3/1/2024 0 Comments Gold bokeh light stockThe Bokeh was originally referred to as the “portable” ZMF. With the Bokeh being only 80hm with a 103 dB/mW sensitivity, these are the easiest ZMF’s to drive to date. Instrument separation is well defined and spatially, everything feels where it’s supposed to be. The Bokeh images quite well despite its more intimate staging.It’s a very welcome change up from the VC and AC, and just another aspect that sets the Bokeh apart. It also has that “wrap around” effect to a certain degree. It has good depth and verticality, but it’s not exceptionally wide (especially compared to the AO). The Bokeh has a big sound, despite not having particularly large staging.Also, the sub bass is strong and authoritative, but it doesn’t quite match up with its closed back brethren. It’s far more than a one trick pony, and wide range of music sounds exceptionally good on the Bokeh. This certainly ups the “fun” factor for the Bokeh, but I don't really think of it like that due to how well implemented it is. The mid bass is big and bold, but it doesn’t get in the way due to the Atrium Dampening System. The bass is certainly the star of the show when it comes to the Bokeh. The upper mids fall somewhere in between the Atrium and Verite. They are a bit more “in your face”, which sounds especially well with vocals and certain instruments. The LCP drivers aren’t as lush and weighty sounding as the Bio-cell or Be PEN drivers. The midrange is your trademark ZMF sound, but with a little twist.Very much what you’d come to expect from a ZMF. The Bokeh’s treble response is very pleasant, with good extension and no peaks or sibilance.I’ll do my best to cover the basics, but I still have some time to go to formulate my final opinion. So how does it sound?!? That’s the nine hundred dollar question currently. They distinctly feel tonally different than other drivers Zach has used, which helps set them apart from their brethren. These lightweight drivers deliver a fantastic combination of being nimble and nuanced, while remaining energetic and robust. The Bokeh uses 50mm, 80ohm LCP (liquid crystal polymer) dynamic drivers, which are a first in a ZMF headphone. The Bokeh will come with a stock with a Burst mesh, but I believe you can request the solid mesh (confirm with Coming Q1 next year will be an additional leatherette travel case, with a vegan option available later in 2024. There will also be an option “tuning kit”, which will include the Hybrid and Suede pads along with additional tuning mesh. The Bokeh will come with a set of protein pads and stock cable. Aside from cutouts for two additional sets of pads, there is a spot for a cable or two. The foam lined box that the Bokeh comes in is very nice and well designed. The pads are variations of the Caldera pads, so most people won’t have any issues with comfort. Comfort is on par with most other ZMFs I had over the years, especially the earlier versions before the B.B.B. It weighs in at 528g, which is slightly heavier than the Limba sets, which are in the 475-495 range (per Zach). My set is made from Cherry, so it’s not the stock wood, Black Limba. The Bokeh still looks like a ZMF, feels like a ZMF and even smells like one (no, I didn’t try and taste it…). While the Bokeh is smaller than previous models, it's not much smaller. Not only do we have a new ZMF headphone, but a different ZMF model basically from the ground up. Note that I used the stock Protein pads for the majority of my testing so far. This time I listened as frequently as possible throughout the week, which made me more aware of the changes. Usually when I get a brand new ZMF, I immediately burn it in for 100-150 hours. However, after getting to about 50 hours on the Bokeh, I didn't have those issues anymore. I do listen on the loud side, so that might have a little to do with it. For the first 2-3 days, I was getting a little harshness/fatigue from the Bokeh. I’ve probably got around 70-75 hours on this demo currently. During down time, I was burning in the unit when possible. I was able to squeeze in quite a bit of head time with the Bokeh over this past week. My full comprehensive review will come in a few weeks. I’ve only had my Bokeh demo unit for less than a week, but I wanted to get some solid impressions out for potential launch buyers.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |