It can not be said that the appearance of the Oppo company in the headphones market was completely unexpected - after all, their BD-players for audiophiles enjoyed a certain popularity, despite the high price. Nevertheless, no one expected the release of a whole line of devices for portable audio. Two models of DACs with an amplifier, one portable, and the second - stationary, and three different models of headphones made using isodynamic technology, have become a serious application in the world of personal Hi-End. In this review, I'll talk about the most affordable of their headphones - PM-3.
The first two models of the Oppo headphones, which received PM-1 and PM-2 indexes, allowed the company to break into that part of the market that is usually considered unattainable for beginners - top models for sophisticated connoisseurs. While most players of this segment can boast a history for many decades (except perhaps HiFiMan and Audeze), Oppo immediately rushed to storm the peaks and achieved success, providing a good sound, interesting design and a fairly competitive price. The PM-1 stands at $ 1,100 in US retail, PM-2, very similar in sound, but from the simpler materials, 700.
To strengthen its position, the company decided to launch a model oriented to a more mass market, assigning it the PM-3 index. The headphones were recycled for portable use, getting a closed design and a slightly different sound. At the moment, closed planar headphones on the market are rare, which makes this model even more interesting.
In this model, as in the older ones, a planar orthodynamic driver is used, although it is reduced in size: in older models it is oval, with radii of 85 × 69 mm, in this round, 55 mm. To reduce the size and weight of the PM-3, a new magnetic system and a seven-layer membrane with double-sided spiral paths were developed. This allowed to neutralize the negative effects of size reduction. Among other things, the PM-3 possesses the advantage inherent in all isodynamic models: they are purely resistive loads, which positively affects intermodulation distortions. Also, the PM-3 is very resistant to overload and easily withstand the power that can drive normal dynamic models out of order (I do not advise you to test this possibility, take care of your ears). Also, the developers say that special attention is paid to the phase coherence of the emitters and to ensure the maximum possible channel consistency, which should positively influence the perception of sound.
it is possible for an amount equivalent to 520 dollars, this is higher than their price in the US, but in the European market the company has established such prices.
Specifications
- Acoustic design: closed
- Ear piercing: Embracing
- Emitter: Orthodynamic, 55 mm
- Magnetic system: symmetrical, with neodymium magnets
- Frequency range: 10 Hz to 50 kHz
- Impedance: 26Ω
- Sensitivity: 102 dB @ 1 mW
- Maximum input power: 500 mW permanently, up to 2 W at peak
- Clamping force: 5 N
- Cable: interchangeable, complete 3 m, 1.2 m and two cables of 1.2 m with headsets
- Weight: 320 grams
Packing and delivery kit
The product designers of Oppo tried to do everything possible to create the right mood for the buyer. The box - according to the tradition of the last time - is double. The outer transport packaging is made of brown cardboard, inside is the main box, also made of cardboard, but black. In this box is a very convenient hard denim bag for storing headphones, an indispensable accessory for everyday use. PM-3, thanks to the pivoting mechanism of the cups, is very compactly folded and retracted into this cover, and this allows you to take them with you on any journey, without fear for their safety. In addition to the headphones and cover, you get a cloth for wiping and 4 replaceable cables. One long, 3 meters for using PM-3 with stationary sources, and three short ones, at 1.2 meters, with headsets for iPhone, Android-phones and without anything. Complete cables of the imagination do not strike, they are not bad, but nothing more. To connect cables using a regular 3.5-mm jack, it is rumored that you can use a 4-pin jack for connection with a separate ground.
In general, the developers obviously did not stint on accessories.
Design and comfortable wearing
Appearance also worked well for the masters of Oppo. PM-3 are available in several colors, but in our markets only black and white are available so far. Both variants are well thought out in color and perfectly complement the devices of the corresponding color. I chose black for myself, their metallic parts of silvery color look both strictly and practically.
In the design of headphones, a lot of metal: the headband, forks and a number of other elements are made from it. This inspires confidence in the reliability of the design. Very skillfully the designers of the model used textures, for example, the metal pads on the outside of the cups very much benefit from longitudinal corrugation. Thought out the smallest details, such as small protrusions on the forks, protecting the cup from abrasions and neat plastic protection of the cable connecting the left radiator to the right.
For portable use, the headphones are made in a closed acoustic design, the developers managed to maintain a balance of downforce, while retaining both comfort and acceptable sound insulation. Adds convenience and leather-covered headband with confident step-by-step adjustment. The cups rotate around two axes, which allows for a secure fit. The size of the ear cups was just right for me, but the owners of larger ear shells may be a bit small, although the softness of the filler partly compensates for possible negative consequences.
Oppo PM-3 can be worn long enough without fatigue, a lot of it contributes to a very small weight for isodynamic headphones. The ears in them overheat, but not very much, so rest is required much less often than in other closed models.
Sound insulation at a good level, it is enough for the street and public transport, but for the plane or subway it will be small, there are models with active noise cancellation.
Sound
The following equipment was used for listening:
- Yulong DA8 and Resonessence Labs Concero HP as a DAC and amplifier
- Apple MacBook Pro Retina 2013 as a source
- Fidelia as a player
- Fiio X5-2 and Cayin N6 as portable players
- High Definition Records in Lossless-formats (Dr. Chesky The Ultimate Headphone Demonstration Disc and others)
Before evaluating the sound, the headphones were warmed for 48 hours.
