Closed. Hopefully it’s solid.
Talked to Zach and he said these are thin caldera perf which isn’t the best on the AC. Also said to try the mesh that comes with the bokeh closed. So I’ll give it a try as well.
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Hey @Robson , how are you liking the Bokeh Open? I seem really good feedback from people on it and I considered picking one up maybe next ZMF month if it got any special LTD or colorway I might like.
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I really like the Bokeh Open, I think they hit a home run with it, and the the tuning overall is fantastic.
It hits really hard in the bass, almost shockingly so, but it’s controlled and tight. It has the ZMF midrange magic, and quite a bit of air up top with resolving treble that’s generally not over bright. It’s super dynamic, and the driver is very fast. It has a version of ADS, so soundstage is very good but not at Atrium level.
I feel like it has a lot of the positive qualities of the Atrium Open, like bass, macrodynamics, and midrange in general, though it lacks a certain “wetness” you get in the AO or Auteur Classic.
I also think it has some of the positives I find in the Focal Clear OG, like overall speed, attack, and resolving treble. To my ears it’s almost like the Clear and Atrium had a baby, and throw in some extra tuning options with pads/mesh variations and it’s really tough to beat. Particularly for the price.
IDK if this helps explain it very well!
It is easy to drive and doesn’t seem terribly amp fussy, but it does scale up with better gear and tube amp owners report it sounds great in most scenarios. I like it with both DSHA-3FN (my top choice) and Violectric V550/590. It also sounds excellent with Piety Maximus, so big $ amps not required. 
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Thanks for the detailed response! It seems like a fun headphone to mess around with.
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Whats up mates
Has anyone here been able to compare first hand a Classic Auteur vs an OG Auteur
Exact same thing goes for Classic Eikon and OG Eikon
People usually describe the OG conversion to Classic as a net positive only, but my sources are vague head fi comments so Id like to know if anyone here has more in depht info on the sound.
Its supposed to have a bit more airy and open feeling, and a slight clarity improvement.
I love how all of that sounds but, arent there like, any downsides?
I also get that some folks love the sound or their OG and dont want it to change.
Never tried ZMF and I wanna pick a used Auteur or Eikon based on the wood, but if I also wanted more resolution id have to pick a classic or convert the OG right?
I have owned my OG Auteur for quite a few years now, and I was able to compare it to the Auteur Classic for a week in-home back in 2023. I recommend reading all the impressions on the SBAF thread. Here’s the link: ZMF Auteur Classic Review | Super Best Audio Friends
I posted quite a bit on that thread, but here’s the paragraph that sums up how I felt about the comparison between the OG and Classic:
“I enjoyed the Classic and quickly noticed some technical improvements over my OG. Bass seemed a bit more extended and punchier. Soundstage was clearly better, especially depth. Imaging was more precise as well. Other than that, it was obviously still an Auteur, and that’s a good thing.”
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Thank you very much!
Everything adds up to what ive read so far.
Ill try to look for a classic or convert an OG, its an easy choice.
I been thinking of maybe picking up a ZMF headphone tomorrow if I still remember, so I was reading impressions. Then I stumble across this post from Zach:
I know he said there should be no changes in sound, but the new 2025 Atrium drivers will be slightly more efficient. Have anyone heard any new 2025 Atrium Open headphone and found no difference?
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I would say find a used pair as I think thats where that hit best value/performance wise.
I think the AO IS a good headphone. But why then did i sell mine? The cable i was getting for it took months too long (DHC tradition) and i had a buyer before i tried the more open mesh. I dont know if a cable is 100% needed, but i would advise everyone to grab the more open mesh because it is inexpensive, easy to swap, and imho increases detail and resolution.
I do not miss any of the headphones i have sold, except the AO. And it was because i was stubborn and didnt try a $20 mesh in time.
…but to answer your question i have not tried any new drivers, mine was a launch unit.
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I haven’t heard of there being much of a difference. I have a set here before the change and they have the hole in the mesh. I’m looking to get a different set of atriums in this drop so I could potentially do a side by side comparison if i get them.
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Yeah I get that. If I go with the new LTD Atrium, its going to be near $3K which is pretty much the same price as a used Susvara and Susvara is probably more to my taste than the Atrium (that’s me remembering how the Atrium closed and Susvara sound when I had them). My other choice was the Bokeh Open since the pricing seems more reasonable, but the way people describe it feels like it overlaps with my Onkyo A800 where its a balance natural sounding tuning with good dynamics and bass for an open back. I looked at other headphones, but it seem like the Atrium Headphone seems to fit the bill of what I am looking for, which is a headphone that does good on movie tracks and can sound big and theatrical for a headphone (at least that is how I see people describe it). For clarity from subbass to treble, I like the DCA Stealth. For realism and open sounded music, I like the Mysphere 3.2. For a cheap balance sounded headphone with more bass emphasis and less detail focus, I like my Onkyo A800 with the ZMF Ultra Perf pads. I am tempted to buy the Susvara again, but I want something a little more exaggerated than natural sounding.
