link
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Hmmm, which ZMF do I still need?
My current collection,
my current order,
possibly the VC, but more likely the Aegis, and if Zach actually manages to realize his project for an endgame planar headphones, then maybe this one too.
For me personally, ZMF has now become an art collection that sounds damn good.
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I âonlyâ have 4 ZMFs (Aeolus, Verite Open, Atrium Closed, Caldera Open) and @Lothar_Wolfâs posts have me itching to expand my collection.
I was just at Axpona last week. Itâs mostly a 2-channel show, but they have a huge room for headphones too, dominated by the hometown presence of ZMF. As an aside, it would be great to see headphones.com have a table there too at future Axponas (hint hint Taron & Andrew).
Like Can Jam, the headphone room gets a bit noisy, but Sundays are pretty quiet, and perfect for both chatting to vendors and listening to music. I spent my Sunday afternoon at the ZMF booth, chatting with Zach, Bevin, Kevin and the rest of the ZMF family and then realized that the show was closing in an hour and I should probably try some headphones. In my limited time, I tried the Bokeh Open & Closed and the Caldera Closed, using the ZMF Aegis amp.
Comparing the 2 Bokeh models was really interesting because to me at least, they sound so different from each other. As @robson said, the Bokeh Open has always sounded like a cross between a ZMF and a Focal to me (and as a fan of both brands, thatâs a compliment!) but the Closed had less of that Focal sound, and I preferred it. Neither is better or worse, itâs just that the BC had more of the sound I was looking for.
And then I tried the Caldera Closed. The Caldera Open is my favorite headphone that I own (along with the Focal Utopia 2022), and I didnât have the time to compare the 2 Caldera models, but I have to say the Closed was exceptional. Working off memory, Iâd guess the CO is a little more neutral and the CC is slightly warmer, but they are both detailed and have a thunderous bass. If I see a limited edition that grabs me, I wouldnât be surprised if I persuade myself that the Caldera Open and Closed are different enough that I could own both.
On the other hand, I could also see myself buying a Bokeh Closed. One of my favorite headphone experiences at Axpona was listening to the BC on the new ifi Valkyrie. Combined with ZMFâs new clamshell case, which was designed to slip into a backpack, that would make one hell of a travel setup. I tried to buy one of the clamshell cases, but unfortunately, they didnât have any for sale at Axpona (or perhaps theyâd sold out by closing time on Sunday). I really recommend it to anyone whoâs struggled to carry their ZMFs around.
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I âonlyâ have 3 ZMFs now (sold a few others over the years), so take this FWIW:
- I had loaner Bokeh Opens and Closed here at different times. I preferred the Closed version, too;
- I also had a loaner Caldera Closed here and loved the sound of it. It matched up so well to my Caldera Open in a number of ways ⊠differences rather nuanced (covered in my review of the CC). The CC is probably the only new closed back I could own that wouldnât blow up my ears and head (closed backs tend to do that). Itâs an amazing headphone.
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Ohhh, ZachâŠâŠ..
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Is there a way to hide one userâs posts on a particular topic?
jk 
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Didnât you like what you saw?
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Itâs a good thing (I guess) that Iâm too broke to get anything this time, itâs very tempting. 
I hope you get one of those Bokeh Opens this round, I think youâll love it and be incredibly impressed.
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Quite the opposite. That is the problem.
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I see lots of EQ presets named âBokeh.â I assume that they are all for the Bokeh CLOSED since it was released first.
Have any of you that use EQ presets found good EQ presets for the Bokeh OPEN?
Talking about the quality of the Bokeh Open.
In my case, I use a combination of the Cyan2 and the aune S17 Pro.
The slightly tube-like character of the S17 suits the BO even more than, for example, the Cayin iHA-8, resulting in a very wide soundstage with incredible brilliance and imaging.
I love the way both Bokehâs can captivate you with their sound, making it extremely difficult to take them off your head because you just want to enjoy more and more music.
A striking feature of both Bokehs is their dynamics and speed.
âââ
Whatever Zach and his team have done with these headphones, this is a kind of dangerous sign for future projects, because ZMF has set incredibly high hurdles for themself with this âentry-levelâ products (which they are definitely not).
âââ
Especially since both Bokehs not only excel with stationary DAC/Ampâs, but also cut a more than impressive figure on the go.
âââ
Iâm excited to see what Zach has planned for the future 
Perhaps heâll follow up with a VeritĂ© version with the Atrium dampening system and a Berillium driver that delivers even crisper sound.
Who knows
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Thanks, for your impressions.
Is this a metal grill?
What has put me off with the Bokeh open were the design of of the wooden grills. They looked to me to much like DIY.
But from what I have read they are probably ZMFs best bang for the buck.
No, itâs made out of stabilized Wood
Absolutely 
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Stabilized wood (the ZMF way) is quite beautiful.
I find myself wishing for a process to stabilize the listener, too.
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âAlimentary, my dear Watsonâ
Close but misses by ~3 ft. Think mind rather than gutâŠ
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How do you guys like the bokeh for hip hop?
I liked the atrium closed for this. But my main totl will be the caldera open so I was thinking about getting some midrange pieces to round out the collection.
Rs1x for Americana
DCA noire x for a different signature.
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The prescription is lithium.
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Like this?
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