ZMFheadphones Atrium

Atrium Open

Dynamic At Its Best

The ZMF Atrium open is a dynamic headphone that is widely acclaimed to be one of the most enjoyable dynamic driver headphones. Handcrafted by the guys at ZMF, does this headphone sound as good as it looks? This review looks at one of the best dynamic driver, the Atrium Open.

Video review


Specs

• Impedance: 300 Ohms
• Driver: Biocellulose N52 Atrium Tuned Driverr
• Weight: 490g ± 30g (aluminum chassis, black grille/rods)
• Aged Copper adds approx 30g
• Sensitivity: ~96dB/mW

Rating
Tonality: 9/10
Technicality: 8.5/10
Enjoyment: 9/10
Build: 4.5/5
Comfort: 4.5/5

Total: 35.5/40

Note:
This is the second set I purchased recently from a local headfier. As such there is no affiliation with anyone and all opinions are of my own.

TLDR:
If you want a slightly warm, enjoyable signature, that is both exciting but not fatiguing, look no further. The Atrium Open by ZMF is a masterpiece, regardless of price, it deserves to be one of the best, if not the best, dynamic driver headphones I have come across so far. It may not be a technical champion like high end planars or electrostatics, but it's definitely one of the best all in one package. As of this writing, this is one of the 2 highest rated headphones, sharing the highest score with the Warwick Bravura.



Introduction
The ZMF Atrium Open is one of the few high end dynamic headphones you can get in a market dominated by planars in the high end Head-Fi space. It is hand crafted and comes in a variety of flavors of wood and finishing. For this review, the version is the default cherry version with a perforated lambskin. It was actually not in the top of my list so I was waiting for a 2nd hand version which eventually happened. Since then the headphone was the few constantly in arms reach.

Build Quality
If you have not seen a ZMF before, then you are missing something in the head-fi world. The Atrium Open is a very practical headphone design that is both well built and easy to maintain when required. The important parts such as joints and headband are made of metal, the cups are made from cherry wood and leather with a good amount of padding is used for the headband and ear pads. Even though this version I had, according to the original owner, is about 1.5 years old, it looks and feels brand new, and the owner himself has used it multiple times. It is definitely not the absolutely best build I have seen, but it's definitely beautiful, practical and solidly built.

Comfort
This headphone is very comfortable to me. Weighing at about 500g, it is considered more on the heavy side of headphones. However the large cups, thick padded headbands, and a relatively light and good cable makes this headphone comfortable for long use. The clamp force is also just just nice, strong enough to keep it on the head yet never too tight even on my head which is on the larger side. If the weight could be lower, it would have been great, else the headphone is probably as comfortable as it gets.



Sound Quality

Song used
Suzume (RADWIMPS)
Ibara (ADO)
Yuusha (Yoasobi)
Backlight (ADO)
Witch from Mercury (Takashi Ohmama)
Shatter Me (feat Lizzy Hale)
Ultima (FF14 Soundtrack)

Tonality
Neutral with a slight touch of warmth. It has a slightly forward mids but overall relatively balanced sound. It's more of a smooth and airy nature that is easy to listen and get acquainted easily with.

Clarity and Detail
The clarity is very good. However Atrium is not the clearest of headphones. If anything it is a touch rounded over to ensure a more enjoyable sound. Similarly for details, most details are easily showcased by the Atrium Open. In soundtracks such as Witch from Mercury and Ultima, every instrument and their details are showcased. Once again, is it the most detailed? Definitely not. You don’t get the precise details from the string instrument or background sound without really focusing on them. One can try to focus on the details, which the Atrium delivers, but random listens do not make you suddenly stand up and proclaim hearing something new. The Atrium is just detailed and clear enough for a great headphone, while everything else it's focused on the sound's smooth and airy nature.

