[Leto Dal]

I would also pick the Elite over the LCD5, and the Caldera over both. Susvara is tricky, it really depends on the chain. If I had $20.000-$30.000 for a DAC and amp (dCS Bartók or Mola Mola Tambaqui with Trafomatic Primavera or Viva Egoista 845), maybe I would choose Susvara, but that is just silly money for me. From more regular chains (Ferrum and akin) I didn't find Susvara that impressive/engaging, but it is also hard to find real fault in them. I just really, really enjoy the weighty and organic presentation of the Caldera.

Maybe I am wrong but I really dont think you need such chain to make Susvara shine. Susvara on something like May or Wavelight with Bliss or even will leave most of the other TOTL planar options in the dust imho.

 

[betula]

Maybe I am wrong but I really dont think you need such chain to make Susvara shine, something like May or Wavelight with Bliss or even ORR with Susvara will leave most of the other TOTL planar options in the dust imho.

From certain technical standpoints, maybe yes. From engagement factor? Not that much. At least not for me.

 

[SteveM324]

You will be surprised and it may make you sell your Elite rather fast..

To your overservations, yeah absolutely, I would even go as far to say that an untrained listener will spot difference between good cables on an IEMs instantly.

I'm interested in the Caldera again even though my first impression of it didn't go well. I went to Axpona in April 2023 with the full expectation of listening to the Caldera and buying it if I liked it. I listened to the Caldera on 2 separate occasions at the ZMF booth at Axpona and I came away unimpressed. I ended up buying the Meze Elites which I felt were warmer and more musical for my musical preferences. The Elite's soundstage seemed larger and its bass seemed more present than the Caldera. I listen to a lot of female jazz vocals and I felt the Elite was more musically engaging than the Caldera.

Even though my first audition of the Caldera didn't leave me impressed, I'm still interested in it because maybe I didn't hear it at its best. Since I heard it at the ZMF booth, I would have thought they would match it with an amp and source that would impress potential customers but maybe not. I would like to audition it again if I can find someone that owns it in the SE Michigan area. I may go Axpona again in April but I would prefer to hear it in my system. I've owned 3 ZMF headphones and I still own my Verite Open that I like a lot so I'm not here to knock ZMF at all. If anyone in SE Michigan owns a Caldera, maybe we can get together.

 

[Leto Dal]

I'm interested in the Caldera again even though my first impression of it didn't go well. I went to Axpona in April 2023 with the full expectation of listening to the Caldera and buying it if I liked it. I listened to the Caldera on 2 separate occasions at the ZMF booth at Axpona and I came away unimpressed. I ended up buying the Meze Elites which I felt were warmer and more musical for my musical preferences. The Elite's soundstage seemed larger and its bass seemed more present than the Caldera. I listen to a lot of female jazz vocals and I felt the Elite was more musically engaging than the Caldera.

Even though my first audition of the Caldera didn't leave me impressed, I'm still interested in it because maybe I didn't hear it at its best. Since I heard it at the ZMF booth, I would have thought they would match it with an amp and source that would impress potential customers but maybe not. I would like to audition it again if I can find someone that owns it in the SE Michigan area. I may go Axpona again in April but I would prefer to hear it in my system. I've owned 3 ZMF headphones and I still own my Verite Open that I like a lot so I'm not here to knock ZMF at all. If anyone in SE Michigan owns a Caldera, maybe we can get together.

Yeah might always be the chain, some synergies are better than other. And of course personal preference.

 

[Pharmaboy]

I'm interested in the Caldera again even though my first impression of it didn't go well. I went to Axpona in April 2023 with the full expectation of listening to the Caldera and buying it if I liked it. I listened to the Caldera on 2 separate occasions at the ZMF booth at Axpona and I came away unimpressed. I ended up buying the Meze Elites which I felt were warmer and more musical for my musical preferences. The Elite's soundstage seemed larger and its bass seemed more present than the Caldera. I listen to a lot of female jazz vocals and I felt the Elite was more musically engaging than the Caldera.

Even though my first audition of the Caldera didn't leave me impressed, I'm still interested in it because maybe I didn't hear it at its best. Since I heard it at the ZMF booth, I would have thought they would match it with an amp and source that would impress potential customers but maybe not. I would like to audition it again if I can find someone that owns it in the SE Michigan area. I may go Axpona again in April but I would prefer to hear it in my system. I've owned 3 ZMF headphones and I still own my Verite Open that I like a lot so I'm not here to knock ZMF at all. If anyone in SE Michigan owns a Caldera, maybe we can get together.

