ZMF Caldera-The Wait is Over

[@kevintj604]

Great review Monster. Very much appreciated for your thorough and thoughtful feedback. Looking forward to the release.

[@CrazyAboutVinylRecords]

The wait for what is over? Until the next big thing comes along that we have to go out and buy?

[@dfiled_]

Awesome review. Thank you!

[@thelastrhino2581]

Nice review as always. Constructive comment: when you say it could be coming from the DAC, not sure... you have such a specific hybrid little encountered unit, maybe as a reviewer it would be useful to arm yourself with a more conventional DAC too. Cheers!

[@DB-Lackaufbereitung]

This is definitely an interesting headphone. But did I understand that correctly 4000$? That means 5000 € in Europe... The Caldera will have a hard time in my opinion, just like the Expanse,, and the new Utopia. If you must not forget that Hifiman currently sells the he-1000 V2 for 2000 $. This is for me the best headphone I have ever heard. And I had nearly all TOTL HP in my possession. It remains exciting. Fortunately, the market is very lively at the moment.

[@theodorezurla496]

I second that! I just got the HE 1000 V2 as well The value is just unmatchable

[@ZMFheadphones]

The list is $3499 and during the first week the price will be $3199. The LTD editions will have an MSRP of $3999

[@georgelin6472]

@@ZMFheadphones so $1000 increase from the current flagship at 2499 and $1300 increase from the ltd flagship at 2699 I mean don’t get me wrong I love zmf I have vc, vo, and atrium but why does planar cause more and let along regular vs ltd edition of the planar. The regular was just 200 caldera is 500 that just seems off

[@zach915m]

​​@@georgelin6472 the price of the base model is all correlative to the costs to make a custom planar driver from scratch. If we sold this through distributors the way hifiman or audeze do, the headphones would be 5000 usd. As far as price difference between regular woods and LTD editions, it all has to do with the fact that it's kingwood, which has a similar cost to stabilized wood as its far more expensive than a regular LTD. Other LTD editions will have a lesser msrp. The kingwood model also comes with the wood cases stock vs other LTD. Thank you for owning the ZMFs!

[@georgelin6472]

@@zach915m guess I’ll be saving up, let along the upcoming closed variant of atrium and caldera oh man >

[@chungang7037]

The wood cups make me nervous with the amount of crazy humidity where I live.

[@headkarma]

I know there are a few zmf owners in Singapore as well as a ZMF dealer there as well. Perhaps reach out to them or ZMF directly and ask what can be done to mitigate the humidity damage

[@chungang7037]

@@headkarma The answer is usually the same as with my guitars here; they need to be put into a protective hardshell case when not in use, or you need a treated room where temperature is controlled. Both kinda suck, though the second one is massively expensive and not realistic

[@headkarma]

@@chungang7037 that makes sense. ZMF sells hardshell Pelican cases for their headphones. I lived in SE Asia for 11 years, so I understand the humidity issue

[@chungang7037]

@@headkarma oh really, that is interesting. Thanks for the tip!

[@heyguyslolGAMING]

@@chungang7037 If you go w/ a stabilized version humidity or dry environment is a non-issue but just be warned they tend to be a bit heavier.

[@disco4535]

Excellent review! Are there any other non-ZMF headphones you can compare it to in terms of detail retrieval? For me the Verite Closed is my go to for just relaxing and getting immersed in the music because they aren't heavily detailed. I'm hoping the Caldera can be my "detail" headphone with ZMF's sound. ZMF is my favorite HP company. Zach is a genius lol

[@headkarma]

Non ZMF?? Hmmm thats a tough one... The layering of the Caldera allows me to hear deeper into a recording than any other ZMF, but it doesnt have overblown treble like some " detailed" headphones have. Like small intricate details that often get lost in busy or fast songs are noticeable because the layering allows the details to breathe. But again it isnt pumped up treble thats doing it. I would have to think about your question for awhile. Certainly no other ZMF or otherwise that I own does it. It would most likely be another planar or estat, that has a warm sound signature, like a Meze perhaps, but its been years since I heard the Empy and have not yet heard the Elite, so don't quote me on that.

[@mariodrv]

"aren't heavily detailed" - are you crazy? These are on par with an Utopia detail-wise!

[@brooksphillips2234]

Finally! Lol. There will be a lot of happy ppl on head-fi!

[@kingstoler]

The Atrium is brighter yet the Caldera has a more emphasized treble? Is it because of the more forward mids on the Atrium? When someone says a headphone is bright I always think treble.

[@headkarma]

I do not consider either to be " bright" but in my system the Atrium sounded a bit brighter, which caught me off guard. I'm not really sure why the treble is more noticable on the Caldera, possibly due to the layering and separation on the Caldera, giving the treble a bit more room to breathe

[@kingstoler]

@@headkarma very interesting! I was seriously considering Atrium, but Caldera seems like another one to consider. Or I'll wait for the closed versions

[@kurtpeterson9881]

Hey thanks for the review! Could you add, either as pinned comment or in the video notes, the chain that you used? Sources, amps cables, etc. It'd be helpful to have for quick reference, :)

[@headkarma]

chain added in description.