Soundstage
Soundstage on the Atrium can be described as two spheres. A smaller sphere that's slightly bigger than the head is where most of the music is. In a nutshell its focused but till in the head for stuff like vocals, not as diffused like the CA-1A where it spreads everywhere. Then there's a second large sphere which represents the edge of the soundstage. The Atrium sounds larger than previous ZMF models and also represents one of the larger sound stages for headphones. It sits below the Abyss 1266 and Warwick Bravura but above those like Abyss Diana Phi and HD650s. One thing to note: the second sphere portrays itself more like a semi-close sound, which means it feels like there is a hard wall rather than diffused into the surrounding. One way to imagine it is shouting in an open field and in a really large concert call. Both are open sound but one just has the tiniest of reflection that makes it sound like there's a wall.

Separation and Positioning
Separation on the Atrium is good. Instruments are clearly separated in sounds like Ultima and Shatter Me, be it the bells, violin or electronic instruments in the track. However the Atrium Open just like in the details, it is not a headphone that will make you sit up and notice the separation, as the general presentation is still of one a well blended large song. One can still dive in, but it is not a razer separation compared to say some of the state of the art IEMs or electrostatic headphones like Warwick. Positioning is great as you get a good sense of direction where the instruments are, not limited to just big bubbles of 3 or 5 positions that some headphones portray. Instrumental tracks like Ultima and Witch from Mercury are a pleasure to listen to because of it. Coupled with its well blended sound, it really sounds like a music hall.

Bass
Bass on the Atrium Open in terms of quantity is more on the middling side. It doesn’t have a lot of bass impact or rumble unless played to a relatively loud level. Below the likes of the Abyss headphones and most modern IEMS. So you will not be banging your head with the beats unless you play it quite loud. Quality however is really good. It's fast and punchy, with good texture in the sub bass. Bass horns and drums are well textured in sounds like Ultima. The ending of a Backlight has a bass guitar closing and the texture pulls through. Though for that I think the likes of Abyss headphones will do it a touch better. The bass is generally also really clean, with good decay and clean separation between the bass instruments and other frequencies.

Mids
The mids on the Atrium Open are more on the thicker body type with good weight to the sound. It feels generally strong and powerful with a slight warmth to the signature. It balances the body while still retaining a good amount of air in the upper mids, giving female vocals a nice warm representation but still has that soft and airy touch. I enjoy this presentation of vocals in songs like Comet and tracks from Yoasobi. This characteristic also carries to the mid instruments, making tracks like Witch from Mercury sounds weighty and big. Violins in that track sounds grand in this presentation, like hearing it in a concert.


Treble
There is something about the higher mids and treble. It’s sparkly and bright, always bordering on close to being overly hot or sibilant but never really is. When I listen to songs like Shatter Me which have a high tendency of being overly hot for many headphones, the Atrium Open brings me the edge but stops just right there to let me enjoy the music. I do not think the treble is the most accurate presentation, but it is enjoyable.



Amplification
The Atrium Open is easy to drive. It may have high impedance but like most ZMF headphones, if you reach the volume, it’s probably fine. That said, amps will impart their signature to the headphone.

HPA23-RM: Increases bass quantity and reduces treble slightly. Makes the sound slightly more powerful too. Makes instruments more distinct but also result in some congested sound in complex portions of tracks especially when listened loud. Overall it is a positive gain to use the amp but not my number 1 choice unless you really want power and bass in the sound.

Ferrum Oor: This is the overall most balanced sound. To me it represents the middle ground of good enough for everything.

Mass Kobo 475: This decreases the mid power and diffuses it slightly further. Increases the sound stage and airyness of the sound. This is for people who want a big sound or enjoy jpop style female vocals as it adds that extra softness to the sound.

Woo Audio Mini Tube:
This is actually the surprising combination I love best for this headphone. It reduces a little treble for a slight tubey smoothness and increases soundstage. I enjoy this more than the other settings and highly recommend it

Burson 3X GT: The signature here is powerful, slightly warm, wide and smooth. It does feel like things are alittle rounded here but in a good way that really amplifies the Atrium goodness of warmth, wide and smoothness. I recommend this over the Ferrum.