The release of a closed model is always a difficult task, since a closed volume of cups always requires special measures for compensation. Without foreseeing this, the output will result in a droning and dark sound, causing claustrophobia. Developers of PM-3 tried to take this into account, but, of course, a number of compromises in connection with closed acoustic design had to go, it was inevitable. Headphones sounded very neutral, without pronounced accents with a pleasant and comfortable sound. The neutrality of these headphones is such that at times they even seem rather virgin, it's very unusual for a closed model, although I do not find this to be a big problem, since adding a flavoring can be done by selecting a source, but removing excess fat is more difficult.
The bass in this model is slightly elevated, quite a bit. First of all, this is done to compensate for foreign interference on the street (it is at low frequencies that noise penetrates through the headphones), in the second turn - this sound is now in favor, most like "the bottom is more congenial". An interesting feature of PM-3 is their criticality to the tightness of the fit of the ear cups, for example, even small slits, unavoidable with the use of glasses, lead to an easy reduction in LF. If you think that the bass in the PM-3 is small, you should try to move the cups a little and find the position with the maximum fit. Of course, the RM-3 in any case will not be a "basshead" headset, they have a good depth of bass, but they are not prohibitive, and they do not have pressing basses, everything is restrained, intelligent, with good resolution, speed and detail. The development of the bass is highly dependent on the source and shows flaws in this area very noticeably.
For all the measurements available on the Web, it is noticeable that the frequency response of the headphones was designed to be as close to the curve accepted for the Harman standard (a slight rise in LF and more noticeable in the 3 KHz region). According to the company's research, it is this handwriting that gives the most "natural" perception of sound. Perhaps, it is with this that the "boring" PM-3 is associated, in which they are sometimes reproached. Because of this frequency response, the average frequencies of the headphones are perceived quite unusually: the vocal is brought to the fore, the voice and instruments falling into this range are accented. On most of the tracks that I listened to, it gives the effect of artificial expansion of an imaginary scene, at first it seems funny, but gets bored fast enough. On the other hand, the depth of this very imaginary scene is very good, the headphones do a good job of working out plans, the separation of instruments does not cause any criticism either. Emotions embedded in the record are also transmitted well, as well as small nuances, the detail is very good, although not prohibitive.
The upper frequencies are also neatly adjusted for "convenient" perception, the area of sibilants, most often causing censure, is carefully pinned down, just like the uppermost high frequencies. On the one hand, it gives a comfortable, not very straining sound (yes, there is a ringing, rustling all there too, but without unnecessary accents), on the other hand - sometimes you want a little more air, attenuation and small nuances. I understand that in closed headphones almost certainly have to choose between "boring HF" and "HF, too hilarious for the brain", and, like Oppo engineers, I tend to the first option. In addition, the unevenness of the HF leads to the fact that they are perceived a bit unnatural, but this is again compared to the open headphones.
Compatibility
In general, the PM-3 was designed to be universal headphones, which can be connected to anything. Low impedance, good sensitivity and an abundance of cables in the kit immediately make it clear that mobile devices with these headphones can be used. I tried them with the iPhone 6 Plus, the result is not bad, as much as the iPhone itself allows, but compared to professional sources, of course, tablet phones are losing significantly. In Oppo, too, this fact was well understood and therefore made for PM-3 a good portable DAC / HA-2 amplifier. I have not yet had an opportunity to get acquainted with it, but, according to the reviews, the results show this bundle more than worthy. In general, PM-3 benefits from a quality source, so I would advise using some DAC or mid-range player with them (powerful amplification and top models are not very necessary for them).
To the quality of recording, the headphones are very tolerant, carefully thought-out frequency response makes them very tolerant of writing flaws and not very high-quality formats, although you will still have their shortcomings.
Traditionally, a few tracks.
James Brown - Night Train. Live at the Apollo is not for nothing considered one of the best live recordings in the history of music. She is strong precisely in the energy of the concert, rare musicians are so close to the audience, and this track is a vivid example of this. Unfortunately, the 1962 record does not have the quality that is inherent in modern equipment, but the accurate delivery of the PM-3 just allows us to level out technical problems and completely immerse ourselves in the living atmosphere of that time.
Annihilator - My Precious Lunatic Asylym. It is Jeff Waters that we should thank for the transition of the trash metal scene from speed to quality. Most of the classics of the genre just after Annihilator realized that only games with the speed of the Japanese sawmill are not enough for success. The work of Annihilator itself is almost always an alloy of driving reefs, interesting melodies, unexpected moves and huge technical performance. This track is no exception, I often use it as a test track. He makes it very clear that they do not overdo any headphones with accentuation of LF and they do not dump everything in porridge. PM-3 here, of course, not the record holders, but for the closed model they cope perfectly.
Porcupine Tree - Cheating the Polygraph. Stephen Wilson is one of those wizards who do not want to be called a composer, as he rather designs his music, collecting unexpected harmonies and heterogeneous moves that act directly on the subconscious. This multi-track track on its high-speed moments requires exactly the same feed as this Oppo model for full-fledged transmission of all power, and headphones do it well.
conclusions
Closed models of headphones are always a compromise from very many components. To the credit of the engineers of Oppo, they coped very well, the sound of PM-3, of course, is not ideal, but to achieve such naturalness, smoothness and tireless feeding in a closed form factor is quite difficult. In combination with an excellent design and reliable design, the headphones are clearly positioned at the adult audience of music lovers who want to get a high-quality sound in the portable, and for this purpose the headphones do just fine.
The article is based on materials .
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