Hi, I'm Monsterzero and this my personal audio review channel. Headphones, amps and DACs, I cover them all, both well known gear as well as esoteric, unknown gems.
Hi, just for fun and better late than never. What do you think for Kenwood KR-710 receiver for AKG K240 Sexttets ? Found it locally for $100 dollars. Should be worth it.
Your review changed my mind mate. I was set on the Atrium Open but your description of the bass response sold me. I’m a bass fiend (Listen to Weval: Gimmee Some) by way of excellent bass in a more electronic focused track. Even if you’re not into that genre this track is killer. A fantastic straight to the point review. Gidday from Australia 🤟
I had a sony reciever that was from the 90's which was just one step below flagship of that line, the only difference was 20 extra watts per channel. The receiver had the typical sony issue of cold solder joints and as such channels that would not work most of the times unless you smacked the top of it until those channels would click on. Typical garbage soldering job from sony of that era. Anyways while using it for speakers was frustrating to say the least the headphone out on it was truly something else and I have not heard another solid state amplifier drive headphones quite as well as that receiver did. It was a touch warm and highly dynamic and with a lot of headspace while being fast and with good bit of power or at least enough to drive my pair of HD 580's with authority. I kind of missed that as a headphone amp but it also dominated the desk and was beyond ridiculous as just a headphone amp. Thinking about it again makes me wanna go look up the specs and that model again just to get the headphone information and get a desktop friendly headphone amplifier that makes it's specs.
I sure wish I knew the impedance of my old receiver's headphone jack I have a 1989 Technics SA-GX100. No one can tell me--and I emailed the manufacturer. Right now, I am using 30 year-old Sony headphones. They sound good., but... Thanks
I own the Atrium open and closed love them both… I have seen all your reviews and value your opinion we seem to have similar tastes in genres and headphones… does the Verite closed offer anything over the Atrium closed or do you feel the Atrium closed is better in most ways… ie do you still use your verite closed now that you have the Atrium closed?
Great question and thanks for the comments. I'd really need to do an extensive a/b to give you a definitive answer, but off the top of my head, I'd say that the VC is a faster headphone than the AC and has less bass. Unfortunately, my whole system is down at the moment so I'm unable to do any listening currently.
Hello, thanks a lot for this great video, very useful and full of information! I’m thinking of replacing my Hifiman Ananda with the Aeolus. Main use would be with a Naim Atom Uniti Headphone amp. Would you recommend this pairing? Would the Aeolus be a noticeable improvement over the Ananda? Grateful for your feedback. Regards, Ignacio
Hey Ignacio, I have no experience with either the Ananda nor the Uniti, so it's impossible for me to say. What I can say is there is a huge difference between dynamic and planar driver headphones. One isnt necessarilly better than the other, rather it's a matter of preferene. I've heard quite a few Hifiman headphones and they seem to be tuned quite differently than ZMF tuning goes. Again, one isnt necessarily better than the other. Finally, ZMF headphones tend to sound better out of amps that have a high-ish output impedance. There are exceptions to that rule, but generally speaking a high output impedance is where it's at for ZMFs
@@headkarma Thanks a lot for the feedback. Greatly appreciated!! This morning, I got to try the Aeolus at a local store and was really impressed. I also tried the Focal Clear MG but the Aeolus are much better (although it’s about the same price). Would you recommend a particular set of earpads and also cables for the Aeolus? Best regards, Ignacio
@@ignicioperez4647 I tend to prefer the pads that ZMF calls stock. Pad rolling is an aspect that I typically do not get involved in. If you're a member on headfi, you can ask for suggestions in the Aeolus thread. Regarding cabling, that depends upon the rest of your chain and preferences. The Aeolus is A pretty warm, rich sounding headphone, so silver cabling could make sense if you want to add more zing to the sound. Personally I use the ZMF 2K copper cables and love them, more so than the Lektrik cables. I haven't heard the new Palladium cable yet, but it might be worth Investigating
I see no reason why I would need more bass than my VC can offer. Lately I was forced to buy new power tubes, they add so much well controlled power for my headphones. You can tell I'm a big fan of tubes but all of my dynamics are getting wonderful energy from them. I'm worried that both variants of Atrium could be too slow for my liking
Hey bro it gives me 2 ear pad options: universe lambskin pads or vegan universe suede…. Which ear pads do you recommend to bring out the bass in the Atriums??