This keeps coming up in this thread, so I'm just repeating a familiar observation: the sound of the Caldera can be modified to an unusual degree by choice of screens (stock vs mantle mesh); and earpads (there are 4 ZMF earpads expressly designed for the Caldera).

Everyone here seems to have their favorites. For me, combining the mantle mesh with the ZMF thick lambskin pads put this headphone over the top sonically--I tried all 4 sets of pads that the thicks were the instant winner (I've never taken them off). What I hear from this setup is a very high resolution, fast planar that is also highly musical and musically realistic (it sounds like music, not just like a zippy audio version of music).

So when you audition this headphone under show conditions, it behooves you to know which screen & earpads are on it. If you're doing your listening in a ZMF room (if you're that lucky), there will be multiple setups of the Caldera available for audition...just ask one of the very helpful ZMF staff which headphone has which setup.

 

[thecrow]

I'm interested in the Caldera again even though my first impression of it didn't go well. I went to Axpona in April 2023 with the full expectation of listening to the Caldera and buying it if I liked it. I listened to the Caldera on 2 separate occasions at the ZMF booth at Axpona and I came away unimpressed. I ended up buying the Meze Elites which I felt were warmer and more musical for my musical preferences. The Elite's soundstage seemed larger and its bass seemed more present than the Caldera. I listen to a lot of female jazz vocals and I felt the Elite was more musically engaging than the Caldera.

Even though my first audition of the Caldera didn't leave me impressed, I'm still interested in it because maybe I didn't hear it at its best. Since I heard it at the ZMF booth, I would have thought they would match it with an amp and source that would impress potential customers but maybe not. I would like to audition it again if I can find someone that owns it in the SE Michigan area. I may go Axpona again in April but I would prefer to hear it in my system. I've owned 3 ZMF headphones and I still own my Verite Open that I like a lot so I'm not here to knock ZMF at all. If anyone in SE Michigan owns a Caldera, maybe we can get together.

my personal experience in demoing the caldera (at least twice from memory) was an enjoyable one but i found the caldera was not better or different enough to my susvara setup which is, for me, my benchmark, to warrant adding it to my small stable.

in essence i found the caldera a great easier to drive alternative to the susvara.

if you haven’t already gone down this path, maybe the lcd5 might be a better, different character for your collection. Or a utopia. Though your collection seems quite extensive with good diversity

 

[Quadrangulator]

Any mumblings of a more affordable Caldera, say, $2k or under?

 

[thecrow]

Any mumblings of a more affordable Caldera, say, $2k or under?

If looking for great value under $2k i would recommend exploring hifiman - arya offerings (eg organic) or he1000 (all versions)

 

[jlbrach]

Any mumblings of a more affordable Caldera, say, $2k or under?

then it wouldnt be a caldera lol...

 

[thecrow]

then it wouldnt be a caldera lol...

Then it won’t be $2k.

Dare to dream

 

[betula]

If looking for great value under $2k i would recommend exploring hifiman - arya offerings (eg organic) or he1000 (all versions)

If you can spend $2K, sure you can cash out another $500 and be happy with a second-hand Caldera.

 

[Lyssky]

Another song shining on Caldera

 

[Leto Dal]

Ok have to eat my words regarding Meze Elite. Enjoying the hell out of it atm from bliss / may chain, have it way more dry in my memory.. Am supposed to sell the unit for a friend, if I keep listening might keep and buy it myself. On Bliss and May this thing shines.
While certainly not the level of Susvara detail retrieval wise, it seem to be bit more revealing than Caldera, with less energy loaded tuning and less dynamic driver qualites, but its an airy balanced with laid back fun tuning, with more physicality and instrument body than Susvara - at least on Bliss. Female vocal rendering is superb. Not sure what I prefer more Caldera or Elite in that regard. Fantastic headphone.

 

[iamoneagain]

Any mumblings of a more affordable Caldera, say, $2k or under?

I actually thought I heard Zach say in the future there would be more affordable ZMF headphones using planer drivers. But first order of business would be the release of the Caldera Close in April/May. Would think the more affordable model would be years away though.

 

[Honeypot]

What headphones would you guys recommend to complement with the caldera? I was thinking of a dynamic like atrium open. Is it more similar than different? I'm planning to use it with an otl tube amp. I'd go for some focals, but I read they do not shine in soundstage, and it's a bit of a must. I'd like something towards warm and relaxed. The caldera are exciting!
Any inputs?

Thanks!