[tinyman392]

I hear what you are trying to say now, but I don't necessarily agree.
I don't think they add any effects, and I don't see how it's possible for a headphone to remove things from recordings other than through attenuation.
If a sound signature accentuates frequencies and adds enhancements, then that is also going to make certain recordings sound harsh.
Again I think maybe you are comparing them to what other phones have offered for so long with extreme sound signatures,
that it may be difficult to hear something that is close to neutral and so natural. Even though the audio is pleasant, they sound masked to you since you may be used to artificial enhancements.
Take that sound signature of another phone and get rid of the enhancements and flatten the curve, and suddenly it becomes natural and the harshness is almost gone.

 
That's how it removes harshness...  The harshness is in the treble...  You've already stated that the PM-1 attenuate the treble a bit...  That's what makes it a natural signature rather than neutral.  If a certain recording has harshness in it, a neutral phone will reproduce that harshness, a natural one will not.  The harshness is not in the headphone, it's in the recording.  The lack of warmth is not in the headphone, it's in the recording.  There is no artificial enhancement from the headphone, there is pushing the limits in the recording.  Note I keep pointing back to the recording...  If you truly believe that every recording you get is perfectly mastered to sound like music, you're heavily mistaken.  About 90% of modern music is recorded improperly, a neutral phone will show that to you, a natural one will not (which is why it's preferred!). 
 
If you take a sound signature of a phone, the PM-1, and take out the enhancements (accentuated bass and midrange), you get a flat neutral headphone that will have harshness if the track has it. 

 

[bcschmerker4]

  ...That's how it removes harshness...  The harshness is in the treble...  You've already stated that the PM-1 attenuate the treble a bit...  That's what makes it a natural signature rather than neutral.  If a certain recording has harshness in it, a neutral phone will reproduce that harshness, a natural one will not.  The harshness is not in the headphone, it's in the recording.  The lack of warmth is not in the headphone, it's in the recording.  There is no artificial enhancement from the headphone, there is pushing the limits in the recording.  Note I keep pointing back to the recording...  If you truly believe that every recording you get is perfectly mastered to sound like music, you're heavily mistaken.  About 90% of modern music is recorded improperly, a neutral phone will show that to you, a natural one will not (which is why it's preferred!). 
 
If you take a sound signature of a phone, the PM-1, and take out the enhancements (accentuated bass and midrange), you get a flat neutral headphone that will have harshness if the track has it. 

Thanks for a clarification on how Oppo Digital tailored the PM-1 for current mastering practices in the recording industry - the treble roll-off is a far tamer version of what Heil Sound® did to the ProSet™ stereo radiocommunications headphone (v3 = 8 kHz).  A lot of transceivers from the likes of Vertex Standard®, Motorola®, Kenwood® Professional, etc., would grate ears through a Sennheiser® HD 800 or similar medium-Z model for professional audio (and probably through the PM-1 as well) due to design compromises in the demodulator and AF amplifier; not so your typical home audio rig.

 

[tinyman392]

 
Thanks for a clarification on how Oppo Digital tailored the PM-1 for current mastering practices in the recording industry - the treble roll-off is a far tamer version of what Heil Sound® did to the ProSet™ stereo radiocommunications headphone (v3 = 8 kHz).  A lot of transceivers from the likes of Vertex Standard®, Motorola®, Kenwood® Professional, etc., would grate ears through a Sennheiser® HD 800 or similar medium-Z model for professional audio (and probably through the PM-1 as well) due to design compromises in the demodulator and AF amplifier; not so your typical home audio rig.

 
I actually think that's how the beta testers tailored it.  Majority of audiophiles feel that neutral cans are too harsh.  So I understand the toned down treble, it's something that does work very well.  Olive and Welti already has showed that this is the preferred signature for audiophiles looking for a tuning for Harman headphones.  This was, however, only shown for over-ear models, no testing was done for in-ears. 

 

[musicman59]

I was curious is anyone using Astell & kern ak240 with their PM-1?,Portable for me is ipod5,And bdp-105 Home use,If so I would love to here the ak240 combo,Beside that looking forward to the HA-1 to come back out..

 i have been using the PM-1 with my AK240 for about 2 months now. With the PM-1 I ma using a DHC Molecule Hybrid balanced cabled. They match great and sound fantastic. No need for an external amplifier at all.

 

[SP Wild]

   
I actually think that's how the beta testers tailored it.  Majority of audiophiles feel that neutral cans are too harsh.  So I understand the toned down treble, it's something that does work very well.  Olive and Welti already has showed that this is the preferred signature for audiophiles looking for a tuning for Harman headphones.  This was, however, only shown for over-ear models, no testing was done for in-ears. 

