ZMF Auteur - An open back ZMF

Discussion in 'Headphones' started by PacoTaco, Sep 18, 2017.

  1. dubharmonic

    dubharmonic Friend

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    I spent weeks with the Euphoria (stock tubes) along with the Auteur, HD650 and HE1000V2 last fall.

    The Auteur & Euphoria pairing wasn't the best I've heard, but I've also never heard Auteurs sound bad with any amp. I love my Auteur with classical.

    The HE1000V2 (Arya) & Euphoria pairing was the worst of the bunch. Unbalanced, flabby and underpowered.

    Utopia & Euphoria are magical together. Very highly recommended.
     
  2. ChaChaRealSmooth

    ChaChaRealSmooth SBAF's Mr. Bean

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    The quick comment I had probably didn't make it clear what I meant.

    "Thick" =/= "rich." When I describe the Auteur's midrange, I'm talking about the harmonic richness, which is indeed present and also much different than the Verite, which has more of what I'd describe as timbral richness. This is different from when I describe the HD650 as "thick." It sounds thick to me because of the apparent bass bleed into the mids, which is definitely audible and probably made worse due to the HD650's bass qualities; which is a bit loose, bloomy, and not really what you'd call top-shelf (hint: it sucks).

    The "veil" of the HD650 is well-documented and is not what I'm describing when I call it thick. Yes, better amps and sources can help with cutting through, but it doesn't quite disappear even with $$$$$ quality stuff like DNA Stellaris.

    I think it's mostly fair, with a few caveats and one point I disagree with.

    While the Auteur has fantastic timbre and tonality, it also has some of the ZMF-ness that all ZMFs have; namely, a bit of coloration in timbre (although I think it's the most neutral of all ZMFs in this regard) and in some minor cup reverberation. The stage is also quite intimate, although it's an improvement over the HD650 (a bit larger and more "in front of you" with better imaging). Some might find these traits offensive, although I and others don't mind one bit; in fact I actually like these traits.

    On technicalities, the only area where you really could complain is in macrodynamics. Auteur really needs an amp that can convey dynamic swings very well to shine. Otherwise, it just doesn't convey the big swings that well, although it's worth noting that its microdynamic performance is extremely good. It essentially has no "wow" factor, and in meet conditions it'll be relatively ignored because it's just not immediately impressive. However, the Auteur's resolve is only really a step or two behind TOTL stuff like Verite or Utopia, and so it really begins to grow on you and impress when you spend some time with it.
     
  3. Yoram Diamand

    Yoram Diamand New

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    Thanks, I was warned against the combo Arya with the Euforia, on the other hand, people like to sell it :) I have a T1.2 which seems a reasonable way to spend some time saving for the Utopia. I donot know if I will get to 4000 soon. Kind regards Y
     
  4. Stuff Jones

    Stuff Jones Friend

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    No. I'm recently moved over to headphones from IEMs. I also have the Verum 1 right now, which is better than the Hd6XX in many ways but lacks the tactility (?) of the dynamic driver: Things are just a little smoothed over timbre wise. Maybe that's a planer thing. Still it's very good and I'm nit picking; I guess I am a timbre-head (sounds like a snake).

    The most high end IEM I had were the Andromeda but I didn't like them very much because the BA timbre wasn't convincing to me.
     
    Last edited: Feb 1, 2020
  5. Clemmaster

    Clemmaster Friend

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    @insidious meme 's Auteur was really impressive on his setup (Gungnir MB 1 + Black Widow 2).
    The tonality is really spot on for me, just like overall technicalities.

    The Verite Closed is a more complicated affair for me: some days I just f-ing love it for all it does so well (pretty much everything but FR), other days I just find its FR wonky and want to go back to more linear headphones (e.g. Focal Clear or Stellia).
     
  6. insidious meme

    insidious meme Ambivalent Kumquat

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    Just to clarify a couple of things here. The Auteurs were @ChaChaRealSmooth 's, and the Gungnir MB was an A2.

    Other than that @Clemmaster got this on the nose. In fact I liked the Auteur and Verite on that chain, enough so that I may need to borrow @ChaChaRealSmooth 's again to verify which I liked better.
     
