The BOKEH is a closed-back wooden cup dynamic driver set of headphones from the US based boutique
brand ZMF. The retail price on these is 1099 USD, talking in euros they sell around 1250€
depending also which cables & accessories you select when ordering. The Bokeh lineup represents
the starting point in ZMF's catalogue of headphones but looking at the asking price this is not
be considered as entry level at all when compared to what is out there in the closed back market.

Unboxing & accessories:

I picked up my Bokeh's on the used market, so package may vary when bought new from a retailer or
directly from ZMF. Mine came in an original ZMF branded cardboard box with caldera pads and
a nice leather travelling case but without any cables, tuning kit & alternative earpads. As already
mentioned above, several options are available when ordering, there are several types of earpads and
cables to choose from, earcups in several finishes and also limited edition designs
are available. Speaking about earcups, since these are processed from real wood, none of the resulting
cups will look exactly the same, so every single headphone will be kind of unique looking which ads a touch of
exclusivity.

Design, Comfort & Build Quality:

The build quality of the Bokeh closed is simply amazing, everything from
the headband to the earcups feels robust and premium, especially the wooden limba cups are a real looker
and also feel very nice to the touch. Using real wood and medal components is great but can
also raise concerns regarding fit & comfort due the considerable amount of weight of the final
product (around 500 grams). These headphones are clearly on the heavier side but to my
surprise they feel very comfortable on my head, the whole design and weight distribution is so well done that i can
wear them for hours without any discomfort. Another very important aspect is the great passive noise
isolation, there is very little sound leakage to the outside and on the other hand it also isolates very well
from outside noises.

Power Requirements & Pairing:
The Bokeh's are advertised for home and portable use so in terms of power they should be reasonably
easy to drive and i confirm that even an apple dongle can drive them to loud volumes, however using
a dongle like the Fiio KA17 or a small DAP like Onyx XM2 will give far better results in terms
of sound fidelity. In general the Bokeh paired well with every device that i threw at it, portable
or desktop gear. It also scaled to certain degree when using higher-end sources.

Sound Impressions & Comparison:

Starting with the treble the Bokeh has non-fatiguing and pleasant tuning, not a detail monster but
certainly detailed enough for the asking price. The midrange has some nice body and warmth, a very lush
but also enganging presentation. The bass is very impressive, it's impactful and punchy it offers
a fun and musical character with some rumble when called upon. Now considering this is a closed
back headphone it sounds quite spacious and airy which is remarkable.
In terms of comparisons there is one main competitor in it's price range the Dan Clark Noire X
which has a slight edge when it comes detail & spaciousness, it has also a more neutral
sound signature but with less impressive bass performance. As already mentioned in the Noire X
review both are fantastic choices when it comes to closed back headphones and for me
it is impossible to pick a clear winner here, it finally comes down to preference both
ecstatically and sound signature wise.

Conclusion:

The ZMF Bokeh Closed is a great headphone without any doubt, it offers great performance and
a nice sound signature for fatigueless listen. Is it a perfect headphone? No in certain
cases it's not, looking for a neutral presentation this is not the headphone to
go for, looking to dissect every single detail in a recording this is not it. Looking
for an fun and engaging listen yes this is one to consider.

SPECS:

Driver: 50mm Liquid Crystal Polymer

Impedance: 80 Ohms

Sensitivity: ~103dB/mW

Design: Closed-back, circumaural

Atrium Damping System

Weight: ~480g ±30g

Wood Type: Black Limba, LTD Torrefied Limba

Swappable Earpads