Article: Review & Measurements | ZMF Verite & Verite Closed

[JoshM]

View full article

[The Computer Audiophile]

Thanks so much for the excellent review @JoshM!

 

Great stuff as usual.

[JoshM]

Thanks, @The Computer Audiophile. This was the most fun I've had with a headphone review.

 

As something of an update to my review, I can say that as soon as the loaner review units were on their way back to ZMF I missed them. I've already put in an order for a pair of Verite closed and plan to order an open set, too. 

 

Also, while I didn't include a deep comparison, because I no longer own them, having previously had a pair of ZMF Auteurs, I'd highly recommend that people debating between the Auteur and Verite open (or closed) spend the extra for the latter. While I liked the Auteurs, I didn't love them the way I love the Verite. When I bought the Focal Clear, I preferred them to the Auteur. But, as the review makes clear, I can't really say the same with the Verite versus the Utopia, and that's strong statement in favor of the Verite given the price difference between the Verite and Utopia. 

[Tone Deaf]

Hi Josh,

 

Very informative and well written review!  It is impressive how you measure the headphones, and then tie your listening impressions back to the measurements.  I seem to learn something new each time you publish a review.

 

As an owner of Vérité Closed, I can concur that the sound quality is superb.

 

Regarding pads.  It is completely understandable that you would limit your measurements to the default set of pads that came with the headphones.  But as  Zach encourages users to experiment with various pads, it would have been extremely informative to see how the different pads might have affected measurements.  BTW, I was surprised how much the sound presentation changed with different pads.  With the Vérité Closed / default Auteur pads, I found vocals a bit too recessed for my tastes, and eventually settled on the Vérité pads which give a more neutral presentation.

 

Looking forward to your next review!

[JoshM]

On 6/13/2020 at 12:13 PM, Tone Deaf said:

Hi Josh,

 

Very informative and well written review!  It is impressive how you measure the headphones, and then tie your listening impressions back to the measurements.  I seem to learn something new each time you publish a review.

 

As an owner of Vérité Closed, I can concur that the sound quality is superb.

 

Regarding pads.  It is completely understandable that you would limit your measurements to the default set of pads that came with the headphones.  But as  Zach encourages users to experiment with various pads, it would have been extremely informative to see how the different pads might have affected measurements.  BTW, I was surprised how much the sound presentation changed with different pads.  With the Vérité Closed / default Auteur pads, I found vocals a bit too recessed for my tastes, and eventually settled on the Vérité pads which give a more neutral presentation.

 

Looking forward to your next review!

Unless I accidentally excised it, one of the links in my piece goes to someone else’s measurements with different pads. My experience is that the difference in measurements with pad swapping is small, even if the subjective feel can be pretty substantial. Given that I only had a few of the many, many ZMF pads available, I didn’t want to get into a large pad-swapping digression. I also generally think that well-engineered headphones (which the Verite certainly are) don’t over-rely on pads for their sound. With a good headphone like the Verite, pads are mainly about slight tweaks to the flavor of the sound, and the Verite are so superbly neutral, that — unless someone wants fundamentally bass-heavy or V-shaped headphone — I think one can swap pads to tweak it to one’s liking. 

[JoshM]

Hi @Tone Deaf, here's the link I was thinking of, in case it's not easily findable in my review.

 

There are a few others' measurements with different pads earlier in the thread, which show slightly larger differences of around 5dB in the sub bass. That strikes me as about the high end of real-world difference between pads, and I suspect even some of that is due to how different materials will or won't provide a good seal on measurement equipment.

 

I saw some pad comparisons on another site that showed 10+ dB differences between Verite pads extending from the sub bass all the way into the mids, and to me that's clearly a measurement artifact, rather than how it will really sound.

 

The Verite are great because they sound great with the stock pads, and if you find little things about them you'd like to improve, you can tweak the sound to your liking with different pads (including the alternative set you get with every pair!). But they're not suddenly going to turn into awful sounding headphones if you pick the wrong pads. 

[maelob]

wow just wow, love the detailed comparison and just telling the reader the differences in particular songs. On of the best reviews Ive read in a while.    Great job. 

