I really don’t like Schiit’s design either!
But I’ll look past that since the sound seems to be pretty stellar according to our friends on here.
I’ll definitely post impressions after I order and receive mine.
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@MartinTransporter I wouldn’t stress it! You have a fantastic DAC and is Endgame for a lot of people! I won’t get rid of my RME anytime soon lol! Also, yeah it isn’t the prettiest gear but is functional! I’ve been having a hell of a time playing it in my setup
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For sure @MartinTransporter.
I’ll probably end up with one too! I’m just going a slightly different route, as the BF2 will eventually move to my computer to replace the old NAD.
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so you plan multiple listening setups? like at the computer and elsewhere?
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That’s what I have now. My ‘main’ setup is based around a comfy chair in my bedroom using the Node 2i as the source.
And the computer setup uses a Mac mini with the NAD as the dac.
The walnut stands (I got another one! 
) are for the computer setup, and the Room’s stand is for the ‘main’ setup.
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“you can´t stand on one foot” is a german phrase - mostly used for something like “1 drink is not enough”
I also need to find a way, being able to listen at the computer in the other room. At the moment I run the xDSD and am fine with it, while the living room has the stack with RME, SMSL SU-8, 789 and I drag out the laptop all the time and put it away. Your NAD as source is gold!
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This is true. 
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I am also planning 3 listening areas, 1 at my desktop, 1 next to my Stressless chair, and one next to my bed.
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That sounds like a nice setup.
I’d probably do a bedside setup if my comfy chair wasn’t already in my bedroom!
I actually bought an extension cable (Mogami 20ft.) on the occasion when I want to lay in bed with my headphones on. Yes, the SQ slightly degrades, but it’s a fair trade off.
Sometimes I’ll even watch a movie in bed with my headphones on!
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Sitting here, enjoying my morning coffee and switching between HD650, Auteur, Aeolus, Eikon. ADI-2fs > Asgard 3. I said I’d listen and post my thoughts, so here goes:
Just to get it out of the way early, all of the ZMF headphones have more quantity of bass than the 650’s. The 650’s bass starts to roll off pretty early. This is mostly fixable via EQ.
One of the best things about the HD650 is it’s overall presentation. It is a very coherent sound. When you’re listening to it, the whole song is represented well. Things don’t sound out of place. It’s very hard to pull this off, I think. When I listen to other headphones, sometimes things stick out like a sore thumb by comparison - cymbals are too hot, or a vocal doesn’t have the presence I was expecting. Things like that.
Swapping back and forth between headphones, I think the Auteur seems to be closest to HD650 in overall frequency response. The 650 sounds pretty linear from lower mids through to middle treble, with a little emphasis somewhere in the lower treble. (I think @metal571 said he likes to EQ 2.5kHz down a little, and I’d guess that’s right around where that little bump is.) The Auteur seem to match these qualities closer than Aeolus does, but also sounds different from the HD650 when taken in as a whole. I’m not sure how to explain that one. It’s like how a french horn and trumpet can play the same note, and still sound different.
The Aeolus seems to have more peaks and valleys though that frequency range, but I also think it’s more HD650 sounding than Auteur. The Aeolus sounds like a Spinal Tap version of the 650: It takes the HD650 sound and “turns it up to 11” and “has sustain for days”. The bass is much warmer and gives Aeolus a more rich sound. Mids have more emphasis. Lower treble seems to have a little dip but then extends up into the treble fairly well, which is kind of the opposite of the 2.5khz 650s bump. The treble is just smooth on both. I think both headphones may be lacking the air and sparkle some desire.
Aeolus = suede perforated universe pads
Auteur = perf leather Auteur pads
Eikon/Verite aren’t as comparable. Eikon is all over the place in FR compared to 650. The difference in bass quantity is probably best measured in orders of magnitude.
Edit: Concerning staging - if you’re looking for a speaker like sound stage, look elsewhere. These are all better than the Focals I’ve heard, but not as wide or deep as what you’ll get from Verite open, Hedd, hd800, Raal (obviously), etc. My brain doesn’t seem to be easily fooled into perceiving a 3D stage when two transducers are placed over my ears VS being placed in front of me. All headphones sound in my head, not really out in front of me, thus I don’t really listen for this (or really care about it, if I’m honest).
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Great impressions. Very articulate.
I still say the Porta Pro is the “Baby Aeolus” (having never heard one). 
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Thanks. 
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thank you @ProfFalkin
this sounds to me as if the Aoelus with the suede perforated universe pads is a warm w-shaped hf with no sibilance in mind
could it be the Auteur with the perforated leather Auteur pads is more flat frequency response wise and a touch brighter vs. your Aoelus with the named pads?
Edit: with both reaching more down the Auteur is in both directions wider extended vs Aoelos?
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That’s a very good way to put it. I would agree.
Of course things do go flying out the window once you pad swap with the ZMFs. The two pads I listed are the ones I prefer the most for each. They stay on.
That’s one of the things I love about ZMF. It’s almost like a whole different headphone with some pads (sometimes for better, sometimes worse).
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having the 650 in mind- this was so super helpful!!
I can add a good 400 Euro to my plans- I believe.
The Auteur sounds to me like perfect
The Aoelus Black wood would have been my first plan as it’s just at 1699… hahahaha… the beautiful Auteur with the shiny grill… about 2k here 
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Yep. Not cheap. You didn’t really need to make that mortgage payment though, did you? Haha
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Yes the pads- hope the store where I get to audition both will have all to change and will let me try different
We go there for hours- so time is no problem
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I won’t get that old 
I just use fun budgets out of jobs that come along… no 5-9 job funds
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Probably comes from the “support” meaning in Spanish. I would suspect Hemingway’s Pilar was a sailboat that gave him faithful, unswerving support, no matter what the seas, just as a woman who is a pilar provides support in a relationship. (Without being too demanding)
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Yeah so vinyl wrap it in Paisley. Don’t go away mad, go away Mod.
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