Topping A70pro: in a nutshell, clarity and most neutral sounding among the amps. If you want to here raw sound, this is it. I don’t quite like the mids here though, especially when turned loud, it starts getting a little sibilant to me. Now to be fair, all amps with the atrium when loud enough will have this issue , it’s just that the A70pro hits the unbearable point the quickest.



Conclusion
The Atrium to me is the high-end dynamic for most. It may not be the special one especially on first listen, it doesn’t have a particular standout that triumphs other flagships, but its combined strength across all its parameters makes it an enjoyable headphone for long listening.

What does "Home" sound like? "Home" means something different to everyone. It can be ambiguous, or unequivocal. For me it is without question unequivocal; representing the feeling of being at my favorite venue right in the pocket listening from the inside out. The Atrium exhibits this feeling as well as any headphone I have heard. It is not a perfect headphone, but eliciting such an intense response makes this headphone special.

As always, I have not been paid to write this review. All thoughts are my own, and the Atrium will be returned to ZMF after posting this review. I would like to thank ZMF for the opportunity to spend some "quality" time with the Atrium.

This review has been in the works for quite some time. The Atrium and this opportunity came at both the worst and best time for me. Due to unforeseen circumstances, it has taken me longer to sit down and write. However, listening to the Atrium has been a welcome respite from the daily grind and has enabled me to find clarity when none could be found. The Atrium elicits an extremely emotional response.

"The Atrium is a Roman architectural term referring to a centrally open room often at the entrance to a space, typically with domed or pitched ceiling." This leads straight back to the title and that feeling of being "home". The Atrium also offers a new N52 Biocellulose Driver, and ZMF's patent pending Atrium Dampening System, or ADS. The ADS is a technological advancement in design for ZMF. ADS is a revelation for ZMF's sound. It offers an expansive soundstage, increased spatial awareness and incredible stage depth which enables the Atrium to separate near and far sounds as well as any headphone on the market. Much has been written about ZMF's Patent Pending ADS, so I will leave the technical talk to those who are more technically adept. Please visit zmfheadphones.com for a more in depth explanation of ADS. I will, however, refer to ADS throughout this review and how I perceive the benefits of ADS on the sound of The Atrium.



Comfort & Accessories:
The Atrium comes with the normal set of accoutrement. You get 2 sets of pads, 2 stock cables (OFC and Cloth Braided), Owners Card, Seahorse Case & a Lifetime Driver Warranty. The current stock wood for the Atrium is Cherry, which you can get with a natural finish or an aged copper finish for an added cost. You can also bundle a ZMF upgraded cable, and you can also choose from an aluminum or magnesium chassis for an added cost. The Magnesium Chassis will offer a lighter headphone, but is also much easier to scratch and will show wear much quicker than the aluminum chassis. Each Atrium is made to order and will have a different look based on the block of wood used and the choices you make to customize your Atrium to meet your aesthetic preferences. In addition, ZMF occasionally comes out with limited edition runs and there is always ZMF November and Canjam where you can buy stabilized variants, B-Stock, and specialized variations. Also, keep in mind that each block of wood will vary which leads to a unique finished product each and every time.

The Atrium for this review has the natural finish with all black hardware. It is an extremely comfortable headphone, even with an approximate weight of +- 490 grams. Weight distribution is excellent. ZMF continues to innovate their suspension strap and system making the Atrium a very comfortable headphone. I have no problem wearing the Atrium for hours without any discomfort. Furthermore, you can customize comfort and sound through pad rolling. This Atrium came with a pair of the stock Universe Perforated Lambskin Pads and the Be2 Perforated Lambskin pads. I used both pads and found differences in the sound. However, the Be2 pads are shallower than the Universe and led to hotspots on my ears as my giant ears were right up against the inside padding. Therefore, I used the Universe for the majority of my time. This was a bit of a bummer for me, as I preferred the sound with the Be2 pads. They open up the upper midrange and lower treble giving the Atrium a bit more top end resolution. The Stock Universe Pads are phenomenal as well, they are just a bit warmer through that part of the FR. I also tried the Eikon Suede Perforated Pads that I have for my Auteur OGs. I typically find that the suede pads bring out more mid bass, which to my ears slows down the pacing and decay. While this does create an extremely romantic sound, it isn't my preferred tuning, and therefore I only listened to the Atrium sparingly with the suede pads. I prefer the Atrium with a bit faster decay and a more linear bass response. YMMV, as always. The beauty of pad rolling is that there is no right or wrong. Roll to your heart's content and find the sound that best suits your chain, music and overall system synergies.



