I thought it was the Questyle m15i. Or was it the iPod with the Sennheiser IE600? Or was it your project omega headphones? Wait, I thought you said the Empyrean Mk 2 was the greatest headphone...
Basically a perfect review. I love how you weren’t shy about how it works and what people want to know about it. But you’re also big picture focused to understand what is most important for you. This is where objective and subjective in this hobby perfectly mix. It’s this guy, this review. Thanks. Now I’ll have to decide if I ever want to fork over $2k for one someday.
I love my Atrium, I think it’s the single best thing I own. They completely changed my mind in what I’m looking for in audio. I think I can say they are my actual endgame, and I’m finally retired from collecting headphones.
@@MikePio they’re different and I like them both depending on what music I am listening to. I usually start by choosing from my 5 DACs, then decide from my 6 amps and then the Genre. Without doing a full review, Susvara is a lot more detailed (right down to the slightest sound), resolving and relaxing.
Dont need them but will definitely get a cocobolo set in early 2024 to sit alongside my Stax. EDIT: now have them and they are a wonderful listen and pretty much just as you describe.
well, if i didnt already own a pair i would buy a pair after this review - for me this headphone, similar to the dca expanse, its perfect for all day shuffling your entire library while pounding out code
Still can’t decide which I like more my Atrium Open or Closed. But considering both are getting more listening time than my Caldera and Verite atm, being far less detailed, this thing has a very special magic to it. Great review and kudos to Zach the sleep deprived sound magician.
@@jefryions5657 Verite is one of most detailed, resolving dynamic driver headphones alongside with Focal Utopia. They rival many high end planar. Both are faster too due to the beryllium drivers. Apart of that has very addicting but controversial tuning, which many people either love or hate. Atrium on the other hand is more conservatively tuned is very addicting grander in its sound, more textured and has a deeper soundstage. It’s slower and less detailed though. I have both alongside with Caldera, all three are very special headphones.
@amaya897 I found the verite to still be one level down from a utopia in terms of detail, however, that might just be because I found its tonality to be significantly less agreeable. Controversial I know, I don't think the utopia is quite on the same level as the planar flagships. The lcd5 and susvara are noticeably more transparent and "peerless" sounding than the utopia. A lot of it I think has to do with decay qualities. The ZMF decays slower past the fundamental harmonics than the planars do. The e-stats are even more so. The 009s so overly fast to the point that it truncates impulses before it's supposed to finish, but it does make it sound absurdly transparent.
I haven't heard the Atrium, but the ZMF Aeolus or Audeze LCD-2F does something similar for me. It's not the most detailed or spacious but I prefer it to much more expensive headphones like Susvara, LCD-5, DCA Stealth, Abyss 1266 or Diana TC...
I have a pair of these and yes they are crafted beautifully, and gorgeous to look at. They are detailed yet have a forgiving sound profile.Even though they are quite big and heavy the strap is thick and surprisingly comfortable. This 300 ohm headphone is simply fantastic on tube OTL amplifiers.
Dude, I love the use of the image to describe the sound. I feel like that can be utilized quite well for headphone reviews, as counterintuitive as it may be
6 months down the road, how do you feel about the VC vs the AO? Currently with a dessart ironwood VC and thinking of the AO. Cyan 2 feeding a Pendent SE currently.
Great review! I love the way you describe the sound of these, and I'm also surprised how differently we hear things. The Atrium gets so much praise, and yet every time I've auditioned it (including a multi-day demo at home on my own gear), it's missed the mark for me. There's something in the upper mids that makes electric guitars, synths, etc. too shouty and forward, voices (while having some amazingly natural texture) sound on the dry/distant side, and the sub bass rolloff is pretty apparent due to the boosted mid bass. I much prefer both the Caldera and the Auteur Classic, the Caldera for a more true-to-life experience, and the AuC for more romanticism and pleasant "wetness" in the vocals.
Just dropped a comment about this in the Head-fi Atrium thread. There are in fact 4 mesh options (if you include meshless) as there are two types of vented mesh - the radial vented mesh which can be purchased from ZMF and the stock vented mesh which comes with the Atrium. If you choose to test out the radial vented mesh, please do let us know what you think in comparison to the other mesh options.
I have all mesh variants for the Atrium, and they all sound great. My preference is the solid mesh. A lush, warm and slightly dark sound. The radial mesh adds more treble and vocals sound very clear with them. It makes the Atrium more aggressive from the upper mids/ lower treble. Less forgiving but depending on your gear you might prefer that sound.
I ordered a purple-burst european ashwood verite closed a couple weeks ago and I'm stoked to get that shipped to me whenever it may be ready. Super pumped to get into the groove of zmf. It's definitely the most I've spent on a headphone hands down so I have moderately high expectations (just hope they pair okay with a Jotunheim becuase that's all I got at the moment). Also, I hope you get to post more videos because I love seeing your input.
The atrium has such a wonky/unique tuning that when I got mine I was straight up disappointed with them. It took a week of listening for my brain to burn into the weird tuning, and then the world opened up. These headphones are reeeally good.
I might be pulling the trigger on these soon and comments like these make me nervous lol... What about their sound is unique/wonky? I listen primarily to ambient, film soundtrack and electronic. And my previous headphone is the HD800. So ya... 😅
It's not "brain burn in." The drivers physically loosen up. I got the ZMF Bokeh, and they didn't sound good to me. I laid them in a box and played them for 200 hours and they sounded excellent. Loosening up the moving parts in a driver makes it perform better.@MikePio
What's the difference to the (more or less hated) Audioquest Carbon series headphones? My guess is these headphones would do much better in todays headphone landscape, especially for the price.