  7. crenca

    crenca Friend

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    EQ helps, but the Verite Closed does not respond to EQ as readily as the Focals, or even, strangely it seems to me, as much as the Eikon.
     
  8. Clemmaster

    Clemmaster Friend

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    Actually, I thought it responded well to the Reveal EQ for LCD-i4 (which I own and forgot to turn off the EQ when switching headphones).
     
  9. tusing

    tusing New

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    Aside from my intro, this is my first post on SBAF.

    I loved the ZMF Auteur while I owned it, so I figured I might as well post an old review of mine here. I've slightly updated it with my most recent impressions. To date the Auteur has been one of my favorite headphones and I seriously regret having to sell it.

    Let me know if cross-posting and updating my review isn't cool, or if it's the wrong place.

    ---

    ZMF Auteur

    [​IMG]

    A few months ago, I was looking for a headphone to contrast with my HD800S. If the HD800S are slightly brighter than neutral, I wanted something slightly darker. Something like the Andromedas. Something to add a bit of fun to the music while retaining as much of the excellent technical abilities of the HD800S.

    Enter the Auteurs. The ZMF Auteur are ZMF's latest headphone, intended to be their most neutral take on headphones to date, just retaining a slight tinge of ZMF's warmer house sound.

    Craftsmanship
    My particular Auteurs were beautifully hand-crafted from African Blackwood and aluminum.

    Blackwood is a dense and heavy tone wood often used in instruments to sound bassier, wetter, and more organic. More on that later, but I find this quality to carry over in the headphone realm as well.

    And unlike most Blackwood Auteurs, these have silver grilles and rods (as opposed to gold). Personally, I find silver to look more elegant and understated. The matte silver provides an incredible contrast with the dark polished wood, but to me, does not look as plain as the black grilles and rods. It goes well with the black/silver theme of the rest of my gear.

    There's really something to be said about Zach's craftmanship, here. This definitely feels like an heirloom, it's one of the few times I've felt proud to own a product. These headphones look and feel incredible. Easily the most beautiful pieces of auditory art I have ever held or seen. The beautiful gleam of the polished wood, the subtle diffuse reflections of the brushed aluminum, the soft and comfortable perforated lambskin pads and cushioned leather headbands - the Auteur simply exudes a sense of unparalleled craftsmanship and quality.

    There are vegan options available where animal products are used.

    Blackwood Auteurs run about USD$2000.

    Review Details
    All my gear is powered via the RME ADI-2 via a Bottlehead Crack. You can find my impressions of the ADI-2 here.

    All music is heard via lossless local files or Spotify (best quality available (320kbps) with volume normalization off). I may link YouTube links of music here and there, but rest assured I don't hear it from there.

    I wanted something that contrasted with the HD800S as much as possible, so I chose the Eikon pads and Blackwood Auteurs. The perforated lambskin Eikon pads slightly reduce the soundstage and 6k treble peak of the Auteur, while significantly increasing the sub-bass and moderately increasing the bass. The Blackwood, as discussed above, lends a slight darker and wetter (more 'organic') tinge to the sound.

    Unless explicitly mentioned, this review will be conducted with the Eikon pads installed. Keep this in mind, as most reviews of these are with the Auteur pads. To mentally adjust my findings for the Auteur pads, take some from the sub bass and add a bit to the treble, all while moderately widening the soundstage.

    Comfort
    I mentioned how these headphones exude a sense of quality. That definitely carries into the comfort - these don't just look good, these feel good. The perforated lambskin pads are soft and breathable. They get warm, but I never sweat. (That said, I rarely sweat with headphones regardless, so adjust your expectations accordingly!)

    The soft headband never digs into my head. It's a freestanding thin leather strap over a layer of thick but very soft and pliable leather padding.

    Clamping force isn't really an issue here. These headphones are designed so you can bend the headband to adjust to your own head.

    And while my Auteur is on the heavier side, with the Blackwood and all, it takes me a couple of hours before I start feeling neck tiredness. About 4 hours, perhaps? Going with aluminum grilles/rods probably helped quite a bit here as opposed to the default brass.

