ZMF Headphones Tessidera

Sonic Compass does not grade gear. We plot gear and listeners on the same seven axes, so a review tells you where a product sits and you can see how far that is from where you sit.

I own the ZMF Verite Open and Bokeh Closed and I'm a fan. Some ZMF models don't suit me: the Atrium isn't resolving enough for frenetic speed metal, and the Caldera Open was a tad too mid-forward in stock form. ZMF sent me this Tessidera as a demo unit, and I'm keeping it for reference. ZMF did not see this review or have any say in it before it was published.

I've had it a long time and used it on solid-state, tube and portable gear, mostly a Gustard R30 DAC and amplifier, the upcoming Crescendo Verse and a FiiO K17 R2R. Unless I say otherwise, the positions here are for the thick Caldera Lambskin Heavy pads with the mesh removed.

Where the Tessidera sits — Warm, natural and weighty, with excellent imaging. Comfort, Emotional Engagement and Space are its strongest axes. It gives ground on micro detail and treble air to the HiFiMAN HE1000 Unveiled.

Bass — Stock, the sub-bass rolls off slightly and ZMF adds a decent mid-bass thump. With the thick pads it's deepest and punchiest, clean and well isolated from the lower mids. It's not a bass cannon by default.

Mids and vocals — The star. Vocals are forward but not shouty, with a textured weight and no nasal, bloated or harsh edge. They're very forgiving of poor recordings, smoothing a badly mastered grunge track like a comforting audio filter.

Treble and detail — With the thick pads and no mesh, highly resolving, clean and glossy, never piercing. Not the end of the road for micro detail.

Stage and imaging — Wide, round and holographic, a bit more intimate than the Unveiled, with excellent imaging and clear space between sounds.

Pads and mesh — Fluted pad design means pad material and thickness act as a hardware EQ. Caldera Lambskin (stock) is warm and safe, with clean but not very resolving treble. Caldera Suede is smoother and warmer, with treble taking a backseat and a stage pulled in, good for chilled long sessions. Caldera Lambskin Heavy was the biggest and best change for me: deeper, punchier bass, airier and more resolving treble, and opened-up imaging. The three mesh kits are black (lightest, fitted), red (medium) and green (heaviest). I want more treble, so I removed the mesh entirely. Even on thick pads with mesh the sound is slightly polite for me, a slippers, pipe and brandy sound that most people will prefer.

Design and box — Wooden cups, hand-finished metal yokes and plenty of leather. It weighs 595g, but the strap and weight distribution make it comfortable for hours. ZMF puts a 3D-printed lattice behind the grille to tame standing waves, and a wood resonator in the cup. 35Ω and 92dB/mW (per the video) make it easier to drive than the number of watts you might expect. The box has a hard leather case, two cables (dual mini-XLR to 4.4mm, plus a 6.3mm spare), spare pads and, on this demo unit, the three mesh kits, which normally cost extra.

Tessidera vs Verite Open — Very close. The Verite has a slight edge on bass depth and treble resolution; the Tessidera has a touch more snap on drum hits and vocals a hair more forward and rich. Staging and imaging are very similar. In their modded forms I love both equally.

Tessidera vs HiFiMAN HE1000 Unveiled — Two top planars with different aims, compared with about 10dB of volume matching (the Tessidera is harder to drive). The Tessidera is warmer, weightier and more organic, with more weight on vocals and an extra hint of slam low down. The Unveiled out-resolves it on micro detail and treble air, throws a bigger stage and is a tad more V-shaped. For warm, natural and immersive, Tessidera. For every subtle nuance and a huge stage, Unveiled.

Read this against your own profile — I'm after fast transients, no sibilance and plenty of detail, with a V-shape lean. Stock ZMF tunings can be too polite or too mid-forward for me, so the Tessidera needed its tweaks. If you want warm, natural and immersive, stock may already suit you, and the suede pads are great for long sessions. If you're bright and detail-first, fit the thick pads and consider removing the mesh. If you want a huge, airy stage, look at the Unveiled.

Honest limits — Most positions are for the thick pads with the mesh removed; I describe the other pads and mesh as I heard them, not measured, and I don't give a full account of the red and green kits. Comparisons were by ear, roughly volume-matched, with no measurements. I haven't tried the Caldera Closed, and I only borrowed the Caldera Open for a couple of weeks.