Article: ZMF Atrium Headphones Review

[Josh Mound]

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[The Computer Audiophile]

Hi @JoshM thanks so much for the detailed review. This is another great one. Your comments below are really something. Seriously, the Atrium must be on another level to be worthy of these statements. 

 

After reading this, it's easy to see why you told me offline, that the Atrium should definitely be on the CASH List. 

 

 

"I think the complexities of headphone creation (and measurement) make obsession with perfect “neutrality” a fool’s errand. But that hasn’t stopped headphone fanatics weaned on the HD650 from longing for a “super HD650” — a pair of headphones that comes close to the HD650’s frequency response but adds a cleaner and more impactful bass, subtracts some grain from the treble, and elevates the HD650’s detail retrieval."

 

"Well, with the ZMF Atrium, the “super HD650” is here."

 

"But for most audiophiles — especially those who consider the HD650’s tuning to be neutral — the Atrium is the top option on the headphone market today. Period."

[davide256]

I am curious how you would compare the Atrium to Meze Empyrean? I never found the Focal Utopia's to be convincing when auditioning, sounded synthesized vs

natural for tone color. The Empyreans were an easy headphone to forget focusing on auditioning and lapse into enjoying for tonal nuance.

[Josh Mound]

6 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Hi @JoshM thanks so much for the detailed review. This is another great one. Your comments below are really something. Seriously, the Atrium must be on another level to be worthy of these statements. 

 

After reading this, it's easy to see why you told me offline, that the Atrium should definitely be on the CASH List. 

 

 

"I think the complexities of headphone creation (and measurement) make obsession with perfect “neutrality” a fool’s errand. But that hasn’t stopped headphone fanatics weaned on the HD650 from longing for a “super HD650” — a pair of headphones that comes close to the HD650’s frequency response but adds a cleaner and more impactful bass, subtracts some grain from the treble, and elevates the HD650’s detail retrieval."

 

"Well, with the ZMF Atrium, the “super HD650” is here."

 

"But for most audiophiles — especially those who consider the HD650’s tuning to be neutral — the Atrium is the top option on the headphone market today. Period."

 

Thanks, Chris. As you can tell from the review, I'm both blown away by the Atrium and still personally a bit partial to the Vérité. There's little question in my mind that the Atrium are the more "neutral" of the two and the ones that I are a safe recommendation for most audiophiles. (Sometimes I think reviewers conflate their personal tastes with recommendations for others.) That's also what makes the Atrium a great tool for my TBVOs!

[Josh Mound]

6 hours ago, davide256 said:

I am curious how you would compare the Atrium to Meze Empyrean? I never found the Focal Utopia's to be convincing when auditioning, sounded synthesized vs

natural for tone color. The Empyreans were an easy headphone to forget focusing on auditioning and lapse into enjoying for tonal nuance.

 

I haven't had the Empyrean at home for a proper audition. I did, however, get to listen to them for an hour or so in a quiet location with a Mytek Brooklyn and music of my own choosing from Qobuz. (Based on the specs and other reviews, one would think the Brooklyn's headamp would be enough to drive the Empyrean well, but I've definitely encountered situations where specs don't seem to match subjective power.)

 

With that proviso, I strongly prefer the Atrium to the Empyrean. When I auditioned the Empyrean, I also listened to the Focal Stellia and Rosson RAD-0. The Empyrean were my least favorite of the three. I found the Empyrean's bass to be a bit bloated and flabby, and thought the mids seemed a little scooped. I've definitely encountered situations where better amplification cleaned up the bass, so it's possible that characteristic of the Empyrean would've been better through a different amplifier. However, the RAD-0 also requires a lot of power, and I thought they sounded much better through the Brooklyn than the Empyrean did.

[Josh Mound]

I just updated this review to replace the graph where I accidentally obscured part of the frequency response with REW's tools dropdown. I also added info on the DAC and headamp used for the critical listening. I'd included that in a previous draft, but accidentally excised it from the final draft.

[maelob]

Josh your headphones reviews are the most detailed and well written reviews out there.  I bought the Verite Open thanks in big part to your review and I am really happy with them. I am sure people looking for a super 650, finally will have their prayers answered. Great job 

[micatske]

Interested in the Atrium. I am currently a HD800s owner. So really curious how Atrium stack up against HD800s. Any thoughts?

[Josh Mound]

On 1/2/2023 at 9:37 AM, micatske said:

Interested in the Atrium. I am currently a HD800s owner. So really curious how Atrium stack up against HD800s. Any thoughts?

 

IMHO, the Atrium is in another league from the HD800S, which I owned previously. You can probably get a sense of how the HD800S stacks up against the Atrium, at least in a transitive sense, from my ATH-ADX5000 review, where I used the HD800S and (like the Atrium review) the Utopia as comps.

The one area where the HD800S might exceed the Atrium is soundstage width, but even that is probably less significant with the Atrium than with many other competitors, since the angle of the Atrium's driver creates more perceived width than the driver's actual distance from the ears might create otherwise.

 

The only other potential difference is that -- depending on your individual HD800S -- the Atrium might have less "air." I say "potential," since the review HD800S I got was much brighter (subjectively and in measurements) than the unit I bought for myself. However, I think the quality of the Atrium's treble -- in terms of nuance and microdetail -- will be better, even if it's overt treble detail is less striking than a bright-leaning HD800S.

[bobfa]

I had the RAD-0 and found it heavy and awkward to wear.  What is the “head feel” of the Atrium?  Clamping, balance, weight?

 

 

[Josh Mound]

On 1/5/2023 at 9:46 AM, bobfa said:

I had the RAD-0 and found it heavy and awkward to wear.  What is the “head feel” of the Atrium?  Clamping, balance, weight?

 

 

 

The Atrium is over 100g lighter than the RAD-0. I also think the new ZMF headband does a better job of distributing weight than the RAD-0's. 

In terms of clamping, the clamping force is lighter with the Atrium. However, the Atrium's spring steel headband can be adjusted to increase or decrease the claiming force, as well as the shape of the arch.

[Tinnitus Andronicus]

Great review. But it's the review by GoldenSound that sold me. Definitely gonna buy me a set of these gems when I can save up the cash.