Hey, I'm not a pad roller. At. All. I stick with the stock pads 95% of the time. I would reach out to Zach or if you're a member on Head-Fi, drop a message to Heliosphann. He does ZMF pad reviews.
Not sure. It's been years since I reviewed the Aeolus and I have never heard the Arya. If leaking noise is a major concern you should strongly consider getting a closed back headphone.
Great video, I love this approach to the sound! I am on D7200 & Denon PMA-800 although its new the vintage spirit is there and the sound is total addiction. Its time I am going to check my dad's basement he has tons of stuff from 60s / 70s audio gear. Happy Listening 🙂
Hey, I ended up purchasing the MP (Creamy colored drivers and a grey original box). I haven't yet listened to them through a vintage receiver but through an entry level headphones amplifier and I can already tell that these are sp special when it comes to mid-range and guitar-based music. In fact, when I listened to a guitar through them I was blowen away. Will update after I have tried then with a vintage receiver.
An update: So, after I tried them on a vintage receiver (Creek CAS4040 to be more precise, which is cheap yet legendary in its own way), I can confidently say that they are fast, transparent and have exceptional separation. The soundstage isn't that large but it does the job quite well. They are neutral with a great bass but the sub-bass extension is not that great, it is fine. I tried to elevate the bass through the receiver, and they responded well. Overall, they are a great choice for classical music.
I have a question I have been trying to find everywhere about vintage receivers. I have a NAD 3155 from 1985 (its basically a better 3120 that's from 1979, all analog). My question is, do these vintage amps have balanced audio coming from the headphone jack? I am asking because I will be replacing my AKG Sextett cable, and from what I hear, balanced is the best, but I would find it pointless if the amplifier didn't output balanced sound. Thanks!
@@MINECRAFTandSEB no. Some amps are balanced. Some amps have a balanced jack but puts out an unbalanced signal. They do that for convenience sake so you do not have to go buy a new cable. If you look in the rear of your NAD, if it were capable of being balanced it would have XLR inputs. All of my vintage gear is single ended only, but my Cayin IHA 6 and Violectric V550 can be used either single ended or balanced, depending upon what signal it's taking in from the dac
Would a 1985 receiver give these good sound from the headphone jack? I am expecting a NAD 3155 (better version of the famous 3120). I also assume my early 2000s sony AV receiver will not power these very well then.
I think so, though I have no experience with not only this receiver, but also with any receiver from the 1980s. Modern receivers don't sound horrid with the Sextetts, but you can tell theyre being held back. The mid to late 80s is right about when things began to change for audio gear, not to mention I find the aesthetics of the 70s gear to be much more attractive, so I always stick to pre-1980 gear, with no digital dials, meters, tuners, etc. The best way to find out is to try it for yourself. Let me know how it turns out!
@@headkarma Okay will do! Yes 70s gear is quite nice. Nad was a bang for buck brand and still is I believe, the 3120 was a phono preamp and amp combo from the late 70s, I don't think the 3155 changed much, just some quality improvements from what I understand. I'll try and comment again once I have tested it out!
between you and the other reviews I have watched I started off with the Autuer classics and then got the Atriums and absolutely love them both. there is definitely a difference. But absolutely love them both. Thanks for the great reviews and love your dog! hope he is doing well.
Tough question to answer. It comes down to what it is you're looking for. For me personally I find most Pink Floyd albums to be warm sounding, like most great albums from the 1970s, so I like a brighter headphone with great mids for old rock. Perhaps the VO, Auteur or Caldera. If you want to go with the AC then I'd opt for the harder wood type as it is slightly brighter and has tighter bass than the soft wodd variety.
Interesting. I felt like Caldera had a wonderful focused and punchy bass with great texture that never got in the way, now I wonder how Atrium Closed can be so different, and if it’s for me at all, hmmm
Fantastic review coming from an Atticus (cherry) owner. I've been pondering my next ZMF purchase and as gorgeous as the Atticus is, "MORE BASS" is my requirement if/when I'm going to purchase another set, which got me wondering about Caldera. Your comments at 13:37 have sealed the deal for me. Thank you!
