I’m really enjoying my VC with the EL Amp II. I’m trying to will myself to refrain from thinking about the SW51+ since it’s going to be a while before it arrives. I am excited to see how it compares though!
Do you have any pics of your Manchurian Ash VC? I’d like to see another one out in the wild.
There are actually a fair few of them. If you scan back to the first few pages onwards of the headfi image gallery you will see a couple of them, with one of the first VC prototypes being made in Manchurian Ash. A recent ZMF pic on Instagram showed a headphone wall with quite a few more ready to go!
Here’s a screenshot of one of the pictures I posted when I got mine (not sure what the posting rules re: other forums are), there are more on the same page within the image gallery of that VC thread:
That’s some impressive grain on your pair! I really like that look. Luckily I really like mine as well!
Yes, I would have been tempted to buy yours myself if I didn’t already own a pair - they really stood out to me! I love the look of the ash sets - I fell in love as soon as I saw the prototype.
I remember thinking “I hope mine has lots of stripes!” and I don’t think Zach could have fit any more on without just burning the whole surface over 
OMG, I just got my tracking number and they might be here tomorrow (I’m only about 2 hrs away)!
Yeah, yours is striped to the max! My set looks like the eyes of a weird ash-tree person, a Manchurian Ash Ent if you will.
Hahaha, you can make it look very creepy (or friendly) by manipulating the light around it as it sits on your stand 
Beautiful. You have a burl Pendant enclosure too, don’t you?
Hopefully you’ve fixed the noise issues on the Pendant and can enjoy it with the VC. A marriage made in heaven.
Yes I do! They are a pretty close match.
I’ve been listening to the Sennheiser HD800S for the past few months while waiting. They have an amazing soundstage and detail, but are light in the bass.
The VC is rattling my head with bass…it’s a shocking switch.
What should I expect during break in? I feel like they need to open up a bit (or maybe I need a silver cable? Of course I’m coming off the 800S which could explain the withdrawal symptoms.
They’re stunningly beautiful. Congratulations.
The soundstage and detail really won’t be as wide or pronounced is my guess.
I can’t comment fully because I’ve never heard the Verite (open or closed)
I’m sure you’ll get the bass and that deeper rumble. Warmth in sound is another thing. HD 800’s are extremely clinical and really unforgiving with poor recordings.
Anyhow. Let me know what you find.
The VC packs quite a punch for sure. I used to run electrostats as my open backs and the VC as my closed back. It was like getting a 1-2 to the head switching from the e-stats to the VC.
What do you think of them so far? Were they worth the wait?
Absolutely.
My only issue is I’d like the upper mid/lower highs to open up a bit. Some more playing time, cable, pad and tube swaps should accomplish that.
Just got my tracking number from Zach on my VC Camphor Burls!!! I sold my monkeypods to switch to the camphor girls two months ago as the burl is just amazing! The final countdown!!!
Also it has been mentioned that they open up a bit after a couple hundred hours of music/white/pink/brown noise pumped through them. I enjoy the wait so I’ll be playing music through mine and they will wear in over time.
Hi everyone,
I’ve done a lot of searching on the internet, and most VC owners have only heard the type of wood on the VC they purchased. Has anyone ever done an A/B sound comparison of a VC with a harder wood (like Ironwood or Leopardwood) vs the softer Monkeypod wood? I’m curious if the resonance, decay, stage, and 3D holographic imaging is diminished with the harder woods. If there is some loss, what is gained? Slam? Dynamics?
I’m sure the differences are subtle, but subtle differences are a key motivation behind most audiophile purchases.
I’ve heard a burl something (friend / softer wood), ironwood, african blackwood (mine) but it wasn’t a direct comparison.
I prefer the hardwood. Mostly for looks. The decay is a bit crisper, but the other parts you mention seem close enough that I don’t recall a difference. Stage on VC is more a function of the pads than the wood.
From my experience with different woods on all of the ZMF models, any differences in wood are minimal, and only evident if you actually do have 2 pair to directly compare. IMO, People claiming dramatic differences are WAY over stating things to the point of dishonesty or delusion.
In layman’s terms… don’t sweat it. Get the one you like the looks/price of. Every Verite, Eikon, Aeolus, Auteur that I’ve heard have all sounded like a Verite, Eikon, Aeolus, Auteur regardless of the wood, if that makes sense.
