Dear ZMF I just want to make sure that you know just how hugely respected and loved Lachlan and his channel is. He does so much for us audio enthusiasts all while sleep deprived as a parent too. Great podcast Brothers- George and Karyn from Vancouver Canada

Zack is such a cool and straight forward dude

Zach, is the man :) Thanks for you two getting together for this illuminating chat! Especially appreciate some of the design process discussion this round ✨🙏✨ The tease for this video is special - “Crinacle ptsd” priceless! Crinacle I’m sure has created ptsd for a lot of mfg! I’m a fan of irreverence, and Crinacle is a maestro, it’s totl entertainment. To hear Zach’s reasoning for Verite tuning in this video - that it helped the sense or experience of depth - I get the calculation now, thanks! And more on the Auteur Classic tuning goals too - insightful! The Verite is still the detail king in ZMF lineup to my ears. The sax in kind of blue was more of a 3D instrument. One of my system ideals is to be able to hear almost what version of an instrument is playing - the Verite pushes that direction beautifully. To me the new Auteur Classic is like a baby Atrium. Sitting and listening to the Atrium Open, Caldera, and Verite - all Blackwoods; they are all so good in their own rights! ZMF Zach - bowing in your general direction ✨🙏✨🎧✨ Thanks Lachlan✨✨✨

Hearing him describe the Atrium Closed and owning an Eikon, I think I may have to collect one at some point. I do love the sub-bass emphasis and sense of rumble on the Eikon though they can be a bit stuffy at times. Really wish Zach all the success in the world, I'm happy to own two of his headphones and really adore what he does with those bio cellulose drivers.

Wow, congratulations on expanding your manufacturing capacity Zach.

I absolutely LOVE my Auteur Classics. They've really become my go-to headphones since I got them last year. Like you mentioned, they're both very honest and highly musical, with really solid bass extension as well. Like you, I use them when I want to know what a recording "actually" sounds like, but then go to the Aeolus when I want some fun and funk in my sound.

So I heard the atrium closed. It is awesome if you like bass and don't mind distorted guitars. It's definitely a "fun" headphone but the sound staging doesn't let the bass get too muddy.

this is just so nice !!! got no bigger compliment i wish i was there, virtually

I think by "wonky" Crinacle actually meant "It doesn't sound lifeless and sterile."

Great chat, Lachlan you are my favourite audio reviewer, you explain sound so eloquently and clearly and if you review a product I own it is always spot on. I don't buy anything until I've checked to see if you reviewed it. As for ZMF, well I own three now - Atrium, Atticus and Aeolus. I absolutely loved many of my headphones and have actually sold many of them since getting my first ZMF as nothing sounds so good to my ear. Im a classic rock, new rock fan who loves guitar and a great female vocalist. ZMF are just fantastic for those. While I hated to part with many of my favourite cans because ZMF rendered them obsolete I did use the cash from those sales to build a vintage system centered around a1978 Yamaha CR-820 paired with some Focal speakers, a turntable, EQ, Dual C808 cassette and even an Akai 8 track just for kicks. Keep up the great work guys

Honestly I prefer something that sounds unique at the price point that ZMF is selling their headphones at. Something that sounds unique with character but still sound great, which is what ZMF specializes at in my opinion. I think even cheap headphone could sound great with the Crinacle standard neutral graph. However to make something that sound unique, for example with elevated midbass but still sounds pleasing and not too muddy is something not that easy to pull off, and I think ZMF really pull that off with their headphones.

Great chat! I'm incredibly excited for the collaboration amp ZMF is doing with JDS Labs. A big fan of both companies and an adjustable impedance amp that synergizes well with ZMF cans with the quality both companies are known for? I cant wait!

Thank goodness that my sonic sensibilities line up with Zach’s! While I find Crinacle entertaining, I’ve found, over the years, that I definitely have some issues with his preferences and sometimes his reviewing style. In any case, he’s an iem guy. He’s not a headphone guy.

I hope you do more interviews like this, it was fascinating! The Caldera is sounding like a headphone to try.

Some name ideas include: Agora, Apollo, or Acropolis. These are consistent with the some other names in the line up. They have a Greek or mythological connection. And, the words start with an "A", like several other models. Agora means the public square, which seems fitting for an entry level model. Apollo is the god of music. The Acroplolis in Athens was a music and performing arts center.

Nice to see and hear more about the new entry option from zmf. Looks too nice to be an entry option, but I'll gladly accept it being more affordable than the other models. Really want a desktop or gaming headphones option from zmf, and that new one looks like a really nice option. I had previously thought it was going to be strictly Harmon tuned but I guess Zach couldn't help himself adding zmf house sound touches here and there which has me more excited about it now as opposed to what I remember hearing previously on it. Really wanna try that one out. Hope it comes out soon. Thanks for making this video!

Damn, it's making me wonder if I should wait for this portable one vs the focal radiance lol

The ZMF Mercury sounds like a good name for the lightest, smallest, most portable little shiny object.

Hello Lachlan, When can we expect the Caldera and Holo Bliss reviews? :)

Cool stuff I’ll have to look into the P4S podcast content. I do lust after the caldera while the closed atrium probably would be the logical choice for my use case demand for being back in office. I wonder if the isolation is decent for an office environment so I don’t get sound bleed to disturb my neighbors.

