Beagle
His body's not a canvas, and he wasn't raised by apes.
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We all have different opinions....why do you think there are so many different types of headphone sound?
Oppo PM-1 Planar Magnetic Headphone Impressions Thread
- Thread starter HiFiGuy528
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"Better" is really a relative term, but I own HD800's and heard the PM-1's. I can't think of two more opposite sounding headphones. I can see if you like a darker, closed sound then you will like the PM-1's better. If you like bright and airy, the you will like the HD800's better.
More resolving is tough since in theory, a darker, rolled off headphone can be resolving. It just doesn't sound as resolving to me compared to a brighter more airy sound. But maybe having elevated highs sounds more resolving even though it's not.
jh7000
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I have been listening to the PM-1 for a few days now. Here are my initial impressions. (I currently own the following cans: HD800/HD700/Fidelio X1/Fidelio L2/Vmoda XS. I have owned lots of others... T1/T90/T70/T5p/TH900/HD600/LCD-2/LCD-3/HE-500/Denon D600/lots of others...)
1. Build quality is AWESOME. Definitely one of the nicest builds I have seen.
2. Comfort - Very good. Most comfortable Ortho by far. I would rate the HD800/HD700 to be more comfortable, but really - no complaints at all with the PM-1. I could wear them all day no problem.
3. Sound
I will post more impressions as I listen more. Overall I am pretty happy with my purchase. I do have a pair of HE-560s on pre-order as well, I think these PM-1 will be tough to beat.. should be interesting.
1. Build quality is AWESOME. Definitely one of the nicest builds I have seen.
2. Comfort - Very good. Most comfortable Ortho by far. I would rate the HD800/HD700 to be more comfortable, but really - no complaints at all with the PM-1. I could wear them all day no problem.
3. Sound
- First listen I didn't pick anything out to make me say "these sound killer"... no bass slam like the LCD-2 or TH900. They sounded good...but didn't really sound like they would blow anything else away that I have heard
- (I am not a believer in "burn in") - but after listening to these for hours today, I am getting some really nice bass slam. I am hearing tons of detail that I don't remember picking out with other headphones. I can say that I am really enjoying these a lot... none fatiguing. very easy to listen to. They just really seem to do everything really well.
I will post more impressions as I listen more. Overall I am pretty happy with my purchase. I do have a pair of HE-560s on pre-order as well, I think these PM-1 will be tough to beat.. should be interesting.
Beagle
His body's not a canvas, and he wasn't raised by apes.
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Fully agree with the last part.
Glad you are liking them. Amazing cans, huh?
themad
100+ Head-Fier
Thanks a lot for your impressions.
It would be really nice if you could comment further comparing the PM-1s to the T1s and the HE-500s.
And, of course, to the HE-560s once they arrive.
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Which amp are you using?
Details retrieval is more objective than something frequency response.
It is not subjective to say the PM1 is more resolving than the HD800. And in that case, it is very surprising and contradicts what's been said previously.
Beagle
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OK, so which one do you think sounds better?
buffer
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Hello,
I don't often post, but i know there is a lot of interest in the Oppo PM-1. I recently received mine and listened for about 10 totals hours over two days. During my listening experience, I had the opportunity to compare them to several headphones including the HD800, KOSS electrostats, and several others. I'll refrain from going into in-depth comparisons. I do believe in burn-in and these headphones have not been sufficiently broken in. I have no idea to what degree if any they will change, nor can I say that they will change in a positive or negative way. Since I have only had 10 or so hours, this won't be an in-depth review.
Un-boxing: The product is packed well and the packaging is very classy. I own flagships from Audeze, Hifiman, Audio Technica, and Sennheiser, and several others. The packaging of Oppo is as classy as any of those brands. The box appears to be highly polished/lacquered wood with a rich color. The interior is soft and holds everything in place. There was no damage, temporary or otherwise, to the headphone ear cups, headband or other accessories, as is sometimes the case when i have received various other phones.
Music Played: Classical Beethoven, Rock (i.e. Metallica), Classic Rock, Accoustic, all kinds really.
