I initially wanted to write a review of the Oppo PM-1 but after going through my audition period I quickly realized this was going to become a review of all three of my Oppo Digital devices. My initial reason for wanting to listen to the PM-1 was to decide would my next purchase would be; the PM-1 or the HA-1.
As a 50 year old reviewer my initial impressions of the PM-1 began with the physical appearance of the headphones. Without reading glasses the markings for left and right are extremely difficult or near impossible to read in low to medium light. This also complicated the insertion of the corresponding cable in the correct ear. It appears Oppo Digital has helped this a little by the new personal audio cable having a red indicator on the right plug. I am unable to determine if any of the other cables have a color indicator. Oppo Digital should consider marking the R and L on their headphones in differing colors or placing a colored ring on the headphones where the plugs insert. The PM-3 having only a single socket solves this problem since the standard is the cord is on the “left.”
The fit and feel of the PM-1 compared to the PM-3 are miles apart. Once I adjusted the band and placed the PM-1 on my head and relieved the tension on my skin and began listening to music the phones became invisible! One could almost forget you had them on. The weight was near perfect for headphones of the size and type. My only complaint about their fit and size was they are too large to lie down and the phones rubbed against the pillow and transmitted noise into the listening environment. I tried the various ear pads that were sent and each had its own unique feel, I favored the standard leather pads. Switching between the PM-1 and the PM-3 the “clamping force” of the PM-3 became more noticeable and a distraction. So listening to the PM-1 ruined what I thought was a comfortable fit in the PM-3. However, any air leak around the ear pad on the PM-3 has a substantial effect of reduced bass response, so the clamping force is a trade off. The ear openings on both headphones are similar in size but the overall ear cup on the PM-1 is much larger, secondary to the larger planar magnetic driver.
On to the SOUND. I have to ask if Oppo Digital consulted Paul Hardcastle when they designed the sound signature of their PM-1? I couldn’t help but grin as to how these headphones make his music and the Jazzmasters sound! These headphones are right in the sweet spot for where his style of music is written and performed. In a head to head comparison at the same volume level the PM-3 had more bass response; however after long periods of listening to the PM-1 the amount of bass response seems more than adequate. I looked around town and there were no dealers for Audeze or Hifi-Man, et. al. to do a comparison so I am unable to give my impressions as to how they sound. The PM-1 is the first high end open headphones I have listened to and the soundstage is noticeably wider than any other headphone I own now or in the past. The sound bleed at the volume I was listening passed the “wife annoyance” test. To me and without a reference source I could not tell if the headphones had “treble roll off.”
With the PM-1 I found the following a challenge while listening and this introduces weaknesses in the design of the PM-1/HA-2 combination. I would need Oppo Digital to explain to me why these two devices are almost incompatible??? Their personal audio cord is too short so I had to put my phone and HA-2 higher on my body than would make normal sense. The material of the cord transmitted too much sound while moving around. The HA-2 cannot be charged while you are listening to music so my listening periods topped out at 4 hours or so. The PM-3 has a personal audio 3 meter cord which a similar cord
should be available for the PM-1! I could not lay my phone and HA-2 down on my desk or work bench while listening without pulling it into my working area. The personal audio cord does not have a microphone so it makes no sense for Oppo Digital to have made a cord this short as this it made listening to music a frustrating experience.
I found I needed to switch the HA-2 into the higher gain while listening to classical music. Without the additional power the detail was missing in the music. All other genres the music sounded exquisite while listening on low. I only listened to the 6.5mm cord once since I don’t have a dedicated headphone amp other than the HA-2. While connected to my receiver I just felt odd wearing headphones with floor standing speakers in front of me…
When comparing the sound of the PM-3 to the PM-1 excluding the “open back” wider soundstage the sound is so similar I now see that the PM-3 is more of a product that is for the PM-1/2 owner that wants a pair that is closed for commuting.
In conclusion I greatly appreciate Oppo Digital giving me the opportunity to listen to a pair of headphones that I know the competitors or a potentially better headphone is on a
VERY short list. Given the sound quality of the PM-3 compared to the PM-1 using the HA-2 this audition has helped me decide that my next purchase will be a headphone amplifier most likely the HA-1.