Man those wooden+resin combo ones look so damn nice, currently saving money for an atrium/caldera to buy 1 of both at the end of this year. Can't wait to try em out at this years highend in munich :) Also this was the best review of the Atriums i've seen so far in my opinion, thanks for that 🎶
Hey GoldenSound, I'd love to get your thoughts (and challenge you) on something. I own a Meze Elite and have owned and heard countless other headphones, including the Susvara, HE1000, HD800S, all the LCDs, and even an AKG K1000. When the Meze Elite was released it was different to these other headphones in that it was coloured and not as detailed, but yet it sounded incredible. In fact, my Elite is the only headphone that has stuck around because it genuinely does something (I assume) like the Atrium where it just makes everything sound lovely. Now, other reviewers gave the Elite a bad rep, said it wasn't competitive in detail at its price point, and overall just shunned it. However, the Atrium seems to be loved by all, even though you say that it has less detail than much cheaper headphones. I definitely need to get my ears on an Atrium, but I am also confused as to why these headphones got such different reviews with detail retrieval being used as a benchmark only for the Elite/Empyrean. Otherwise, a great review as always. I really enjoy your content!
I dont think the elites did anything special. It was a worse tuned ayra with better dynamics for $3000 more. It had nothing else going for it from my listening.
Hey Man, i really appreciate your content, i genuinely feel like you’re the person with the most valuable reviews in the audio world, period. I would be stoked to see you review the Trafomatic Head 2. It’s a 2700 € tube amp. It is said as being an impressive piece of audio equipment.
I have the Atrium and like it the same way you do, vented mesh, stock pads. Was wondering why I didn’t see your review on the Atrium. And, I still like my Susvara and Arya Stealth.
ZMF is the best headphone company in the world imho, true craftsmanship and each model no matter the price gives an engaging sound that is addictive. For the price of a Susavara you could have an Atrium and a Caldera, now that would be something. Great review
Hi Golden, great review. You are one of my favorite reviewer on youtube. I have a question: Normally I´m a fan of closed back HPs and own a VC and a Kennerton Rognir Planar but i will try out a open back. My main music i´m listen to is most sorts Metal, Rock, Blues, a bit of Jazz. Which HP can you recommend? Thank you in advance.
Thanks a lot for this excellent review, very detailed and informative. I have a pair of Hifiman Ananda which I’m thinking of replacing with the Aeolus. Do you think it would be an improvement? From what I have read or heard (also in this review) ZMF really put you “inside the music” more than other headphones like the Hifiman. That’s what I’m really looking for more than precise detail retrieval. Also, is there a huge difference (beside price of course) between the Atrium and the Aeolus? Many thanks a happy end of the year holidays. Best wishes, Ignacio
I only got to try them at Munich high end this year, along with the caldera. Unfortunately, i have no idea what pad it was using but I wasn't impressed at all. Maybe that had something to do with it being on a Felix audio tube amp (an OTL model), what it was too warm and wonky sounding, with about LCD2 levels of clarity. The caldera was also really unimpressive for how much it was. The susvara was next to it, and it was like a window that hadn't been cleaned in a week, to no window at all. I want to hear them again to give a fairer shot, but I think I wont like any headphones to have a relationship this unbalanced between the mid-bass and presence region. You need both if you going to have this much warmth to cut through it. It's not natural no matter how "organic" that prescribes. Whatever that means. Lmao
These were my fav for a while until I got the Caldera. Since then I've only picked them up once and went immediately back to my Caldera's. Def a great headphone tho.
Fantastic side headphone. It was the perfect compliment to the VC. After I sold the VC, as a single headphone, honestly, it became very boring and predictable. BUT overall, for everything else other than electronic music, it's the best open back dynamic hands down
Well yeah of course it’s predictable, it’s made to deliver the same sound profile all the time, not randomly change depending on the songs you play, i don’t really get your point here
These are probably my next set! Thanks for a great review of them. My ZMF Verite Closed in Desert Ironwood were literally just delivered while watching this video. I already own the Verite Open and Atrium Closed and love the ZMF sound. Each set presents music beautifully and has their own area where they excel, pad rolling also makes a huge difference.
After a listening session yesterday; I can definitely see a reason for owning both. They VC have such amazing isolation that I can keep the volume down, while still picking up the micro details. They both have the perfect amount of sizzle up top for my ears. To me the mid bass and sub bass are slightly more prevalent with the closed version. I find the soundstage on both to be similar in width, but the closed might offer the VC a little more depth. They are both pin point with imaging precision. I am thoroughly impressed and have zero regrets with my purchase of both. I will be doing some side to side comparisons when I get a chance.
The AC has a little more weight behind the notes to my ears. The VC has a Beryllium coated driver that has a ton of energy and speed, so micro details are a little easier to hear. The AC has a bio cellulose driver that to my ears definitely has more sub bass, smooth but less than VC mid bass slam, and a smooth transition into the high frequencies with plenty of details, but less sizzle and air than the VC. The AC remind me a lot of my Klipsch Cornwall IV’s on a tube amp in my living room. They sound like a set of huge vintage speakers that you can enjoy all day long. I am glad I own both, and my next purchase is most likely the Atrium Open.
I'm currently shopping for a pair of audiophile headphones, so I'm auditioning several. The Atrium is on my radar. But someone correct me if I'm wrong: you can only buy it directly from ZMF, and if you want to return them it will cost you 10% of the cost plus shipping. Not exactly a generous return policy! I mean, I have to pay $250 plus shipping to send them back if I don't like them? If so, no thanks.
Got these earlier this week, they sound great regardless of configuration, but I definitely prefer the Universe Perf leather stock pads, but with the solid titan mesh. The stock mesh is just a bit too 'hot' in some music and gets a bit too spicy for me. Solid mesh fixed it right up for me though.