Sound: There are lots of different interpretations of terms but I will do my best to describe what I heard. I also had others listen and they described the Oppo as smooth, as in not harsh or edgy. I myself found the sound to be orgainc; perhaps cohesive and analog would be better words to use.
Tonal Balance: These headphones are brighter than Audeze, but not as bright as the HD800. In fact, overall, I would consider the Oppo SLIGHTLY warm of neutral. The treble does not 'shimmer' or stand out. In other words, it did not draw my ear's attention, but it did not seem to be lacking either. If OPPO asked me, and I assure you they did not, I would push for a little more extension in the treble, but only a little more.
Mid-range is slightly forward. Vocals are done very well (clear, lifelike, and somewhat intimate), both male and female. I was consistently impressed. That said, I believe its the lower mid-range, and perhaps a little in the bass where there is SLIGHTLY more warmth than I would like. The phones really are close to neutral, in my opinion. My hope is they do not get warmer as they break in. If anything, I'd prefer them to get brighter. On warm music, the brighter sound would help. But really, I cannot fault them for the recording. I should also state that I find them pretty revealing of equipment and the recordings themselves. Warm amps make the phones sound warm. Brighter amps have the opposite effect. I listened with a Woo Audio and the Bryston BHA-1.
Bass is very good. I feel that the bass goes pretty low and is tuneful and pretty tight, though maybe not the absolute tightest I have encountered. There is plenty of mid-bass; it seemed to fill in a little as I continued to play them.
The overall sound is very full bodied and rich. I could characterize it as a bottom-up sound rather than a top-down sound, if that makes any sense. And I've been using the word warmth, perhaps that's the best way to describe how I'm using the word. IF there is any emphasis, it's more toward the middle to lower frequencies than the upper ones.
There are a couple of additional points I should mention. I think Oppo does drums extremely well. The impact seems to come from drums that are in the mid-range, even more so than drums in the mid-bass. The sound of the drum hit is extremely clear and I prefer the drum hits, which to me seem completely clear and uncolored, over other headphones such as Audeze. Audeze may have a slightly thicker sound and the drums are excellent, but I preferred the Oppo's clarity.
This brings me to another point. The sound-staging and separation of instruments. To me, along with vocals and drums, this caught my attention. The size of the image was great. It's a very big sound and the placement within the sound-stage was also very good. And some may disagree with me, but i thought it rivaled or beat the HD800 in terms of instrument/vocal separation and size of the sound-stage. I also found, at times, the sound to be holographic.
I see lots of comparisons to the HD800 on this thread. I own many headphones, and have given up on trying to rank them. What's the point? Each of the high-end headphones I possess have strengths and weaknesses. I will say this though. The Oppo points out a significant flaw in the HD800. At times, and only when really comparing to other comparable headphones, the HD800 can sound slightly bleached in what I'll refer to as the upper mid-range. This was extremely evident on some music with drums which sounded more lifelike on the Oppo than on the HD800. Now while I feel the Oppo is pretty clear and resolved, I would definitely give the edge to the HD800 in that regard. Also, playing music like Diana Krall, and music I would consider warm, I prefer the HD800 by a small margin. In neutral or bright music, I would tend to prefer the Oppo. That opinion could easily change over time.
Texture: I noticed no significant flaws in the texture or timbre. Some headphones can sound 'plasticy', for lack of a better term. I did not sense that at all in the Oppo. The instruments seemed very true to me. Also, I regard Piano as difficult to properly reproduce. The Oppo did piano very well, in my opinion. It also did strings exceptionally well. In fact, I felt it did strings better than the HD800, which again, sounded slightly bleached and less real in the higher registers.
Comfort: The Oppos were very comfortable. I wore them for 5 hours without any issue. The clamping force was less than Audeze, but overall comfort may not have been quite as nice as the HD800 - close though. It would probably depend on the shape and size of your head/ears.
Hopefully this review will help someone who may be interested in the Oppo, but as always, you have to trust your own ears. I'll conclude by saying that I was very impressed with the Oppo. It appears to be a quality product with excellent sound, definitely contending with other flagship headphones.