[maelob]

I just pulled the trigger on the Verite open to compliment my Sony Z1R and Aeon2C. can't wait 

[saidentary]

Josh,

 

Your review is absolutely magnificent, and one of the very best I've read--ever.  Just brilliant.  I followed your links and found each of them relevant and helpful in contextualizing your comments.  I'm just about to pull the trigger on ordering a closed back Verite from ZMF, something I normally wouldn't do without first carefully listening in person.  But after reading your review and so much other praise online, I'll probably do just that.  Thanks for all the time and effort you put into this.

[JoshM]

On 6/21/2020 at 8:01 PM, maelob said:

I just pulled the trigger on the Verite open to compliment my Sony Z1R and Aeon2C. can't wait 

 

On 6/28/2020 at 8:38 AM, saidentary said:

Josh,

 

Your review is absolutely magnificent, and one of the very best I've read--ever.  Just brilliant.  I followed your links and found each of them relevant and helpful in contextualizing your comments.  I'm just about to pull the trigger on ordering a closed back Verite from ZMF, something I normally wouldn't do without first carefully listening in person.  But after reading your review and so much other praise online, I'll probably do just that.  Thanks for all the time and effort you put into this.

 

My own closed pair just arrived today, and I have an open on order. These are going to be a regular headphone for my TBVO columns. I'm actually listening to the closed as I write this, and I just heard a little vocal part on (what else?) Van Morrison's "Flamingos Fly" from Philosopher's Stone. Y'all know how much I've listened to that album! So to hear little parts and inflections I hadn't noticed by this point is something special. 

[saidentary]

On 6/29/2020 at 5:04 PM, JoshM said:

 

 

My own closed pair just arrived today, and I have an open on order. These are going to be a regular headphone for my TBVO columns. I'm actually listening to the closed as I write this, and I just heard a little vocal part on (what else?) Van Morrison's "Flamingos Fly" from Philosopher's Stone. Y'all know how much I've listened to that album! So to hear little parts and inflections I hadn't noticed by this point is something special. 

As I predicted I would do in my message above, I pulled the trigger and ordered a pair of Verite Closed headphones from ZMF.  Your extremely well written, well thought out and well constructed review was one of the pivotal factors in that decision.  Again, thanks for all of the time and effort you put into this review.  As you can see from these comments, mine included, your prodigious effort wasn't in vain.

 

It's nice to hear that you're enjoying your own pair as well. 

[saidentary]

Hello again Josh,

 

My Verite Closed arrived yesterday! Based on initial listening, they're every bit as amazing as you said they are. I am extremely happy with these headphones.  

[tmarshl]

My Verite Closed needed about 200 hours of break-in to sound their best (as recommended on the ZMF website).  They are wonderful.  I am listening now.  The description of “cozy” really fits these headphones.

 

I own both the Focal Utopias and the ZMF Verite Closed.  The Utopias are the “best” headphones of the two, but the Verite Closed are my “favorites”.    Go figure.

[NewDevilman]

Great review!! Now please add Focal Stellia, Hifiman R10P and Kennerton Rognir in comparison! 
 

[saidentary]

The Stellia is discussed in the review. I don't know whether the HiFiMAN R10P was even in existence at the time the above review was written. 

[JoshM]

3 hours ago, NewDevilman said:

Great review!! Now please add Focal Stellia, Hifiman R10P and Kennerton Rognir in comparison! 
 

 

I didn't do a full review on the Stellia, but it didn't impress me. The R10P and Rognir both came out after this review was published. Based on measurements and images, I wouldn't expect the R10P to compete with the Verite closed, in terms of sound or construction. I'm intrigued by the Rognir, but I haven't read much about it

[NewDevilman]

Well, I think I am already used to open back headphones and all the closed backs are not very impressive to me. Not even DCA Stealth. The build quality is great, but not the sound. Especially the prices are not justified to me. 
I bought Rognir. Love the sentiment, love the wood(bogdan), sound… is meh-! Not too bad for my traveling.