[AnyDave]

Zebrawood LTD is so beautiful, but kinda looks brighter and more yellowish than i've seen on the YouTube Video from ZMF themselves, guess it's due to your lighting in your room.

Also finally been able to listen to the Caldera at HighEnd Munich last Saturday and my dear, i gave them a listen to twice (1st on dcs Lina, 2nd on Feliks Elise) and immediately had that "I NEED THIS" feeling in both listening booths.

Now I'm torn apart between Canare and Zebra LTD for my order, current stock wood is too bright for me (i do prefer darker wood colours in furniture and elsewhere.

I would be thankful if you could post some more photos of the Zebra's with different lighting
Also if someone has the Canary's i'd appreciate some nice pictures of them too.

I will say that I found the Zebrawood Calderas stunning in person when I saw the latest batch in the shop. Now, take that with a grain of salt since I work for ZMF, but of all the headphones there, I found they really worked for me visually.

 

[sameh931]

Oh yes they really are more beautiful in natural/neutral lightning, thank you for the fast response
What i like looking at on the canary's is that shiny holographic effect of the wood with its finish.
0 grain's of salt there and congrats on your job working for ZMF
Every ZMF Headphone i've seen on HighEnd Muc was beautfiul too look at and nothing wrong with the brighter woods used, but i just tend to like the darker wood tones way more.
It really itches to click on that "Add to Cart" and "Proceed to Checkout" buttons, but maybe i'll give it a wait until ZMF November.

 

[ECKHUAAA]

I will say that I found the Zebrawood Calderas stunning in person when I saw the latest batch in the shop. Now, take that with a grain of salt since I work for ZMF, but of all the headphones there, I found they really worked for me visually.

That's what I ordered also and I am waiting for FedEx delivery today or tomorrow impatiently

 

[chrisnyc75]

(loving these dog pix)

These two have heard many hours of music in the home office--just not via headphones.

Myra (callico) is on the left; Wanda (tortoise shell) is on the right.

My Dolly, sleeping with one ear up because Daddy is listening to his headphones again.

 

[Traiguen]

Has anybody tried the Caldera Open on the new ZMF Aegis tube amp?

 

[Pharmaboy]

Has anybody tried the Caldera Open on the new ZMF Aegis tube amp?

Oh, yeah! I based my review of the ZMF Aegis primarily on how it sounded with the Verite Open & Caldera Open.

• I also reviewed the Caldera Open when it first launched and had much to say about its excellent sound.

Just about everything about the ZMF Aegis' sound with the Caldera was surprising in the best possible ways: deep, impactful bass (confounding expectations of not-so-great bass from tubes); epic soundstaging (even wider/taller than I would expect); even more expressive spatial representation of instruments and voices than I'm accustomed to with tubes; and so on.

The Caldera Open already has SOTA soundstaging (thank you, ADS) & terrific planar bass. Both became even better, scaling with this amp's high resolution.

To my ears, the Caldera Open + ZMF Aegis is an ideal match. The sound would probably be great with other full-size tube amps, but not better than this (and most of my listening was via stock tubes).

 

[mattiastomas]

Has anybody tried the Caldera Open on the new ZMF Aegis tube amp?

The Caldera Open + Aegis is pure magic! (I have the diy version). Amazing synergy

 

[Traiguen]

mmmm…I want to try it and compare it to solid state!!!

 

[djentbat]

mmmm…I want to try it and compare it to solid state!!!

I will say that prefer the CO on tubes than SS personally. Both sound great though, I do wana get my hands on a MJ3 eventually though

 

[Traiguen]

I tend to like ZMFs on tubes over SS... so I'd guess the Aegis would be a great companion to a Caldera!!!

 

[Dexterama]

Oh yes they really are more beautiful in natural/neutral lightning, thank you for the fast response
What i like looking at on the canary's is that shiny holographic effect of the wood with its finish.
0 grain's of salt there and congrats on your job working for ZMF
Every ZMF Headphone i've seen on HighEnd Muc was beautfiul too look at and nothing wrong with the brighter woods used, but i just tend to like the darker wood tones way more.
It really itches to click on that "Add to Cart" and "Proceed to Checkout" buttons, but maybe i'll give it a wait until ZMF November.

Zebra immediately caught my eye for this LTD run. I grew appreciation for the canare over time as I see more pictures/videos revealing that sunburst treatment. I don’t have an Atrium, so maybe I’ll get that one in canare before this LTD run ends.

 

[GarlicBiscuit]

Has anybody tried the Caldera Open on the new ZMF Aegis tube amp?

I'm not exactly one of those folks who has found notable amp differences from experience. As an example, my Element III seems to sound the same to my ears as my more expensive Taurus/A26 combo (which I've been meaning to sell). My BTR5 does sound different balanced, but that's mainly because it distorts at higher volumes. I find the music I enjoy has a far greater impact on headphone synergies.

With that precaution in mind, the time I had demoing the AO/AC/CO/CC with the Aegis yielded great results. I kept the impedance switch on high for the former two and low for the latter two. The COs with the Aegis convinced me to buy a pair, and they fortunately sound just as wonderful from my little JDS nug. If you want to have some amp fun though, I won't stop you. The Aegis was probably the prettiest amp I've seen in person.

 

[George Hincapie]

Oh, yeah! I based my review of the ZMF Aegis primarily on how it sounded with the Verite Open & Caldera Open.

• I also reviewed the Caldera Open when it first launched and had much to say about its excellent sound.

Just about everything about the ZMF Aegis' sound with the Caldera was surprising in the best possible ways: deep, impactful bass (confounding expectations of not-so-great bass from tubes); epic soundstaging (even wider/taller than I would expect); even more expressive spatial representation of instruments and voices than I'm accustomed to with tubes; and so on.

The Caldera Open already has SOTA soundstaging (thank you, ADS) & terrific planar bass. Both became even better, scaling with this amp's high resolution.

To my ears, the Caldera Open + ZMF Aegis is an ideal match. The sound would probably be great with other full-size tube amps, but not better than this (and most of my listening was via stock tubes).

What was the rest of your chain?

 

[Pharmaboy]

What was the rest of your chain?

(you may regret asking this...)

I have a 2 systems in this home office:

1. Main system has an NOS DAC + 2 headphone amps, one a remote-controlled amp/preamp feeding an electronic crossover that drives a class D amp, pair of Harbeth 30.1s, and powered sub. At present the amp/preamp is an OG Violectric V281 (superb)
2. Side system is headphone only w/another NOS DAC feeding 2 other headphone amps. At present these are the loaner ZMF Aegis amp and an Icon Audio HP8

I have another NOS DAC + several other amps to cycle in and out of each system; and have various headphones (VO, Aeolus, Caldera open, Ori, Final Audio D8000) to use in either system. I auditioned the ZMF Aegis in both systems, w/more time spent in the side system.

 

[George Hincapie]

(you may regret asking this...)

I have a 2 systems in this home office:

1. Main system has an NOS DAC + 2 headphone amps, one a remote-controlled amp/preamp feeding an electronic crossover that drives a class D amp, pair of Harbeth 30.1s, and powered sub. At present the amp/preamp is an OG Violectric V281 (superb)
2. Side system is headphone only w/another NOS DAC feeding 2 other headphone amps. At present these are the loaner ZMF Aegis amp and an Icon Audio HP8

I have another NOS DAC + several other amps to cycle in and out of each system; and have various headphones (VO, Aeolus, Caldera open, Ori, Final Audio D8000) to use in either system. I auditioned the ZMF Aegis in both systems, w/more time spent in the side system.

Thank you. I was more curious about your source. Are you streaming? CDT?