Short answer: a tie on sound quality. Both are rated 3.6/5 (#213 and #218 of 481 over-ear headphones) at nearly the same price ($3,499.99 vs $3,499.99), so choose on features and fit.
Why pick the ZMF Caldera: The median of 5 hobbyist measurements gives it a solid Harman preference score of 74 with a 2.42 dB spread. The catch: Presence sits about 4.5 dB low with a 9.5 dB dip near 9.7 kHz, so vocals and instruments lose some bite.
The case for the ZMF Caldera Closed: The median of 3 hobbyist measurements gives it a solid Harman preference score of 73 with a 2.58 dB spread. The catch: Presence sits about 5 dB low with an 8.2 dB dip near 4.0 kHz, so vocals and instruments lose some bite.
Buy the ZMF Caldera or the ZMF Caldera Closed on features: they are rated the same for sound quality at close to the same price.
Still deciding? The full Headphones rankings cover every ranked option.
The median of 5 hobbyist measurements gives it a solid Harman preference score of 74 with a 2.42 dB spread.
ZMF Headphones $3,499.99 eBay
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 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
| ZMF Caldera | ZMF Caldera Closed | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $3,499.99 | $3,499.99 |
| Ranked | #213 of 481 in Over-Ear Headphones | #218 of 481 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Back | Open | Closed |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Planar magnetic | Planar magnetic |
| Drivers | 1 x 80mm planar magnetic | 1 x 80mm planar magnetic |
| Impedance | 60 ohms | 60 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 95 dB/mW | 94 dB/mW |
| Weight | 490 - 1.2 lbs (550 g) | - |
| Harman Preference Score | 74 (median of 5 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 73 (median of 3 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.42 dB standard deviation | 2.58 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.60 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.53 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-4.6 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-2.0 dB at 30 Hz) |
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 from kr0mka, kuulokenurkka, listener, therollo9 and vsg; the ZMF Caldera Closed from gadgetrytech, superreview and vsg, all via squig.link.
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