How do they sound with 128kbps Grindcore tracks?

It's interesting to hear a review from a purely classical standpoint... My week with the Oppo went by too fast, and I clearly remember being pleased by every genre I played. An enjoyable review, thanks!

These are great for metal, but 128kbps tracks will not sound good

Keep in mind that most Classical recordings are usually better mastered, so you can get away with lower bit-rates. But 128 kbps? Your ears deserve better.

Actually Classical would suffer more from data compression, since it's played on real instruments and recorded "live" without overdubbing, and they are often flat transfers without mastering. Compression artifacts affect the midrange far more and treble than lower registers. EDM and Rap will handle compression far better than Classical would.

Thanks for the review from another Beethoven aficionado.

PM-3 are outstanding with metal. Stoner, doom, prog, deathcore, metalcore, mathcore, you name it, all sound great.

Sorry if I wasn't clear. When I say something is better mastered, I am referring to the Master Tapes...the whole recording process, which is more painstakingly organized (mic placement and audio leves etc.). The better the recording, the less you'll hear the effects of compression, which is why those audio tests where you try to pick the highest bitrate can be so challenging. But, hey, @gardibolt enjoyed the PM3 with "with most mp3s at 256k" so if it sounds good to you, mission accomplished.

Very informative review, I feel I have a better understanding of how these sound.
But I am wondering how they handle mid and low woodwinds. How was the basson? If you heard/had it at all

jinxy245 """The better the recording, the less you'll hear the effects of compression""" I have no idea where you got that from, but compression artifacts don't care for that. Let me just say this, one can far more easily spot compression [data reduction] artifacts on a violin recording than on a synthesizer one or drum machine.Regardless how well they were recorded originally.

@Pictograms, the mid and low woodwinds didn't make as big an impression as the high woodwinds did, and as I look back at the list there really weren't many pieces that included lower woodwinds prominently, which is a failing of my tests. I do recollect the bassoons in the Beethoven 7th sounding quite good, though. Nice natural and mellow sound.

@gardibolt Thanks, nice memory of Beethoven's 7th. I think the PM-3 must be pretty good if you could even pick low woodwinds out (especially from memory). Not really a focus area unless you play the instruments.