If you’re really liking the Eikon, i’d keep it and upgrade your system around it. Tubes will have a noticeable impact. I fought going full tube for years as I like the simplicity of solid state. But after picking up some nice tube amps I’m a convert to the ZMF needs tubes ideology. You mentioned swapping leather for suede pads to smooth out the treble. With a decent tube amp you can go back to the leather pads which will increase both the bass and treble quantity, which you seem to want, and use tubes to deal with the treble. That’s how I run my Eikon. I prefer smooth treble (i’m treble sensitive), so I run tubes that have a slight softening up top, and use the leather pads to retain the bass/treble quantity I love. Doing so lets me listen at high volume without fatigue. For comparison, the same volume on any solid state amp with leather pads and I’ll get fatigued within 30 minutes.
If you do want to add a 2nd set, I’d try an Atticus. It has that smooth treble you like, but does much better on solid state amps, if you don’t want to add a new amp. It gives up some subbass to the Eikon, but adds more midbass, so it’s a bit of a tradeoff. I actually really love having both the Atticus and Eikon, as I feel they complement each other quite nicely. They’re both highly colored and fun/engaging, but do so slightly differently. For electronic music I love the Eikon. For rock and rap the Atticus. Just my preferences though. The entire ZMF lineup is extraordinary, so you really can’t go wrong. If you do want open, the Aeolus is also amzing, and sounds very similar to the Atticus. It’s a bit more balanced sounding, but retains that warm and powerful midrange the Atticus is renowned for.
I have the Aeolus and the Eikon; I got the Aoelus first and I really love the sound, but I also needed a closed HP and I were torn bwtween the Eikon and the Atticus and discussed this with Zach from ZMF and got a very clear reply that made me go with the Eikon:
He said that the Aolus and the Atticus are using the same driver, so to get a sound very different from the Aoelus, the Eikon is the one to get. Whereas the Atticus are more resembling the Aoelus.
I got the Eikon and I am very happy with that and the Aeolus.
Don’t sell the Eikon assuming Vérité Closed will be better. They are very different headphones. I have both and they do not cover the same ground for me. Often I respond emotionally to the Eikon more than the VC, and I find the Eikon an easier listen overall. It’s not a simple case of the VC being better than the Eikon, or a clear upgrade. Each does things the other can’t. Don’t assume the price difference is very relevant to the listening experience - at this level it’s about what you respond to.
To be honest, I prefer the Eikon, I really like it with EDM and similar music.
And I got them both in African Blackwood and with a small discount from Zach, so what’s not to like
Edit: and you are spot on re the differences and how they complement each other
I’d go with B. It’s probably the most different and you don’t need closed. I prefer the Auteur over the Aeolus, but with the same driver it is similar to the Eikon. I bought the VC before the Eikon and yet am no less impressed by the Eikon.
Thanks @eric75 for the detailed response. I know tubes are in my future, as I would really want to build a great system around the Eikon vs adding anymore cans into the mix. My budget only allows for one or the other. However sometimes the whiskey makes me wonder, why not sell it all and try something new!
Thank you @typicalheadfierandy, @robo24, I appreciate the perspectives. I guess my mind has put the VC on a pedestal. Probably because I was afraid to sell my Ananda because I enjoyed it quite a bit, but when I bought the Eikon, It really hit the nail on the head for my taste. I just wondered if the VC would do the same for me.
Experimenting with tube amps is interesting and revealing. I now have the Echo mk I and an Espressivo mk II in my possession.
The Echo pairs really well with the Auteur. The forward mids on the Auteur fits like a glove with the slightly warm and relaxed mids and treble on the Echo. The slightly elevated bass and impressive dynamic kick on the Echo lifts up and showcases the very capable bass of the Auteurs. Male voices are very present and lifelike.
The Espressivo mk II is more forward sounding and has more upper mids and treble presence than the Echo mk I. This matches very well with the somewhat withdrawn mids on the VO. The Espressivo also has enough speed and clarity to not drag down the presentation on the VO.
Both amps are staying because of their respective synergies with the ZMF headphones.
I used an RME ADI-2 fs as dac in this comparison.
End note:
If you own a pair of Auteurs and see an old Echo come up for sale, just hit buy.
As I’m quite warm I tend to get sweaty with closed headphones, how do you guys find the Verite Closed to be?
Kind of torn in getting the Open or Closed, usually prefer open headphones myself due to sound and how sweaty my ears get. But all that rave the VC gets my thinking.
Not too bad honestly…it stays relatively cool on my ears. My Aeolus actually gets hotter than the VC from my experience as well as my Nightowls and Aeon Closed…
You can’t go wrong w/the VO. I would probably prefer it over the VC even if I could handle closed back HPs, just because it’s slightly more relaxed/relaxing.
I like the way music “breathes” in an open-back design, and the VO is no exception.
You really can’t go wrong with either, and suede pads (I live somewhere that’s always warm) don’t make my face sweat like real, protein, or synthetic leather do. They also make hybrid pads where only the part that touches your face is suede and people seem to love those.
With the VC vs the VO the music is much more in your face which creates both an exciting and very full sound, while the stage on the VO is more removed like some other headphones with wider soundstages. The VC has slightly more forward mids. Both have that holographic 3D thing going on which can vary with pad choices. I prefer the Universe suede pads on both.
After buying a pair of Zmf’s does anybody use their Sennheiser HD6xx’s? I keep my hd650’s for three reasons: 1) nostalgia 2) headphones on the go 3) to play a song on them and then switch next song to some ZMF’s to get that aahhhaaa feeling!! Best real-time upgrade you can do to have some lying around for when you get bored and have to snap back into reality and remember how good all us zmfer’s
got it. Personally if I never heard a Zmf I’d still be happy as a clam with my hd650’s.
This weeks listening:
With the Stratus my go to headphone I’ve been grabbing is the Auteur and VC . With my Glenn I grab my VC & VO equally and my mogwai I’m really digging the Aeolus lately.
The stratus and VC combo makes the VC’s head stage brought to a new height making it even more euphonic and vivid. The stratus reminds me a lot of my old integrated amp Line Magnetic 518ia which used massive 845 tubes. The imaging was massive and godlike. Turns dwarfs into giants and bar venues into concert halls.
Stratus, Mogwai and a Glenn! I am living through you man, and can only imagine how hard it would be to decide which one to listen with. I eventually sold my HD650, as it was just collecting dust, sitting next to my Verite C, Atticus, and Aeolus.
Hell, I got a EC Zana Duex incoming too. LOL. But yea Im going to have to trim some fat too and trust me its super hard as I like each amp separately for a good reason. They all pair perfectly with zmf headphones but financially I can’t keep them all. The stratus is easily my favorite so far and really look forward to the Zana Deux too. The stratus is easily going to be an end game amp.
