Woot convinced me to get a Aeolus! :) I already had an Audeze X so thought that would overlap with a Verite or Atrium so wanted a different warm sound.
Hey congrats for the channel, love that you show and compare lesser known brands. I currently have 4 Kennertons in my collection (LSA HP1, Magni V3, Gjallahorn JM and Vali 2019) and I was thinking of trying some ZMF, because it's the only brand that tickles my fancy right now. My pick would be the Aeolus because im not too much into neutral headphones and I can't afford the Verité. Knowing that you are familiar with Kennerton and ZMF, my question is: do you think they are worth it, considering I already have great headphones (IMHO). Im afraid of spending 1k+ and not getting anything worth keeping. Thanks and keep the good job!
Thanks for the kind words. I'm a big Kennerton fan-boy as well and also tend to avoid super neutral HPs so I suspect our preferences are similar. The ZMF house sound is unique and differentiated from what Kennerton is doing so it would add some variety to your collection. The Aeolus is great value for money (within the ZMF line) and I suspect you would enjoy it. Resale value on well kept ZMF are really high. If you can find a used pair you can probably buy it, audition it, and if you don't love it, resell it. The Verite is amazing as well but you already own one of my all time favorite headphones, the HP-1.
@@SineCraftAudio thanks for the advice and for the quick reply! Need to try the ZMF sound, and the Aoelus would be the best gateway drug. As you said, I can always resell and move on if I don't like it. Gonna start the hunt for one right now! Stay safe!
This is a great review, thanks for all your effort. I´m torn between the Aeolus and the He1000 Stealth with the new Hifiman proces both very close in pricing. Since im overseas i can´t really try them out so i can´t "miss" on my election. Is there anything to consider between both other than Aeolus is warmer and HE are brighter? How about amp needs on both, extra costs, long listening session comfort, etc? Which one would you suggest? Thanks a lot.
I know a different price point but @sine crat audio would you have an opinion on verite open vs these two? i own a verite closed and love the zmf house sound, I want to get a open zmfs to compliment my VCs, I worry the VO is too similar not to mention the price differential...
I've owned a pair of VC and think they are brilliant. I have not sampled the VO but I understand that they are very similar in their presentation. Personally I would go for another HP in their line as I really enjoy variety in my HPs. Neither the Auteur or Aeolus will match the Verite on micro detail, texture, and separation, but that is not the whole story. As a compliment to the VC I would prefer to have the Aeolus since it is more spicy and expressive and will have greater contrast to the VC. But that's just me.
I know this is an older video, but hoping you might see this. I was wondering if you could provide a brief comparison between the Aeolus and the Magni? I sold my Magni as it was just a little too intense for longer listens. The presence region I found a bit fatiguing. Upper mids and lower treble would get a tad too hot and splashy for my preferences. Is the Aeolus a little darker, smoother, and laid back in this area? Doesn't need to be a ton, but even just a little would definitely peak my interest even more.
Hey Mark, this is all going from memory here but I'll do my best. The Aeolus is definitely more restrained than the Magni. It is open backed, has more detail and separation, and a generally more sophisticated signature compared to the Magni which is a bit of a bruiser to my recollection. Pretty different HPs.
Great review. I actually own one of the other four Mangowood Aeolus but mine is with copper grills and rods. I was thinking of buying an Auteur next but from the sound of your review that might not be the best way to go. I’d be replacing a Focal Clear with the Auteur. Maybe I should be looking at an Atticus or Eikon for something more exciting.
I had the Elex for a bit. I remember it feeling veery open with little details pinging far outside my head. Not sure if anything in the ZMF line has that same feel. If you're looking for fun... I think the Eikons are super entertaining. Haven't tried thee Atticus but I've heard from others that have sampled both that the Eikon is "better." If you like the Clears, might be worth a look at the Hifiman offerings.
I own the a Aeolus and Atticus, and they compliment each other very well. If you like the Aeolus, there is a good chance you will like the Atticus. I definitely would not say the Eikon is “better”, perhaps just different. ZMF dynamics are all great, and each have their own character, but all are TOTL headphones. Amp synergy with ZMF’s is very important as well.
@@wesspangler hello good sir, you're the exact person I am looking for. I confused which one I should pick, Atticus or Aeolus. I need something that is immersive and good at creating a 3d holographic feel to it. When I watch movies or recordings with winds, I want to feel the rumble of the wind. I kind of want a closed back so perhaps Atticus, but at the same time I am worried that it might sound narrow. I could only afford one, so which one would you recommend Atticus or Aeolus?
Thanks a lot for this great review! I’m particularly interested in the Aeolus to replace my Hifiman Ananda which I would use with a Naim Atom Unit HE amp. What’s your take on the Aeolus compared to the Ananda and also the Focal Clear MG? I listen mainly to classical and jazz, and also some folk. Basically, I’m looking for a neutral sound, with good midrange and soundstage (I note that you indicate the soundstage is not one of its strong points). Grateful for any advice you can provide. Best regards, Ignacio
What are you hoping to achieve with your next headphone? Is there something you are looking to improve upon from the Ananda? I haven't heard either in a while so grain of salt, but I think the Aeolus should have a little more energy, a more organic presentation, and some additional detail.
Thanks a lot for your reply. I find the Ananda quite good already but was hoping the Aeolus would be an improvement in terms of detail, imaging and soundstage. Regards, Ignacio
@ignicioperez4647 in terms of soundstage it will be not one but two steps backwards. Additional detail, probably not. It will be a warmer sound with mids in the foreground. I am not sure on a decent tube amplifier this is a better headphone than a much cheaper HD650.
Thanks a lot for the feedback. I still need to do a comparison between the Ananda and the Aeolus. I did compare the Focal Clear MG with the Aeolus and it was night and day. On the same track, So What from Kind of Blue, the Focal sounded flat and aggressive while the Aeolus were full of detail, and transparency.
Thanks for the review. You seem a little ambivalent about them. I wonder if ZMF headphones are... really possibly quite overpriced for how they actually sound - feel like a portion of the $ is for the fact that they're gorgeous handmade collectors items. You mention the Elex a little further down in comments for example. At 550-700, do you feel like it represents a far better value than, say, the Auteur or Aeolus? Even potentially sounding better in ways then the aforementioned? I only really care about sound and comfort. I appreciate that the headphones he makes are works are art, but man are they expensive.
I think it may be fair to say that if you are looking exclusively and performance per dollar there are better options than ZMF. Sennheiser and Beyerdynamic both offer some incredible headphones for $200-600 when paired with the correct amplification represent excellent value. The Focal Elex is another great example of exceptional value. They are a truly premium headphone with very dynamic performance (featured in one of my first reviews ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-SOjNu7G-kBk.html). ZMF stands out for having a very natural presentation. Their house sound is a little warmer with generous bass, then each of their models riff off that. They are fun to own and hold their value so pretty low risk to buy used, try out, and sell on. The Verite are better than most headphones I've tried and compete favorably with other things in that flagship price point. So, to sum up. ZMF are a pleasure to listen to and look at, but on a pure performance to dollar evaluation there are probably other things to consider.
They are pretty different listens. The Magni has more character with a closed back sound. The Auteur is more neutral and open with more detail. The Auteur is a better technical performer but it all depends what you're after.
Auteur probably has more micro detail but it is also presented more subtly so you need to listen with more intention. Aeolus has nice poppy details that kind of jump out at you but probably less mice detail. Both are very good at detail retrieval but not as good as the Verite.
@@SineCraftAudio That's very helpful, thanks for the reply. The TPE driver in my Atticus definitely doesn't present itself in a laid-back manner so I know what you mean.
