[sabloke]

Oh no, the Nighowls sound so different to PM-3, it's like you are in a room with some $100k speakers. An amazing experience, no doubt, that is very hard to explain.

 

[EricDH]

Hmm, sounds like I should spend more and get that one.

Well, for now I keep my budget at PM-3 level.

 

[good sound]

Oh no, the Nighowls sound so different to PM-3, it's like you are in a room with some $100k speakers. An amazing experience, no doubt, that is very hard to explain.

So you are saying you prefer the Nightowls much more than the PM-3's? I had a chance to hear the Nighthawks back in November and I wasn't really impressed by them at all. Admittedly the conditions were not optimal. Do the Nightowls sound similar to the Nighthawks?

 

[sabloke]

Listen to them first, you might not like it. I never said they're better than PM-3, I said they're different. Not as portable as PM-3 either and isolation is not as good. If you need a portable solution you can't get better cans than PM-3 for sure. Comfort wise they're both great but the Oppo stays firmly on the head if you walk or jog while the Owls might bounce a bit.
 
Some say the Owls are a refined version of the first Hawks. I wouldn't know as I have never listened to those.
 
Another closed can that I own and love is the Meze 99 Classic. Very portable and fun, easy to drive and looking great. Make sure you give them a listen. They're almost $100 cheaper than the Oppos, too.

 

[EricDH]

  I never said they're better than PM-3, I said they're different.

 
True. But you also said that the Nightowls sounded "like you are in a room with some $100k speakers​". I believe you said that purely in relation to my question about soundstage, but I can understand how someone understands your remark as a strong preference for the Nightowls.
 
But your remarks help me a lot. I doubt if I can find the Meze anywhere close to where I live, but if I can I will definitely try them out.

 

[jegnyc]

I have to admit I haven't read through this thread, so pardon if the question has already been posed (in which case please direct me to relevant posts if you can readily do so).  The PM-3 seems to have a good reputation for isolation.  To me the ultimate test for that is classical music in transit.  Has anyone spent time listening to classical through the PM-3s while on a train or plane?  Could you hear the pianissimo passages without worrying about the fortissimos damaging your ears?  

 

[sabloke]

I did not listen to classical music on a plane but all I can say is that PM-3 is your only hope as far as great audio quality portable headphones go. It they're not good enough then you've got no hope. The only one that could be better, from what I know, is the upcoming mrspeakers Aeon. At least that's what measurements would suggest, better isolation than the Oppos. They also cost double and not available before May.

 

[Jimster480]

I did not listen to classical music on a plane but all I can say is that PM-3 is your only hope as far as great audio quality portable headphones go. It they're not good enough then you've got no hope. The only one that could be better, from what I know, is the upcoming mrspeakers Aeon. At least that's what measurements would suggest, better isolation than the Oppos. They also cost double and not available before May.

I really doubt that.
I haven't heard the PM-3's before but I honestly doubt they are a night and day difference to my RP-HD10's or even the 1More Triple drivers.
 
There are so many great headphones, many of which are portable.... I couldn't ever say that any single pair/set is the be all and end all.

 

[henrylar]

You are right - as users we are privileged these years. Very few people will have had a chance to test more than a few of them. So I can only team about my choice. Sound quality, portability (the oppo's can fold - this might seem as a small thing, but I promise you, having it in one's bag every day, it really counts, I ditched Meze 99 for that reason) and for me they are really comfortable. Their ability to keep out ( and in) sound = closed phones is my only option for travel. 
The question about classical music - differences in level of music - it does not work completely in every environment, such as very noisy planes, but in trains - ok. If you want this better, you probably need to go for noise reduction phones with all what that takes ( which I don't want). 
 
Again - there might be other equally good or better phones - for the choices that was there for me the PM-3's were the most obvious, and I am a very happy user - not considering to change them. I travel four hours in train almost daily and they are in my bag every day - unless when they are on my head

 

[Trager]

 
I really doubt that.
I haven't heard the PM-3's before but I honestly doubt they are a night and day difference to my RP-HD10's or even the 1More Triple drivers.
 
There are so many great headphones, many of which are portable.... I couldn't ever say that any single pair/set is the be all and end all.