I don't often post, but i know there is a lot of interest in the Oppo PM-1. I recently received mine and listened for about 10 totals hours over two days. During my listening experience, I had the opportunity to compare them to several headphones including the HD800, KOSS electrostats, and several others. I'll refrain from going into in-depth comparisons. I do believe in burn-in and these headphones have not been sufficiently broken in. I have no idea to what degree if any they will change, nor can I say that they will change in a positive or negative way. Since I have only had 10 or so hours, this won't be an in-depth review.
Un-boxing: The product is packed well and the packaging is very classy. I own flagships from Audeze, Hifiman, Audio Technica, and Sennheiser, and several others. The packaging of Oppo is as classy as any of those brands. The box appears to be highly polished/lacquered wood with a rich color. The interior is soft and holds everything in place. There was no damage, temporary or otherwise, to the headphone ear cups, headband or other accessories, as is sometimes the case when i have received various other phones.
Music Played: Classical Beethoven, Rock (i.e. Metallica), Classic Rock, Accoustic, all kinds really.
Sound: There are lots of different interpretations of terms but I will do my best to describe what I heard. I also had others listen and they described the Oppo as smooth, as in not harsh or edgy. I myself found the sound to be orgainc; perhaps cohesive and analog would be better words to use.
Tonal Balance: These headphones are brighter than Audeze, but not as bright as the HD800. In fact, overall, I would consider the Oppo SLIGHTLY warm of neutral. The treble does not 'shimmer' or stand out. In other words, it did not draw my ear's attention, but it did not seem to be lacking either. If OPPO asked me, and I assure you they did not, I would push for a little more extension in the treble, but only a little more.
Mid-range is slightly forward. Vocals are done very well (clear, lifelike, and somewhat intimate), both male and female. I was consistently impressed. That said, I believe its the lower mid-range, and perhaps a little in the bass where there is SLIGHTLY more warmth than I would like. The phones really are close to neutral, in my opinion. My hope is they do not get warmer as they break in. If anything, I'd prefer them to get brighter. On warm music, the brighter sound would help. But really, I cannot fault them for the recording. I should also state that I find them pretty revealing of equipment and the recordings themselves. Warm amps make the phones sound warm. Brighter amps have the opposite effect. I listened with a Woo Audio and the Bryston BHA-1.
Bass is very good. I feel that the bass goes pretty low and is tuneful and pretty tight, though maybe not the absolute tightest I have encountered. There is plenty of mid-bass; it seemed to fill in a little as I continued to play them.
The overall sound is very full bodied and rich. I could characterize it as a bottom-up sound rather than a top-down sound, if that makes any sense. And I've been using the word warmth, perhaps that's the best way to describe how I'm using the word. IF there is any emphasis, it's more toward the middle to lower frequencies than the upper ones.
There are a couple of additional points I should mention. I think Oppo does drums extremely well. The impact seems to come from drums that are in the mid-range, even more so than drums in the mid-bass. The sound of the drum hit is extremely clear and I prefer the drum hits, which to me seem completely clear and uncolored, over other headphones such as Audeze. Audeze may have a slightly thicker sound and the drums are excellent, but I preferred the Oppo's clarity.
This brings me to another point. The sound-staging and separation of instruments. To me, along with vocals and drums, this caught my attention. The size of the image was great. It's a very big sound and the placement within the sound-stage was also very good. And some may disagree with me, but i thought it rivaled or beat the HD800 in terms of instrument/vocal separation and size of the sound-stage. I also found, at times, the sound to be holographic.
I see lots of comparisons to the HD800 on this thread. I own many headphones, and have given up on trying to rank them. What's the point? Each of the high-end headphones I possess have strengths and weaknesses. I will say this though. The Oppo points out a significant flaw in the HD800. At times, and only when really comparing to other comparable headphones, the HD800 can sound slightly bleached in what I'll refer to as the upper mid-range. This was extremely evident on some music with drums which sounded more lifelike on the Oppo than on the HD800. Now while I feel the Oppo is pretty clear and resolved, I would definitely give the edge to the HD800 in that regard. Also, playing music like Diana Krall, and music I would consider warm, I prefer the HD800 by a small margin. In neutral or bright music, I would tend to prefer the Oppo. That opinion could easily change over time.
