[ssrock64]

There's a lot of amps out there that are nearly lost to the annals of Head-Fi history. I use a HeadSave Classic in my portable rig, and I can't say I've heard the model mentioned even once since acquiring it in a trade. That doesn't make it bad in any way, even it the design of older amps may be a little more simple and outdated than what we're used to today.

 

[YtseJamer]

They need to break in. They are a bit congested and have some one-note bass when new, but after about 50 hours (roughly) they open up a lot and are now truly great (like one of the gushing reviewers said).

X2

 

[eugenius]

  So, FWIW, I'm finding some sort of great synergy between the PM-1 and my 15-year-old Headroom Max amp. I'm not sure why, but it's just great, so I would suggest that anyone looking for a good inexpensive system try to find this amp or one of its descendants (like the Blockhead or the BUDA) and give it a try. I'm a tube fan, but something very right is going on here, even with just a Dragonfly DAC or with a high end EMM cd player.
It's really good, with nice definition, solid controlled deep bass, vocals that are sweet and have nice silky boundaries, and even decent soundstaging. This is the best sound I can recall by far with any phones with the Headroom amp.
These amps aren't made anymore but mine has functioned flawlessly all this time.
Maybe Tyll could comment here.

 
I downgraded from a Blockhead to a BUDA and I'm not a tube fan. For me Headroom makes the best solid state headphone electronics. Solid controlled deep bass (in fact Headroom bass is the benchmark for me, especially on the Blockhead - I doubt I'll ever hear an amp with better bass), sweet vocals, good soundstage.
 
But I don't think you need an Oppo for that character to be apparent, a simple HD600 is enough.

 

[rgs9200m]

Thanks for that. I had the HD600/Headroom Max for a while (then the HD650), but I hear the PM-1 on this amp as having much better ambiance, texture, openness, and layering vs. the Senns.
('still have the 650.)
Yep, there is something great about how Headroom got solid state right. I'm mainly a tube amp listener.

 

[HiFiAudio]

I liked this opinion from FatalethaL - Singapore Hardware Zone
 
[First Impressions] OPPO PM-1 Planar Magnetic Headphones
 

 

[keithhr1]

I've been using the Sennheiser HD-800's and the AKG-702's for quite a while now both rewired with a new technology patented audio cable. I just got the PM-1 headphones that I ordered with my second BDP-103 player and between the high gloss wooden box and the really nice packaging I put them on and listened from my Burson headphone amp rotating the 3 sets of headphones for about an hour, and although I couldn't break them in properly I just couldn't see them breaking in enough to make me want to risk damaging anything in the box to make them unreturnable. My HD-800's are made like junk but sound pretty good and the Build quality of of the PM-1's is really nice comparatively. Between the Sennheiser cables and ear cups which fall out every day and nothing I do make them stay in. I hate these and am desparate to find a replacement. My rewired AKG-702's sound very good, head and shoulders above my old 650's which I have not been able to listen to since my first 702 listen.
     If anyone can suggest what I might try, I've heard good things about the Tesla T1 headphones. I listen to these main headphones everyday for hours mostly to tv and movies so my wife doesn't have to listen to what I hear. l hate hearing headphones which are dark and congested and if that is the nature of the PM-1's out of the box, they should create some kind of breakin process because I couldn't risk breaking them in myself.

 

[keanex]

You mean that you couldn't "risk" leaving them run for a few hours a day?

 

[TMRaven]

I got a loaner pair PM-1 in today.  My initial impressions:
 
-Very fancy presentation and build quality.  Great, rigid materials used for the headphone.  If only other headphones were this rigid feeling.
-Earpads too small to me to be considered fully circumaural.  Could use bigger openings.  Don't understand the unnatural rectangle shape either.
-Sound signature very smooth and even; decent bass extension and treble clarity
-Something doesn't sound natural about lower midrange, it's not as clear and naturally warm as Hifiman or Audeze offerings
-Sound is claustrophobic and lacking in tangibility compared to Hifiman and Audeze models
-Sounds like mud, I think I rather take Mad Dogs-- at least their earpad openings are big

 

[Colgin]

  -Sounds like mud,

I guess you won't be buying a pair then.

 

[mike7898]

I got a loaner pair PM-1 in today.  My initial impressions:

-Very fancy presentation and build quality.  Great, rigid materials used for the headphone.  If only other headphones were this rigid feeling.
-Earpads too small to me to be considered fully circumaural.  Could use bigger openings.  Don't understand the unnatural rectangle shape either.
-Sound signature very smooth and even; decent bass extension and treble clarity
-Something doesn't sound natural about lower midrange, it's not as clear and naturally warm as Hifiman or Audeze offerings
-Sound is claustrophobic and lacking in tangibility compared to Hifiman and Audeze models
-Sounds like mud, I think I rather take Mad Dogs-- at least their earpad openings are big

I had mines now for about two weeks now,I like them even more,now that they are over 50hrs broken in they have more rich deep bass,and a wider soundstage...I listen to mines through my oppo bdp-105 and ipod5.

Mike

 

[Clemmaster]

  I got a loaner pair PM-1 in today.  My initial impressions:
 
-Very fancy presentation and build quality.  Great, rigid materials used for the headphone.  If only other headphones were this rigid feeling.
-Earpads too small to me to be considered fully circumaural.  Could use bigger openings.  Don't understand the unnatural rectangle shape either.
-Sound signature very smooth and even; decent bass extension and treble clarity
-Something doesn't sound natural about lower midrange, it's not as clear and naturally warm as Hifiman or Audeze offerings
-Sound is claustrophobic and lacking in tangibility compared to Hifiman and Audeze models
-Sounds like mud, I think I rather take Mad Dogs-- at least their earpad openings are big

What's the associated gears?

 

[TMRaven]

Asgard2/Uberfrost.

 

[ssrock64]

TMRaven, at the end of your impressions you say you'd rather take the Mad Dog, but you qualify it (sort of) by saying it's because of earpad size. Does the MD hold any sonic advantage over the PM-1 to your ears? I don't see how it could from my own perspective, but we tend to have very different opinions when it comes to the gear we try.

 

[TMRaven]

Not just because of the earpads, but because of the sonics.  I don't have a mad dog to compare side by side to the Oppo-PM1, but from memory I would take the Mad Dog over the PM-1.  I would take the Mad Dogs over this LCD-X I have here too so that's not a big dump in the face to Oppo-- well sorta.

 

[olegausany]

You should try to find proper fit for PM-1. I have small and narrow head so in order to get tight seal i had earcups sitting all the way up and later discovered that in order to get more resolving and details i need to pull them two notches down on each side