We do. It’s around here somewhere.
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Anyone find the BE2 to have more bass emphasis yet the Universe to be more warm? Cup reverb more present with the Universe pads.
Think I prefer the Universe right now. BE2 creates a sound too similar to other cans I have. Universe is a presentation I dont have.
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Ok, so, just an FYI - I’m never going to order another ZMF headphone that doesn’t have the suede headband my VC has. OMG. Soooooo good. My precious.
I wonder if Zach sells these separately. I’m not kidding, I’ll put this Schiit on everything. I’ll glue it to my Emu Teak if that’s what it takes. Must have all the suede.
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Is the suede standard or did you have to request it? Zach is always tweaking things it seems so I dont know.
He probably would sell them separately if demand was there.
I had a Co-Pilot that was supposed to come with my VO but unfortunately it didnt make the trip. I was looking forward to seeing how it improved the comfort for me. These are pretty comfy for the short time Ive used them
The amount of reverb on these are just right, anything more would have been too much. Glad I opted for the harder wood, assuming there is bit a difference.
If I wrap an iPhone in suede…
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I requested it, but I think it’s an option on the website. I don’t remember. I’ll look later.
I ordered mine back when Zach was still doing special requests for woods and stuff, which he recently said they no longer do. ZMF November and the move put the breaks on that.
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I saw it on someone else’s set of VCs and it’s definitely piqued my interest. With your post, I’ve gone and emailed Zach to see if he’ll let me tweak my VC order to include that haha
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you just have to request it instead of the leather. I have it on my VO and I agree, its really comfortable and nice. Just adds a little more comfort to the suspension strap. I’m sure Zach will sell you one. I mean with a VO that looks like yours, why wouldnt he? haha!
I agree, I love the universe pads. They’re great imo. I like the universe perf hybrid the best. comfort, sound, amazing combo.
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In order to have standing to make this statement, you need to reside in an area with at least 80 deg Fahr temp and/or 80% humidity 
My current go-to for my Eikon is Auteur lambskin; sucked it up for sonics as we exit LA summer.
Suede strap for the win.
Nice cans.
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Year round or just here and there? I need specifics! I can climatologically attest to the latter if not the former.
Given that I have a full head of hair and come from non hair loss breeding stock a suede strap may feel odd. For those who rock a smooth top I can dig the reasoning for the suede option.
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The suede strap feels padded. Hair or no, you’ll have a scalpgasm. It’s true.
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For padding Ive got a Co-Pilot on the way - Lambskin, because bruh!.
I agree that suede can feel padded. I know nothing of its manufacture as to why this seems so.
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In these matters, I usually go by median for the rolling 12 months!
The suede strap just feels luxurious. However, I have a Co-Pilot Protein so my head doesn’t actually make contact with the suede strap when worn. I opted for Protein for durability and non-slippage when being worn.
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If I were to ever bow to the peer pressure of ZMF suede products it would be in hybrid pad form. Really liking the stock universe pads,
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All of you talking about Suede for no hair, I got the suede because my greasy hair slipped on the smooth protein leather! Also, I went suede hybrid as the felt more breathable and less sticky from the July/Aug LA heat and DC humidity. Hybrid pads are the way to go, best of both worlds right there to my ears.
Pro-suede member for life.
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You know. Interesting about suede strap being better for non-slippage. I could see that.
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Lol, ‘Scalpgasm’ what a great turn of phrase.
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sometimes the VO can be flat out amazing, other times I want just a hair more sparkle. I am sort of a treble head I guess. could be my flat ear canals. these would be hard to part with tho.
I have tried with a few different amps and DACs. SW51+, Sony zx507 (as source) Modius DAC, etc.
I wonder what would make the most change, a new DAC, new cable, or different pads? I have 2 different pads, whatever they came with, I settled on the thinner ones.
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I don’t think you are going to drastically change the nature of the VO with upstream changes. Treble ain’t it’s strong suit. EQ may be an option for you. Just a thought if you are looking for subtle tweaks. I don’t EQ so I can’t add much more than that.
I think @Resolve had some fairly extensive tweaks posted above that may help.
It can be problematic to add emphasis via EQ in the higher frequencies though as you may add ringing. Sometimes dips in the FR are there for a reason. SBAF may have some CSD plots that could guide you or just go by your ear - which is probably best.
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The thinner Verite pads should have more sparkle than the Universe. I have the Eikon with four different pads. Lambskin has the least dampening and the most sparkle.
Before changing equipment, you can try different tubes. I’ve found Telefunken and Mazda to have excellent top end sparkle (other German tubes such as Siemens are said to have the same sound signature). Usually, changing the input tube(s) affects the sonics more compared to the power and rectifier tubes, but each amp is different so you should consult the manufacturer (or reviews/forums).
If you need to take more extreme steps, you can try a more neutral or transparent amp (either tube or SS). Your Modius DAC should be just fine. Playing with EQ might be more cost effective than cables.
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I have the opposite experience. The universe pads have a thinner backing that makes it less veiled compared to the thicker backing of the Verite pads. Yes the Verite pads are thinner pad wise, but the backing seems to darken things up with its thickness.
This seems to be vary between users.
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