The next Oppo product? The PM-1 planar magnetic headphone?

Spotted at the 2013 CanJam @ RMAF



Head-fi.org already has a thread on the prototype (with more pics)....

http://www.head-fi.org/t/685704/oppo-pm-1-a-new-planar-magnetic-headphone

Wasn't Oppo working on a headphone amp already?

 

Eagerly awaiting the price point on these. Oppo doesn't really do half-assed products. And they're purdy.

 

That looks amazing. Wondering how it will compare to the LCD-2s which are currently on top of my want list. If they can come in at $500 and compete with Audeze, they have a buyer
The Headfi thread is very informative: http://www.head-fi.org/t/685704/oppo-pm-1-a-new-planar-magnetic-headphone
Also, I had no idea they also made smartphones- http://en.oppo.com/products/. It becomes clearer how they have the R&D budget to constantly be a game changer in the optical disc category.

 

Yeah, there was something about that at some headphone meet up. Not to mention that the BDP-105 can also serve as a headphone DAC and amp.

Definitely interesting. Does look lighter than the Hifiman and Audeze offerings. Can't say I'm generally a fan of leather pads (though there are exceptions). Hard to get too excited without knowing their price or performance.

 

Oppo is now on my list of favorite audio companies.

Planar drivers are awesome. Really looking forward to finding out how this headphone sounds. I'm confident it will be awesome. I want. The headphones on my want list are all orthos. This will just be another one on the list.

 

Looking forward to more info on these. This has a lot of potential.

 

Wow. Incredible. Now if they will just update the headphone amp in the 105 to do cross feed...

Very interested in these cans.

 

Exciting news for us Maggie lovers.

 

If Magnepan would only make a headphone...
Then I think about what a Magnepan headphone might look like and I get visions of the Jecklin Float.

I'm hoping that the Oppo headphones end up tuned for neutral music listening rather than home theater style listening. I don't want another headphone with a bass emphasis. I want neutral for music and well suited for classical music. If they need to do a bass version then I'd like to see them do a neutral music version for music and a bass version for home theater. Two models. One neutral and one bass enhanced. Both with bass extension down to 20 Hz and treble that is smooth and not hyped.

The Oppo headphone does look nice. Better style and likely better ergonomics than the Audeze and HiFiMAN orthos. And it appears to have big drivers.

 

Could be great, but I'm pretty attached to Stax electrostats.

 

http://www.oppodigital.com/future/PM-1_Planar_Magnetic_Headphones.aspx


Discuss!

 

Cables are optional.

 

Already a thread:

http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threa...lanar-magnetic-headphone.331943/#post-9534199

 

mhm... no

 

They're coming out with their own headphone amp, but not sure about the cross-feed.

 

From the Oppo website:

http://oppodigital.com/future/

 

Thanks - I knew I had seen that other thread and wanted to add the link, just as you did. I guess SamS missed seeing that. Anyway, this one can be closed.

 

Stax are great but expensive. I think the excitement here may in part be based on Oppo always bringing high value to dollar products to market.

 

Interesting!

 

I'm intrigued.

 

so excited for these new headphones, they looked amazing at rmaf, but didn't get a chance to listen too them.

 

I wish the headamp had two analog inputs.

Or was available without the dac.

Sigh. It's not easy being a multiple format kinda guy.

 

Both the PM-1 headphones and the HA-1 HP amp look like very interesting products. I've never had high quality headphones or HP amp. But depending on the cost I might have to seriously consider both products. I wish the HA-1 had HT Bypass so I could use it as a preamp in my HT system.

Bill

 

I believe it does. One analog input is RCA and the other is XLR.

Bill

 

Stax are awesome. They're in Team Planar. I'd actually say they're the stars in Team Planar.

I've come to really appreciate planar drivers for headphones. I think planar drivers have the most to offer in achieving the best in headphone sound. Whether ortho or electrostatic. Orthos have their sonic issues, mainly in being able to sound completely open (it almost seams as if all the magnets are getting in the way of achieving optimal openness). Electrostatics have the advantage there. One thing I like about planars is that the sound can be densely textured with all of the right harmonics there and very few of the wrong ones. Densely textured and also layered and separated. The sound is not thin. And the sound stays coherent in ways that standard dynamic headphones struggle with.

I'm very much in favor of more planar headphones being developed and put on the market. Whether ortho or electrostatic it's all good.