    I don't think it's physically possible for the Auteur to ever match the cloud-like comfort of the HD800S, but they perform admirably regardless!

    Sound
    Compared to my "neutral"
    Sub Bass+, Bass+, Mids+, Treble=


    The Auteurs sound as I wanted and expected them to, given the components I asked for.

    Zach mentions these are "semi-open", about 80% open, and I definitely see what he means. It doesn't feel as open or airy as the HD800S but still feels open. 80% feels just about right.

    The sub-bass is deep and impactful, but not overwhelming. It's there when it's been missing on too many other amazing headphones I've tried. The mid-bass and upper-bass are incredible - for example, the cellos in Where the Light Goes by Josh Kramer sound simply sublime, better than I've ever experienced on any of my other 'phones. I cannot emphasize how addictively natural they sound when paired with the Bottlehead Crack.

    The mids are quite detailed and perhaps slightly elevated. They have a wetter sound to them, perhaps with some second-order distortion going on, but this only adds to the quality of the mids. I feel this leads the mids to sound "sweeter" and "more organic", a bit more "tubey" than neutral. This is definitely what I was going for and I'm quite thrilled that my choices played out as expected! (If sweet/wet mids are not your thing, choose a different wood and perhaps stick with the Auteur pads. I use the HD800S when I long for drier/more neutral mids.)

    The treble is good. It's detailed enough, and not fatiguing as I often feel on the HD800S - I can listen to treble-high songs for longer. (The treble feels a bit like that on the HD800S with the Auteur pads, but it's much nicer with the Eikon pads, in my opinion.) It's an unfair comparison, and maybe I'm conflating detail with treble, but I found the HD800S to edge out the Auteurs when it came to cymbals and other treble-sensitive instruments.

    Compared to Andromedas (low OI)
    SB++, B=, M+, T=

    I saw Bleego's review which mentions that the ZMF Auteurs are very much like Andromedas.

    I have to agree with this statement. My particular Auteurs, with the Eikon pads, are a bit more colored than the Andromedas, with
    • Deeper and much more satisfying sub-bass
    • A wider soundstage
    • Slightly more elevated and sweeter mids
    • A bit less treble
    The reviewer mentions that the Auteur with Eikon pads sounds like the Andros from an output impedance of <= 1.0 ohms, and with the Auteur pads sounds like Andros from a higher OI. I'd agree, with the addendum that the effect from Eikon pads is more pronounced simply because they present more sub-bass and tame the highs a bit more.

    But yeah - with Auteur pads, the Auteurs feel pretty damn similar to the Andromedas from a moderate output impedance.

    Comparison to HD800S

    SB++, B+, M+, T-


    Compared to the HD800S, the Auteur exhibits:
    • Deeper and much more satisfying sub-bass
    • More heft and control to the rest of the bass
    • Elevated and wetter/sweeter mids
    • Less forward, slightly less detailed treble
    • Moderately more intimate soundstage, likely exacerbated by the Eikon pads
    • Slightly less instrument separation amongst instruments of the same type, perhaps a consequence of the wetter sound
    My Auteurs exhibit slightly less detail retrieval than the HD800S but also sound less "dry". For relaxed, fun music listening, the Auteurs are now my go-to. For more analytical music listening, or when I'm feeling more excitable or energetic, or when I long for a vast soundstage, I'll fire up the HD800S.

    More subjectively, the Auteurs definitely lend a more emotional experience to the music. The sound feels more organic, the bass feels deeper and more refined, the mids sweeter and more memorable. In short, the Auteurs feel like they are fuller and have more body than the HD800S. That said, I don't think anything will ever reach the overwhelmingly vast expanse of sheer jawdropping detail and soundstage and complexity of the HD800S. These are distinctly different beasts for different moods.

    ---

    Since I wrote this review almost two years ago, the headphone landscape has changed considerably. The SR1a is probably the new detail+soundstage champion. Zach has released three incredible new headphones - the Aeolus, Verite, and Verite C. But even with all of these changes, and new releases, I think the Auteurs would still make a great purchase for someone who is looking for neutral sound, fantastic performance across the board, and that special ZMF natural timbre. All this in a beautiful heirloom-quality handcrafted package - these look like an art piece wherever you put them!
     