I don't think the Olive and Welti research enlisted audiophiles to make sound signature preferences.  They enlisted trained and untrained listeners from all areas, musicians, sound engineers and average janes.
 
I'm wary of any posters that proclaim any absolutes with regards to neutrality.

 

[Smarty-pants]

I hear what you are trying to say now, but I don't necessarily agree.

I don't think they add any effects, and I don't see how it's possible for a headphone to remove things from recordings other than through attenuation.

If a sound signature accentuates frequencies and adds enhancements, then that is also going to make certain recordings sound harsh.

Again I think maybe you are comparing them to what other phones have offered for so long with extreme sound signatures,

that it may be difficult to hear something that is close to neutral and so natural. Even though the audio is pleasant, they sound masked to you since you may be used to artificial enhancements.

Take that sound signature of another phone and get rid of the enhancements and flatten the curve, and suddenly it becomes natural and the harshness is almost gone.

That's how it removes harshness...  The harshness is in the treble...  You've already stated that the PM-1 attenuate the treble a bit...  That's what makes it a natural signature rather than neutral.  If a certain recording has harshness in it, a neutral phone will reproduce that harshness, a natural one will not.  The harshness is not in the headphone, it's in the recording.  The lack of warmth is not in the headphone, it's in the recording.  There is no artificial enhancement from the headphone, there is pushing the limits in the recording.  Note I keep pointing back to the recording...  If you truly believe that every recording you get is perfectly mastered to sound like music, you're heavily mistaken.  About 90% of modern music is recorded improperly, a neutral phone will show that to you, a natural one will not (which is why it's preferred!). 

If you take a sound signature of a phone, the PM-1, and take out the enhancements (accentuated bass and midrange), you get a flat neutral headphone that will have harshness if the track has it. 

Some of your claims are pretty outrageous. I never said every recording is perfectly mastered or even insinuated it. You made that part up.
It's also ridiculous to say 90% or recordings are done wrong, lol. Attenuation and enhancement are also not the same thing.
Anyway, I wish to bow out and agree to disagree. Good luck.

 

[mike7898]

 i have been using the PM-1 with my AK240 for about 2 months now. With the PM-1 I ma using a DHC Molecule Hybrid balanced cabled. They match great and sound fantastic. No need for an external amplifier at all.

Thanks for your respond,don't wanna turn the pm1 thread into ak240 thread,Considering the ak240 price tag,was just curious how it added up to the PM-1,I think I just stick with the ipod5(portable use)works fine with me,BDP-105,HA-1,(Home use), That is once the ha-1,is back out..

 

[mike7898]

Also one more note,I contacted Sound & Vision Magazine, They will be doing a PM-1 review next issue or so,Looking forward to that issue..

 

[mike7898]

Does anyone use their PM-1 with their ipod5? I like the combo better then using my bdp-105,Eventually I will get the ha-1...Also any suggestions on cleaning the outside of the Beautiful Oppo Box?

 

[aamefford]

I use mine regularly with my iPhone 5S and the short cable. I sounds way better than it ought to. Just drop the iPhone in my pants pocket.

 

[kkcc]

Just had an extended listening session with PM1 on my AK240. It sounded okay, but not as good as with a Hugo or a more power amp /w AK240 as DAC imo.

To me it is quite obvious the PM1 is tuned for contemporary pop. Not really a fan of it with other genres like hard rock, classical, or jazz.

 

[pataburd]

That has not been my experience.
The PM-1 have handled all the genres I have tried with them very well, including jazz, period, baroque, classical, romantic.  Tchaikovsky has never sounded better IMHO.
Ironically, "Contemporary Pop" is one of the few things I have not yet listened to with the Oppos.

 

[Frank I]

Just had an extended listening session with PM1 on my AK240. It sounded okay, but not as good as with a Hugo or a more power amp /w AK240 as DAC imo.

To me it is quite obvious the PM1 is tuned for contemporary pop. Not really a fan of it with other genres like hard rock, classical, or jazz.

try it balance on the ah240 but I must say with the Hugo and ak2540 the P-1 really shines

 

[HiFiAudio]

Another review . . .
 

Oppo PM-1 review - Digital Trends - By Ryan Waniata — June 30, 2014

"The PM-1 offer a staggering combination of warmth, dimension, clarity, and definition."

 

[mike7898]

Just received my PM-1 Stand,It's a Beauty.. Display on the Shelve.