[redogfizbal]

After careful consideration, and comparisons to the M2, t51i, beats solo 2, and B&W P7, I have re-ordered the PM-3. This set of cans just checks so many boxes, there's no way I could say no. I even paid for overnight shipping because I miss them so.

 

[Maelob]

After all these glowing reviews, my PM-3s are sounding even better LOL. At first I was a little underwhelmed with the bass, and I even thought about returning them. But after a few days I am really liking them, agree with the comments that they have nice bass and well extended but not boosted like others. All the glowing reviews are helping my Brain burn in.
Also part of the issue is that I think I was not listening to them loud enough. With iphone I was using RHA MA-750 IEMs and when I switched to the PM-3 took me a little bit to decided the listening level. I dont really like to listen to headphones super loud, with the IEM I was at around 50 or even a little less but Right now with the PM-3s straight out of the iphone 6 I am listening between 50-75 percent. At that level they sound really good to me. is there any app to measure the spl level on the headphones. Like somebody said I am use to 70-75 in my stereo but not sure how that equate to headphones.

Bottom line, love how the sound now,

 

[Puretfp]

Yeah these have opened up a lot for me in the past few days of listening, Last night i was listening to a lot of Psychedelic stuff, I listened to Steve Hillage "Green" (guitarist for GONG) and that LP never sounded fuller and the GONG LPs (Angels Egg and YOU) also sound incredible, esp with all the far out textures of the MOOG's, whispering voices flying around and Steve Hillage's drippy delayed sometimes fuzzed out lead work, mmm, There's a lot going on on a GONG lp and they are recorded very well with a lot of attention to sounds/textures being placed and moving around the soundstage and these HP do them justice!
 
I esp like that the treble isn't too harsh as my ears are not a fan of really brash bright treble, also the bass is very sweet, i can actually hear things note for note and pick out progressions that normally would just pass me by as an overall sound instead of detailed sound. The midrange, for guitars is my fave, from ambient to flat out full tilt rocking these seem to handle very well. Sometimes i am listening to the bass thinking, where is it?  and then it will just come in where it should impact and then go back to where it should sit in the mix, this i like a lot, not used to that but it never ceases to surprise me.

 

[Stillhart]

  Yeah these have opened up a lot for me in the past few days of listening, Last night i was listening to a lot of Psychedelic stuff, I listened to Steve Hillage "Green" (guitarist for GONG) and that LP never sounded fuller and the GONG LPs (Angels Egg and YOU) also sound incredible, esp with all the far out textures of the MOOG's, whispering voices flying around and Steve Hillage's drippy delayed sometimes fuzzed out lead work, mmm, There's a lot going on on a GONG lp and they are recorded very well with a lot of attention to sounds/textures being placed and moving around the soundstage and these HP do them justice!
 
I esp like that the treble isn't too harsh as my ears are not a fan of really brash bright treble, also the bass is very sweet, i can actually hear things note for note and pick out progressions that normally would just pass me by as an overall sound instead of detailed sound. The midrange, for guitars is my fave, from ambient to flat out full tilt rocking these seem to handle very well. Sometimes i am listening to the bass thinking, where is it?  and then it will just come in where it should impact and then go back to where it should sit in the mix, this i like a lot, not used to that but it never ceases to surprise me.

 
Those are three awesome albums that I haven't listened to in ages.  I'm going to have to dig them out of my CD box and rip them again!  (I'm also partial to "Zero to Infinity", which is newer but still fun).
 
EDIT - ...aaaand my copy of Green isn't in the CD case.  

 

[Stillhart]

http://www.head-fi.org/t/760203/oppo-pm-3-portable-planar-magnetic-headphones-loaner-program
 
PM-3 Loaner program just launched!  For anyone on the fence, I highly recommend it. 

 

[Minaval15]

Burn in definitely improves the sound quaility on these.

 

[gHeadphone]

Has anybody compared the PM3s to the Ultrasone Signature Pros as portables? I know the Oppos are less expensive. Im trying to decide and am being swayed towards the Ultrasones

 

[money4me247]

Has anybody compared the PM3s to the Ultrasone Signature Pros as portables? I know the Oppos are less expensive. Im trying to decide and am being swayed towards the Ultrasones

ive heard the ultrasones have a rly shallow earpad depth that may get uncomfy pretty quick depending on the person. just make sure u either demo of purchase from a place witha good return policy.

 

[Mcberto]

Whelp. I took the dive. I should be receiving them on friday!

 

[shigzeo]

  wow... that is an extremely glowing review. and I was afraid that my review wasn't objective enough. pretty interesting read, but honestly there was some parts of the sonic description that I was really not sure exactly what he was trying to say.
 
those are some extremely bold words right there!! definitely did a double take & checked the disclaimer to see if maybe Oppo sent him a free sample lol. but I think he is talking specifically about design & build quality. For specifically design & build quality, that actually might be accurate. hard to think of any other planar magnetic matches the entire package of PM-3's comfort, style, design, and build quality. I'd say the HE-400i/HE-560 is quite comfortable, but lacking in style and build quality. The older generation Hifiman headphones sacrifice comfort & build quality for sound & price point. The Audeze LCD-2 has good build quality, but comfort is extremely suspect. Perhaps the Fostex TH500RP or PM-2 or the new EL-8s. Haven't had any hands-on time with any of those yet.
 