I love me the 1Mores, but there is (at least to my ears) a pretty major difference between those and the PM-3s. Maybe not quite night and day, but significant enough that there's no comparison in my mind. I like the PM-3s as much as my Westone W60s (although in different ways). The PM-3 sound is so good, especially for the price, that they've been on my short list of must-buy gear since release... the only thing that's kept me from pulling the trigger is that I keep missing the sales, and my work environment didn't used to be conducive to (relatively) full-size cans. I started working a new gig a few months ago where it would be helpful for people to see that I'm wearing headphones when they approach my desk, so I will almost certainly get a pair at the next discounted opportunity. Or if there's something at CanJam this year that impresses me even more, which I would love to see but don't think likely...

 

[sabloke]

I did not listen to classical music on a plane but all I can say is that PM-3 is your only hope as far as great audio quality portable headphones go. It they're not good enough then you've got no hope. The only one that could be better, from what I know, is the upcoming mrspeakers Aeon. At least that's what measurements would suggest, better isolation than the Oppos. They also cost double and not available before May.

I really doubt that.
I haven't heard the PM-3's before but I honestly doubt they are a night and day difference to my RP-HD10's or even the 1More Triple drivers.
 
There are so many great headphones, many of which are portable.... I couldn't ever say that any single pair/set is the be all and end all.

I was not including IEMs or CIEMs in my assessment above. Strictly talking about over ear headphones, portable and looking great, show me a better one for $400 or twice as much.They are also built like military gear. Using mine since September 2015 and after a pad refreshment they look like new. Pads costing about $18 delivered from the rep.

 

[jegnyc]

I was not including IEMs or CIEMs in my assessment above. Strictly talking about over ear headphones, portable and looking great, show me a better one for $400 or twice as much.They are also built like military gear. Using mine since September 2015 and after a pad refreshment they look like new. Pads costing about $18 delivered from the rep.

All well and good, but can anyone answer my specific question - is the Oppo's isolation sufficient to allow enjoyment of classical music on a train or (even more challenging) a plane.  For the record, I have Etymotics that I can use on either and PSB M4U2s that I can use on a train and for most classical music (i.e. except for works with the widest dynamic range) on a plane.

 

[sabloke]

I used mine on a plane may times, including while flying on a 20 seater two propeller noisy airplane from hell. Also listening EDM and metal almost every day on my bus commute on PM-3, Meze 99 Classic and AudioQuest Nightowl. PM-3 have the best isolation of the three, hands down. Beaten only by Flare R2Pro IEMs with custom acrylic tips.

 

[good sound]

I did not listen to classical music on a plane but all I can say is that PM-3 is your only hope as far as great audio quality portable headphones go. It they're not good enough then you've got no hope. The only one that could be better, from what I know, is the upcoming mrspeakers Aeon. At least that's what measurements would suggest, better isolation than the Oppos. They also cost double and not available before May.

I really doubt that.
I haven't heard the PM-3's before but I honestly doubt they are a night and day difference to my RP-HD10's or even the 1More Triple drivers.
 
There are so many great headphones, many of which are portable.... I couldn't ever say that any single pair/set is the be all and end all.

I was not including IEMs or CIEMs in my assessment above. Strictly talking about over ear headphones, portable and looking great, show me a better one for $400 or twice as much.They are also built like military gear. Using mine since September 2015 and after a pad refreshment they look like new. Pads costing about $18 delivered from the rep.

Well at about twice the price the B&W P9 Sig sounded better to me, and they are portable. Also compared directly with my PM-3'S the Master & Dynamic M60's sounded as good at least, and there are some who prefer the Momentum 2's to the PM-3's although I am not one of those although the M2's are very good. I get your point though. For the money the Oppo's are very tough to beat. I have had mine for almost two years and they still continue to surprise me on occasion in the best possible way.

 

[Rdwng1975]

I was not including IEMs or CIEMs in my assessment above. Strictly talking about over ear headphones, portable and looking great, show me a better one for $400 or twice as much.They are also built like military gear. Using mine since September 2015 and after a pad refreshment they look like new. Pads costing about $18 delivered from the rep.

I contacted Oppo and they said they wanted $39 for pads and I had to send them in to get them replaced. How did you get around that?