[Vipers]

I tried really hard to get the price from them but the guys were keeping tight lipped so I really haven't got a clue but I would say in the UK they will be a £1000+ and deservedly so as I would say they are closer to the LCD-3 than the LCD-2, definitely when it comes to definition and a really nice openness to the sound, it might be my imagination but they seemed to offer quite a wide sound-stage also, well for headphones anyway.
 
Fingers crossed but I'm hoping to have the UK launch here early next year, for me though I'm really excited by the amp, that sounds quite special.

 

[stormmilk]

Wow, they are from Oppo, a Chinese brand. I'm looking forward to see their performance.

 

[MattTCG]

^^ Vipers, can you be any more specific about the sound signature? Bass, mids, treble...
 
 

 

[Cecala]

  Hi Guys,
 
I have just been extremely privileged and just had the main guys and developers in from OPPO and in one of their bags they pulled out a pair of almost ready for production PM-1's, needless to say that I didn't hang about and plugged them straight into a Bursom Soloist for a listen, I understand there is some tweaking to do but I really do think OPPO are going to surprise a few people and have got a hit on their hands, shame they didn't have their headphone amp with them but after talking to them at length about it I really can't wait to get my hands on it, apparently it will drive the HE-6's no problem, will decode DSD, has 2 gain setting, balanced and single ended outputs and will be a USB DAC amongst other things and it looks a million dollars, this could be a real winner.
 
As for the PM-1's, firstly they are extremely comfortable, I kept switching between my LCD-2's, LCD-3's and the PM-1's and I have to say that the OPPO cans are far more comfortable, they are also a lot lighter and easier to drive, I would have to notch up the Soloist a further 3-4 steps to equal the output on the LCD-2. How do they sound? I do need a longer session but compared to the LCD-2's they are more open and detailed in their sound and a little smoother at the very top end, If I'm really honest they perform closer to the LCD-3's than the LCD-2's. From what I understand there will be a balanced cable option and a stand in the box and they fold extremely flat which will make them quite handy for guys who travel a lot, also the ear cushions are extremely easy to remove and are made from a very soft leather helping with their comfort.
 
The price will be an interesting one, but from what I have heard OPPO should be reasonably confident that they will be able to compete with the likes Audeze and HiFiMan from day one.
 
Hopefully we won't have to wait much longer to give them a proper work out 

 
Cheers,
Paul.
 
 
Easier to drive than the LCD3 and just as good, if true, Oppo have a winner if priced around $1200US

 

[bcschmerker4]

  Hi Guys,
 
I have just been extremely privileged and just had the main guys and developers in from OPPO and in one of their bags they pulled out a pair of almost ready for production PM-1's, needless to say that I didn't hang about and plugged them straight into a Bursom Soloist for a listen, I understand there is some tweaking to do but I really do think OPPO are going to surprise a few people and have got a hit on their hands, shame they didn't have their headphone amp with them but after talking to them at length about it I really can't wait to get my hands on it, apparently it will drive the HE-6's no problem, will decode DSD, has 2 gain setting, balanced and single ended outputs and will be a USB DAC amongst other things and it looks a million dollars, this could be a real winner.
 
As for the PM-1's, firstly they are extremely comfortable, I kept switching between my LCD-2's, LCD-3's and the PM-1's and I have to say that the OPPO cans are far more comfortable, they are also a lot lighter and easier to drive, I would have to notch up the Soloist a further 3-4 steps to equal the output on the LCD-2. How do they sound? I do need a longer session but compared to the LCD-2's they are more open and detailed in their sound and a little smoother at the very top end, If I'm really honest they perform closer to the LCD-3's than the LCD-2's. From what I understand there will be a balanced cable option and a stand in the box and they fold extremely flat which will make them quite handy for guys who travel a lot, also the ear cushions are extremely easy to remove and are made from a very soft leather helping with their comfort.
 
The price will be an interesting one, but from what I have heard OPPO should be reasonably confident that they will be able to compete with the likes Audeze and HiFiMan from day one. 
 
Hopefully we won't have to wait much longer to give them a proper work out 

 
 
Cheers,
Paul.

Thanks for the update.  Looks as though Oppo® will have something to compete directly against the Audeze® LCD-3; my Asus® CM1630-06 as upgraded should see, in the PM-1, a resistive load on the XONAR's® Texas Instruments® TP6120A2 amplifier.  Likely much better than the Q701 and DT990, both of which have somewhat jagged frequency responses, from my planned medium-Z headset showdown, which could very well take place so soon as 16 February 2014.

 

[Vipers]

  ^^ Vipers, can you be any more specific about the sound signature? Bass, mids, treble...
 
 

Hi MattTCG,
 
It is a very clean and un-coloured signature, not to the level of the HD800's, definitely got a little richness in the mids thanks to the Planar driver, with a very natural and open presentation overall with a very smooth treble. From what I understand they are still playing with the levels of bass as apparently on the previous versions the bass was more prominent. I urged them not to play with the sonic signature too much more as to my ears they sounded really great, maybe a little more bass wouldn't hurt.
 
It is impossible though as everyone is looking for different things in headphones, but I think that OPPO have definitely got a headphone here that is extremely comfortable for long session, can be used for portable and performs at a high level for the home user, not bad for a first attempt, And knowing how OPPO package their Blu Ray players it will come beautifully presented.
 
I guess this has been posted before but I have just found it, I just love the look of that amp - 
 
http://www.oppodigital.com/future/
 
Cheers,
Paul.

