Atticus [AT∙i∙kuhs] is a name associated with wisdom and experience; these headphones are tuned according to those same virtues.
Audiophiles often search for a “neutral” sound when, in practice, warmth is what is most pleasurable, desirable, and lifelike. The Atticus embraces this concept and elevates it with clarity: a vivid midrange, and vigorous bass. The Atticus is ZMF’s warmest sounding headphone with a prominent mid-bass hump. It even retains an extended treble thanks to our TPE membrane driver. It’s renowned for being a great headphone for guitar-centric music with punchy bass, and forward mids, making for a somewhat rare combo in high-end headphones.
Currently, the stock wood for the Atticus is camphor. Learn more about our wood choices here.
SPECIFICATIONS
Impedance: 300 Ohms
Driver: TPE
Weight: 490g
Sensitivity: ~99dB/mW
INCLUDES
ZMF Stock Cable
ZMF Pads
ZMF Owner’s Card
Your Choice of Carrying Case
Lifetime Driver Warranty
NOTES
The upgraded magnesium chassis is more fragile than the standard aluminum chassis.
The upgraded magnesium chassis is painted, not anodized, and may wear over time.
If you purchase an upgrade cable, you will still receive the stock cable.
All upgrade cables are 5.5 feet in length.
All upgrade cables come with a ZMF splitter and either black sleeving or bare wire.
Only one discounted upgrade cable can be purchased in a bundle with each set of headphones.
To add a fully custom cable, check out our cables page!
Man the Atticus needs more love here! Of all my ZMFs, the Atticus holds the most dear place in my heart. Nothing makes me smile more than the Atty! And so i’m not just babbling, here is a recent amp score I grabbed on headfi that’s synergizing really well with the Atty.
I was fortunate enough to nab a DNA Sonett 1 amp in the headfi classifieds recently, and finally received it yesterday. I gotta say this amp is amazing for the Atticus. I’ve only spent maybe 8 hours with it so i’ll keep my initial impressions brief, but man I just cannot stop listening! The amp is very fast, very detailed, but a bit on the dry/grainy side. With my Eikon and VC it’s fatiguing me a bit. But this amp sounds like it was made for the Atticus.
The bass is epic! Fast, articulate, and very hard hitting. The dryness/grain really gives the Atticus some air and balance up top. My main concern long term though is this may become fatiguing. And the tube types it takes are super hard to find other than new production, so tube rolling options are very very limited. One last thing, the staging is really good on the Sonett. Actually the soundstage is both wider and more holographic than my beloved Pendant. The tonality and overall technical performance of the Pendant is imo a clear step above the Sonett, but that’s to be expected given the large price difference and differing circuit design.
I’ll post more impressions once i’ve logged more hours with the Sonett. But I’ll end with this, the Atty/Sonett combo kept me up till almost 3am last night because I just couldn’t stop listening.
Nice to hear that you’re enjoying this great pastime we all love. Synergy is the best thing that I’ve learnt to appreciate about headphone gear this last couple of years. It’s a really important part of the equation and it is taken lightly at our listening peril.
I completely agree. Before I used to chase “the best” of each piece I could afford, without regard to the system as a whole. Then I’d scratch my head and wonder why I was never satisfied. I’ve realized everything must be in harmony for me to really enjoy them. I think this is a common issue people encounter on their audio (and life) journeys.
I just ordered my pair of Atticus today. I think they are absolutely beautiful and I look forward to adding them to my collection which now includes: Grado RS2e, Sennheiser HD800S, and Meze Audio 99 Classics.
Going to wake this thread up a little. And this might just be a ZMF question. Are some of the ZMF chassis smaller than others? I picked up a second hand Atticus and I like the pilot pad but It won’t fit my melon with the pilot pad which puts the atticus back in the sell pile. Comparing it to the Eikon, Aueteur and the VO (the VO being the most versatile or adjustable), these headsets fit with the pilot pad except for the Atticus.
As far as I know they’re all the same size. I will say, one thing that has a big effect on the chassis is how it’s bent. When I put an aggressive V shape on it, it seems really short, and I have to lower my sliders quite a bit to reach my ears. They also clamp quite a bit. But when I give them a more gentle bend without a big V in the middle, the band feels much wider, and I have to move the sliders up a few notches or the cups are way too low on my face.
I did work with the bend a little and compared the head band to the Eikon, they look the same. The rods may be a little longer on the Eikon but they’re close. The sound is good on the Atticus, not as deep as the Eikon but it’s lighter and a better price point. That to me, makes the Atticus a winner.