    Last edited: Feb 8, 2020
  10. dematted

    dematted Friend

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    [​IMG]

    I received this headphone around a week ago, and have decided to trade it for a Focal Clear. Although I found this headphone to do a number of things exceptionally well, it did not fit my own sonic tastes. Let me explain why. For reference, my setup for listening to this headphone was a Modi 3 and Lyr 3 with a Raytheon VT-231 tube. My Auteur is a Teak, and I listened with the Auteur Lambskin Perforated pads.

    The Good

    Base Texture/Detail: This is the thing I was most impressed by when listening to this headphone. It is difficult to convey precisely what's different about the bass on the Auteur and other headphones I listened to, but I found that I was noticing details in the base that I didn't before. Base felt more real, more organic, and less digital than with any headphone I had listened to so far. This was probably most obvious when it came to distinguishing between different base instruments, where it was very easy to pin-point the distinct timbre of each. Bass had a "texture" and fullness other headphones simply lacked.

    Timbre: The overall timbre of this headphone sounded very natural and realistic. Unlike many of the Focals I have listened to, there was no "metallic" sheen to the treble, and the headphone's overall sonic presentation sounded very natural for the most part.

    Microdynamics: Small changes in volume level were easily discerned with this headphone. In particular, I found that the headphone presented vocal micro dynamics very well.

    Base Extension: Base is extended wonderfully well on this headphone, and as a result, it has a body and weight that is lacking on headphones that are more mid-bass oriented.

    The Bad

    Macrodynamics: This headphone felt macrodynamically flat, even with my Lyr 3, an amp that is known for excelling in macrodynamics. It was difficult to readily perceive large changes in the track, and even when I could, it felt muted compared to other headphones I have listened to.

    Transients: Transients felt slow and rounded to me. Combined with the lack of macrodynamics, this led the headphone to have a very relaxed, sleepy presentation which I didn't find very engaging. While I could easily "chill" with these headphones on, I found myself growing bored when engaged in critical listening.

    Treble Detail: I did not enjoy the treble presentation of this headphone. It lacked in crispness and clarity, particularly compared to the Focal Clear and Elex, which presented much more information. This may be due at least partially to the fact that the treble is just more laidback on the auteur, but I felt like the level of resolution was higher on the other headphones.

    Imaging and Layering: While the soundstage on the Auteur was at least decent, the imaging capabilities did not particularly impress me on this headphone. On more complex tracks, the Auteur did not present the music in an especially compelling way: there was a bit of a three-blob presentation. This may have been at least partially due, however, to weaknesses in my chain rather than the Auteur. The layering was passable, but I recall my Elex having superior layering, which is a much cheaper headphone.

    The Mixed

    Base Slam/Impact/Control: While Base certainly is exceptional on the Auteur in certain respects, the actual slam of the bass felt a bit lacking to me due to the weak macrodynamics of the headphone and an overall lack of snappiness. Bass control was decent: much better than my HD600, but worse than the similarly priced Focal Clear.

    Decay: Decay felt a bit slower on this headphone than on others I have listened to. This made music very easy to listen to, but also contributed to an overall lack of snappiness and dynamics.

    Airiness: I felt that this headphone was notably more airy and open feeling than the ZMF Aeolus. However, it still felt somewhat closed in compared to headphones like the HD800 and even the Focal Elex.

    String Instruments: As somebody who listened to a lot of classical music, the depiction of string instruments is important to me. While I felt that the Auteur did a great job of depicting their body/weight, it was not able to effectively capture the sparkle and aggressiveness of instruments like the violin. As a result, some classical compositions felt somewhat muted and dampened where they should have been more alive and energetic.

    Conclusion

    As somebody who enjoys headphones with more forward treble and a less laidback sound, I found the Auteur did not suit me. This is not to say, however, that it is a poor headphone. For listeners craving a sonic presentation that is natural and laidback, and for whom base is very important, I will readily recommend this headphone. That being said, it is not for me: I actually preferred the ZMF Aeolus, and am looking forward to trading this for a Focal Clear.
     
