Short answer: the ZMF Auteur Classic, if you are buying new. The ZMF Auteur ranks higher than it (#294 vs #376 of 485 over-ear headphones, 3.3/5 vs 2.9/5) but is discontinued, so only consider it used; the ZMF Auteur Classic is still sold new at $1,499.99.
The ZMF Auteur is the better-sounding choice. An open-back wooden over-ear headphone with a 300 ohm biocellulose dynamic driver whose lower mids sit close to target, giving voices and instruments natural body. Watch for: Sub bass falls 6 dB below target by 40 Hz, and treble has a 10 dB dip near 7.5 kHz and another near 10 kHz, so it lacks rumble and air.
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 ZMF Auteur Classic, since the ZMF Auteur is discontinued and only worth hunting down used.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Headphones rankings.
An open-back wooden over-ear headphone with a 300 ohm biocellulose dynamic driver whose lower mids sit close to target, giving voices and instruments natural body.
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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 19, 2026 at 10:32 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
| ZMF Auteur | ZMF Auteur Classic | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,599.00 Discontinued | $1,499.99 |
| Ranked | #294 of 485 in Over-Ear Headphones | #376 of 485 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x custom bio-cellulose dynamic | 1 x 50mm dynamic (biocellulose) |
| Impedance | 300 ohms | 300 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 97 dB/mW | 96 dB/mW |
| Back | Open | Open |
| Harman Preference Score | 66 (median of 4 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 56 (median of 5 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.89 dB standard deviation | 3.38 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.73 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.98 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 40 Hz (-7.4 dB at 30 Hz) | Falls 6 dB below target at 28 Hz (-5.9 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Weight | - | 1.1 lbs (490 g) |
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 ZMF Auteur from capraaudio, daemonxar, kuulokenurkka and sai; the ZMF Auteur Classic from aden, boizoff, kr0mka, kuulokenurkka and superreview, all via squig.link.
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