Interesting take on these headphones. I sold my Atrium - open that is. I preferred the VC and the Caldera on suede pads over the Atrium Open. Most reviewer type people seem to be more reserved about the Atrium Closed. Seems these are tuned to bass, which could be fun .
I listened to this at AXPONA. I enjoyed this more than the AO and the VC for some reason. Distorted guitars sounded amazing and rap was boomy (almost slightly forward) I loved them with the suede pads. Tracks played Gorguts-obscura Obscura - anti cosmetic overload Lloyd banks-No reward If you want to really push the bass I would throw on. Chelsea wolfe-carrion flowers
Love the review mate - these sound awesome!! One pair on E-bay in Oz for over $850 AUD so will look to Atriums or similar but thanks for opening my eyes up!!
Great review - thanks. I'm super keen to get a pair of ZMFs - I almost bought Auteur Classic but couldn't listen to them. I listened to a bunch and bought Sendy Peacocks, which I love! I listen to metal, metal and occasionally some metal (ok a bit of classic rock as well). Speed, Power, Symphonic, Prog - would Auteurs suffice or do I need to go Atriums (or Calderras but way off $$ wise)? Thanks.
It's cheaper than burson soloist but I'm not sure if it help me to get rid of that nasty planar timbre (if its warm enough) burson got option to swap op-amps
I’m currently trying to find a decent stack or setup to replace my FiiO K9 ESS which I have paired with my MM-500s I’ll be buying the ZMF Atrium and I don’t think the K9 wouldn’t do it justice Any suggestions? Awesome review
it depends on your budget and whether or not you want to get into tubes. If you're planning on keeping the Audeze you will want to avoid OTL amps and look into TC/SET tube amps or keep it solid state. You can always read and ask in this thread www.head-fi.org/threads/the-un-official-amp-thread-for-zmf-headphones.965309/
Great and unbiased review! well done. You are the only one who talked about the advantages and disadvantages of these headphones honestly. Actually, I was thinking of trying to find such a pair. However, now that you mentioned the lack of longevity of these headphones, I am giving it another thought. It would be interesting to listen to these headphones paired with a tubes amplifier with adequate power. The He560 benefited massively from tubes amplifier in my experience. By the way, some would claim that the AKG k1000 are the hardest headphones to drive ever. Have you come across them before?
I'm sure a good, powerful TC amp would sound good with the HE6, something like the Aegis, which I reviewed and it rocked the Susvara. I have only briefly heard the K1000 at a mini meet some years ago. Although they are headphones, I sub consciously put them into the category of ear-speakers instead of HPs, but you're correct, also very difficult to drive.
@@headkarma Does TC refer to tubes amplifiers? I have got the feeling that tubes amplifiers make HE560 sound good with less power. I might be wrong. What do you think? In case you still recall the sound of HE6 and maybe the sound of Susvara. How do they perform compared to HD250 linear?
@@QusayM91 Yes, TC stands for 'transformer coupled' which is a tube amp type, pretty much the same as a SET amp, which stands for 'single ended triode' From recollection the HE6 when properly driven is brighter and more prone to sibilance than the HD250. It also slams much harder than the HD250, but the sub bass is still having more quantity on the HD250
@@headkarma For some reason, I used to think that the Transformer Coupled amplifiers are maily hybrid amplifiers as otherwise it won't be possible to provide enough power at low impedance. I think I was wrong. My OTL, which is not that powerful, can power up the HE560 and I cannot go beyond 2 o'clock. It would be interesting to know if there is an OTL which can power up the HE6 without any problem. I know of a tubes amplifier which can deliver 8 watts per channel but it is hybrid! Have you tried EQing the HD250? At least through the vintage receivers as there is a control for the bass. Did it increase the strength of the slamming?
Recently, I have tried an interesting experiment. A few days ago, a good friend of mine decided to give me his old vintage Akai receiver AA-930. When I got it and started playing with it, I noticed that you can connect an external pre-amplifier directly to the inner power amplifier inside the receiver. I decided to try and connect my Topping L30ii and I was shocked that the sound signature changed drastically towards the signature of the Topping amplifier. The thing is, this way, you can drive high-demand headphones and still enjoy the sound signature of, for example, a modern IC amplifier combined with vintage transistors. I tried an OLT tubes amplifier as well. However, for some reason, the OLT gives high-gain volume and the volume controller becomes very sensitive. You touch it and it goes to an unbearable high volume. Have you tried something similar?
