Topic: Oppo PM-1 (split from another post) (Read 2634 times)

Maxx134 · « **Reply #10 on:** May 04, 2014, 07:03:09 PM »

Quote from: marvey on May 03, 2014, 11:10:15 PM

Quote from: arnaud
Oups... Do you mean they went a bit too far with taming the highs that no eq will wring the stuff back / too muddy to ever resolve like an hd800?

The PM-1 a few of us heard at the micro-meet was the second beta. The frequency response really was rather nice with no audible peaks and perhaps as n3rdling mentioned some treble roll-off. Supposedly, the production version is even more rolled. It depends upon who you speak to. As for the matter of resolution, I would listen to the HD800 with both acoustic mods and maybe even some EQ, so I consider this issue largely unrelated to FR - while acknowledging that a bump in 10kHz does help create the illusion of more "definition". But definition is not resolution.

The major issues I have with the PM-1 were as follows:
Very closed. I remarked how the PM-1 were subject to certain limitations in that they were closed phones. The small crowd around me laughed and teased me by pointing out that the PM-1 were actually open headphones. The fact that I was convinced they were closed headphones is telling.
Mushy, slow, muddy bass.
An overall veil to the sound, especially around the vocal fundamentals.
As n3rdling said above, resolution more akin to iBuds than to its competitors: Audeze, HFM, etc.
I see no reason to spend over $1k on the PM-1 when the HD600, HD650, HE-500 are superior options

That being said, it is an ortho, so one can mod them. I'd like to get my hands on one for measurement.

I purchased mine within the first 5 minutes it went online.
I thought it would sound like the one at the HF NY meet.
I was wrong.
The bass was nowhere as deep.
Trebles were lowered seeming about 3db south of neutral from 2kHz up.
The clarity was replaced with a overall masking or coloring of the sound.
The treble perception was off or skewed compared to my ed8 & HD800s(with EQ adjusted trebles).
Their seems to be both a "harmonic flavor & obscurity or haze" in its treble perception
Which affects sound, instrument separation, pop, sparkle, and snap.

This is not noticeable unless comparisons are made because it's presentation is so clean, buttery and honey like.
I had them long enough for break in as well as wearing most day under my hat many days outside.
The form factor is very appealing though.

I wanted to post these observations at HF but reading thru the over-enthusiastic posts,
I didn't have the heart to spoil their honeymoon and also create kaos.

What bothered me most is oppo portraying this can as an end game with the pricing.
When I suggested elimination of all the extravagance like the 200 dollar looking box,
I was shot down with response of a pm2 as solution.

Final thoughts:
Production unit sound worse than pre-production units.
PM1 is not worth more, or better than an AlphaDog in sonic accuracy.
Oppo honored the 30 day return policy.

Marvey · « **Reply #11 on:** May 04, 2014, 11:31:31 PM »

Quote from: N on May 04, 2014, 05:46:15 PM

Quote from: marvey on May 03, 2014, 11:10:15 PM
a bump in 10kHz does help create the illusion of more "definition".

The perception of such illusion varies from individual-to-individual I think. I'm practically immune to the 10KHz spike in DT 880s for example, presumably because it's coincident with my personal concha gain.

This is probably why headphones with insufficient response in that area sound somewhat dull to me. Based on this I would think the PM-1 would sound utterly unagreeable to me.

I think peaks and troughs outside compensation for ear gain are far less agreeable in general.

LOL, it's not so dirty secret that many of LFF's headphones have a small bump at 10k. So did my open baffle experiment (I could have EQ'd it out, but I decided not to and just let the Cicada driver be itself.) The PM-1 seemed to have equivalent resolution of a 640x480 monitor with fuzzy pixels.

Quote (selected)

I purchased mine within the first 5 minutes it went online. I thought it would sound like the one at the HF NY meet. I was wrong.
The bass was nowhere as deep.
Trebles were lowered seeming about 3db south of neutral from 2kHz up.
The clarity was replaced with a overall masking or coloring of the sound.
The treble perception was off or skewed compared to my ed8 & HD800s(with EQ adjusted trebles).
Their seems to be both a "harmonic flavor & obscurity or haze" in its treble perception
Which affects sound, instrument separation, pop, sparkle, and snap.