My System for The Atrium Review:
iMac running as a music server with Roon Labs - USBe Perfect - Exogal Comet+ - CFA3 & Icon HP8 Mk2. I also used my Audio-GD R28 R2R as a Pure DAC hooked up to my Cembalo Labs Spring 1.

Sound Impressions:
As far as open back dynamic headphones go, The Atrium is an absolute winner. It is an extremely sensual sounding headphone, evoking profound emotions. Its sound is intoxicating, with almost no distortion and a natural resonance that brings out the physical nature of my music's tone and timbre. It is never fatiguing, always physical in nature with an effortless sense of rhythm and time.

It has a massive soundstage, impeccable image specificity and a sense of macro scale that is truly a wonder. However, the Atrium doesn't possess lightening fast transience and notes do not decay as fast as other top tier dynamic headphones, like the Utopia. This leads to less micro detail, and ultimately a bit of a more relaxed presentation. That being said, the slower decay allows the Atrium to feel more holographic, with the perfect amount of air around the instruments and near perfect tonality. While one thing begets another, the trade offs work beautifully and create a sense of individuality. The Atrium opens up like a parachute. Its greatest quality is that it enables you to sit right in the pocket of that massive soundstage and listen from the inside out.

Imaging & Soundstage:
When I first got the Atrium in for demo, I immediately noticed that the ADS was doing something completely different from my Auteur OG or any other ZMF I have heard. There is a sense of depth and layering to the sound that I couldn't quite put my finger on. So, I kept listening and realized that ADS allows the stage to open up more front to back which creates a sense of listening from the inside out. The end result is near perfect image specificity, and the separation of vocals and instruments within the sound field.

Lately I have been listening to a lot of live Goose shows. They are a 5 person band. 2 drummers, keyboardist/guitar, lead guitar and bass. The Atrium allows me to hear every instrument in their exact spot on stage. I can hear the guitarist and vocals dead center of my forehead, bass coming out of the left channel, keyboards out of the right channel, main drummer right behind the guitar player in the back of my head and the 2nd drummer right behind the keyboardist in the back of the right channel. They are always in this position, and the Atrium always plays them exactly as they are. The stage is so accurate, I can feel the exact amount of space between them on the stage. This level of image specificity and instrument placement was the same no matter the band, no matter the song.

In addition to impeccable front to back staging, Atrium also possesses a massive lateral stage moving left to right, or right to left if you prefer Hebrew.... A great example of the Atrium's ability to handle lateral staging occurs on Pink Floyd's "On The Run". This is a great song to hear how a headphone can handle lateral definition. Atrium knocks it out of the park possessing complete control over the sonic landscape providing a truly holographic sensation. I can listen to this song over and over on The Atrium.



Tone/Timbre:
The Atrium is an extremely natural sounding headphone. It is a very rich sound, with slight timbral coloration. Listening to Xavier Rudd's new song "We Deserve to Dream", I can hear his fingers slide across the fretboard, the pluck of the bass strings and the subtlety of his voice. It is an extremely coherent, natural and beautiful sound. The Atrium's ability to present such a natural tone makes everything sound right. This is further exemplified with vocals which sound alive, gritty and full of emotion. Whether it is male or female vocals the Atrium is such a powerhouse with vocal timbral quality it feels as if you can hear the singer breathing. The music comes out of their diaphragm and into my ears with emotion and sensation.