@@headkarma I assume that the AA-1150 and AA-930 share the same sound signature. Yes, it sounds great. The combination with the Topping L30 makes the signal much cleaner from background noises. The only drawback is that all the control buttons on the receiver become "useless" even the volume control. Thus, you lose control over the bass and the treble. However, the extension on both sides is noticeably enhanced.
@@headkarma Can you use a headphone that is 18Ohms on a vintage receiver? I am interested in buying a pair of Sennheiser model E815S headphones but i am not sure about the 18 Ohms requirement? I know most vintage headphones were 8 Ohms. And vintage receivers can handle up to 16Ohms. Thank you
@@SDsailor7 I have never tried an 18 ohm headphone on a vintage receiver, but my gut instinct says "No" Regular 32 ohm headphones get a bad case of impedance mismatch on my receivers, typically resulting in bass bloat, so I would assume that would be the case if you tried an even lower impedance headphone, but that is just speculation on my part. I'm curious to hear your findings.
@@headkarma normally what Ohms are the newer headphones ranges in ohms? I have a pair of Bose 25 that I haven't tested on my vintage receiver because the 1/4 in adapter won't fit the 3.5 on the headphones. I also have the KossAAA vintage headphones and those sound great on my receiver. I never thought about the newer headphones and the issues concerning Ohms. I am just begging to realize that it does.
With a versatile amp like this will it even be necessary to purchase vintage receivers? I am still in love with the Yamaha cbr 820 that I purchased almost 4 years ago that I am thinking of purchasing 3 or 4 more.
That depends upon what headphones you want to drive. If you're sticking to high impedance headphones then no, there is no reason to get IHA 6, though it does do a good job with high impedance HPs itself. The advantage of the IHA6 over a vintage piece is it's ability to drive planars and low impedance dynamics cleanly and effortlessly without worries about impedance mismatch and all the possible nasties that come with it, such as bass bloat.
Nice video %100 agree with you. I'm using HD600 with Kenwood KR5600 since childhood and recently with Marantz PM5004, sound is amazing. IMO the only con with the vintage amps for headphone using is the noise you can hear when focusing.
Would my Beyerdynamic DT-1990 pro 250Ohm headphones work well with a Luxman L-410 amp (1982). And does the Luxman have a resistor type headphone jack mmain amp step down? Thanks
Assuming that your Luxman uses a resistor, yes 250 ohms should sound excellent. Whether or not your specific Luxman uses a resistor or not, I don't know. Google your amp and see if the HP stage is covered in any online manuals or not. You can always ask over on Audiokarma too
@headkarma I found the schematics for luxman l-410. It shows a resistor on left and right just before the headphone jack. Should I assume it's a good sign?
Great review as usual. Upon your thoughts and opinions, I decided to order the pair which I found on eBay. I saw that it has holes in the headband. In fact, the original box comes with it and it is identical to the one on the desk in your video. I couldn't verify which version it is (EP, MP or LP). However, I do enjoy music with light bass as well. Will let you know how do they sound from perspective once they have arrived, it will take 90 days at least as it is transported from Germany. Have you tried them with one of your OTL amps?
Hey Qusay thanks for the comments and questions: If your incoming Sextetts havent been modded, they will be the LP version, which has the least amount of bass of the three Sextett versions. I have tried all of my Sextetts on the various OTLs I've owned over the years and I def prefer them via solid state. The Sextetts are very fast, snappy, incisive, immediate sounding headphones and I feel that tubes tend to take away some of the magic, much the same way as I feel about planars+tubes. It's just my personal preferences at play here and you may love them via an OTL.
@@headkarma Then these Sextetts are not the same the Sennheizer HD540 which benefits from OTL (Elevated low frequencies and slightly recessed high frequencies). It is a pity, especially after my vintage amplifier died two weeks ago. I will have to find a new one. I believe modern headphones amplifiers (such as Topping ones) won't make Sextetts sing properly. The thing is, planars, generally speaking, have low impedance and thus don't work properly with OTL. At least this what I have read many times already. Which planar headphones do you have?