Zac... we are waiting ZMF pads for Stax L series... those from factory, especially with L300, are really crazy too thin... btw, I have those for sennheiser HD6 and suggest everybody to buy them... are a HUGE step above those from factory

None of this matters...! How does Fiona Apple sound on these headphones? Best, D.

The auteur classic is honestly his best tuned headphone IMO

POSSIBLE NAMES FOR "ZMF" PORTABLE HEADPHONES: 1) THE FALCONS, 2) THE JAGUARS, 3) THE OCELOTS, or 4) THE CHEETAHS. I'm thinking of something BEAUTIFUL, SLEEK, FAST and POWERFUL, that hunts for LIVE MUSIC. Since portable headphones are commonly used on planes, a bird name may fit best, like THE FALCONS. PEREGRINE FALCONS can go into a 200MPH head dive!!! Then there is the MILLENIUM FALCON SPACECRAFT from STAR WARS. The LOGO would be a FALCON flying through music (sound waves). Another possible cool name, would be THE SIRENS (from MYTHOLOGY), who would lure sailors to their death (on the ROCKS), because of their ETHEREAL, HYPNOTIC, EUPHONIC, IRRESISTIBLE and BEAUTIFUL singing!!! ------- AS A SIDE-NOTE: I think that the 50CM POLYCARBONATE DRIVERS, from the SIVGA 021 "ROBINS" headphones holds some potential for upgrading to a higher level. I think SIVGA copied "ZMF" with: INSTRUMENT-GRADE ROSEWOOD CUPS, with 2 top ports and some kind of INTERNAL DAMPING. SIVGA also copied the FOCAL CLEAR MG (which I also own) headband. MY CURRENT HEADPHONE SYSTEM: PS Audio Digital Link III w. Cullen Circuits Stage Four Mod (220V) DAC, ROTEL RCD-1072 CD PLAYER (w. "HDCD" PROCESSOR) used as TRANSPORT, a SCHIIT Audio MAGNI 3 HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER, LAT International DI-30 DIGITAL CABLE (with SILVER/COPPER ALLOY CONDUCTORS and KLE Innovations "HARMONY" RCA connectors), ANALYSIS PLUS (Flushing, MI) Solo Crystal Oval Interconnects, 220V AUDIOQUEST NRG Series POWER CORD, Laspada Audio APOLLO I Power Cable with Red Copper Contacts (Non-corroding COPPER) and a Regvolt 500W VOLTAGE CONVERTER REGULATOR and STABILIZER (with LED READOUTS of INCOMING AND OUTGOING VOLTAGES, as used by MILITARIES, GOVERNMENTS and CORPORATIONS internationally). My DAC and TRANSPORT both utilize the BURR-BROWN and CIRCUS LOGIC chip sets. Very ANALOG and TUBISH sounding. The SIVGA 021 "ROBIN" headphones really UP-SCALED on my specific headphone system. They have the following SONIC SIGNATURES: SUPER DEEP (INFRA-SOUND LEVEL --- 8-10 HZ???), FAST and TIGHT BASS that vibrates my entire body (like a sub-woofer), a FAST, EXTREMELY DYNAMIC AND "PUNCHY" SUB-BASS, a CLEAN and CLEAR MIDRANGE, a close to ELECTROSTATIC-like in SPEED and TRANSIENTS TREBLE, SCARY TRANSIENTS and DYNAMICS from a DEAD QUITE BACKGROUND (my body muscles twitch and my eyes blink, like when you experience a loud-noise like a gunfire or a firecracker), a HUGE SOUNDSTAGE (with a lot of air) HOLOGRAPHIC, LASER-SHARP IMAGING (my eyes move around as real images are surrounding me), ACCURATE TIMBRE and REALISTIC VOICES with MICRO-DETAILING and "EMOTIONS". Yet, it is SMOOTH enough to not be IRRITATING and I can hear quite well after listening to me at a high-enough level. They sound like LIVE MUSIC (and not HIFI) and they sound so EUPHONIC and SEDUCTIVE, that I can't stop listening to them. They are a ON-STAGE and/or FRONT-ROW headphone MOSTLY, but they can sound set-back in a concert hall, if sent the proper audiophile signal. I'm at a loss of words for how they UP-SCALED and do things I haven't heard any other headphones do. The point is, the 50MM POLYCARBONATE DRIVER may be good to try out, as a new driver material. POLYCARBONATE is a POLYMER-CHAIN MOLECULE made with CARBON ATOMS (like GRAPHENE is CARBON ATOMS). POLYCARBONATE is used to make BULLET-PROOF PLASTIC, ASTRONAUT HELMETS and STREET LAMP COVERS. If this driver sounds incredible in a cheap pair of $150 headphones, imagine how it could sound in a HIGH-END pair of HEADPHONES??? I'd definitely name these headphones: "THE SIRENS"!!! I've been an AUDIOPHILE, since the 1970's!!! I emphasize keywords (like in SPEED-READING), because written word enters the brain faster.

this video confirms, once again, that you are much better "live" than when you are reading text from the screen with those, frankly AWFUL slow downs at the end of each sentence

"Cringeacal" = "0"