I recently got a pair of Bokeh and have to say they are my favorite pair of closed backs I’ve ever heard, and I’ve been around the block a bit with a few other high end ones like the Sony MDR-Z1R, Denon D7200, Beyerdynamic T5 3rd gen, B&W P9. The wood thing may be a gamble, but I was happy with the one I got. I’ve it paired with a Cayin tube amp and I’ve been listening to it nonstop since getting it. The ZMF team has made something special
@@MWeston2haven’t tried the XC, but the best closed back I’ve heard was the E3 by far. Probably not too reasonable at 2k, but I prefer it to the Caldera C or Bokeh C as well as the Z1R, Denon stuff and so on. Very mid forward and clean presentation, so nothing like the ZMF stuff f.e. which in the end is just preference ig
@@ivanfilatov7913 The E3 has way cleaner bass and less midbass, it's more subbass focused. All in all, I can´t recommend the Z1R for 2k. It does not compete at all nowadays. I for example would choose a couple 500 USD Open Backs over it. If you like excessive warmth though and don´t care too much about technicalities it may be a good pick for you although at that point you might also as well take a look at the ZMF Bokeh or so. E3 = cleaner bass, Z1R = more midbass, less clean, more warmth Hope I could help.
Finally !! Josh. I've had a 1st gen ZMF in my arsenal, but nothing compares so far with it. These are the HD600 master class with desired bass and highs and same if not better mid range. Looking forward your review.
Even though I have yet to experience a set of zachs masterpiece, I appreacte you finally getting to review his headphones. We have all known about them for years and many love his creations. I can relate to the wood making a product special as a shooting enthusiast I can appreacte the handmade gorgeously custom crafted woods on some shotguns and other firearms for competition. Some of the finishes are heirloom quality. And just like the woods on zachs creations, no one is the same.
ZMF makes some of the best sounding headphones out there when it comes to timbre, especially with vocals and natural instruments. I've wanted to add a ZMF closed back and Bokeh is very tempting. Been using the Atrium Open for nearly 2 years and it still blows me away.
It’s primarily because I think that the stage presentation is more accurate on the Atrium. The Atrium pulls you back while the Caldera puts you more up close and personal. The Bokeh take the same approach as the Atrium but they don’t give you the same amount of detail that the Atrium gives you.
Feel the same about my A-T woodies, they are mine and nobody else's. If they break, I wouldn't be able to replace them with a new pair without that visual cue that they are a different pair - whereas things that are all plastic and metal you can't tell the difference between your own pair and any other pair on the planet (other than wear & tear)
Thank you plenty for the impressions, I've been considering the Bokeh simply due to price. I'd love to see in the full review of the Bokeh how they compare to the 109 Pro :)
Bro i was about to say the same thing i tried all the zmf headphones and i agree with you in my opinion atrium open is the best headphones for enjoyment on earth especially with otl tube amps
I listened to a bunch of ZMF headphones last year at Canjam, and Bokeh was my least favorite. The price difference is drastic, but if we're only talking about sound quality I much preferred the Caldera.
I know everything is subjective but for me Bokeh looks way better and more beautiful. Caldera looks good but this "squarish" design doesn't look so attractive to me. Bokeh in other hand looks fantastic. So for the price of Caldera you can get Bokeh +Aeolus then it's easy purchase for me. ;)
Oof, I'm glad you touched on the aesthetics aspect of the wood. I was pretty disappointed when I received what I considered to be a sub par cut (aesthetically) for my Auteur Classic, especially after seeing some really cool versions of the same wood type online. Lots of the less desirable marks for the ambrosia maple; dark splotches that kinda just look like burn marks on one cup. Months later it's kinda grown on me as I tried to shift my thinking to "it's a unique piece of wood," which is half true but honestly half copium.
Yep. As someone considering getting an end game closed back, it's the one thing that's kept me from taking a chance. If I do decide to go ZMF, I'll buy used just because I'm risk adverse and an ugly or mismatched set would be a huge bummer. For now though I'm happy with my MX-4, U12t, IE600, and Clear Pro rotation. Just would like a pair of closed cans better than my mediocre Elegia. I'm just not sure what direction to go: ZMF, DCA E3, Rognir, or ???
