Z Review - ZMF Aeolus [Day 2] 

FFFF

no way

I once owned the M50x and waiting on my Aeolus to be built and arrive. Not even close lol.

People say the darnedest things

Sarcasm…? Yes.

You think these are a good upgrade from HD58X?

@@SussyBaka-em9rq big step up. Definitely

Really? Nice one. Can you leave a TLDR afterwards regarding the sound?

@@robertfan332 Just got my Aeolus yesterday. Holy shit are they good. Smooth, clear, not too much treble or bass. Sound stage is awesome. Compared to a very good pair of LCD-X's these maybe slightly better. Theeeese are good. If you buy them you will not be disappointed. I still need to see if burnin makes them better if that is possible. Playing them through a Mjolnir2 and a Gugnir multibit. Need to get a balanced cable for them ASAP.

@@Kurgaan1 How is the weight? I worry about the comfort, I have a hard time with even slightly heavy headphones, like the dt 1990 for instance. That has always been the reason I have not pulled the trigger on the LCD X :(.

@@buster7618 The Aeolus are much lighter and very comfortable. I have worn them for 6 hours with wearing glasses and they gave me no problems whatsoever.

@@Kurgaan1 you sir, are an enabler ;). Hopefully there will be some more reviews out soon, but I'm leaning toward it as my new open back

I also love 6XX/ 650 and recently got Atrium. Yes, expensive, but so worth it

Atrium is like a super, super HD650, with a crazy deep soundstage and lots of clarity and liquidity (see DMS's video), but the Aeolus are a different animal. They have a lot less upper mids than the 650 and Atrium, and have a much lusher tone than both (IMO). I came back years later to see Zeos's video because I wanted to reconnect with what he was saying way back then. He's so spot on, it's crazy. Aside from a little treble spike at 5.5 kHz, they are the least fatiguing headphone at super high volumes I've ever heard. I own them for cranking the volume and just rocking out. I can't do that with any of my other headphones. Really a unique sound if a rich, lush, and intense sound is what you're looking for. If you want something a little more "normal" sounding and WAY better technicalities, the Atrium is what you want.

@@Haasaaroni Hope you have a replacement ears provider.

Based on what you have said, I'd go with Auteur. I own all three and Auteur is like a mix between all 3. Slam dunk on a tube amp as well. Atrium is great but a darker tuning than aeolus for sure.

I dunno about the other models, but this one is very good. Ok the bass does not hit as hard as the Audeze XCs, but it's far above satisfactory. Biggest pro are the mids, which are crunchy and juicy AND the 3d effect that these hphones have. OMG!

I'm thinking the same thing... I own the Atticus and love them. I also have HD650s, and thinking it'd be great to upgrade those to the Aeolus someday.

What do you like more on the aeolus than the elex?

@@humanmale1085 I don't have either. My Aeolus is still in production, so if you opt for a ZMF be prepared to wait. I have an Elegia but not an Elex. Not sure I'd spend that kind of money for a headphone from Drop.

@@dasninjastix sorry man, i actually meant to ask someone else the same question. The comment above hours says he has the elex and Aelous, i meant to ask him. I appreciate your reply though.

@@humanmale1085 no problem ✌️

@@dasninjastix what do you think of the elegia?

DT177XGO, LCD-XC, LCD-2C Closed, ZMF Atticus, Sony MDRZ1R, Mezze 99, M50X (if used or on sale for a good price. These are not bad, Zeos just didn't like them, however I would take any of the other things I listed prior), Aeon Flow 2 closedm

Of all time 'til 2018 😂

THAT is the understatement

Seriously this. Of any price range. It's almost 2019, It's time.

What do you like more on the aeolus compared to the elex?

