I have just added the Oppo PM-2 to my collection. I've loved the Oppo headphones for a while (pretty much since they came out) but they weren't cheap. Given that Oppo have withdrawn from the market for headphones there is now a limited chance to but unless you go second hand, and I noticed some pretty attractive discounts (maybe as dealers want to clear their final stocks) so I took the plunge with the PM-2. I'd love PM-1's but they're still pricey and I find that the difference between the PM-1 and PM-2 is much more about the luxury packaging and materials than sound. And it's not like the PM-2 feels cheap.
Why buy another pair of pricey headphones? I travel a lot and as much as I love my T5P's and despite Beyerdynamic marketing them as being for portable use they're anything but portable and they're actually household closed back headphones designed for use with mobile devices rather than being portable themselves. The Beyerdynamic carrycase is very nice but it's awfully bulky to carry around the world. And the Sony MDR Z7 is worse in that respect (although I still like the Sony's). I have some Sony 1000X M2 noise cancelling headphones, they have fantastic noise cancelling for inflight use and their passive sound is OK but if I'm in a hotel for a few nights sometimes I miss my better headphones.
The Oppo PM-2 isn't for in-flight use or train use as it is open, but its carry case is compact enough to carryaround without it taking too much space, they pretty light and easy to drive (certainly for good planar magnetic models) and don't need a separate amplifier or DAC. I'm finding they can be driven to an adequate volume by my smart phone not lose anything (I find the DAC and amp of my smart phone are very transparent and more than good enough for serious listening, apologies if that admission gets me kicked out of the audio enthusiasts union.....). The Oppo's feel very finished, a lot of audiophile gear feels a bit half finished and flakey, but these are beautifully finished and display an attention to detail that indicates some very serious effort went into their design.
Sound is funny, the first time I listened to Oppo PM-1 and PM-2 headphones when they came out was a bit underwhelming and it was like meh. However, and this may be counter-intuitive and sound silly, I find that is often a good sign with headphones. A lot of models are tuned with exaggerated highs and a booming low end which makes an immediate impact and say's "look at me, aren't I great!!!" but which becomes very tiresome very quickly. The Oppo laid back, smooth and rather neutral sound is a bit of a slow burner but very easy to live with and a sound that I think I'll love for the long haul long (although in fairness I still like my MDR Z7's despite them being a bit bass heavy and tuned to make an impression after having had them for about two and a half years despite people assuring me I'd tire of them quickly).
Spending a lot on another pair of headphones is probably a dumb move, but it was my birthday and I'd wanted these for a while, you only live once so may as well enjoy it.