This!!!! I totally felt the same way & just posted similar thoughts on the EL-8 thread.
 
I do get the sense that the older planar companies have the mentality that you always need to sacrifice something & a pair of headphones cannot possibly be competitive on all these criteria: sound, comfort, design, style, build quality, and price point. On the other hand, Oppo seems to have this new-kid-on-the-block anything-is-possible attitude that is quite refreshing. While there is no such thing as a perfect pair of headphones, you can tell that Oppo is aiming for a "no comprises in any aspect" type result.
 
hahah! that is also a pretty strong statement, but I actually totally understand what he means. Now that I've had the PM-3s for a while, it's hard to imagine something else being a better overall package especially at this price point for me personally. Not in a big rush to play with another pair of headphones as I am really enjoying these right now. But of course, in this hobby, we always eventually get that itch to try new gear

Writer of the Headfonia review here. Obviously I was bowled over. 
 
And you were right: about the no competition under a grand referred to fit/build/style/comfort. I'm the sort of headphone user for whom comfort is absolutely the priority. Pretty much any nice headphone will sound good, it's just a question of what sort of sound, and to what degree that headphone rocks in this frequency, or that. Comfort, therefore, is paramount. And wow, the PM-3 is good.
 
I should have mentioned that the PM-2 are probably up there, but that is because it is from Oppo. 

These phones were lent me via Oppo Japan. 

 

[money4me247]

  Writer of the Headfonia review here. Obviously I was bowled over. 
 
And you were right: about the no competition under a grand referred to fit/build/style/comfort. I'm the sort of headphone user for whom comfort is absolutely the priority. Pretty much any nice headphone will sound good, it's just a question of what sort of sound, and to what degree that headphone rocks in this frequency, or that. Comfort, therefore, is paramount. And wow, the PM-3 is good.
 
I should have mentioned that the PM-2 are probably up there, but that is because it is from Oppo. 

These phones were lent me via Oppo Japan. 

hey Nathan! I really enjoyed reading your review really glad you enjoyed the pm-3s. is it a headphone you would be considering adding to your collection?
 
just curious about a few of the sonic descriptors in your review. when you stated feel is prioritized over speed, were you referring to the track or the headphones? i personally felt like the pm-3's speed was one of their strongest suits. Also, I am not familiar with the term "atmosphere" in an audiophile context, can you explain what you meant?
 
Thanks!

 

[money4me247]

  I tend to share the same views on the cable as the guy from Headfonia and would like to find an alternative.
 
Does anybody know where one obtains the cable shown here? 
 
https://twitter.com/tomohiro303/status/579567895950168064

the conversation there says that it's the original cable sheathed in paracord with a balanced connector added.
 
kinda looks like audioquest dragon's green cables. there are actually a lot of more inexpensive custom cable companies that do not make sonic claims about their cables that would sell you a sheathed paracord cable with a balanced connection pretty inexpensively.... if you just looking for aesthetics/durability. still quite pricey though (imo).

 

[shigzeo]

  hey Nathan! I really enjoyed reading your review really glad you enjoyed the pm-3s. is it a headphone you would be considering adding to your collection?
 
just curious about a few of the sonic descriptors in your review. when you stated feel is prioritized over speed, were you referring to the track or the headphones? i personally felt like the pm-3's speed was one of their strongest suits. Also, I am not familiar with the term "atmosphere" in an audiophile context, can you explain what you meant?
 
Thanks!

I am considering picking up a pair (or two) PM-3. I really like them. 
 
I should have clarified: the sense of speed, as a metric of contrast, is to what I was referring. Speed is very good, but in contrast between bottom and top, some of the sense of speed is softer than say, for instance some line-flat headphones, or some gently u-shaped phones. I may need to clarify that in my review. Thank you for the heads-up. I write and review my essays, but always miss things. I used to edit copy work and even then, my team would miss things. It's so hard to get things right.
 
By atmosphere, I refer to (and should explain myself) the prioritisation of feel for sweeping melodies, or for warming up certain instruments or audible spectra. Again, I should clarify this.

 

[Max Choiral]

shigzeo, could you please compare Izophones & PM-3?

 

[shigzeo]

What do you mean by compare? What is there to compare?

It's like saying: "Pops, I'm gonna get a new car. Can you tell me which is better, the Jetta, or that 50-seater school bus?"

If all you care about is sound, I may be able to cook something up, but even then, one is open, one is closed. One is portable, the other definitely not. One can be thrown through a window, the other definitely not. If all that doesn't phase you, and you still feel that an open headphone will be your perfect portable, sure. But I don't get it. 

They are as different as headphones can be.