@@humanmale1085 the aeolus is considerably warmer sounding. probably the warmest headphone ive ever owned tbh... the elex can get a little too sharp at a certain treble frequency for me, and there is a little bit of graininess to the sound of the elex. idk how the aeolus manages to be much warmer while having a little more detail but it does... its just an amazing headphone

@@humanmale1085 the dynamic range and bass presence on the elex is certainly a lot of fun though. if someone was deadset on not spending a penny over 700 on a headphone, i would still gladly recommend the elex to them

@@StraightEdgeAlexxx31 thanks, i have the elex and i enjoy it alot, i actually prefer it over many others such as the hd800s. I've been considering a ZMF for a while to add to the collection. Im not looking to replace my elex but just add something different(i might be a headphone enthusiast but i don't like multiple headphones that sound the same) from the descriptions of the Aelous from yourseld and other reviews it sounds like it would be justifiable owning both the Aelous and elex as the Aelous is much warmer. My only concern is i didn't love the lcd2 fazors as i found them to dark. How do you find the Aelous compared to the lcd2s?

​@@humanmale1085 idk if i would use "dark" to describe the treble on the aeolus, but technically i guess you could argue they are slightly dark. i never feel like im missing anything but i definitely hear a little more treble energy on both the elex and the lcd2c (specifically the elex). your taste might not match up with mine at all because i love headphones that lean on the warm and kinda romantic side with their sound signature, but i relly would be surprised to find anyone that was disappointed with the aeolus in the treble department... funny thing is, i saw Drop called the elex the "super 6xx" and i couldnt disagree more because i think that is what the aeolus is... its a silky warm sounding headphone with a slightly dark signature. it just does all of that a bit better than the 6xx. idk what the fazor lcd2 sounds like but i can tell you that the aeolus is slightly darker than the lcd2c; so if thats not your thing you might wanna check out the zmf auteur instead because it has a little more zing up high.

I can only say headphone of the year so many times. YES

What was the conclusion?

I was gonna comment the same, need to know.

I was going to buy LCD-Xs until I got a chance to listen to these bought them the same day

@vvvVFANGSVvvv LCD-X's are not as comfortable as the Aeolus. They have more bass but the bass the Aeolus does have is more enjoyable. they have that planar analytic quality which i think would be nice for some things but its not what I want to listen to when i relax. The Aeolus has a more rich sound stage and they sound much more natural overall. A more pleasant headphone to listen with. Some people say the highs are lacking but they're really not. The highs are all there but presented in a non-fatiguing way. The Aeolus is everything I ever wanted in a headphone.

@@Zaes223 Are they like a superior version of the nighthawks?

@@Jordonater I have not had the chance to use a pair of Nighthawks so I can't comment. However short of winning the lottery and being able to afford a pair of Closed Verites I don't see myself using anything but my Aeolus for the foreseeable future. A simple change of pads and the Aeolus can morph into something entirely different and I really like that.

Email Zach. You will know.

He probably sent the velour strap as a demo part, zach has said you can either leave a note at checkout or it will be an option when you order the headphone.

earlier this year i bought a pair after reading a bunch of reviews thinking it was going to be a great bang for your buck, some of them mentioned that the bass can bleed into the mids. When i got them i was running them off of my onkyo tx-nr676 reciver and i was super disappointed that it was even worse than the reviews had said. Then i realized that the cable would my old hd590's(which the cable broke years ago and i couldn't find a replacement listing) and i was ecstatic(so comfy i used to fall asleep with them for years which is how cable finally snapped and they still sound great after 10-15 years i think). Recently i grabbed hd58x modi3 and an el amp and definitely a touch more resolving than my old hd590's though while decent comfy no where near the 590's and not as laid back i still occasionally grab the oldy but goodies to relax at night. Though while this was originally going to be a rant on how not to buy 599's and how i glare at them every time i walk by, as i wrote about taking the cable for the 590's i looked at them and thought.... well lets try them on the el amp actually they are petty good....the massive upper base low mids slop is gone. decently resolving, nice sound signature, not fatiguing, fairly comfy. but my original thought still applies, the 58x looks cheaper, and 6xx looks around the same maybe 10-15 more and both give you way more headphone for the money been listening to them the entire 20 mins or so on various music while i ramble and get distracted typing so sorry for incoherent mess, but they actually sound pretty good off a modi3/elamp, but they always sounded super bloated in mids on my receiver/phone ect so if you can find them cheap and have a schiit stack or something with out a super high output impedance go for it but at 180+ on amazon just looking there are better for the money. Mass drop only took about 4-5 to ship the 58x's to my house so its not always as bad as every one makes it out to be

nick grundtisch thanks for taking the time to reply

I prefer on Patreon. BUT there are other ways if you look.

the exact question in my mind. It so happens I am in a market for 1000 plus range headphones and was ready to order the C Flow but now I am kind of in the mist. according to Z those sounds better then C flow but he never elaborates on that and I think this would matter a lot because similar price points plus the fact C flow was he's go to headphone for a while now.