@@MastiffMike1 Didn’t try them side by side and also don’t own any of them, so take it with a grain of salt, but I found the E3 to sound a lot cleaner. I would probably relate that to the warmth in ZMF headphones. For me that warmth was excessive with some music and sounded muddy to be honest, but maybe it just takes some more getting used to as I normally listen to „cleaner“ sounding headphones and IEMs. The E3 leaned a bit colder and was very mid forward and also pretty hard to drive while the other two landed in the richer and lusher territory. E3 sounds more correct to me, Bokeh and Caldera sound more chill (Bokeh more so). But maybe ask someone who has owned them for longer as I remember writing in my notes when I listened to the Atrium Closed: sounded like a blunted mediocre midrange (i.t.o. price) headphone. Can’t be that bad to everyone, can it? 😂
@@Tssukiii Thanks for the info! Now I'll have to listen to them all! 😞 See, I like clean with extra subbass (E3?) and I listen to a lot of female vocals where I tend to prefer a little extra warmth (I love the Elixir for female vocals, but prefer my other IEMs for other music). I'm wondering if the E3 would tick all my boxes or if I'd like something with more warmth as well (I'm trying to get my rotation down to a manageable size and so 4 headphones (2 open, 2 closed) and no more than 4 IEMs). I wish there was an easy to attend CanJam near me (or a retailer that carried a larger assortment of brands).
words cant describe how hyped I am to see u review ZMF again, they’ve come so far, their timbre is insane, im looking forward to these headphones’ reviews and more in the future!
Same reason I love and hate stone wrist rests basically lol. I love that it's one of a kind because of the wood cut and grain but I also don't like that it can be dull and for pricier stuff I feel less comfortable with that. It's an idea to have a 'bin' where for pricier stuff they give more intricate wood and cheaper stuff is plainer but probably never happen
I tried both the Bokeh and Caldera closed at CanJam London this year (2024), and the Caldera is a bit whack for me. I _much_ prefer the Bokeh and people there were buying the Bokeh too it seemed due to the price/performance ratio. I also tried them last year at CanJam London 2023, before the Bokeh was named and was impressed with the Bokeh then. But being honest, the Sony MDR-Z1R is leagues better, and you can get pretty much the same as the Bokeh out of the Drop X Beyerdynamic DT177X GO (with a bit of Beyer upper-treble I suppose) for half the price.
I am sure they sound good but putting an ugly hunk of wood that weighs a ton on my head is not my idea of a pleasurable evening listening session. If I want to appreciate wood patterns and grains then I have a table for that.
@@VikrantLudhra or maybe even IEM's they weigh nothing, I got ZMF headphones but they suits me very well their weight is like nothing compared to my monstrous erzetich phobos that bastard is heavy weight
Yeah. The super luxury. So when it's not even about the sonically totally unrelated quality of "look" or "aesthetic" but it's already about only the uniqueness of that "look". Not the food, not the cake, not even the cream, but only the cherry at the top. "You must know how to live." That's a saying hereabout.
I recently got a pair of Bokeh and have to say they are my favorite pair of closed backs I’ve ever heard, and I’ve been around the block a bit with a few other high end ones like the Sony MDR-Z1R, Denon D7200, Beyerdynamic T5 3rd gen, B&W P9. The wood thing may be a gamble, but I was happy with the one I got. I’ve it paired with a Cayin tube amp and I’ve been listening to it nonstop since getting it. The ZMF team has made something special
Have you ever heard the LCD-XC? I'm wondering how that would compare because I am trying to find a closed back planar for reasonable money.
@@MWeston2haven’t tried the XC, but the best closed back I’ve heard was the E3 by far. Probably not too reasonable at 2k, but I prefer it to the Caldera C or Bokeh C as well as the Z1R, Denon stuff and so on.
Very mid forward and clean presentation, so nothing like the ZMF stuff f.e. which in the end is just preference ig
@@Tssukiii How different or similar are they to Sony ZR1 in bass etc? I really want the Sony ZR1!
@@ivanfilatov7913 The E3 has way cleaner bass and less midbass, it's more subbass focused. All in all, I can´t recommend the Z1R for 2k. It does not compete at all nowadays. I for example would choose a couple 500 USD Open Backs over it. If you like excessive warmth though and don´t care too much about technicalities it may be a good pick for you although at that point you might also as well take a look at the ZMF Bokeh or so.
E3 = cleaner bass, Z1R = more midbass, less clean, more warmth
Hope I could help.
Shoes on the table?! Better change that thumbnail before your mum sees it.
