[GeneraI]

I wouldn't even care anyways. I mean if the sound of a $700 can is more/ a like the sound of a $1,100 can ,but with cheaper materials.

At this point it's going to be the Alpha Dog vs the PM-2 for me.

 

[takato14]

I wouldn't even care anyways. I mean if the sound of a $700 can is more/ a like the sound of a $1,100 can ,but with cheaper materials.

At this point it's going to be the Alpha Dog vs the PM-2 for me.

I wouldn't be able to settle for the cheaper build. I'd much rather shell out the extra money to have something I can trust.
 
I don't abuse my gear by any means, but I really love it when something feels solid and well put together. 

 

[nick v]

Too rich for my blood. I was hoping for a MAX price of $899. I'll likely buy the matte black Alpha Dog's for now and wait to see about the PM-2.
 
A closed headphone is much more useful for me anyways as pretty much all of my headphone listening is done at work or while traveling. I wonder if Oppo will have a closed version up their sleeve at some point?

 

[Errymoose]

Nicer pads, cable, a stand, nice box etc. doesn't necessarily mean better build quality.  Even if they use metal vs. good quality plastic for some parts doesn't necessarily mean better build quality (in some senses it could even be better despite costing less... it just doesn't look/feel as nice)

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Hmm, the PM-1 looks amazing, but I'm sure that the PM-2 will as well. Not like all plastics look or feel cheap. My cheap Ultrasone HS-15 is all plastic, and can withstand a nuclear holocaust. How much of that can be said about many, many headphones?

Oppo just brought back some hype with all this good news (release date range and cheaper model with same sound).

On their website:

...alternative set of velour pads provides a slightly different sound signature.

OH SHI-!

That just REALLY made me want these now.

 

[mrscotchguy]

Did anyone who's been emailing Oppo by chance ask about the new HA-1? I am assuming Oppo is planning on releasing these at the same time...

 

[Errymoose]

The website just says late april still... the "people emailing them" is just them notifying anyone who filled in the "email me when there is more info" thing that the PM-1 will be available soon.

 

[takato14]

  Nicer pads, cable, a stand, nice box etc. doesn't necessarily mean better build quality.  Even if they use metal vs. good quality plastic for some parts doesn't necessarily mean better build quality (in some senses it could even be better despite costing less... it just doesn't look/feel as nice)

If it is the exact same design, then yes metal will always be better. 

 

[Errymoose]

Are you sure that's not just you being biased?

 

[Nimzerz]

  Are you sure that's not just you being biased?

+1 @evilhippie

 

[takato14]

  Are you sure that's not just you being biased?

How could using a material with a higher density and higher tensile strength possibly be worse if the shape of the parts is completely identical? That's not bias, that's common sense...

 

[Errymoose]

  How could using a material with a higher density and higher tensile strength possibly be worse if the shape of the parts is completely identical? That's not bias, that's common sense...

If only higher tensile strength was ever the only factor in determining how suitable a material is for a given task...
 
EDIT: it's a silly argument because there's no definitive rule as to what acceptable build quality is.  Metal obviously looks and feels nicer most of the time, but there are plastics that far exceed the amount of stress expected to be placed on a headphone to exceed any reasonable build quality standards.  (Especially since most of the lighter metals you usually want to use for headphones aren't that amazingly strong).
 
Just the argument that if the cheaper model uses plastic it's inherently worse/more likely to break is not true, and unless you've actually tested the materials it uses it's silly to say so.  The metal is more expensive, but could just be for a more premium look/feel, which it's perfectly fine to pay for if you like that, just don't dress it up as something it's not...

 

[nick v]

  How could using a material with a higher density and higher tensile strength possibly be worse if the shape of the parts is completely identical? That's not bias, that's common sense...

If you study acoustics, they say that metal "rings". I'm not saying that in some implementations, metal can't or won't be better than plastic. Every design challenge, including different materials for drivers, pads or enclosures poses it's own set of compromises. It's the engineer/designer's job to navigate these compromises.

 

[Maxx134]

That's not the final signature. I had that with me at home for a week before returning to Oppo. Since then Oppo's had quite at least one but probably more like 2-3 revision updates. Jude/Currawong got to hear one revision update in the Tokyo Fujiya Autumn Festival on Oct 29th.

So would you say the overall sound quality at that time was at the level of an LCD2-3 or a he500-he6?

 

[alota]

received today news letter from oppo.
the new PM-1 is born(1099 dollars)
will follow a PM-2