[@kurtpeterson9881]

@@headkarma awesome, thanks!

[@asplmn]

Looking back at your Atrium review... Do you actually find yourself enjoying the Atrium more than the Caldera?

[@headkarma]

It's too early for me to declare a winner of the "My Fav ZMF" contest. I've only listened to my other ZMFs very briefly for the Aegis review since the Caldera landed. After I get the Cayin IHA 6 review done I can go back to listening for fun, but until then , I'm in reviewer mode.

[@jonmarinos7170]

@@headkarma have you declared a personal winner since this post? Really debating between the two. Of course, I’d love to have the newest TOTL product from ZMF but I’m really leaning towards the Atrium because it’s just so damn gorgeous haha I’m a sucker for aesthetics. I’m sure both sound incredible.

[@headkarma]

@@jonmarinos7170 I can't pick, there both so different. It really depends upon my mood, and for everyone else I would say that your upstream gear should play a large part in which you choose. If you have an OTL, go Atrium. If you have a solid state amp, go Caldera.

[@jonmarinos7170]

@@headkarma I don’t have an OTL but I do have a Lyr+ (tube hybrid)

[@headkarma]

@@jonmarinos7170 I have no experience with Schiit gear, except a couple Modi MBs and the Piety, which pairs up amazingly well with the Verite closed. Based upon my experience with other tube hybrid amps, I'd say you'd be safe with either choice. Atrium-tone, timbre, stage, beautiful natural decay Caldera- speed, technicalities, detail retrieval, stage Pick your poison

[@MeteoraEra]

If someone already has VC, would you recom the extra expense and go through all the headaches to upgrade it to Caldera? Or the difference is not that huge of a deal? Thank you

[@headkarma]

There are so many variables that I cant answer that for you. It depends upon how satisfied you are with the VC, will it require you to buy a new amp, do you prefer dynamic driver sound or planar sound, and finally your financial situation.

[@asplmn]

Once you hit summit-fi, it's less about being "better" or "worth it" and more about the favor(s) you want. If you're happy with the VC, just enjoy it. I sold my LCD-5 and other, more expensive cans and kept my VC even tho the others were more proficient in other areas. Depends on whether you feel there's something missing from the VC that the Caldera will offer you.

[@MeteoraEra]

@@headkarma i personally love the planar sound but mostly dont like the mids on them. I understand if VC is not as fast as a planar but still wondering how much they lack in terms of the "liquid sound" that planars are known for which I love. But it honestly doesnt make sense to spend $4,000 on a headphone alone. VC costs me €2,800 but still wondering how much Im lacking behind with a VC mostly on alive, fluid sound that Caldera seemingly has.

[@MeteoraEra]

@@asplmn I understand but still comparisons are relevant.

[@headkarma]

@@MeteoraEra The Caldera doesnt suddenly make the VC inferior at all. The VC is quite fast as is, so the speed factor isnt a huge difference, and to be honest the liquidity in the mids on the Caldera was much more pronounced on the Aegis tube amp I reviewed yesterday than it is on the solid state Cayin IHA 6. I mean, if you have the funds then sure, but the VC is still an incredible headphone and the differences are not massive IMO, and like the person said above its more about a different flavor than it is about a better/worse situation.

[@olimphus26]

oh wow nice

[@dfiled_]

How dramatic is the difference in slam between the Caldera and the Atrium?

[@headkarma]

It's not a huge difference, but the Atrium hits a bit harder. ZMF doesnt know how to make a bass light headphone.

[@dfiled_]

Thanks. I agree, though I find the VO needs pretty high volume to feel that slam. I do not feel that way about the Atrium.

[@headkarma]

@@dfiled_ what pads do you use?

[@dfiled_]

@@headkarma don’t have the VO anymore but I think I used the verite pads

[@soulfulfool]

@@headkarma my VC once woke me up with slam of bass 🤷‍♂

[@gjtube37]

Thank you so much for the great review! Did you happen to get the weight of the LTD Cane Wood Caldera? The Oak is probably going to be too heavy? Thank you!

[@headkarma]

I did not get an official weight of the Kingwood. I literally found out about it while I was filming the review. I'm sure Zach will chime in over on the Caldera thread on Head- Fi

[@gjtube37]

@@headkarma Thank you!

[@headkarma]

@@gjtube37 a pair just landed with a Head-Fier, and he says 606 grams Zach says: www.head-fi.org/threads/zmf-caldera-new-planar-magnetic-from-zmf.964836/page-63#post-17218410

[@gjtube37]

@@headkarma Thanks very much for reaching out to Zach! Wow, that's heavy! The Oak is looking to be a better choice after all. Thanks again! I appreciate it!

[@MRFUTURETECHNOLOGYGAMING]

They're not even on the website yet Did you get like an early prototype

[@headkarma]

Yes, prototype with the final tuning

[@MRFUTURETECHNOLOGYGAMING]

@@headkarma lucky