audiobot
500+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Apr 21, 2011
- Posts
- 529
- Likes
- 64
-edited
Is anyone here able to compare the PM-3 with W4r IEM's, in terms of sound signature? I generally use the W4r's if I'm traveling, for the isolation, but I usually don't like to mess around with them if hanging out at home. My main setup is Bottlehead Crack > HD-600 which I love, and I listen to all types of music. At the moment I have a pair of P7's that I really like, but I'm thinking about ordering a pair of PM-3's to compare. I'd be powering then with a DX-90 or MBP/Dragonfly.
Any thoughts would be appreciated... There is some really great info in this thread that I'm grateful for.
I can briefly compare the PM-3 to the P7 if that helps. The PM-3 is much more forward in the mids, more aggressive, intimate soundstage. The P7 has more rumble and thicker bass, the PM-3 has cleaner, tighter bass with about the same extension. The PM-3s treble is a bit more forward and less airy.
Overall, two very different presentations. The PM-3 is in your face with a small soundstage and clean, forward sound.
Thanks for posting your impressions, that's helpful. Just curious, do you have a preference between the two?
I can briefly compare the PM-3 to the P7 if that helps. The PM-3 is much more forward in the mids, more aggressive, intimate soundstage. The P7 has more rumble and thicker bass, the PM-3 has cleaner, tighter bass with about the same extension. The PM-3s treble is a bit more forward and less airy.
Overall, two very different presentations. The PM-3 is in your face with a small soundstage and clean, forward sound.
Hmm, thats a tough one. The PM-3 has a unique presentation thats a nice change from the P7, but I wouldnt want it to be my only headphone. Mostly because I found it a touch fatiguing. On some tracks or when Im in a certain mood, the PM-3 can sound shouty and claustrophic. Of course, YMMV. Those same characteristics also make it sound clean, forward, aggressive. The small soundstage is responsible for most of that.
Otherwise, it has a nice sense of texture in the mids and bass that you can only get from planars. The mids have a lot of body. It has a raw, energetic quality that the P7 lacks (whereas i'd call the P7 more relaxed and refined).
It also depends on your use. I listen to closed headphones at work, and the PM-3 is too intense for an extended duration background listening headphone imo. I did enjoy listening to it on the train though.
The PM-3, are anything but forward. There smooth as silk, and thats coming from a 10 year HD650 listener.
Yeah, i think the PM-3s soundstage clearly improves with better recordings. I wouldnt say the shoutiness is limited to poor recordings though. More like a particular frequency range, especially in complex passages. They have a good amount of xepth, but i still thought they could get congested with too much going on at once.
I dont consider forward and smooth to be opposites. Distant, or maybe relaxed, is the opposite of forward IMO.
I don't find them forward, either.
Pretty well balanced across the board.
Neither of the PM-3's stock cables do these fine cans justice, IMHO.
Stay updated on Moon Audio at their sponsor profile on Head-Fi.
|
Tonight I brought the PM-3 home. My office setup is foobar--Musical Fidelity v90 dac--Schiit Lyr 2. My home setup is foobar--Schiit Wyrd--Schiit Modi 2 Uber--Schiit Asgard 2. My comments on the previous page were with my office system. The bass on my home system is notably stronger and the sound is overall more full through the mids, and imo better. It sounds more like I hoped it would. With the home system the pm-3 sounds much more like the response curve shows. It sounds so different that I'm worried there might be something wrong with my office setup or there is some technical reason the Lyr doesn't play well with the PM-3. Maybe the PM-3 is particularly gear dependent in some way? Maybe the Modi is destroying the v90? Now I'm just confused.
My Valhalla sounds very thin and lifeless with the PM-3's. The PM-3's sound fantastic thru my Fiio DAP's. They also sound good thru the Fulla. Must be an impedance issue with the Valhalla.