😂😂😂
Flying to the SoCalCanJam too and especially, to listen to some ZMFs. Thanks for the timely review. Cheers!⚡️🎸
Finally !! Josh. I've had a 1st gen ZMF in my arsenal, but nothing compares so far with it. These are the HD600 master class with desired bass and highs and same if not better mid range. Looking forward your review.
Fiio ft1 please! Would love a review of those because i think they fit your preference
i watch the videos half the time just to listen to the songs in them. it sounds so good!
Great video. How's the Bokeh compare to the Azurys?
Even though I have yet to experience a set of zachs masterpiece, I appreacte you finally getting to review his headphones. We have all known about them for years and many love his creations. I can relate to the wood making a product special as a shooting enthusiast I can appreacte the handmade gorgeously custom crafted woods on some shotguns and other firearms for competition. Some of the finishes are heirloom quality. And just like the woods on zachs creations, no one is the same.
ZMF makes some of the best sounding headphones out there when it comes to timbre, especially with vocals and natural instruments. I've wanted to add a ZMF closed back and Bokeh is very tempting. Been using the Atrium Open for nearly 2 years and it still blows me away.
It a shame that you didn’t have an Atrium Closed on hand. Arguably the best of the three!
why that ??
It’s primarily because I think that the stage presentation is more accurate on the Atrium. The Atrium pulls you back while the Caldera puts you more up close and personal. The Bokeh take the same approach as the Atrium but they don’t give you the same amount of detail that the Atrium gives you.
@@arthurhaywood2184 Thank you. So, you would recommend Atrium over CC?
Feel the same about my A-T woodies, they are mine and nobody else's. If they break, I wouldn't be able to replace them with a new pair without that visual cue that they are a different pair - whereas things that are all plastic and metal you can't tell the difference between your own pair and any other pair on the planet (other than wear & tear)
Thank you plenty for the impressions, I've been considering the Bokeh simply due to price. I'd love to see in the full review of the Bokeh how they compare to the 109 Pro :)
ZMF headphones really are special
Yo!! 🫶 looking forward to hanging out this weekend!
please make an atrium open review you wont regret it best headphones for listening enjoyment hands down
Bro i was about to say the same thing i tried all the zmf headphones and i agree with you in my opinion atrium open is the best headphones for enjoyment on earth especially with otl tube amps
Would be cool if you got the Fiio FT1 in for review!
I listened to a bunch of ZMF headphones last year at Canjam, and Bokeh was my least favorite. The price difference is drastic, but if we're only talking about sound quality I much preferred the Caldera.
I wonder if Hyfummin will ever put out a closed can as good as the Caldarra
spot on pronunciation 😂
Hymenfins break when exposed too much
I know everything is subjective but for me Bokeh looks way better and more beautiful. Caldera looks good but this "squarish" design doesn't look so attractive to me. Bokeh in other hand looks fantastic. So for the price of Caldera you can get Bokeh +Aeolus then it's easy purchase for me. ;)
thanks for the video, did you try zmf atrium open? And if yes can you compare it please?
I know its open vs closed but how do they compare to Arya or Focal Mg? Used to have D7000 and TH900. Would the ZMF be a good compliment?
Oof, I'm glad you touched on the aesthetics aspect of the wood. I was pretty disappointed when I received what I considered to be a sub par cut (aesthetically) for my Auteur Classic, especially after seeing some really cool versions of the same wood type online. Lots of the less desirable marks for the ambrosia maple; dark splotches that kinda just look like burn marks on one cup. Months later it's kinda grown on me as I tried to shift my thinking to "it's a unique piece of wood," which is half true but honestly half copium.
Yep. As someone considering getting an end game closed back, it's the one thing that's kept me from taking a chance. If I do decide to go ZMF, I'll buy used just because I'm risk adverse and an ugly or mismatched set would be a huge bummer. For now though I'm happy with my MX-4, U12t, IE600, and Clear Pro rotation. Just would like a pair of closed cans better than my mediocre Elegia.
I'm just not sure what direction to go: ZMF, DCA E3, Rognir, or ???
@@MastiffMike1 E3 is incredible imo (I find it better than the ZMF closed stuff)
@@Tssukiii Yeah? I've heard it's great but not how it compares to ZMFs stuff. Good to know!