Similar timbral qualities can be heard with horns. I can hear Freddie Hubbard on "Red Clay" breathing, and circling from the inside out. That feeling of being in the center of my music and listening from the inside out cannot be understated.

I compared the Atrium's tone/timbral qualities to the LCD-4z, and the Spirit Torino Radiante. Two headphones with fantastic tone/timbre. The Atrium is not quite as detailed as the 4z, which makes the tuning smooth and easy on the ears. The slightly slower transience and decay leads to a rounder sound. This could be construed as a negative, but I see it differently. It is just easy on the ears and intentionally draws you in with that sumptuous timbral coloration.

Frequency Response:
The Atrium is what ZMF calls "ZMF Neutral". I see it as musically neutral as it doesn't follow the harman target exactly. There is a linearity to the bass, extending down to 20hz with a slight emphasis in the 100-150hz bass region that lifts the bass slightly above neutral and creates that wonderful timbral quality. The other side of this coin is that the Atrium doesn't resolve as much information in the bass region as my 4z or the Caldera. The bass isn't as fast and decay is a bit slower. This makes the low end ever so slightly bloom. If you want to mitigate this bloom, or accentuate it, you can do so by rolling pads. The Be2's will provide a bit more linearity and the Suedes will provide a bit more bloom.

The midrange is The Atrium's greatest weapon. The midrange has incredible depth and lateral definition. The midrange is so open and full of life. It feels like a flower opening up in the spring time, a parachute opening as you float down to the earth. As a chef, the midrange is the main event of the dish. Whatever you choose... A Trio of Asparagus cooked 3 different ways, perfectly braised short ribs glazed in their own juice or a simply seared piece of fish. The point is that whatever the discipline, the midrange must be balanced and allow you to experience the entirety of what is presented. The Atrium's midrange is magical. I am addicted to the separation of instruments from vocals providing depth and layering while maintaining an accurate timbral accent. To hear the Atrium's midrange is to feel like you are "home", listening from the inside out.

Treble with the Atrium has a similar ZMF feel. Slightly downward sloping with a couple dips around 4k and 6k which round out the sound. This makes the treble sound a tad bit darker than other offerings, but not so much that it takes away from the cohesive whole. The treble still shimmers, and is never fatiguing. ZMF's 2K Copper Cable, or a high quality Silver cable will help to even out this part of the response if you feel it needs a bit of a boost. For me, the OFC cable provides plenty of top end resolution and enables me to hear my music exactly as the Atrium wants me to hear it.



Synergy:
Perhaps the one area folks might find a challenge with the Atrium is dealing with system synergy. The Atrium is without question a tube amp's daydream. My Icon Audio HP8 MK2 is the perfect mate for the Atrium. I rolled in some Raytheon 6SN7GT 1958 NOS Tubes and a Amperex 1959 12AX7 "Fisher" NOS Tube. The sound is strong, emotive and balanced; anchored by a full and rolling bass that evokes the sensation of taking a stroll with the music.

The HP8's midrange gives the sensation of a warm summer breeze, relaxed and gentle. A perfect compliment to the physicality and girth of the Atrium's nature. There is no doubt that the 300 ohm Atrium plays well with OTL and SET Tube amps. The threads are filled with romantic interludes of head-fi members waxing about the beautiful synergy the Atrium has with tubes. One of my favorite examples of this synergy occurs while listening to the Phish song "Wolfman's Brother" from their 8/4/2018 show in Alpharetta, GA. This 48k FLAC just lights up on the HP8 and Atrium. Mike Gordon's bass is strong. The pluck of his pick against the bass strings can be felt more than heard. Jon Fishman's polyrhythmic drumming is agile and placed right in the back of my head. He sounds like an octupus with 8 arms. Each hit is palpable, the skins of the drums giving way while he perfectly controls the cymbals. There is no hint of sibilance. Vocal harmonies are spot on and again I feel as if I am listening from the inside out. Page and Trey trading licks, both flowing from the inside out as they float above the melody and downbeat. If you want to hear Phish at their funkiest, check out this version of "Wolfman's Brother".

