional, merging the best of dynamic and planar sound.

Yes, I think each release is a culmination of where I'm at usually. And as we've grown, I've been able to work with others who add things, like with Caldera Closed the magic combination included some electrical damping that one of our staff came up with - Dave Friesema, in a low pass filter that attenuated electrically the 12KHZ area very subtly.



To finish off, allow me to insert two screenshots from @goldwerger 's recent poll. The screenshots are about overall brand and headphone preference. I am not sure how representative the survey is, despite the 100+ participants. Still, it is hard to deny that Zach is doing something right.

Thank you very much for having this insightful conversation with Zach and sharing it! And of course, special thanks to @zach915m for chatting through the questions!