I do like this headphone quite a bit although I'll be the first to say that I have a soft spot for Beyer phones being my first taste of the audiophile world.
 
This is a review of a self-purchased unit; they've gone on sale here and there but like any European made phone, it seems to sustain it's MSRP longer. Of course there are an incredible amount of accessories inclded such as a hard case, extra ear pads, and extra cable which is over $100 easily when purchasing individually.

My Head-fi graph ratings goes:
Value 7/10 (at $600 as a headphone - not counting extras incld)
Audio Quality 8/10
Design 10/10
Comfort 10/10
35 out of 40 or 8.75/10 rating
 
Unboxing: Box looks great on the shelf, straight forward no frills box and inside is the hard case that comes with with headphone/accessories. How was the unboxing experience? It was good, I nothing to complain about and straight forward stuff as it should be.
 
Build, Misc, Notings:
These are one of the best looking full sized closed backs I've set my eyes on. The cups have a leather like detail (although is hard plastic), the stitching on the headband reminds me of the same stitching as some of my heavy leather watch bands, the paint scheme with the reflective lettering is super classy, and the velour pads are downright comfy. It's the quintessential Beyerdynamic build with added class. It comes with a hard case that'll hold the extra set of pads as well as extra cable. The two cables are decent, one coiled for shorter use or desktop/table use and the other is a 9' cable for home theater listening, both cables are your typical Beyer cable no frills quality with a rubber outer - very flexible.
 
Despite being a 250ohm phone these are actually easy to drive. A cell phone that puts out decent power can get these to 80-85% of it's capability. Something like the ALO INTL+ portable dac/amp can drive these 90% of their potential. I've yet to try them with a tube amp but I believe pairing them with a tube amp or hybrid amp would get these to side more into the fun side of the sound and would make an excellent pleasure-listener choice.

An added note, just for fun I allowed the lady next to me on the train to Portland weeks ago to try these for several songs. I was using my ALO Intl+ to my Lenovo Android tablet and feeding it some London Grammar. I just wanted to get an impression from an average consumer and she said it was a great sounding headphone unlike she's heard before. When asked if she'd pay $500 for it, she said no way. She also owns a set of noise canceling Bose for travel to put into perspective how much she's willing to spend on phones. Those are $250-$300 right?
 
The bad:
I understand that this is sold a studio headphone but with the styling done on it, I'm sure Beyer are also selling these to audiophiles looking for an excellent closed back. With the studio headphone I suppose there's no use for a balanced cable, hence going with a 3-pin mini XLR input -- but for people like myself who utilize the 4-pin balanced cable for my amp and other testing purposes, this is a bit of a bummer. No fear, with some modifications you can either directly wire 4 wires into the one side or modify the connector to a 4-pin mini xlr input. Not bad but for those looking to go balanced will be disappointed here as is.

Another gripe of mine is the large cup design, again I realize this as a studio headphone but the sound signature is so good and the fact that it's a closed back, I kinda wish they went with a Sennheiser/Shure shape in a closed back format for a more subtle look in public. Anything for sound quality? Yea if you don't mind wearing a full sized headphone in public.

The sound: (all sound impressions are with velour pads)
Ok so onto the goods immediately. First let's address the soundstage and imaging; with the closed back you're not going to get a speaker imaging/soundstage like sound although for a closed back the DT1770 is above average in the category (moreso on the soundstage than imaging/depth). With the said the instrument separation, placement is fantastic, the level of clarity allows you to pinpoint and monitor one particular instrument at a time (if that's your thing) and stick with it for the entirety of the track. Full symphony tracks are presented very well with placement of instruments where they should be; a front row listener but listening to wide stage where the instruments don't sound like one is on top of another. Imaging and depth is above average at best but considering these are closed back, I'm not complaining one bit -- it doesn't take away from the experience and is easily overlooked with the positives of the phone.

BASS:
The bass is tilted to control and tightness but when the track has bass boost, these actually give excellent impact and are capable of great sub-bass extension and even theater-like rumble. One of the highlights for me is it tip-toes the fine line of controlled and enough fun to satisfy an audiophile - there is a slight boost in the bass so these aren't perfectly flat here. Bass-heads look elsewhere, this does not hit as hard or as loose as say the THX00 and has more control than say the Oppo PM3 by a good margin. Overall the bass is stays true to form of a controlled Beyer low frequency but they also allowed a little more to come through than previous models. 0 encroachment of the low-mids and mids with these phones unless the recording has super bass boost.

To put into listening context, these headphones would shine in a test with say tracks from Overwerk. Excellent recording and production but plenty of bass fun -- a must try!

MIDS:
The mids are your typical dry-tilt Beyer but they're neither pushed back nor forward. They're relatively linear to the bass and the highs -- more so on the highs as the bass has an ever slight boost. Vocals both male and female, instruments, background noise, they're all there in full reproduction. No grain, but far from liquid - it is a Beyer after all. Some tubes can remedy this dryness, better to be able to add as subtracting isn't as easy. There is a bit of an odd dip in the mids that may be related to the phone being a closed back but this dip somewhere in the mids does not take away from the sound, still sounding linear throughout.
 
