Part III: Listening impressions
The first thing that strikes you about both headphones is they sound fairly similar in overeall character in that that they have a laid-back, very easy to listen to, neutral to slightly warm quality with a very natural-sounding presentation overall. The biggest difference between the two that is immediately noticeable is that the Oppos are closed-back and the HD600s are open-backed, and therefore the Senns sound more spacious and airy in overall presentation than the Oppos. The Oppos are more closed-in sounding and have a smaller sonic image as a result. The low bass of the Oppos definitely has more slam and and is more clearly defined at the lowest octaves, which is common with planars, but the highs don't have the airiness and "silkiness" of the HD600s. The Oppos presentation is slightly more forward and palpable and the HD600s have slightly more recessed presentation that sounds lighter in substance and overall character. Imagine the sonic presentation is cut of cloth, the Oppos sound cloth is more opaque and "thicker" than the HD600s, the sonic cloth of the Senns is more "diaphanous" and lighter, which results in sound that is airier and more spacious than the PM-3s. One of the guys at SBAF described the PM-3s as "Once you get into the low-mids and upper-bass of the PM-3, the response just gets stronger and stronger the lower you go. It has a lot of kick and impact. Generally, the bass on the PM-3 sounds strong and powerful, though at times it can get a little thick sounding.", and I would fully agree with that. The soundstage for the Oppos is pretty clearly defined, but small; the soundstage for the HD600s is a bit further back but larger and more spacious. I know that "recessed yet spacious" for the Senns sounds like a contradiction in terms, but there you have it. The midrange of Oppo is relatively clean, clear and neutral, and I think the HD600s is very similar, with the exception that I think the HD600s are notably airier and have more transparency here than the PM-3s, and are capable of more nuance and subtlety, particulary in reproducing voices. Voice and instrumental timbres and notes are more clearly defined, yet more delicately rendered at the same time.
The treble on the PM-3 is nice, somewhat on the laid-back side in the highest regions, which is nice, as they never become fatiguing to listen to. I would say that the HD600s treble is actually quite similar in frequency response to the Oppos, particularly in the upper mids to the lower treble region, but the highs on the Senns are more airy and open-sounding than the PM-3s.
Again, the same poster at SBAF: "The PM-3 will never be the airiest or most expansive sounding headphone. It’s closed and on the intimate side of things. The soundstage is well integrated but a bit small. There’s not a ton of depth to the sound, but layering is thankfully not particularly blurred."
Some owners have said that the PM-3s seem to really sound best when used with portable players and it's not clear why that may be. Maybe the impedance matching with portable players is more synergistic, but regardless, I would actually agree. I use my PM-3s a lot of with my Astell & Kern AK 100 II and they sound fantastic. A great headpone to take with you in the car or when traveling.
What's my overall conclusion? Well, I prefer the Sennheisers overall to the PM-3s, at least on the Valhalla 2. Even though they are 20 years old, and not deifinitely not SOTA, they are very clearly capable of being close to a reference-level transducer, and have an overall more natural and beautiful sound than the PM-3s. In some respects, they remind me of my Dynaudios: very neutral and clean, but never, ever, fatiguing and ever-so-musical to listen to. Pair them with a good amp and they truly can sound absolutely gorgeous.
So, at the end, the HD600s take the day...and with that, I'll end with this partial quote from Shakespeare's Henry V:
"From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remembered-
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;
And gentlemen in England now-a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day."
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Lumin P1 streamer/DAC/preamp, Constellation Inspiration integrated TT: Michell Gyro SE MkII, SME V, Koetsu Urushi Vermilion, EAR324. Harbeth 30.2s, REL R-305, Shunyata Alpha V2 ICs, Alpha V2 SPs, Sigma XC, Sigma NRv2, Omega QR-s & Alpha NRv2 PCs, segmented Altaira SG stack w/ Alpha & Omega CGCs, Everest 8000 PD. Remote Server Room: Uptone EtherREGEN, AfterDark Master Clock & LPS, Alita, Battle Angel, (Akasa NUC Roon Core), iFi DC Purifiers (for SMPS used for Alita & router), Shunyata Gemini combo power distributor & Altaira-type CG GP-NR hub, Venom & Alpha CGCs, Shunyata NRv14 power cords for digital components.
Last edited by Puma Cat; 11-01-2017 at 01:42 AM.
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