Solid State Amps provide a very different experience with The Atrium. My CFA3 sounded a bit flat at first, but as it burned in the sound has become more stable and has begun to show the Atrium's timbral genius. However, The Atrium is more lit up, more sensational on tubes. That being said, I am finding with each listen that my Spring 1 and CFA3 are more than up to the task. It is just a different sound. The tuning becomes a bit faster, decay a bit quicker and transient snap a bit more aggressive. This changes the overall tonal quality of the Atrium. Not necessarily a bad thing, just different and something to consider when looking to pair the Atrium with your chain.

I prefer the Atrium on my HP8, but could live with the CFA3 and Spring. I would still feel that I was getting the entire experience.

Comparisons:

Atrium Vs Auteur OG: (And a copper sculpture of my great grandfather for accent)
The Auteur OG is a wonderful headphone. It is ZMF neutral before the Classic and Atrium came onto the scene. It is linear, fast and musical. The Classic represents the sonic middle ground between the Atrium and the OG. If I didn't own an OG, I would get a Classic and feel strongly that I was getting a great representation of the new driver and ADS. However, the Atrium is the Classic and then some. It takes the Auteur OG and Classic and magnifies all of what makes both of these headphones so great.

The Atrium's tonality is a bit wetter than the OG. It is slightly more colored, with a bigger soundstage and better depth and layering. The OG has phenomenal tone as well, and it still holds up as a seminal headphone in the ZMF stable. However, the Atrium is more advanced and technically adept. The ADS provides better image specificity and greater macro detail. Coupled with this, the Atrium's innate sense of front to back staging makes it a clear step up from the OG. That being said, I will never sell my OG as it represents so much more than sound to me. It is a part of my family.



Atrium Vs Caldera:
This heavyweight battle is the one everyone seems to want to know about. The truth is that they are extremely difficult to compare against one another. One is dynamic, the other planar. They are about $1000 different in pricing and they present music in very different ways.

The Caldera also possesses ZMF's patent pending ADS, which gives the Caldera a very distinct tuning different from any other planar I have heard. However, it is still a planar and the Atrium is not. They are more complimentary of each other than direct competitors. They are both great.

Where do they differ? Biggest difference is in transience, decay and soundstage size. The Atrium's soundstage is bigger and more open. The Caldera's stage is more accurate, faster and more articulate. I love them both for very different reasons. The bass on the Caldera is significantly more developed and possesses great speed and tactility. The bass on the Atrium is rounder and has a more lifted mid bass, slightly north of neutral creating a warmer and bloomy bottom end. The Atrium is not severely humped, but it is there around 150hz which gives the Atrium a romantic decay and bloom that the Caldera doesn't possess to my ears. The Caldera's bottom end is more linear and offers more separation as you head into the midrange.

The Upper midrange and lower treble is another area where I hear vastly different tunings. The Caldera presents as much more neutral through the Upper Midrange, whereas the Atrium's timbral coloration gives vocals a more emotive quality. They both are slightly forward, just in a different way.

The treble on both has a slightly downward tilt with peaks and valleys. The Caldera has more top end resolution and micro detail. The Atrium counters with macro detail and wonderful front to back depth of field. The bottom line is that both the Atrium and Caldera are fantastic and will give you a very different listening experience.

Conclusion:
If I had to buy one ZMF, it would be the Atrium. It is a fantastic introduction to the ZMF sound and does so much right that I find myself loving this headphone as much if not more than anything else I have tested in a long time. It is the sound of "Home". Its staging allows you to listen from the inside out, my favorite way to hear my music, and its timbral colorations and tonality are perfectly aligned with my preferences.

It is not a perfect headphone. That doesn't exist. But, for many the Atrium will be a lasting stop on the wheel of headphones. It is smooth, balanced, aesthetically pleasing and possesses enough micro detail to leave even the most discerning audiophiles happy. The Atrium is all about music. There is no better compliment this jaded head-fier can give to the Atrium.