@@MititeluRadu what did you decide. Right there with you.

Mititelu Radu c flow is super accurate but doesn’t have nearly enough bass for my taste.

@@-havoc-tzu-3197 thats what i worry about also :/, but recessed treble is actually up my alley. So hard to find exactly what you're looking for. What is your go to phones?

Shrute Bucks Main Goto: HD 700 (relaxed but pretty accurate, and very comfortable) goto for competitive gaming: HD 800S. Goto for everyday carry: airpods Goto for work: Th-900MK2 or HD820 on WA7. Goto for sound isolation: HD 820 or Audiofly AF180 Goto for rocking out: Fostex Th6XX Purplehearts

I owned 2Cs and tried Aeolus. Get Aeolus.

@@Cereal421 2C improves a lot with great source. What did you run it from? I am using 2Qute and CMA600i. Lifting the 2C really to another level. The only thing that worries me in getting the Aeolus over the 2C is loosing on bass extension, slam and impact. In everything else I am pretty sure the Aeolus is better. But the mentioned attributes to me are extremely important.

@@Berkanann Did you end up purchasing the Aeolus or getting the chance to try time? I'm torn about whether to get the LCD2c or the Aeolus and am a bit concerned about bass response lacking on the Aeolus? What did you end up doing?

@@erikhansen3159 I auditioned the Aeolus and while I found it really nice, I decided to keep my 2C back then. I listen to a lot of electronic genres and Audeze just has a deeper and punchier bass. But that is just me. Aeolus is a very nice sounding hp and you won't miss any bass with other genres. It is a matter of personal preference. These days my daily driver is an LCD-X.

@@Berkanann Thanks a lot for the detailed answer! I will definitely keep this in mind when purchasing one over the other. Maybe I will get the chance to try both out and see which one I like more. So you said that your daily driver nowdays is the lcdx. I have considered them as an option and have heard a lot of good things about them. One thing that makes me feel hesitant about the lcdx is the bass response and warmth, I've heard they could sound a little sterile and not as bassy as the lcd2c. What are your thoughts on the lcdx compared to the lcd2c? Which one do you prefer and for what reason?

Slightly Harsh but definitely a worthwhile can.. Wide and lovely

he said that its the best imaging, so your good.

@LOW-FI-MID-FI BASSS Focal, beyerdynamic,Sennheiser (except hd 600/650), and especially Sony are not "technically" more accurate sounding. Most of them (especially utopia and hd 800) are bright af, with harsh sound that gives an impression of "more detail", but it's just bright treble. Sony mdr z1r is a super coloured sound too with a huge treble peak and a bloated bass. And beyerdynamic is mostly garbage in overall tone (super high piercing treble).

Sometimes it is worth waiting for greatness.

Yeah Better than Q2

How did he get it so early?

@@ELSA-ex4ph ZMF sent out units of verite and aeolus to a select few reviewers, a few months ago.

I didn't even try it. I may never try. I love them neat

OOF these. Different sounds. BUT ... ff..

Have you tried the new LCD-X's, as your review still had the (pre) 2016 version?

I had stax l700, stax still better but aeolus have more bass and smoother forgivig sound, l700 have this emotonlly crazy treble too real sounding. I will take aeolus for bass music and bad recording they are also better all rounder than l700, l700 shines with good recording

@@ahmadieb i own l700, if you want base extension, any headphone >$200 is better than l700, but accuracy and speed, l700 is better than any headphone

all i can say is this is Z's favorite, however, is it the best? if so, anyone who has utopia, lcdx.3.4, abyss1266, l700, 800s, 820, z1r, he1000v2, gs2000e should sell their pair and buy this, lol

ZMF, not even close

Got the hp-3 but sold it. Sibilance. I'm sensitive to that.