@@QusayM91 Correct, the HD540 and HD250 benefit immensely from a good OTL. The Sextett is different, in fact I've only come across one Sextett owner who prefers it on tubes, but like anything in this hobby, YMMV. If you want a modern HPA for the Sextetts you will want something quite powerful. I've heard good things about the Wells Milo for the Sextetts. Also the Cayin IHA6 does a pretty good job driving them as well, but my fav is still a vintage SS receiver/amp. Most planars do not work with most OTLs, though there are a few exceptions. Generally speaking if you want tubes for a planar headphone you will want to look into a SET amp design. Currently I have the ZMF Caldera, used to own the LCD2.1 PF, HE 500 and HE6.
@@headkarma Well, then I will just take my old vintage receiver and repair it. That would be much cheaper than buying modern powerful HPA and (better sounding subjectively). I haven't heard about ZMF Caldera but I saw your comment on Head-fi talking about ZMF Verite. From a fast reading, I think ZMF Caldera is more than capable to substitute the HD250
Since you are metal head with an affinity for high end audio can you give us a list of your most favorite rock/music bands of all time starting from the very best ?, I have a feeling that you'll give us some great recommendations, Thanks and have a Happy New Year.
Well, I'm old, so a lot of my favs are the classic bands like Priest, Motorhead, Angel Witch, old Metallica, Riot, Krokus, Saxon, Dianno era Maiden Witchfynde, Sabbath, Accept etc.... Newer stuff that I enjoy are Unleash The Archers, Amon Amarth, Falkenbach, Agolloch, Immortal, Ahab, Windhand, Ruby The Hatchet, Kryptos, Opeth, Black Label Society, Alunah, Messa, Sleep, Gygax etc.... Not all sound great on headphones though... :(
I have a vintage Carver AV100 receiver, circa 1980s. Do you know if they went the resistor route for the headphones? Also, I am considering the Sennheiser HD 599s, I think they are 120 ohm but not sure on that. Would they sound good on the Carver or is that a bad match?
Hey Dan, thanks for the question. I really have no experience with Carver gear, though the 1987 production date of that unit might be too late in the game for resistors to be used, but I'm just guessing. I believe the HD599 is 50 ohms with a very high sensitivity. Chances are if your Carver is using an opamp it will sound fine. However if it's using an inline resistor you may experience very over powering, boomy bass aka bass bloat.
Thanks for answering. Before the Carver I had a Pioneer SX-1010. I sold it and bought the Carver because the it was one of the earliest high powered AV receivers and I wanted to go that route. This was before center channels, sub outputs and Dolby Surround. They used a proprietary circuitry called Sonic Holography that actually sounds pretty cool on some music tracks that are recorded less than optimally. The Carver is a beast at 150W per channel and drives my Klipsch RP-160Ms effortlessly. I recently took it out of a box in the basement where it’s lived for 25 years, hooked up my Technics SL-1600 turntable and an old JVC CD player, bought the Klipsch and have been rediscovering my music library. Now I want to get a decent pair of headphones thus the question as to whether the HD 559s would work with the Carver. If not I may purchase a decent DAC/amp combo. Any recommendations?
@@Dano-MX5 SX 1010? Classic receiver! Are you wanting the 599 for any particular reason? Personally, for Sennheisers, I'd be looking at the HD6xx available from Drop or even better an old HD250, which is one of my very favorite headphones at any price. If your Carver is using a high value resistor it will drive both the 6xx and HD250 very easily, and will sound great as well. What genres of music do you listen to primarily? And what's your budget for HPs as well as DAC/amp? For a DAC/amp I like the Audio GD R2R-11, which has a very nice warm sound due to the R2R DAC inside, and the amp is fairly strong at its price point as well. If you want to buy separates, something from Schiit is a solid choice. They have huge name recognition within the hobby so if there comes a time to sell them, it will be quite easy.