Highly Recommended!

While I’m not a full size headphone person and personally prefer IEMs, I’ve been fortunate enough to check out some truly wonderful TOTL full size cans in my few years of reviewing. I’ve always been a fan of Zach’s work but I’ve only heard his headphones in small bursts here and there. When the Atrium came out, I was instantly attracted to the new design and loved the video review from @TylersEclectic. I never thought I would have a chance to check out the Atrium but to my surprise, a local audio friend had a review unit that Zach said I could borrow to review. The Atrium is an open back using their Bio cellulose N52 custom tuned driver. The Atrium starts at $2499.99.

Quick shoutout to Zach from ZMF for letting me borrow the Atrium so I could check out and review it. While I always appreciate the chance to test and review products sent in from manufacturers and dealers, it never affects the rating of my reviews.

The Atrium can be picked up from ZMF at their site below.
https://shop.zmfheadphones.com/products/atrium?variant=42317402570915

Onto the review of the ZMF Atrium! My personal preference is a hybrid/tribrid IEM where I get good hitting bass and have a detailed treble with decent mids. When it comes to an over ear headphone I prefer a spacious sound with a deep low end, the mids to be more forward and the highs to be a little bright with some sparkle. I listen to a lot of genres but I hover in the classic rock, blues and edm music with some rap here and there.

Gear Used​

IPhone 12 pro with headphone adapter, Lotto PAW S1, Moondrop Moon River 2 and SMSL SU-9 feeding the SP400 amp.

Looks and fit​

This Atrium is a work of art and looks and feels special. Even though this is a demo unit, it looks good after being in many reviewers hands and it hasn’t shown any real wear which is impressive. The build quality is very much the best of the best and I’m impressed given its price is very much up there. I like the new suspension strap and it keeps what would be a hotspot(for me) better controlled for longer sessions. I do find the clamp force isn’t very strong but I have this issue with other full size cans so this will be a per person thing. The Atrium is heavier so if you have a loose fitment, expect to have it slide around or possibly fall off if you tilt your head down. There might be a way to add more clamp force. I just didn’t attempt anything as this isn’t my set of headphones. I didn’t go into the super detail here but my demo unit when configured is $2949.99 and I would personally buy the stock version for my personal preference.

Isolation and sound leakage​

This Atrium leaks a good amount of sound which is no surprise for an open back. It doesn’t let as much sound in overall though. Which is a little different vs other open back designs. Putting my hands over the side openings doesn’t make a noticeable difference to the sound so the ports along the side of the cup are probably used more than the side.

Packaging and accessories​

The Atrium comes with a big but nice hard case that looks and feels like it could survive most damage. Looks very much like a quality Pelican case. Inside we get the headphones, stock cable(second cable/pads for consumer unit) and a little envelope with a QA card(on wood!) and serial number card along with a mini book of their product line. For the price of the Atrium, I think this is a good chunk of accessories.

Sound(overall)​

These final impressions were done off a mix of the Topping G5 and the SMSL SU-9 connected to the SMSL SP400. This was using the perforated lambskin leather pads that came with my review unit. Things like ear pad selection and DAC/amp selection will produce different results and impressions vs what my ears hear on my specific gear.

I personally don’t like mid(more upper mids) focused headphones and I was rather displeased when I reviewed the Audeze LCD-5 a while back. That was a bit over the top for my tastes and I couldn’t listen for very long without EQ. The Atrium still has an upper mid focus but it comes in warmer sounding overall and the mids, while intense, don’t get super sibilant. Starting with the bass, it hits decently well for an open back and while it lacks true impact/slam, I find it very good when compared to other open back designs. The bass also has very good detail and it can reach down low so it still provides a feeling of fullness. The mids are warmer yet I found instruments still sounded very detailed. Vocals do come in clear with a bit of sibilance at times but it's not bad enough that I feel I need to lower the volume below my preference or EQ. The treble is a little strange and on first listen I thought it was lacking sparkle and bite but after listening for a bit it feels like a dip exists somewhere that keeps it from really shining in the treble. I do feel the Atrium can pull in good detail up top but I believe maybe some EQ might be able to balance whatever is missing to give it a stronger treble presence. This tuning very much reminds me of the Audeze LCD-5 I had for a bit. The only difference is that I find this tuning completely acceptable(and more tolerable) for the price and I found the LCD-5 to be way overpriced with the amount of EQ required to make it shine. While I don’t personally like this type of tuning, I did enjoy it for what it was capable of out of the box and didn’t have to mess around with EQ which was nice.

