Short answer: the ZMF Caldera Closed. It ranks #218 of 481 over-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 3.6/5, at $3,499.99; the Audio-Technica ATH-ADX7000 ranks #303, rated 3.2/5, at $3,499. The price gap is small enough that the sound-quality ranking should decide it.
The ZMF Caldera Closed is the better-sounding pick. The median of 3 hobbyist measurements gives it a solid Harman preference score of 73 with a 2.58 dB spread. The tradeoff: Presence sits about 5 dB low with an 8.2 dB dip near 4.0 kHz, so vocals and instruments lose some bite.
What the Audio-Technica ATH-ADX7000 does well: Lower mids sit within about 0.5 dB of target, keeping voices and guitars natural. The catch: Presence sits about 3.6 dB low with a 10.1 dB dip near 5.0 kHz, so vocals and instruments lose some bite.
Buy the ZMF Caldera Closed. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $0.99 saving on the Audio-Technica ATH-ADX7000 is not enough to make up the difference.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Headphones rankings.
The median of 3 hobbyist measurements gives it a solid Harman preference score of 73 with a 2.58 dB spread.
ZMF $3,499.99 eBay
Lower mids sit within about 0.5 dB of target, keeping voices and guitars natural.
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Specifications Side By Side
| ZMF Caldera Closed | Audio-Technica ATH-ADX7000 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $3,499.99 | $3,499.00 |
| Ranked | #218 of 481 in Over-Ear Headphones | #303 of 481 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 73 (median of 3 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 65 (median of 5 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.58 dB standard deviation | 2.59 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.53 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -1.07 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-2.0 dB at 30 Hz) | Falls 6 dB below target at 34 Hz (-7.1 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Back | Closed | Open |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Planar magnetic | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 80mm planar magnetic | 1 x 58mm dynamic |
| Impedance | 60 ohms | 490 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 94 dB/mW | 100 dB/mW |
| Frequency Response | - | 5Hz - 50kHz |
| Weight | - | 0.6 lbs (275 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 Caldera Closed from gadgetrytech, superreview and vsg; the Audio-Technica ATH-ADX7000 from aden, gadgetrytech, ish, kuulokenurkka and listener, all via squig.link.
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