This is the official thread for the ZMF Eikon. This thread is for discussion and reviews.
- Over Ear
- Amp needed
- Closed Back
ZMF Store linkReviews…
[Z Reviews]
[Metal571]
[Tyll]
[DMS]
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I NEED IT! Heard them at RMAF and a HiFi store in Singapore. Would love a Padauk one.
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I think Ash will always be my favorite, but the camphor burl is also quite nice.
Have a Padauk coming my way soon. Can’t wait!
have you heard the atticus?
Just bought a pair of these awesome cans at Canjam London. Great show and also great that Zach let me take them over to the Ether stand to do a side by side comparison balanced and single ended. Top man, top headphones, top enjoyment. Thanks Zach.
So after picking these up Canjam London I listened for a while and was disappointed. I could not understand why everyone raves about them. I listened and listened and listened…and then all of a sudden I got it. You must let these cans burn in. The reward when you do is absolutely outstanding.
Burn in the driver or burn in your mind lol? But yeah, the biocellulose drivers do take a bit of time to get to an ideal sound
I had same thing but after sometime they opened up and very pleased with the sound. I have had four ZMF headphones and they all sounded poopy out of the box, but they all came alive after sometime. My favorites are Eikon and Verite.
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These may be my favorite headphones that I don’t own. I’m really trying to talk my friend to trade his for my LCD-XC. Anyone looking for a good closed back headphone in this price range should start and end their search here. Especially off of tubes. I no longer want Stellias. At this point, I’d really want to hear the Verite Closed as a potential upgrade but these would be my closed back endgame if I had to pick today
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Hi, I am looking for a closed back for quite some time. I currently have HD6xx and really love the sound signature. Also have ISine 10 (newer cipher cable) and Sony Ex800st / 7550 - absolutely love these for commuting a lot and prefer them over iSine 10s. I did not like the Ex1000s and bought Ex800st.
Maybe this gives you all an idea or my preferred sound signature. And I listen to Bollywood primarily and slowly getting into English music now (loved Bohemian Rhapsody tracks from Queen).
I have been reading and watching a lot of reviews and finally come to the following for now: Argons, Eikon, Atticus. Don’t think Verite Closed is within my psychological price range, if you know what I mean.
Already did not like Aeon flow closed (the original one). Have not listened to the newer version. Did not like Final Audio Pandora Hope 6. Also, looking at the review videos, I don’t think I will like the closed Focals or HD 800s. I may like the Denons though.
Currently facing a dilemma as I have opportunity to buy used headphones at two price points:
Low price: Argons vs Denons 2000/5000/7200
Much Higher price (for me): Eikon Camphorwood Vs Stax L700 combo.
Maybe you all guys and @ZeosPantera can help me make this decision.
Thanks
Argon are going to have a V shaped sound, elevated bass, recessed mids, and elevated treble. A lot of detail and pretty wide. They would sound different than the 6xx. Those are the only headphones I am familiar with from yours stated.
Stax are supposedly very unique and amazing with the midrange and treble detail, and while the bass is certainly there, it isn’t bassy at all.
The Eikons are one of my favorite headphones. My friend bought them and I ended up bothering him until he sold them to me. I have a hard time imagining how the Verite Closed can be better, because these are easily the best closed back headphones I’ve heard. From the headphones you are choosing, the Eikons are in an entirely different class than the Argons and should be way beyond what the lower priced Denons can do. I can’t speak for the 7200s though. The Stax are great, but you will need to spend close to $3k to get the headphones and energizer where the Eikons are less than half that price. Also, I should mention that the Eikons sound even better off of a tube amp.
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@Soren_Peregrine
Considering your take on Argon, I am not sure how I will like the recessed mids since the Indian movie music is mostly vocals. I am not a basshead but I do like to enjoy it when it is supposed to hit as part of some of the dance/party tracks. Thanks for your inputs.
@Onaha I am looking at a used L700+353x, the price of which is close to new Eikon price. So that takes care of any major dissimilarities in price.
Also, given my music preferences, Eikon vs Atticus is another question I need to answer. I think I will have to dig more info on tube amp pairing I think.
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Yes, I think the ZMF headphones will be better for vocals than the Argon. Also, a tube amp will make them sound wider, with a little more warmth. A lot of people even prefer the special sound tubes have to solid state.
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I was looking at that same pairing, and then Stax stopped selling both new right when I went to pull the trigger. Then I started second guessing if I should be the 700mk2 with an even better amp, and decided to buy other headphones for the same money.
I listen mostly to rock. If I mainly wanted horns, strings, and female vocals, I would lean towards the Stax. But I like drums and bass as well with the same emphasis, so the ZMFs wound up working out for me
The 007mk2 actually has bass compared to the l700 lol
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I’ve got a delicious pair of camphor burls:
Since I also own both L700s and Stellias, a few comparative thoughts:
The STAX are detail kings, and uber smooth. However, they’re totally unportable, and the bass is so-so. What’s there is wonderful, but quantity is less than I’d prefer. Still, these get the least time in the rotation since they’re anchored to my home setup. I have the SRM-727II energizer; I hear there’s some kind of mod that can be done to improve this, but performing surgery on an expensive amp is a little outside my comfort zone.
The Stellias are my all-around favorites. They’re tuned perfectly to my tastes; everything sounds sublime on them. They’re stunningly clear and detailed–within the realm of the L700s. But unlike the Stax, they’re portable enough that I regularly take them to work and listen on my office desktop rig (currently Topping D90 + Monoprice 887 THX amp). I love that setup as much as anything I’ve heard (009s on pricy tube rigs, even Sennheiser HE-1). I could live happily with just that setup forever. Fortunately, I don’t have to do so. 
As a bonus, the Stellias also play well with my Astell&Kern DAPs, particularly the SP1000+amp, which has enough juice to drive the bass with authority.
I brought the Eikons into the office today to change things up. To me, the Eikons are not as universally appealing with every type of music as the Stellias–here and there I’ll find things that don’t sound just so (maybe a bit of extra bass, or some minor nitpicky thing). However, they are probably my absolute favorite cans for vocals. Whereas the Stellias are impeccable, the Eikons are magical. Vocals are so intimate and detailed, with the rest of the track elements perfectly balanced. Today’s playlist included stuff like the O Brother soundtrack, Imogen Heap, Samantha Fish, Adele, Beck, Muddy Waters, Chris Cornell, Bob Seger, etc.
For me the Eikons are “special occasion” cans. Whereas I can listen to the Stellias every day and never grow tired of them, I love breaking out the Eikons when the mood strikes. I’m every bit as emotionally attached to both, and happy that each plays an important role in my collection.
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Perhaps pick up a stax srm-d10 lol, love mine, I can take estats into the office easily that way
I saw that that’s a thing, but open-back problems aside (I work in cube land), I live where the weather does this:
Granted, the thousand-foot walls of dust are only a late-summer thing, but dust and dirt in general are a daily annoyance. My L700s live under a giant glass cake dome at home (better protection and better presentation than the Stax-branded grocery bag, lol).
I might look into electrostats-on-the-go someday, but for now I’ve stopped exploring e-stats in favor of, well, everything else! 