Short answer: the Austrian Audio The Arranger, though neither ranks well in its class. Both are rated 2.9/5 for sound quality (#363 and #372 of 481 over-ear headphones), and the Austrian Audio The Arranger costs $1,299 against $1,499.99 for the ZMF Auteur Classic, and with sound quality even, the cheaper one is the better buy. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 481 over-ear headphones, and the HIFIMAN Ananda Nano, ranked #6 at $319, is a better place to start if sound quality matters.
Why pick the Austrian Audio The Arranger: The open back delivers a spacious presentation, and the 25 ohm impedance with 110 dB SPL/V sensitivity means it gets loud from a phone or laptop without a dedicated amp. The catch: In the median of 3 hobbyist measurements on squig.link it scores just 58 for preference, with bass about 5 dB and low mids nearly 4 dB above target, so the sound turns thick and muddy on dense mixes.
Why pick the ZMF Auteur Classic: Lower mids sit within about 0.5 dB of target, keeping voices and guitars natural. The tradeoff: A 4.7 dB peak near 5.4 kHz can make cymbals and sibilance sound sharp.
Buy the Austrian Audio The Arranger. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $200.99 less than the ZMF Auteur Classic.
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The open back delivers a spacious presentation, and the 25 ohm impedance with 110 dB SPL/V sensitivity means it gets loud from a phone or laptop without a dedicated amp.
HeadAmp $1,299.00 eBay
Lower mids sit within about 0.5 dB of target, keeping voices and guitars natural.
ZMF Headphones $1,499.99 eBayPrices on this page were last checked October 16, 2026 at 5:46 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Austrian Audio The Arranger | ZMF Auteur Classic | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,299.00 | $1,499.99 |
| Ranked | #363 of 481 in Over-Ear Headphones | #372 of 481 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 58 (median of 3 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 56 (median of 5 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.97 dB standard deviation | 3.38 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -1.21 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.98 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+0.4 dB at 30 Hz) | Falls 6 dB below target at 28 Hz (-5.9 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Back | Open | Open |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 44mm dynamic | 1 x 50mm dynamic (biocellulose) |
| Impedance | 25 ohms | 300 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 110 dB SPL/V | 96 dB/mW |
| Weight | 0.7 lbs (320 g) | 1.1 lbs (490 g) |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz - 30kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
Frequency Response Compared
Both headphones’ measurements overlaid on the Harman target. Above the target sounds louder in that range, below it quieter. Each curve is the median of several independent measurements, shifted so its 500 Hz to 2 kHz average sits at 0 dB, so only the tuning is compared.
Measurement data: the Austrian Audio The Arranger from elrics, kuulokenurkka and superreview; the ZMF Auteur Classic from aden, boizoff, kr0mka, kuulokenurkka and superreview, all via squig.link.
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