ZMF Auteur Classic — Black Limba

Linearity Meets Soul.

In film, an auteur is a visionary — a creator whose work bears a distinct personal signature. The Auteur Classic embodies this philosophy in sound: ZMF’s most neutral headphone, refined for musicality and clarity, built to adapt to your gear, your preferences, your journey.

As the first headphone we recommend for those entering the ZMF world, the Auteur Classic strikes a rare balance — offering a linear yet engaging signature that excels across genres and systems. Whether paired with solid-state precision or tube-warmed romance, the Auteur remains revealing, natural, and effortlessly musical.

The Auteur (meaning “Author” in French) was ZMF’s debut open-back headphone in 2017, inspired by Zach’s passion for cinema. Almost five years later, it returned as the Auteur Classic — updated with the Atrium Damping System (ADS) and a revised driver membrane, while preserving everything that made it special.

This is the headphone Zach recommends to anyone wanting to experience the ZMF sound: rich mids, natural timbre, impactful bass, and an engaging yet neutral presentation. Neutral doesn’t mean sterile — the Auteur Classic is musical, versatile, and adds just the right touch of color without masking detail.

Quite possibly the easiest recommendation ever, because the Auteur Classic truly is… a Classic.

This latest edition introduces Black Limba as the new stock wood — a tonewood admired for its warm golden hues and flowing black grain lines. Tonally, Black Limba is balanced and slightly relaxed, complementing the Auteur’s open presentation with organic warmth and midrange richness.

Featuring ZMF’s Atrium damping system, the Auteur Classic offers enhanced spatial depth, extended low-end performance, and greater nuance — all while preserving the smooth top end and openness that made the original an instant favorite.

The Auteur Classic in Black Limba is more than a headphone — it’s a starting point, a reference, and a destination, all in one.

Stock wood: Black Limba