ZMF Headphones Bokeh Open

An alternative to Audio-Technica's ATH-ADX3000 and Focal's Hadenys, ZMF's new entry-level is greater than the sum of its parts. A new 80ohm Liquid Crystal Polymer driver is pushed to its acoustic limits with proprietary ZMF work, in their patented Atrium Damping System (ADS) first found in the flagship Atrium.

All this tuning potential in earcup acoustics extends to Bokeh's owners with new Caldera earpads useful add-on options. Caldera pads bear a special fluted, tapered, horn-shaped design that take on the form of acoustic amplifiers.

Leather or suede directly contribute to which frequencies you choose to enhance, making Bokeh such a pleasure because ADS makes it so versatile. Bokeh grants ZMF full control over a soundscape, with internal cavity design challenging the physical limits of linear full-range reproduction –  now with the help of an open-back grille.

Acoustic dampers work closely together with driver mounting position for optimal diffusion effects, allowing ZMF to introduce greater perceived soundstage width and depth. 

An incredible amount of fine-tuning took place selecting distances within the cup and damping material for optimal airflow, a five-year research and development process before ZMF deemed Bokeh ready to release to the public.

Brought to a new point of cost-effectiveness is an 80ohm LCP driver that is the beating heart of Bokeh. It's a load that's simultaneously easy to drive for any partnering amplifier – such that a studio console, mixer or tube amplifier with varying output impedance mates comfortably with suitable damping factor.

In fact, ZMF's newborn showcases a nominally flat impedance and thus exhibits the company's DNA, taking to tube amplification with exactly the same aplomb as its bigger siblings.

Apart from frequency response being less prone to variation from impedance mismatch, Bokeh's easy load means many modern bridge-tied load outputs on music players won't grind their gears pushing into inordinately low impedances – small power supplies and output stages producing less in the way of distortion and noise as a result.

Bokeh will make for a happy result running around the house from iBasso Audio's DC07 Pro, DC Elite and DX180, but high output impedance, imperfect voltage sources from FiiO and Shanling will not be tested untowardly either – music players from the latter both having enough mettle to push this ZMF very satisfactorily. 

Settling down from its travels at its natural habitat that is the desk, Bokeh will continue to display sound that belies its cost, scaling into small desktop amps like HiBy Music's FD5, iFi Audio and HIFIMAN. 

It's this versatility that really elevates Bokeh beyond the generic releases that otherwise dominates the mainstream. To find out how ZMF craft elevates the headphone hobby check out their other releases here, or view all our other headphones here.