I'm really quite glad to have recently lost my Mazda 2, as the Toyota Prius I replace it with is proving itself to be a real road champion and just so smooth to drive. That and the average of around 50mpg makes driving longer distances to check out local scenery even more worthwhile! This event was my not only my first time in Louisville but also my first time driving through Kentucky.
An I have to say the real highlight of my drive up was getting to see more of the beautiful Appalachian Mountains... that and getting to come home with a genuine bottle of good ole Kentucky Bourbon!
For me though the team at ZMF Headphones really stole the show! This was my first time not only hearing their two new open back headphones but also the amp they produced in conjunction with Ampsandsound the Pedant.
My initial listen of the Verite was out of a Cavalli Audio Solid State with a PS Audio Directstream, and overall I was deeply impressed at how both clean and natural the system sounded as a whole!
Focusing on the hardware, I was most impressed with the depth of staging the PS Audio Directstream brought into the mix. While listening to my favorite Sarah Jarosz track Simple Twist of Fate I found myself experiencing an even great sense of depth, prior to today I'd had not heard her voice extend that far back into the room.
Moving onto the Verite itself I was deeply impressed with how well Zach was able to maintain the beautiful timbre his headphones are known for, but also adding a level of speed and resolve that I'd not heard prior!
The new driver certainly presents a sharper more distinctive envelope without losing that natural tone we've come to love ZMF Headphones for.
Equally impressive was the Pedant which present more cohesive staging and even tonality than what I had heard from previous Ampsandsound units. While it was quite as detailed and tonally rich, I did feel overall the Pendant was more balanced making it an excellent pair with all of the ZMF Headphones.
All in all I continue to be deeply impressed by the progress we've seen from the ZMF Team! An I'm excited to see how they'll continue to grow, plus I always enjoy getting a chance to talk face to face with both Zach and his wife. Their passion for what they making is always so palpable.
Though the real highlight of any meet is the members, not only seeing their reactions to some phenominal sounding gear but also getting to just catch up with them, talk about what changes they've made to their system or what's stayed the same. An best of all there is the music, even one's taste and prefferances are so different so it's a treat to really indulge your self in what they enjoy! I find it's a great way to discover new music for my own enjoyment too.
Though the real highlight of any meet is the members, not only seeing their reactions to some phenominal sounding gear but also getting to just catch up with them, talk about what changes they've made to their system or what's stayed the same. An best of all there is the music, even one's taste and prefferances are so different so it's a treat to really indulge your self in what they enjoy! I find it's a great way to discover new music for my own enjoyment too.