Soundstage/Imaging​

Staging is wider and deeper but it doesn’t feel like a true open back of how much it leaks sound. I can hear the outside world but it’s much more muted than something like my Sennhieser headphones. This is a good compromise IMO since I hate having to make sure everything is quiet in my room to really enjoy open backs. I found imaging perfectly fine but I felt I had to focus a little more when tracks got busy due to that upper mid focus.

Sensitivity/Drivability​

To no one's surprise, this is a little harder to drive at 300 ohm. Using the single ended cable provided, I was sitting around 62 ish out of 99 on my SMSL desktop stack which provides 3W peak single ended. I also used it on the new Topping G5 and even with the 1.2w output, I could get the Atrium powered to my preference at 55% ish volume on high gain. So it is possible to use the Atrium portable in a sense but the best performance comes from desktop gear IMO.

Stock cable​

The stock cable I received is the standard OFC zmf cable. Keep in mind that according to their website, it comes with a braided cable and this OFC cable as well. I didn’t see pictures on their site but for the price I’m guessing it’s one of their nicer braided Lektrik cables. I really don’t like the stock OFC cables as they’re very stiff and look on the basic side. I personally like a light and thick cable so depending on the type of braided cable they include, I would say leave the cable be.

IEM comparisons​

NONE!!!! I simply don’t have any full size cans around the same price or even over a grand that I can compare at the time of this writing. As an “IEM” guy I just simply don’t have much use for full size when I can use my TOTL IEMs or mid-fi speakers. I would like to get into more full size if I could but maybe down the road.

Amping Combinations​

Topping G5​

The G5 is able to get the Atrium to loud volumes easily on high gain and I thought the pairing sounded fairly good assuming portability was important. The bass does lack just a bit of meat and it sounds good still but with just less fullness and impact. The mids stay pretty warm and detailed but with just a little more brightness vs the desktop setup I use. Vocals are pretty strong and details aren’t lost. The treble is pretty lean sounding off this pairing and while it wasn’t bright at all, it just sounded thinner and lean overall up top. The staging still sounded average, nothing special. I think the thinner sound comes from a mix of the brighter/sharper DAC and less power output from the G5. The G5 sounds wonderful with less demanding gear but I do believe this is a good pairing if you plan to take the Atrium on the go or maybe on a trip/meet.

SMSL SU-9/SP400(with CMA Fifteen)​

The sound impressions section above is always based on this SMSL stack. The CMA Fifteen did add a bit more clarity and just a bit wider sound but the amp in the Fifteen has a lot of options and a full class A amp mode. I think the Atrium is easily one of those headphones that can make good use of a good quality desktop amp for power and a good quality DAC to deliver the best sound quality to the Atrium. It can be powered off portable sources just fine but it scales the best with desktop gear.

Overall thoughts​

So what are my final thoughts on the Atrium? Well, I love the way it looks and I appreciate the tuning effort and sound quality overall. I think the Atrium is worth the cost alone for the amazing build quality and design. I think those who like a more warm sounding signature with a focus on upper mids will really enjoy the Atrium’s tuning. I’ve had the Atrium for a few months now and I appreciate it more and more as time passes. As such, I fully recommend the Atrium! Just like most TOTL headphones, this is a genre focused headphone so I wouldn’t call it an all rounder that will sound good with everything. I’ve always loved the looks of ZMF headphones and I look forward to checking out their future releases. Thanks for reading!!