 

[MattTCG]

^^ Thanks for the reply and impressions. 

 

[Oregonian]

Hi MattTCG,

It is a very clean and un-coloured signature, not to the level of the HD800's, definitely got a little richness in the mids thanks to the Planar driver, with a very natural and open presentation overall with a very smooth treble. From what I understand they are still playing with the levels of bass as apparently on the previous versions the bass was more prominent. I urged them not to play with the sonic signature too much more as to my ears they sounded really great, maybe a little more bass wouldn't hurt.

It is impossible though as everyone is looking for different things in headphones, but I think that OPPO have definitely got a headphone here that is extremely comfortable for long session, can be used for portable and performs at a high level for the home user, not bad for a first attempt, And knowing how OPPO package their Blu Ray players it will come beautifully presented.

I guess this has been posted before but I have just found it, I just love the look of that amp - 

http://www.oppodigital.com/future/

Cheers,
Paul.

Hope the bass is a focus and emphasized a la the TH900 that I have. If so these may be on the list.

 

[aamefford]

Hope the bass is a focus and emphasized a la the TH900 that I have. If so these may be on the list.

Funny - I read a post on one of the AV forums saying basically exactly the opposite.

 

[jghead]

For the amp, when Oppo says on their website that:
 
"OPPO is also working with a leading smartphone and tablet manufacturer to certify the HA-1 so it can pass the required authentication and take digital audio from those popular mobile devices."
 
Do they mean that direct digital audio will pass from any Apple iDevice to be decoded by the Oppo amp DAC with a regular Lightening-USB cable?
 

 

[sfoclt]

Is there any indication of what the headphone's impedance might be?  Just wondering how nicely it might play with some of my more esoteric amps.

 

[JWahl]

  Hi Guys,
 
I have just been extremely privileged and just had the main guys and developers in from OPPO and in one of their bags they pulled out a pair of almost ready for production PM-1's, needless to say that I didn't hang about and plugged them straight into a Bursom Soloist for a listen, I understand there is some tweaking to do but I really do think OPPO are going to surprise a few people and have got a hit on their hands, shame they didn't have their headphone amp with them but after talking to them at length about it I really can't wait to get my hands on it, apparently it will drive the HE-6's no problem, will decode DSD, has 2 gain setting, balanced and single ended outputs and will be a USB DAC amongst other things and it looks a million dollars, this could be a real winner.
 
As for the PM-1's, firstly they are extremely comfortable, I kept switching between my LCD-2's, LCD-3's and the PM-1's and I have to say that the OPPO cans are far more comfortable, they are also a lot lighter and easier to drive, I would have to notch up the Soloist a further 3-4 steps to equal the output on the LCD-2. How do they sound? I do need a longer session but compared to the LCD-2's they are more open and detailed in their sound and a little smoother at the very top end, If I'm really honest they perform closer to the LCD-3's than the LCD-2's. From what I understand there will be a balanced cable option and a stand in the box and they fold extremely flat which will make them quite handy for guys who travel a lot, also the ear cushions are extremely easy to remove and are made from a very soft leather helping with their comfort.
 
The price will be an interesting one, but from what I have heard OPPO should be reasonably confident that they will be able to compete with the likes Audeze and HiFiMan from day one. 
 
Hopefully we won't have to wait much longer to give them a proper work out 

 
 
Cheers,
Paul.

Hmmm, I may have to hold out on the K812 until these start coming out for more impressions.  I figured these would be competing more in the HE-400 range but maybe not.  I just hope they don't get too silly with the price like a lot of them now days, i.e. $1000 or less.  I've been hoping for a more comfortable planar headphone.  Their new amp/dac has caught my also.  I already own a Soloist myself so those impressions help me as well.
 
Hopefully though, the soundstage presentation on the PM-1 is a little closer to dynamics than the planars I've owned.

 

[Sonic Defender]

Well, I have been predicting the retail price to be around $899, but based on the most current information coming out there isn't a chance in hell these will retail under $1100.

 

[bcschmerker4]

  Is there any indication of what the headphone's impedance might be?  Just wondering how nicely it might play with some of my more esoteric amps.

Not for certain, as the physical design of the PM-1's diaphragm is still in flux.  Some of the pre-existing competition from Audeze® and HiFiMAN® present almost purely resistive loads to power-amplifier outputs, so the Texas Instruments® TPA6120A2 headphone PO (Zs = 10.7Ω) in my Asus® CM1630-06's XONAR® Essence™ STX™ should be able to drive any of them sans frequency- and phase-response issues common to dynamic headsets such as the Plantronics® and Sony® models used in computer circles.  (The XONAR's® PO can be set for one of three gains to drive headsets of different impedances; it's stable with anything above 32Ω and can even handle some of the 600Ω 'phones used in ENG work.)

 

[Hutnicks]

 
Not for certain, as the physical design of the PM-1's diaphragm is still in flux.  Some of the pre-existing competition from Audeze® and HiFiMAN® present almost purely resistive loads to power-amplifier outputs, so the Texas Instruments® TP6120A2 headphone PO (Zs = 10.7Ω) in my Asus® CM1630-06's XONAR® Essence™ STX™ should be able to drive any of them sans frequency- and phase-response issues common to dynamic headsets such as the Plantronics® and Sony® models used in computer circles.  (The XONAR's® PO can be set for one of three gains to drive headsets of different impedances; it's stable with anything above 32Ω and can even handle some of the 600Ω 'phones used in ENG work.)

 
Am I the only one here who finds all this price speculation and hype way out of line in regards to a statement like that?