This is not noticeable unless comparisons are made because it's presentation is so clean, buttery and honey like. I had them long enough for break in as well as wearing most day under my hat many days outside. The form factor is very appealing though.

I wanted to post these observations at HF but reading thru the over-enthusiastic posts, I didn't have the heart to spoil their honeymoon and also create kaos.

What bothered me most is oppo portraying this can as an end game with the pricing. When I suggested elimination of all the extravagance like the 200 dollar looking box, I was shot down with response of a pm2 as solution.

Final thoughts:
Production unit sound worse than pre-production units.
PM1 is not worth more, or better than an AlphaDog in sonic accuracy.
Oppo honored the 30 day return policy.

Thanks for reporting in and saving me some effort in obtaining these. Your comments on the production seem to jive with those of another. Good Oppo has a 30 day return policy. I wasn't aware of that.

Maxx134 · « **Reply #12 on:** May 04, 2014, 11:47:26 PM »

I would add to my observations that my unit was more like "less impressive" rather than say "worse",
Because it is my impression that this "mosfet transistor" type treble is actually what they settled on and preferred,
Considering that they had better in pre- production unit.
Also wondering if choice was also due to ultimate profit margins.
The expensive box insinuated they were originally aiming high.

frix · « **Reply #13 on:** May 05, 2014, 06:34:54 AM »

I read your posts at head-fi maxx.

What I am reading here is quite different ?

arnaud · « **Reply #14 on:** May 05, 2014, 11:23:00 AM »

I guess people tend to be more blunt and honest to themselves over here

. If peer pressure there is, it's to keep it real rather than wax lyrical.

I am still curious about the pm1 , but not at current price point, and even less at the E.U price gouging they're commanding for (1600usd or something). Got a feeling the only hope for a more reasonable pricing in japan is the simultaneous release of the fostex planar at 800usd (or less, can't exactly remember).

Arnaud

Maxx134 · « **Reply #15 on:** May 05, 2014, 01:12:47 PM »

Quote from: frix on May 05, 2014, 06:34:54 AM

I read your posts at head-fi maxx.

What I am reading here is quite different ?

What U read there was a process of understanding what was going on while leaving many clues along the way and not destroying the honeymoon bliss of others..
Also I was in that "honeymoon stage"..

Edit: this is an example of what I felt when someone tried destroying my honeymoon stage. .
I remember a long time ago me raving about my es700 and a poster telling me it had a plastic sounding treble. .
I spent days paranoid trying to hear that problem which I never herd.
Then I realized different people's ear shape creates different sensitivities to trebles.

So in time most may still like the oppo sound while others graduate to move up the ladder in gear.

My only problem for oppo is the price.
Paying over $1k for a headphone not true to source,
And not having one trait that is special,
And portrayed as an "end game" can,
And also give me a product LESS than what I herd at the meet, with same gear(the woo wa7)..
It made me feel robbed of my money.

Maxx134 · « **Reply #16 on:** May 05, 2014, 01:31:26 PM »

Also of note,
My observations were confirmed by three others.
Two members thru PMs at HF and one other at a private meet,
Where I lent him my oppo for 2days and he showed me this problem first..
That's when I was pretty taken back and thrown off my PM1 high horse, so to speak.
That was about 2 weeks ago.

munch · « **Reply #17 on:** May 05, 2014, 02:35:06 PM »

well this is unfortunate, I was really looking forward to trying these.
not sure where I got the idea from that these were good... pre-production models? I think it might even have been on here that someone said they seemed promising.

oh well, I think I have my sights set on HE-560 so... no biggie.

Author Topic: Oppo PM-1 (split from another post) (Read 2634 times)

Maxx134

Re: Oppo PM-1 (split from another post)

Marvey

Re: Oppo PM-1 (split from another post)

Maxx134

Re: Oppo PM-1 (split from another post)

frix

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arnaud

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Maxx134

Re: Oppo PM-1 (split from another post)

Maxx134

Re: Oppo PM-1 (split from another post)

munch

Re: Oppo PM-1 (split from another post)

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Author Topic: Oppo PM-1 (split from another post) (Read 2634 times)