    Last edited: Feb 12, 2020
  11. Clemmaster

    Clemmaster Friend

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    Very good, honest, write-up!
     
  12. zach915m

    zach915m MOT: ZMF Headphones

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  13. dematted

    dematted Friend

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    The Auteur Lambskin perforated pads. I should note that in my original post, sorry!
     
    Last edited: Feb 12, 2020
  14. raif

    raif Man made lobster/plankton

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    Howdy folks,

    Throwing some quick impressions of my new Auteurs. I plan to write a more involved review, but that usually translates to it never getting written, so this is my attempt to at least contribute something to the discussion.

    First off, gratuitous pic:
    [​IMG]

    For the most part, my sentiments match a lot of what has been written, so I won't rehash that here.

    I initially purchased these headphones in a quest for a truly "neutral" frequency response. I started with the Auteur pads and while it was an improvement from the Eikons, it was only after I switched to the Eikon pads on the Auteur did the magic truly happen.

    It actually reminded me a lot of the Grado HP-1000. I recall listening to them years ago with bowl pads and thinking "hmm, competent, but what's the appeal?" Then, I installed the flat pads and everything clicked. I have mentioned elsewhere that if Grado ever rereleased the HP1000 I would pick it up immediately. With these Auteurs, I feel that magic je ne sais quoi, without having to gamble on 30+ year old headphones from yesteryear.

    How the Auteurs manage to accomplish that while maintaining some semblance of a soundstage is a mystery to me. The assumption with the old grados was that they basically just sat the driver directly on your ear. With the auteur I am getting that organic quality to the sound but don't feel like I am bumping into the musicians on stage like I did with the grado.

    I am willing to accept that some of the unobtainium I have stuffed into the Aficionado(rca 2a3s, bendix 2c51, jupiter caps, feedback mod) might be helping elevate these headphones as the Elex remains a joy to listen to on this setup as well. However, I could never quite get away from that sense of metallic sheen which gave the Elex a little bit of artificiality, almost like a slight emboss filter in photoshop, to the sound.

    I have been around this hobby enough to know that there will always be an element of "chasing the dragon." However, the Auteur joins the ranks of the EC AF in my personal "best possible" category.
     
    Last edited: Feb 14, 2020
  15. brencho

    brencho Friend

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    Received a Bocote Auteur from Zach recently and I gotta say it’s excellent all around. Zach is a great guy as we all know around here but worth repeating, so was great to interact more and get these headphones from him. I was also able to test out a few pads which I think balanced them out perfectly. I wanted a relatively close to neutral sound that was lively and impactful on top of the auteurs known strengths (tone, timbre, microdynamics). The Auteur perforated pads are nice but felt a bit darker and warmer to me and what I was going for, and the universe (hybrid perf for now but need to rest others) have really done the trick. They took away that slightly dark vibe and made them much more lively and improved macro dynamics. I’ve also been using them on the Bryston bha1 amp which is very neutral and is a slam pig amp. So a very good match for my goals. Keeps them sounding lively, fairly neutral and not dark or damped, good macro and micro, great timbre and tone. I’d like to hear it on other amps moving forward but for now this has been very satisfying.

    D9126BD6-B50D-4FEA-B3D9-9A5D0F0CB785.jpeg
     

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    Last edited: May 9, 2020
  16. Stuff Jones

    Stuff Jones Friend

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    How did you get a Bocote? All I'm seeing on the website is maple and zebrawood.
     
  17. brencho

    brencho Friend

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    Personal communication. Inquired about a blackwood, he also had a bocote one on hand. I’ve only heard a few variants (Blackwood, maple, bocote), but the bocote so far has been my favorite. They’re all good and similar enough. Pads do make quite a difference, as does rest of the chain.
     
    Last edited: May 9, 2020
  18. Stuff Jones

    Stuff Jones Friend

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    Jealous. I personally communicated about a darker harder wood last month and was told the best he could do was a dark stain.
     
  19. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Obviously you don't know the secret handshake and oath of the Freemasons.
     
  20. Walderstorn

    Walderstorn Friend

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    Another beautiful pair. What are they replacing, if anything?

    [​IMG]
     

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