Highs:
The highs are well done in this phone as it provides decent extension and air for a studio phone, as well as clarity yet it keeps the peaks at bay even on lesser recordings. They've managed to balance this region out to not sound too forward where it's driving treble detail into your brain (*cough T70) yet still provide details and clarity that people expect from a reference sound. If the tracks suffer from poor production along with heavy compression, the headphone will definitely put it through and there's no forgiveness where there not deserving - save those tracks for warm phones. But for tracks that are borderline bad sounding because of production in other reference phones, the DT1770 seem to have enough forgiveness to allow you to enjoy the listen. Since it rides a fine line, I would presume that with a bright dac and amp this can sound sibilant. With a neutral/bright or neutral setup, these phones hits it on the money which is why I enjoy their tuning.

When the entire sound comes together, you have a close back phone that is capable of producing a balanced sound which resembles your reference/audiophile tuned headphones. There always seem to be some trade-off with closed backs and in this case it seems to be some reverb/cavern effect along with a sharp dip in the mids but this is easily overlooked when you consider the level of tuning and sound that is offered in a closed phone. I can easily enjoy symphonies to pop to rock to jazz on the DT1770 and allow me to listen like I would with my open backs but with isolation. For this I'm willing to overlook some of the shortcomings and say outright that Beyer has made a fantastic offering - not perfect - but enough to put a smile on my face as I shut the noise out and get lost in the music.
 

Notes: This was copied from a comparison I've made here.    And a follow-up here.  The DAC was purchased by Luckbad and loaned to me for 2 weeks to get a good audition of the latest DAC by MHDT Labs. The purchase price shown is including a 10% discount by purchasing directly from MHDT Labs' website/email instead of E-bay, plus the $55 express shipping from Taiwan (3-4 days to USA ship time).
 

 

I've had the Atlantis DAC for about 2 weeks now on loan from @Luckbad and after giving it some time to settle (50hrs when I received it and maybe another 150-200hrs of music on top of that), I think I've heard enough to come to some conclusions in comparison to the Pagoda. First the Atlantis are fitted with dual AD1862 R2R chips, essentially the same layout as the Pagoda and Stockholm 2, this DAC is the newest addition to the MHDT Labs family. The main difference I can see between it and the other two models is a smaller toroidal transformer on the Atlantis. This is the same smaller toroidal used in the older Havana models as well as the Paradisea units. Other than that the input capabilities are the same (up 24-bit/192khz hires files) and output in 16-bit (Pagoda is 24-bit output).
 
The Atlantis holds that same house sound the MHDT Labs has which is a warm/neutral tone with very good details and accuracy. The Atlantis seem to be the best in mid to mid-highs detail retrieval, even surpassing the Stockolm 2 and Pagoda in this aspect! Part of this could be due to it's drier sound signature in comparison to the euphonic Stockholm and Pagoda. Another attribute that may be playing into this mid/mid-high detail retrieval is it's early roll-off of the treble along with the dry signature. What happens here is subtleties "hidden" or pushed back in the music becomes more apparent in comparison to the Stockholm where it sweetens the treble tremendously while keeping the details. Also just like with the Pagoda, the treble is also more euphonic but faster than the Stockholm and even more extended (at times possibly sibilant with poor/mediocre recordings) than the Stockholm. The best way to put this mid-focused sounding Atlantis is very similar to those who have heard a properly cabled and amped HD650, with the treble rolled the amount of detail being retrieved/perceived in the mids and mid-highs is incredible. The Atlantis offers great sound quality that is a bit mid-centric but the bottom end can be expanded with different tubes. A more euphoric sound can be achieved with different tubes but my favorite tube for use is the Bendix 2C51 which with the Pagoda and Atlantis offers some of the fastest sound I've heard in comparison to other tubes. The AEG variant (which is nearly impossible to find but is half the price of the Bendix) is very close in sound and provides a thicker bottom end and a slightly more euphonic sound but again, I like the tight bass the Bendix provides.

One of the down downside being fitted with a smaller toroidal it seems is less dynamics. The bass, while capable of extending to the sub-bass region, lacks the slam some music calls for. The bass is still very well present but lacking that punch that the Pagoda and Stockholm provides, I believe if MHDT fitted these with the larger toroidals it may solve this issue. While it doesn't take much away from the performance of the DAC, it leaves this end of the spectrum lacking that emotion bass slam can create with classical music. This is incredibly apparent when listening to Gustavo Dudamel's "Discoveries" CD, one of my main reference albums to test dynamics. I will be testing later tonight with the Audio-GD SA31SE to verify this finding, as initially I've only been using the Cavalli Liquid Carbon with the Atlantis.

