Oppo PM-3 : The Portable Planar - Impressions

[elvergun]

Quick first impressions...
 
 
I was afraid I would not like the highs since some owners that the highs were rolled-off.   I think the highs are great  -- I detect no sibilance and everything sounds crystal clear.
 
The bass quality is excellent.  The quantity should satisfy all but the most diehard bassheads. 
 
Mids are excellent.  Not quite to the level of my Rockets, but almost there.
 
 
 
The only problem...clamping force.  I feel like I'm using over-ear portables (something like my DT1350).    I was looking for a comfortable circumaural model and I'm not sure these will fit the bill. 

 

[redogfizbal]

Make sure to experiment with the sizing. I started one click down, and finally settled on three.

 

[robm321]

There definitely seems to be a correlation on how extended the cups are to how tight/lose they grip. I have a longer head and with 5+ clicks, I have no clamping issues at all. Maybe try extending them more. 

 

[lukeap69]

I'm getting used to the clamp force now, or they loosened a bit. In either case, they feel more comfortable now...

 

[obsidyen]

Anyone can compare these to Philips Fidelio X2? How are these for EDM/Dance/Electronic/Trance?

 

[elvergun]

  Quick first impressions...
 
 
  The bass quality is excellent.  The quantity should satisfy all but the most diehard bassheads. 

 
Hmm...the sub-bass does not extend as much as what I usually prefer.    I hope that changes with some burn-in.

 

[elvergun]

  There definitely seems to be a correlation on how extended the cups are to how tight/lose they grip. I have a longer head and with 5+ clicks, I have no clamping issues at all. Maybe try extending them more. 

 
 
I extended the cups and comfort improved.  Still, this not the most comfortable of headphones...but it is not a torture device either.  The good thing about the clamping force is that isolation is excellent. 

 

[NZtechfreak]

I extended the cups and comfort improved.  Still, this not the most comfortable of headphones...but it is not a torture device either.  The good thing about the clamping force is that isolation is excellent. 

Clamping force definitely a little on the high side, I have a wide-ish head and wear glasses so I'm relatively sensitive to clamping force. As you say though, it's not extreme.

 

[robm321]

Yeah, the DT1350 was a torture device. This really has not been an issue with me. But I have a narrow long head, so that might have something to do with it. 

 

[MattTCG]

  Anyone can compare these to Philips Fidelio X2? How are these for EDM/Dance/Electronic/Trance?

 
The x2 goes way way way (yes, that's 3 ways) deeper than the pm-3. The x2 is the easy choice for that type of music unless you need portable and closed. 

 

[miceblue]

Just opened up the PM-3s today. Plugged them in directly to my MacBook and fired up the Smash Bros. 3DS/Wii U CD.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R13WndDnK8c[/video]

Compared to the beta units, the soundstage actually seems to have opened up a bit, which is nice. Y'all be complaining about the soundstage and all. You should thank OPPO for making it seem bigger than it was during beta testing. : p
It still sounds like a closed-back headphone, but I don't think that's easy to triumph.

From what was said in the beta testing group, the PM-3s do indeed seem to have less upper-midrange energy. Beta 2 units were a bit bright to me, but this retail one sounds fantastic! Some bass frequencies were also boosted from the beta units, and I can definitely hear more kick (< 150 Hz) in my music from what I remember about the beta unit. There's still some zing in the ~10 kHz area, but it's not overdone such that it sounds harsh to my ears, which is good news.

 

[robm321]

Glad they smoothed it out. My Kef M500s were great until the upper midrange glare become more and more apparent. That would have been a deal killer for me with these. They are very non fatiguing. 

 

[NZheadcase]

 

 
Hahahaha! best image in this thread yet.

 

[MattTCG]

The pm-3 scales up appreciably with a decent desktop amp. So far I'm pretty disappointed with the pm-3/fiio x5 combo. This is what I was planning to use for my portable rig. The x5 is known to have a pretty good amp section but it doesn't do the pm-3 justice...not even close really. The bass slam is subdued compared to the pm-3 on a desktop amp. 
 
Now I'm thinking that I'll have to put a portable amp with the x5 to really enjoy the pm-3 on the go. That's not what I had in mind when I was planning this. 

 

[elvergun]

  The pm-3 scales up appreciably with a decent desktop amp. So far I'm pretty disappointed with the pm-3/fiio x5 combo. This is what I was planning to use for my portable rig. The x5 is known to have a pretty good amp section but it doesn't do the pm-3 justice...not even close really. The bass slam is subdued compared to the pm-3 on a desktop amp. 
 
Now I'm thinking that I'll have to put a portable amp with the x5 to really enjoy the pm-3 on the go. That's not what I had in mind when I was planning this. 

 
HA-2...c'est la vie!!!!