@@MastiffMike1 Didn’t try them side by side and also don’t own any of them, so take it with a grain of salt, but I found the E3 to sound a lot cleaner. I would probably relate that to the warmth in ZMF headphones. For me that warmth was excessive with some music and sounded muddy to be honest, but maybe it just takes some more getting used to as I normally listen to „cleaner“ sounding headphones and IEMs. The E3 leaned a bit colder and was very mid forward and also pretty hard to drive while the other two landed in the richer and lusher territory. E3 sounds more correct to me, Bokeh and Caldera sound more chill (Bokeh more so).
But maybe ask someone who has owned them for longer as I remember writing in my notes when I listened to the Atrium Closed: sounded like a blunted mediocre midrange (i.t.o. price) headphone. Can’t be that bad to everyone, can it? 😂
@@Tssukiii Thanks for the info! Now I'll have to listen to them all! 😞 See, I like clean with extra subbass (E3?) and I listen to a lot of female vocals where I tend to prefer a little extra warmth (I love the Elixir for female vocals, but prefer my other IEMs for other music). I'm wondering if the E3 would tick all my boxes or if I'd like something with more warmth as well (I'm trying to get my rotation down to a manageable size and so 4 headphones (2 open, 2 closed) and no more than 4 IEMs). I wish there was an easy to attend CanJam near me (or a retailer that carried a larger assortment of brands).
words cant describe how hyped I am to see u review ZMF again, they’ve come so far, their timbre is insane, im looking forward to these headphones’ reviews and more in the future!
as you preferred bokeh over caldera then definitely try atrium closed . most likely u will like it even more
Could you tell me what mic you use for voice recording?
Same reason I love and hate stone wrist rests basically lol. I love that it's one of a kind because of the wood cut and grain but I also don't like that it can be dull and for pricier stuff I feel less comfortable with that. It's an idea to have a 'bin' where for pricier stuff they give more intricate wood and cheaper stuff is plainer but probably never happen
how would these compare to Z1Rs?
Caldera's wooden cover looks like ice-cream.
my god, that wood, where do I get that stand!
would the iBasso D16 Taipan drive those headphones?
Pls review the Fiio ft1
But... what about the ultrasones?? :D
Those or MDR Z1R ?
Nikko Run
Is that a Miyoo Mini I spy on the table there?
Krista Crescent
Anyone know the song in the background at the start?
Aryanna Knoll
How much for those shoes😅
Maye Islands
Atrium line > rest of ZMF’s line
Lulu Track
Beautiful headphones but way out of my price range. I still enjoyed the video though. Lol..
I tried both the Bokeh and Caldera closed at CanJam London this year (2024), and the Caldera is a bit whack for me.
I _much_ prefer the Bokeh and people there were buying the Bokeh too it seemed due to the price/performance ratio.
I also tried them last year at CanJam London 2023, before the Bokeh was named and was impressed with the Bokeh then.
But being honest, the Sony MDR-Z1R is leagues better, and you can get pretty much the same as the Bokeh out of the Drop X Beyerdynamic DT177X GO (with a bit of Beyer upper-treble I suppose) for half the price.
Best reddit headphone brand.jpg
Reilly Oval
comments are 50/50 ones who cant afford them usually dislike ZMF and those who own them really like it :), people are funny
I am sure they sound good but putting an ugly hunk of wood that weighs a ton on my head is not my idea of a pleasurable evening listening session. If I want to appreciate wood patterns and grains then I have a table for that.
so put your ugly plastic headphones and stop watching
@@soulfulfool yup thats what i exactly did.
@@VikrantLudhra or maybe even IEM's they weigh nothing, I got ZMF headphones but they suits me very well their weight is like nothing compared to my monstrous erzetich phobos that bastard is heavy weight
Review in a vacuum with zero comparisons. Meh...
The video title literally says first impressions and later in the video he clearly said reviews will be out soon.
I did listen Bokeh and it wasn't good at all. like half the performance of 1000xm4...
haha xD
Yeah.
The super luxury.
So when it's not even about
the sonically totally unrelated quality
of "look" or "aesthetic"
but it's already about only
the uniqueness of that "look".
Not the food, not the cake,
not even the cream,
but only the cherry at the top.
"You must know how to live."
That's a saying hereabout.
23s and 0 views. You fell
Career over…
Soft and indistinct, with weird staging, like the rest of ZMF phones? 👎
2:28 What's with Josh and pronouncing things incorrectly? It's not 'Cal-dara', it's 'Cal-dare-a'.
0:48 Has his ear developed to the point that he can hear even the headphones stand?