Texture: I noticed no significant flaws in the texture or timbre. Some headphones can sound 'plasticy', for lack of a better term. I did not sense that at all in the Oppo. The instruments seemed very true to me. Also, I regard Piano as difficult to properly reproduce. The Oppo did piano very well, in my opinion. It also did strings exceptionally well. In fact, I felt it did strings better than the HD800, which again, sounded slightly bleached and less real in the higher registers.
Comfort: The Oppos were very comfortable. I wore them for 5 hours without any issue. The clamping force was less than Audeze, but overall comfort may not have been quite as nice as the HD800 - close though. It would probably depend on the shape and size of your head/ears.
Hopefully this review will help someone who may be interested in the Oppo, but as always, you have to trust your own ears. I'll conclude by saying that I was very impressed with the Oppo. It appears to be a quality product with excellent sound, definitely contending with other flagship headphones.
Beagle
His body's not a canvas, and he wasn't raised by apes.
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You don't post often but when you do.......
Very nice summary......you seem to be hearing pretty much the same things I am.
I was listening to the eponymous Elton John recording last night and the strings sounded better than I have ever heard them before.
Very nice summary......you seem to be hearing pretty much the same things I am.
I was listening to the eponymous Elton John recording last night and the strings sounded better than I have ever heard them before.
JeffA
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Good comments from Buffer. I posted some impressions a few days ago, and opined that I liked the PM-1 as a second phone to my HD-800. While I still hold that opinion, I think the PM-1s are opening up with increased use and the gap is closer. I think Buffer hit on a lot of PM-1 strengths, such as the organic nature of the sound, the image size and instrument placement, the holographic-like imaging. I think we all need to find the right DAC/amp pairings for the Oppo. Right now, we all have stuff that we have selected for other headphones. The PM-1s are doing fine on that equipment. I suspect paired with the right equipment they could really give the other $1K+ headphones a strong challenge.
rgs9200m
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About Beyer T1 vs Oppo PM1...
The T1 and PM1 actually share an important trait in common, the upper bass/lower mid is solid and not overblown or opaque, giving them both natural foundation and great ambience, and this stood out to me in both phones.
But the T1 picked up any shrillness in the lower treble and could scream and be fatiguing, while the PM1 "deals with it" without suppressing things. It almost sounds to me like the T1 gets too excited up there and loses control.
But on good recordings that are not hyped up, the T1 is very dynamic and exciting without being fatiguing, and the bass is firm and tight and everything is in balance. But again, the stars have to align for the T1 to ascend to greatness.
The Oppo maybe doesn't have that last bit of excitement on great recordings that the T1 has (I REALLY liked the T1 with tubes and SACD discs),
but it actually resolves better on everything and reveals more subtle details and digs deeper into the space between the notes and makes me aware of what speed is in a speaker or headphone transducer.
But I sold my T1s because I eventually got tired of the occasional painful shriek or some pumped-up bass note that made me think of a car stereo. They would just lose control when they encountered some fragment of input they didn't like.
The T1 and PM1 actually share an important trait in common, the upper bass/lower mid is solid and not overblown or opaque, giving them both natural foundation and great ambience, and this stood out to me in both phones.
But the T1 picked up any shrillness in the lower treble and could scream and be fatiguing, while the PM1 "deals with it" without suppressing things. It almost sounds to me like the T1 gets too excited up there and loses control.
But on good recordings that are not hyped up, the T1 is very dynamic and exciting without being fatiguing, and the bass is firm and tight and everything is in balance. But again, the stars have to align for the T1 to ascend to greatness.
The Oppo maybe doesn't have that last bit of excitement on great recordings that the T1 has (I REALLY liked the T1 with tubes and SACD discs),
but it actually resolves better on everything and reveals more subtle details and digs deeper into the space between the notes and makes me aware of what speed is in a speaker or headphone transducer.
But I sold my T1s because I eventually got tired of the occasional painful shriek or some pumped-up bass note that made me think of a car stereo. They would just lose control when they encountered some fragment of input they didn't like.
jerg
Headphoneus Supremus
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Shame the PM1s are so easy to drive and forgiving of upstream setups, otherwise the High-End Audio subforum would welcome these with open arms probably.
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