[Mad Lust Envy]

Yeah, I'm sure a lot of people lost interest, but good products tend to speak for themselves, and I'm sure once the PM1 is released and impressions roll in, interests will be renewed.

 

[Beagle]

  This is the response I got from them when I asked how much juice was required to drive them adequately. I also asked for an update on proposed shipping:
 

 
The response sounded like it came from someone who knows nothing about ortho headphones...

 

[Focker]

Yeah, I'm sure a lot of people lost interest, but good products tend to speak for themselves, and I'm sure once the PM1 is released and impressions roll in, interests will be renewed.

 
It absolutely will...with me, though, I"m more wanting to know the cause of the delay. This comes off as something they thought they had a grasp on, but clearly didn't...so I can't help but wonder why. There are plenty of headphones out there that we can all enjoy until they finally get around to releasing theirs, so the delay itself isn't so much a big deal....it's the reason behind the delay and the lack of any explanation to date. 

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Part of me wonders if they're holding out for the HE560 so they can tune the PM1 around it and try and outdo it. The 560 is due very soon...so it wouldn't be a bad idea. It is undoubtedly going to be the PM1's biggest competitor as far as new headphones go.

 

[Ocellia]

Ah, the 'Me-me' generation!
I want it NOW!!!
Now-NOW-NOW!
Stomp!
Chill out! Things will be what they are. Better to be properly fixed. How often have I read of Hi-Fi reviewers getting faulty stuff sent to them, before it was ready. Even Audez'e had some hiccups I recall.
 
You'd all be mad if you ended up returning stuff?

 

[nick v]

How long ago did you ask this?

This was late last week.

 

[ssrock64]

  Ah, the 'Me-me' generation!
I want it NOW!!!
Now-NOW-NOW!
Stomp!
Chill out! Things will be what they are. Better to be properly fixed. How often have I read of Hi-Fi reviewers getting faulty stuff sent to them, before it was ready. Even Audez'e had some hiccups I recall.
 
You'd all be mad if you ended up returning stuff?

Nobody here has a problem purely with the wait. What we have a problem with is that nobody on the mailing list has had a thorough update on the status of development in a long time, and the headphone we were promised by the end of last year isn't here. It's not development time we don't like; it's the complete lack of communication and ability to stick to assurances made on the part of Oppo. Like I said earlier, somebody unfamiliar with the company would have possibly cast them off as crooks by now, and won't plan on buying unless this headphone is the second coming of the HE90.

 

[Hutnicks]

As the saying goes "Real engineers ship".

 

[Beagle]

  Ah, the 'Me-me' generation!
I want it NOW!!!
Now-NOW-NOW!
Stomp!
Chill out! Things will be what they are. Better to be properly fixed. How often have I read of Hi-Fi reviewers getting faulty stuff sent to them, before it was ready. Even Audez'e had some hiccups I recall.
 
You'd all be mad if you ended up returning stuff?

 
I rarely have to return donuts.

 

[Beagle]

Part of me wonders if they're holding out for the HE560 so they can tune the PM1 around it and try and outdo it. The 560 is due very soon...so it wouldn't be a bad idea. It is undoubtedly going to be the PM1's biggest competitor as far as new headphones go.

 
That would be a smart move. It's too bad that all headphone manufacturers didn't do that...then we'd have no headphones at all....probably a blessing.
 
Like Bugs Bunny said "I'm not drinkin' mine 'till you drink yours foist!"

 

[bcschmerker4]

Nick,
 
The PM-1s are designed to be driven by all devices, even the headphone outputs of a cell phone. So a dedicated headphone amplifier will have absolutely no difficulties driving the PM-1. We hope to have the PM-1 and HA-1 devices released any time between now and the end of April.

Best Regards,
 
Customer Service
OPPO Digital, Inc.

"All devices" means that the PM-1 is a low-impedance headphone, somewhere in the 16-64Ω range.  That means that the PM-1 is in the design-load ballpark (albeit potential overkill on acoustic performance) for the Creative Laboratories® SB0250 I/O Drive in my Hot Rod gPC™, but potentially dicey for the XONAR® Essence™ STX™ in my Asus® CM1630-06 (as the Texas Instruments® TPA6120A2, Zs = 10.7Ω, is really meant for a headphone of on or around 120Ω, per IEC 61938-1996).
 
In which case, I'll wait for some reviews prior to a go-no go judgment on the PM-1.

 

[takato14]

 

Nick,
 
The PM-1s are designed to be driven by all devices, even the headphone outputs of a cell phone. So a dedicated headphone amplifier will have absolutely no difficulties driving the PM-1. We hope to have the PM-1 and HA-1 devices released any time between now and the end of April.

Best Regards,
 
Customer Service
OPPO Digital, Inc.

"All devices" means that the PM-1 is a low-impedance headphone, somewhere in the 16-64Ω range.  That means that the PM-1 is in the design-load ballpark (albeit potential overkill on acoustic performance) for the Creative Laboratories® SB0250 I/O Drive in my Hot Rod gPC™, but potentially dicey for the XONAR® Essence™ STX™ in my Asus® CM1630-06 (as the Texas Instruments® TP6120A2, Zs = 10.7Ω, is really meant for a headphone of on or around 120Ω, per IEC 61938-1996).
 
In which case, I'll wait for some reviews prior to a go-no go judgment on the PM-1.

Only a very select few vintage orthodynamics are above that impedance range. The Audeze's and higher-end HiFiMANs most certainly aren't easy to power and they are all 50-60 ohms if I recall correctly. Saying that the Oppo's can be powered by anything doesn't only mean that they're low impedance, it also means they're sensitive, which in turn most likely means that their design is intentionally crippled to make them easier to power.  
 
But we shall see.

 

[DefQon]

  I still believe it's going to be a stellar headphone, don't get me wrong.

I have a gut feeling these are going to be underwhelmed amongst the community for those that have built enthusiasm and expectations for it all this time because it's an "Oppo".

 

[DoctaCosmos]

I just hope it's not a headphone that compromises. I feel the audeze did this with the xc. Used a lesser diaphragm than the 3 and pulled it tight to give a faster response making it a more "reference" tonality and pinpointing the modal trail (due to less control from weaker magnets) to the upper mids giving the impression of a more breathy and detailed headphone when to me it stands out like a sore thumb and really is not even on the se league as far as detail goes. . Of course not cutting corners = +$$$$

 

[DefQon]

I feel the audeze did this with the xc. Used a lesser diaphragm than the 3 and pulled it tight to give a faster response making it a more "reference" tonality and pinpointing the modal trail (due to less control from weaker magnets) to the upper mids giving the impression of a more breathy and detailed headphone when to me it stands out like a sore thumb and really is not even on the se league as far as detail goes. . Of course not cutting corners = +$$$$

 
Do you work for Audeze?