Enh. I run Hugo 2 through the Audeze The King hybrid amp. It’s end game special. Stax is great. 009 not the best Stax, but also it’s just not the same level of engagement as LCD-4’s, but I understand if not everyone wants to be totally inside the music. You might prefer to feel like you’re in a concert hall or something.

Personally I'd choose these so I don't have to deal with needing a dedicated energizer just to run.

Trust your own years. It depends whether you like the dynamic sound or electrostatic effortless sound that is very clear/detailed and fast.

no

Steve Guttenberg is all so doing a review of the s400, so can't wait to compare, both of y'all reviews.

no

@@dnalekaw4699 being they are made by the same company and are the same technology along with the exact same size ? How could I possibly come to that conclusion lol . Oh and the fact they look identical is also throwing me off 😁

@@turbomustang84 are you fucking high or what. These drivers aren't even made by foster and aren't even biodynamic. Pretty much the furthest from th 909/th900 drivers.

lifetime driver warranty on ZMF cans for the original owner! I'm not selling my Aeolus like ever.

@@theavareh1 Still have them? I just bought a used one lol. Hopefully they are reliable and the warranty isn't too necessary

@@1ce2berg Yes I do. Sadly the driver has broke twice in the last two years. I sent it for repair the first time and now gotta do it again. I'm considering buying another headphone and try it out once this is repaired and if I liked it as much as Aeolus, I might sell my ZMF.

@@theavareh1 True, that sucks. How many hours did it approximately have on it when the driver failed because I just bought a used Aeolus from the original owner but now the warranty is void (as I am not tbe original owner). Now I am considering selling it and buying a Focal Stellia and then I'll place an order for the Verite open in a couple months. Have you tried other zmf headphones? I love the sound of the Aeolus, its closer to my preference than any other headphone I've tried thus far (other than Stellia and Meze Empyrean). But if you are saying the zmf are not reliable then I should definitely buy a brand new pair for the warranty

You

If I have free time to listen. . . It isn't a guarantee I do stax over these.

@@ZReviews Technically, STAX is still more competent, if you check out the the measurements, Stax and electrostats in general have more clarity and near zero distortion literally.

Which did/would you pick?

I wouldn't buy either.

i guess 100$ but I really need a mic. Mod mics and boom mic add ons aren't available in my country btw, I can buy em from amazon but the shipping is high af

@@richbogli1918 buy ksc75 plus a desk mic. better than both the headphones and a better quality mic

@@ericthomas2388 Thanks, and it's only 20 bucks. Maybe I'll buy a Samson C10u Pro instead of settling for a gaming headset mic. Is it exclusive for Massdrop though? EDIT: nvm im stupid

yeah seems a little wack

If you dont like them, after the pre-order period is over you won't lose much, if any, money because people will be looking for any discount from the $1200 normal price.

not compared to theeeeeese boi

Can we have 2 headphones of the year?

Or Elex?

Or Arya?

Screw B no he fucking does cuz us morons in the audience who don’t know a headphone amp from a hole in the ground need this guidance

While it'd be silly to buy just for gaming, I'm also curious. I'm guessing you're a gamer that also appreciates quality audio? :) Did you end up buying these? I'd be interested to hear your thoughts.

Edrei Zahari almost a Loli💙

Shhhh.. Don't blow it up.

Checked her ID. Shes Definitely imaginary.

Z Reviews fine

donno about Meze but just get an Aeolus and thank me later.

Im pissed. the MORE passionate version of this review went out beforehand and didn't record.

@@ZReviews shit

Abyss headphones look like 20€ gaming headsets

I think the 1266 are not good but the Diana phi is awesome

@@ericthomas2388 Wouldn't mind hearing it one day, abyss measures bad for that price and isn't very resolving and clean sounding. For that price, headphones should be at level of hd 800 in overall technicalities at least.

@@akshat3516 haha, I don't like how hd800 sound either. Very boring and thin sounding. Awesome Soundstage though

Even if we assume that he would get them one that and not like like everyone else does, it still would not mean much. That's because it's quite apparent that Z's tastes are....more unique. It seems that he likes predominantly brassier and wider stuff, while if I am to use myself as an example, I like cleaner more intimate sound signatures.