[Puretfp]

I was at the Apple store yesterday to get a plug, i noticed this guy looking at My PM 3's and he asked me "what are those?" so i told him, we talked bit and i said you want to listen? his face lit up, then i put on Jeff Beck Blow by Blow on my AK120, He saw the AK120 and his eyes lit up, he was like "oh wow! it's one of those!" He listened to a few tunes and was like "wow, that's some Headphones!" We talked about the older iPods being sought after and i told him i had demoed like 30+ pairs of HP b4 i pulled the trigger on these, we were both looking at the same things M&H, B & W < B& O, etc, who knows, maybe he'' wind up with a pair too...  

 

[lukeap69]

  I was at the Apple store yesterday to get a plug, i noticed this guy looking at My PM 3's and he asked me "what are those?" so i told him, we talked bit and i said you want to listen? his face lit up, then i put on Jeff Beck Blow by Blow on my AK120, He saw the AK120 and his eyes lit up, he was like "oh wow! it's one of those!" He listened to a few tunes and was like "wow, that's some Headphones!" We talked about the older iPods being sought after and i told him i had demoed like 30+ pairs of HP b4 i pulled the trigger on these, we were both looking at the same things M&H, B & W < B& O, etc, who knows, maybe he'' wind up with a pair too...  

Very nice of you to let him listen to your PM-3. 

 
And what a better way to explain the qualities of the HP than having somebody listen to it... 

 

[Puretfp]

Yeah, people have done that for me all along, be it music etc, gotta turn em on when ya get the chance

 

[reddog]

My Oppo PM-3'S have arrived and they are very nice. I am playing them through my yggy and rag and they sound very nice. I will burn them in for about 24 hours and then use them in my portable rig. I got the white PM-3's, that way the cord will blend with my beard lol.

 

[lukeap69]

My Oppo PM-3'S have arrived and they are very nice. I am playing them through my yggy and rag and they sound very nice. I will burn them in for about 24 hours and then use them in my portable rig. I got the white PM-3's, that way the cord will blend with my beard lol.

Nice! Don't be so spoiled with pairing the PM-3 with the Ryggy or you may not be happy pairing it with portable devices. 

 

[good sound]

 

My Oppo PM-3'S have arrived and they are very nice. I am playing them through my yggy and rag and they sound very nice. I will burn them in for about 24 hours and then use them in my portable rig. I got the white PM-3's, that way the cord will blend with my beard lol.

Nice! Don't be so spoiled with pairing the PM-3 with the Ryggy or you may not be happy pairing it with portable devices. 

Ya, I have to agree with this. When I first got mine I had them connected to my FiiO X5 only. Then after a few days I hoked them up to ,my BDP-105. That was a bit of a mistake as once I put them back onto the X5 it wasn't the same because they had sounded so much better directly into the 105. After a few minutes though everything was good again. They scale very well.

 

[miceblue]

I don't understand the term "scale well" when used in the context of audio. I didn't think the FiiO X5 sounded all that great and I'd imagine it wouldn't sound good with the PM-3. The PM-3 sounds awesome with a Geek Out on the other hand, but that's just the way the Geek Out sounds compared to the X5 too. I don't think "headphones scaling" has anything to do with it, but rather how the system sounds in of itself; get a good DAC and it'll sound good, get a bad DAC and it'll sound bad. All headphones that I know of are like that.

 

[Soundsgoodtome]

I think the better term would be transparency, some headphones are so colored and lacking if details that getting better rigs doesn't benefit the headphone as well as a better tuned set.

 

[good sound]

I think the better term would be transparency, some headphones are so colored and lacking if details that getting better rigs doesn't benefit the headphone as well as a better tuned set.

Sure, transparency is part of it, but not the whole picture I don't think. Resolution is also a factor and resolution and transparency are not the same thing. Sure all headphones will sound better with a better source than a weaker one, that's a given, but it's more than that. Some headphones just respond positively to a higher resolution source more than other headphones. This is scale-ability
 
When someone says they don't think the X5, or any piece for that matter, was all that great it really doesn't tell you much as it has no context. Comparing a DAP to an outboard amp/dac isn't really relevant either. For the price, which DAP's sound better than the X5? The DX90? Not according to most reports I have read. I am not totally happy with the sound of the X5 either, but I don't really want to spend the higher price tags that are being asked for some of the other supposedly superior DAPs. I have done some comparing and the diminishing return factor just kicks in way too soon I find with most of the higher priced DAPs. I may be willing to stretch my budget to X7 territory, but a grand plus without concrete, significant easily discernible sound quality improvement? Not going to happen.

 

[Soundsgoodtome]

  Sure, transparency is part of it, but not the whole picture I don't think. Resolution is also a factor and resolution and transparency are not the same thing. Sure all headphones will sound better with a better source than a weaker one, that's a given, but it's more than that. Some headphones just respond positively to a higher resolution source more than other headphones. This is scale-ability

Yes because a headphone is able to show the details and have transparency therefore the better dac/amp is able to shine through. Got it.

 

[money4me247]

agree with good sound & soundsgoodtome. for example in my personal experience, the m100 sound basically identical regardless of what gear you are using. difficult to hear dac and amp changes on it. still a great headphone, but not as resolving or detailed or 'transparent' as other ones I've tried, mainly due to its coloration and heavy bass emphasis.

 

[vinjeman]

After I got the Oppo Pm-3's I compared my Fiio X5 to the Pono.  The technical information and impressions of the reviewers guide me but I listen to every bit of equipment before I buy.  I realize that is not possible in many instances but the best mail order stores (e.g. headphone.com) have very good return policies   I really like the X5 and know it is one of the more cost-effective pieces available.  You should listen to the Pono when considering low priced DAP's for the Pm-3's.
 
cheers,
 

jhv

 

[lukeap69]

You all made good point gents. When PM-1 was released, some said it doesn"t scale well. When PM-3 was released, I remember somebody said the same. Well, not to my experience! I normally pair my PM-3 with AP100. Then, I connected the LO of my AP100 with the Lyr 2 and voila, the SQ has improved a lot! Bass is bigger, more dynamics, etc.

 

[jagwap]

I'm going to cut the microphone end of the mobile cable and use that to make a balanced pono cable.  It may not have audiophile pretentions, but the TRRS will fit perfectly.

 

[reddog]

I just go myself a pair of white PM-3's, very impressed with the build of these amazing cans, as well as the sound signature. One question though, should I burn in the PM-3'S for any amount of time?