Just wanted to say that I’m very sorry all of this has happened to you and I hope things improve from here for both you and your fiancée.

I remain very, very impressed with my Gumby. It turns out that tbe best remedy for the DAC upgrade itch is listening to your Gumby… 😝 But to be more specific, listening to a range of music (the new Billie Eilish album, jazz by Gogo Penguin, The Smile’s recent album, Sufjan Stevens) shows how...

I thought you might have been the buyer of those Red Mallee ACs on USAM! Saw those and was sorely tempted. Congratulations!

While I agree, I think Trevor’s artisanal approach and need for time to hand-build cables could make larger-scale production challenging. But it WOULD be amazing- and just for fun, add in one of Chris O’Neill’s Grumpy Goose stands in matching wood… yowza.

[To my ears/with my gear] The VC is more subdued in the bass, and only digs deep into the sub-bass with certain gear. Even then it is more neutral overall than the AC, which has an overall warmer tone with more mid-bass and sub-bass presence. It really depends on what types of music you...

Great seller, excellently packed, and quickly shipped. Thanks Rob! I love Tung-Sol 5998s in my Woo Audio WA2 and these are no exception. Arrived in perfect shape and sound wonderful with my ZMF headphones.

Excellent cable, I have it’s “older brother” the Platinum in a similar length, but at 2x+ the price… Wywires is a wonderful addition to a cable loom for listening away from your amp! GLWS!

Three excellent headphones, I’m sure you can’t go wrong! Enjoy the music- 🎶 :o2smile:

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!

I know what I’d choose, as I owned one (LCD-XC) and own the other, but I am extremely biased, so I’ll keep my big mouth shut. 🙊

Insert the “I volunteer as tribute” GIF here. 😁 (Seriously though, I actually have a solid background in naming and product marketing…)

And the destination differs for all of us, depending on a number of factors. It’s part of what makes this hobby fun! 👍 (And the destination can change over time, which can be maddening, but let’s ignore that for now 😂)

Well, that sounds like a pro tip FOR SURE. Nice one, thanks for sharing!

Also, the more emphasized sub-bass the AC is able to provide is a big plus for games and movies… and with a lighter wood choice I think the AC would be lighter for long listening sessions.

Looks like you have a typo in your headline that will hinder search results… 😊

Beautiful set- congratulations! The color, tone, and grain in the Shedua wood is really gorgeous. I’m sure they sound incredible, too (the most important part ofc). 😊🙌

A couple of thoughts: 1. Asking Trevor is definitely the best path, though as you probably know, he may not be able to get back to you for a few days depending on his workload and bandwidth. 2. If your current Vykari is all silver, a possibility could be a fusion copper/silver Vykari if Trevor...

To my ears, there are nuances between the ZMF headphones and cables that work well together. Of course, tastes and experiences vary. In my scenario, the Verité Closed was a good choice with a thick OCC cable, and biocellulose driver-based headphones (Eikon and Atrium Closed) fit well sonically...

Fair point, though I’m personally not as concerned about genre labels for different music anymore. 🤷‍♂️😊 To @goldwerger ‘s point, if it is skillfully done, and enjoyable to listen to, does it really matter? Laufey is very talented, so whether or not I or others consider her recordings “jazz”...

I should not be surprised that a budding jazz prodigy would be heard early in their career by enthusiasts here on Head-Fi! 👍🙌💪

Thanks Eyal/Matt- added to my HDTracks wish list! @goldwerger , as a jazz fan, Laufey (pronounced “løy-veyy”) has a wonderful tone and some lovely, simple arrangements. Another great voice out of Iceland! 🇮🇸 EDIT: Should probably note that this is being thoroughly enjoyed via the RSA The...

The Atrium is a 300 Ohm dynamic driver headphone, so any amp will need to be effective with gear with high impedance. I recommend checking the ZMF amp thread for details. The ZMF DD headphones are quite different with regards to amping requirements vs. the planar driver Caldera.

Those are spectacular! Congratulations- that’s one of the directions I could go with the CC, depending on availability (the other: Red Burl or Cocobolo…).

A used pair of ZMF Atriums should run within your budget, and if you have the amp to drive a 300-Ohm headphone you should have a very complementary set.

+ 1 for Lake People/Violectric. Both great options and you could find second-hand units in your budget. I’d suggest the Feliks Audio Echo, but that’s too large for your desk, I’d expect. Plus the added cost for tube upgrades would blow your budget. 😝 I’ve used the Nitsch Piety with the...