I listen mostly to rock n roll, blues and Americana. I dabble in some jazz and classical music but my Apple Music library is 95% the first 3 categories. As far as headphones go I originally looked into the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Bluetooth. Great reviews on the sound but buggy software…and just like my cars I want physical buttons, not touch controls. I’m old school. Thus my research led me back to old school wired HPs. Since I will just be using them at home I prefer the open back over closed and truthfully assumed I’d need a DAC/amp. I was trying to not spend more than $300-$350 total. Right now the 599s are on Amazon for $119 and we’re originally $249. The 6xx would consume my budgeted amount and if they could run off my Carver that would be great. I suppose I could buy a cheap DAC/amp like the FX Audubon DAC X6. $60
@@Dano-MX5 I listen to a lot of the same music as you. You're going to want something with great mids. Take a look at my review of the AKG K240 sextetts, which can typically be had for around $100.00 used, which is the only way to buy the Sextetts as they've been discontinued for nearly fifty years. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-wDkEYORrJu8.html I have headphones that retail for over $3000.00, yet my Sextetts still get headtime for me, in fact I like them so much I have 4 pairs!
Hello, When you spoke about the soundstage that is all around your head when listening to this amp, did you get it with a specific pair of headphones? Do you get it with closed back headphones as well? Another question, you might have talked about that in another video, but could you please explain the difference between and bass you get from OTL and vintage solid states? Generally speaking, I have heard that OTL amps are more on the warmish side. What's the power output of this amp by the way?
Yeah, the 360 stage happened on every headphone. The only two closed backs I own are the VC and Sennheiser HD250. The 250 and VC didnt have as grand of a scale as the open backs I own, but still impressive. As far as wattage I believe its 2w into 60 ohms, but dont quote me on that. Each OTL is different. La Figaro 339 was warmer than Woo WA2, which is warmer than The Glenn OTL, which is warmer than the Airmid. My Sansui 5000a is warmer than every OTL ive heard, and has more bass presence as well. Staging, detail and layering is where OTLs pull ahead.
@@headkarma This 360 sounds interesting indeed. Yes, the sound stage of the HD250 is relatively spacious but it is different from open headphones from my perspective. If the Sansui 5000a has more bass (Is it more accurate?) and is warmer, then why do you prefer to connect the HD250 to OTL tubes amp? I mean, what benefits does OTL amp provide to the HD250? I have just ordered a new handmade OTL amp, which has 1.5w at 600 ohm and I hope it will be sufficient for the HD 250.
@@QusayM91 I find that tubes, in general, out stage any vintage receiver I have owned ( I own eight). I'm a staging junkie, so I'm always prioritizing that aspect. The 5000a is by far the warmest and bass heavy amp or receiver I've yet to hear, which in my opinion doesn't really mesh well with warm headphones. Perhaps with a HD800 or Beyer T1 it might be more enjoyable. I like a warm rich sound, but coupled with ZMF headphones, its too much of a good thing. 1.5w @600 ohms is quite a powerful amp! You will have zero issues driving the HD250. What amp are you getting?
@@headkarma Are you talking about OTL specifically or all types of tubes amps? From my experience, since I used Xudoo at-26 (OTL) and Kardon Harman 330 (Vintage SS), the difference in soundstage was noticeable but not significant. However, these are toys compared to your amps hehe When it comes to the bass, I could hear it deeper and tighter on the vintage although I believe it is due to the difference in the output power... I ordered the new OTL amp from Cerntube, they are located in Lithuania. I have read very good reviews about them on eBay and the price was affordable for me as I couldn't afford to buy other professional OTL headphones amps. Not long ago, I tried the HD250 on Topping L30ii which is very powerful headphones amp. However, they sounded "lifeless" and "soulless". The sound wasn't full and that just amazes me. How modern technology couldn't make the HD250 sing like older technology (Vintage and OTL)
@@QusayM91 Ive mostly owned and used OTL designs, but the Aegis, which is a SET design staged incredibly well. The Wells Dragon 3 is a tube hybrid. That amp had crazy width, but height and depth were just average. Yeah, vintage receivers were designed with high impedance headphones in mind as thats all that existed back in the 1970s. They used to tap off of the speaker amp using an inline resistor so you didnt blow out your eardrums. Many modern headphone amps are designed to be used with low impedance/high sensitivity headphones in mind as those types of headphones make up the vast majority of the headphones being made today. I think you can count on two hands how many high impedance headphones are still in production in 2022, so obviously one needs to seek out a special amp to drive them well.