Nice, hope you get what you wanted. The wood I am thinking of getting is the Katalox, but I am tempted to wait more to see the other woods or even the different Resin colorway.
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Hello,
just buy the Atrium where you like it.
It’s still my favourite headphone for any situation after more than 2 years.
Also rest assured that the supposed new driver will work the same as the old version.
It will have the same tuning.
More efficient is an elastic term, it can mean overall performance with minimal internal changes that you won’t feel.
Likewise, more efficient can mean that it will be easier for ZMF to assemble due to some kind of update.
This may have a slightly different effect on the sound.
Since you haven’t heard the old one, you won’t be able to hear the changes in the new one.
Similar to the Auteur OG which later became the Auteur Classic.
Opinions vary so much from baby Atrium to OG owners finding the OG better than the Classic and vice versa.
The best recommendation for the Atrium open is to use a soft wood.
The decay is much better and so is the reverb.
I have heard my Bocote against Koa, my colleague and I say that the Bocote is better.
It is a bit softer than the Koa, about 2800 Janka while the Koa is a bit harder.
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Huh? Bocote is a pretty hard wood. Koa is the softer of the two and the stock cherry is the softest. I really thought the hardness of the bubinga was needed for the lack of ZMFs definition and i feel the atrium chamber design carried and provided all the spaciousness and decay one would need.
@SaberPunch The Katalox is nicknamed me ican ebony so i would imagine it to be dense, hard, and when used on my guitars bridge it had a fast and defined character. The question is much does this matter as the dampening system seems to be one specific wood (mahogony or sapele) no matter what the cans are.
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It seems like different wood may have an effect on the Atrium Open. I got this from the ZMF Atrium LTD page:
“Katalox is one of the densest tonewoods we’ve ever used, often referred to as “Mexican Royal Ebony” for its dark, luxurious appearance and fine texture. When machined, it reveals a silky sheen and subtle depth that almost seems to glow from within. Its unique density enhances the Atrium’s low-end response and articulation, delivering a listening experience that is as grounded as it is expansive — making this LTD both visually and sonically special”
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Yeah i mean, that us what i would expect from ebony or another very hard very closed grained wood.
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A bad pic but once again i would think the dampening system has a lot to do with the sound and unless there was a change it seems the wood used there is different from the cups themselves. The cups probably add a bit of a lean or push in one direction.
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I mean that his was Koa.
Anyway, the Bocote definitely sounded better, it wasn’t much but if you listened closely you could tell.
The Artrium cherry didn’t sound wrong either when I heard it at the show with the Envy.
As for the mesh, many may say it makes a difference, which I think it does, but many have gone back to the original.
I would rather work with the pads than the mesh.
For tube amps, also use tubes for a good experience.
In terms of pads, I would choose Auteur Lammfell perf and Caldera ultra perf.
Because both are very close to each other in sound, except that the Caldera ultra perf are a little more neutral in sound and less recessed.
I couldn’t do anything with the Universe, they go in a completely different direction and don’t sound like the Atrium if we’re talking about the open version.
Back to the wood, my Zmf’s are always either soft or medium hard, not harder.
That was always the right way for me.
Auteur Og maple, Verite closed black/white ebony, rather soft, and Atrium Bocote rather medium hard.
I’ve never gone for harder, but it’s always a matter of personal preference.
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Not to belittle the point but most of those i would say are on the harder side. The maple would be the softest but very tight grain. Ebony is known for being very close grain and hard, unless something is being missed across languages. Are they super hard tool breaking woods, no not that far of course.
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I think you might actually be making the opposite point. If you and your colleague both preferred the Bocote Atrium to the Koa, then you both preferred the harder wood. Bocote is almost twice as hard (Janka 2010) as Koa (Janka 1170).
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I’m not 100% sure if it was Koa, he bought it during the first Atrium year when it was released.
About 6 months after release there was cherry, koa and bubinga wood.
I can rule out Cherry as it was an LTD.
In any case, the Bocote sounded better in the end.
In general you can say that at least for me the ZMF’s sound best with 1800-2200 Janka.
But there are exceptions, so soft wood as well as harder wood can be better than my preference.
It often depends on which model you buy where hard or soft wood can be better.
My colleague needed 3 attempts for his perfect Verite open, sold all 3 hard woods and the 4th was a soft wood that sounded incredibly good, it was slightly better than my Verite closed Black/white Ebony.
So I think the wood selected may be more important than any mesh changes or other things in the mould.
The second would be to get used to the pads chosen by Zmf and decide before you go the long endless pad mile.
Here are my Zmf’s pictured, the two I bought myself, the Verite closed came from a reputable trade.
I got a new one for it from the November 2024 sale where it was bought and swapped the Feliks Euforia for it and never regretted it.
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