[Japheel]

  Agreed 

 
But because of the compressed listening schedule, due to the headphones being borrowed for just the week, I spent those few hours listening to them. And it was a rapid head burn-in 

 
What initially sounded bright became immediately a vast and detailed sound, once I adjusted to the planar characteristics. For me, it was the speed that I was unaccustomed to hearing. Once I realized this and adjusted, I really liked these.

Mmm, planar speed is so good. Can't wait to hear an estat.

 

[mtrivedi20]

Hey all. Is it too late to sign up for the loaner program. I agree to terms and conditions and would love to compare these to the bw p5 series 2!

 

[JRoyen]

Well-designed planars and electrostats are the only headphones that get the texture and splashiness of cymbals correct. Immaculate treble response is the hardest to achieve on planars, but OPPO really did an excellent job. They have left very little to criticize about the sound. All the limitations are strictly inherent to closed-back and smaller cups
 
Any yeah, at first that additional treble information can be disarming (and maybe even seem aggressive) until you adjust to the speed and additional texture. After a while planars start just sounding 'right' and embrace your ears.
 
And yeah, the PM3 have the lowest distortion and blackest background of any headphone I've ever heard. Give me that over additional euphonic distortions any day of the week.

 

[mtrivedi20]

Hello all. Do I need to PM someone to get on loaner list?

 

[Japheel]

Hello all. Do I need to PM someone to get on loaner list?

I think you just need to say that you agree to the terms and have an interest in listening to a loner pair. An Oppo rep will PM you afterwards

 

[mtrivedi20]

Ok Thx!.... I agree to the terms and conditions set forth for a loaner pair of pm3

 

[ktmracer12345]

The headphones arrived today.

Initial impressions:
1. The headphones appear extremely well built.
2. They are serious lookers! Among the most pretty headphones I've ever seen.
3. They look more expensive than they really are.
4. They have small cups and I have large ears. That being said, they still seem fairly comfortable.

I'll write more after listening to them, but at least so far I'm very impressed.

 

[Planarman]

Well-designed planars and electrostats are the only headphones that get the texture and splashiness of cymbals correct. Immaculate treble response is the hardest to achieve on planars, but OPPO really did an excellent job. They have left very little to criticize about the sound. All the limitations are strictly inherent to closed-back and smaller cups

Any yeah, at first that additional treble information can be disarming (and maybe even seem aggressive) until you adjust to the speed and additional texture. After a while planars start just sounding 'right' and embrace your ears.

And yeah, the PM3 have the lowest distortion and blackest background of any headphone I've ever heard. Give me that over additional euphonic distortions any day of the week.

 

[Japheel]

Hey, my week is up and there is no one on my list to send this to; will the creator of this program pm me the address of someone in another list for me to ship to them?

 

[mtrivedi20]

Japheel. I've signed up for the loaner program but haven't received a private msg yet to confirm. Hopefully soon...
 
MKT

 

[tskinner3]

I'd like to participate and agree to the T&C. Thanks!

 

[CyberSyringe]

Seems like the original post is outdated. I haven't seen it change in quite awhile. 

 

[c76man]

I would like to sign up for the loaner program. I agree to the terms and conditions. Thanks.

 

[Allanmarcus]

Here are my final thoughts as I send the PM-3s onto their next destination. The sound totally grew on me. I really like the detail. I think for some music, at lower volumes, the accuracy of the bass makes it too quiet, but that is the exception, not the rule. Overall, the clarity of the headphones is incredible. They are very comfortable, and a many people that tried them on said so, with a few exceptions. The one guy that wears glasses said the headphones pushed his glasses too hard against his head. My wife liked them, but made her ears too hot after a short time. For me, the cups are too small and the clamping force too great. That said, I want closed cans for home use, not for moving around. For moving around I can see how smaller cans and more clamp are desired.

All in all, I'm very impressed with the oppo line, but they aren't for me. I really appreciate oppo loaning me the pm-1 and pm-3.

 

[ktmracer12345]

I have now had a decent amount of listening time with the PM-3's. Here is what I have observed so far:
 
Day 2 impressions:
 
Sound:
The bass in the PM-3's are definitely the highlight of the headphones. It won't disappoint anybody but the most diehard bass-heads. They hit hard and fast without ever overwhelming the rest of the music. The headphone with the most similar low-end is the Hifiman-HE1000. (Don't get your expectations too high, that's the only part of the sound signature that gets this comparison.) If you really like bright headphones these probably aren't what you're looking for. They aren't dark like Audeze's, but they could use a little extra on the top end of spectrum for my tastes. I'm not going to comment on soundstage because I want to spend some time ABXing them with my other headphones first.
 
Build Quality:
Like I said in my initial impression, they look absolutely stellar. That being said, the pair I have on demo has a small dent in the left cup and the cable looks like it's been smashed in the door a few times. The cable is very pliable, but I don't think it is to the point of fragility. I don't know the story behind the dent in the cup but I'd bet that it took quite a bit of force to create it. Compared to every other can I've ever had the privilege of listening to, these have the best fit and finish of any of them. (HE1K's, HD800's, & Denons included). It's not fair to compare the materials with $1K+ cans, but as far as build quality the OPPO's are second to none.
 
Comfort:
Fact: I have large ears. If you also have large ears, the PM-3's might not be for you. I find that my ear touches the cup and I can't quite get it to fit comfortably. Most of this has to do with having small cups and I believe the PM-2's would probably fit me fine. But.....my wife has very small ears. She finds all of my IEM's uncomfortable due to her small ear canals. While exercising she usually ends up using a set of buds. I had her try the PM-3's and she found them extremely comfortable. My 10yo son said the same thing. If you have small to average ears, you'll probably find these extremely comfortable.
 
Value:
$399 for a decent set of planars is a good deal. $399 for a set built to OPPO standards is an amazing deal. If I was to try them at a meet knowing nothing about them I'd probably put their MSRP around $700. If you are in the market for under $1K closed headphones, these should be very high on your list. (If you're in the market for under $500 closed planar headphones, these are your list)
 
Etc.:
The noise isolation is awesome. I'm been using them at my school library all day. The sensitivity is very high as well. Plugged straight into my iPad I listen at the same level that is normally reserved for my Xaiomi Pistons. (About 1/2 of max)
 
Would I buy these:
The comfort of the small cups is almost a deal breaker. They are an Achilles heel. They make the headphone portable and allow for higher quality materials for a lower price, but they also sacrifice a lot of the comfort for me. That being said, Santa might be dropping off a pair or two at my house this December. They just won't have my name on them.
 
Random thoughts:
For a college student these could be the ultimate headphone. They are portable. They play fine from an iPhone. They are closed. They have a bass-centric sound signature to impress your Beats worshipping friends. They are $399. Honestly, I wonder if that wasn't OPPO's target demographic. They are eerily similar to Beats. Same price range. Small cups. Closed. Plays from an iPhone. Bass-centric. Similar carrying case. Similar cable design. Folding design. Hmmm...
 
At the end of the week I'll compile all my posts, clean it all up, and post a final review. In the meantime though, I'll shoot for daily updates.