The treble roll-off is also a bit of an issue if you enjoy the sparkle and crash of cymbals, if you're treble sensitive this DAC plays well into your sound signature. The roll-off only changes the sound subtly but it is enough to miss the top end of sound when looking for it. This may or may not be solved with a larger power supply as it may very well be the tuning of the DAC (read; intentional roll-off). The soundstage is good on the Atlantis, putting instruments from far left to far right and but it is a 1st row listener. It does lack a bit of depth/imaging in the sound signature in comparison to the Stockholm, which may be associated with the drier signature, and even more so in comparison to the Pagoda. This is more apparent with headphones than speakers, something worth mentioning. The instrument separation is still excellent as well as placement but it lacks a bit of that 3D imaging that the other DACs are capable of.

All in all, the Atlantis is a fantastic offering by MHDT Labs. It is also the least expensive R2R DAC offered by MHDT and I would definitely take one over any Delta Sigma DACs as well as over the Schiit Bifrost Multibit. With the smaller toroidal used on the Atlantis and the price ($370 less than the Pagoda and $120 less than the Stockholm V2), I believe MHDT has made this their entry level. If MHDT Labs can offer these with a larger transformer it may be an excellent end-game for a lot of people, one that will provide excellent detail retrieval, with less euphonics than the other models as well as deep/impacting bass and extended highs with a slight roll-off. Until then it is a fantastic entry-point into the MHDT Labs family and could very well be labeled as a side-grade to the Stockholm V2 and depending on taste a side-grade on the the Pagoda.
 

 
First let me start by saying thanks to Will at Massdrop for sending a review unit, not just for review but for the Seattle meet we had recently on Dec 6th, 2015. As this is a review unit, I have promised to write an honest review which allows me to keep the headphones a tad bit longer until my actual purchased unit comes in. This was a record breaking drop over at Massdrop with ~1000 units selling in 3 hours and over ~1400 on the first day. Rightfully so as this headphone offers massive value over yesteryear’s TH600/900 releases.
 
Many have gone over the construction of this headphone so I will just say that the construction and quality is similar, if not identical, to the Denon D2000/5000 and Fostex TH600/900, not counting the Japanese wood used on the 900s. The mahogany wood really creates a beauty to these and the finish is fantastic. The black on wood scheme also makes the wood color pop, tastefully put together for the eyes and makes for a great show on a headphone stand.
 
The headphone is fitted with a non-removable 9-10ft quality cable with a 6.3mm (1/4”) termination. Rubbing the cable to my jacket zipper, I get 0 cable noise to the phones. The feel is silky smooth and looks is fantastic. There doesn’t seem to be a need to put audiophile rope vines on these but time will tell if it holds up to use. The cable could have been shorter at 6’ to allow some portability but the longer length works perfect for home and office use. With the headphone came a synthetic leather pouch, good on keeping scratches at bay but offering 0 impact protection. I highly suggest getting something like a Beyerdynamic padded soft case or a hard case.
 
 
Straight to the good stuff:*
The THX00 has a warm signature that can be a comfortable listen for hours, they’re fun sounding which means to audiophiles there will be a bass boost with slightly subdued highs.* Before you get discouraged, please read on and know that this headphone was well regarded by many who have been into headphones for some time. I’ve gone through my fair share and these have a special niche in my line of neutral/reference phones mostly tuned for accuracy.
 
Let’s start with the bass:* I believe many buyers will go for these just for its bass characteristics. The bass is tuned to have prominent presence without encroaching the mids and highs. This is something special as it gives the headphone a lot of emotion/feeling with a healthy bottom end. The sub-bass, when called upon, can really shake your noggin; music like rap, r&b, electronic and all of its many branches absolutely shine on these. The sub-bass in the 50-60hz region has a very good thump and extension as well as the ability to sustain the bass for extend periods, this makes the headphone not only great for certain genres but also great for TV and movie use where the sub-bass region is heavily used/boosted. The 100-200hz has only a very slight boost, which allows the phones to be more flexible in different genres. With genres like jazz and vocals, the bass doesn’t encroach or overpower the mids or highs which is particularly important in allowing other genres that require a more neutral sound to be played without sounding too colored. However to someone like me that particularly enjoys the bass line making the backbone to a band’s sound, it really reveals this region quite well and thus gives the phones that emotion.
 
The mids:*
This is where Fostex/Massdrop seem to have gotten this phone to be a niche in the midst of the Denon and older Denon TH variants. The mids are not V-shaped like it’s predecessors, a half or quarter step back for mids but nothing like the TH600/900 or Denon D2K/D5K. The mids have a nice silky smooth sound you’d expect from a bio-cellulose diaphragm, something I’m used to hearing from Sony and their house sound where the mids are liquid and refined. Unlike its predecessors, the THX00 mids are not hiding behind the bass or treble and is not a sacrifice to create substantial bass and airy highs. The vocals are well present here both male and female, as well as instruments that rely on this region to sound full.
 
The highs:*
The highs on the THX00 is tuned for long listening sessions, somewhat subdued but not overly to where the highs are an afterthought. More importantly the highs and mids are more even keel than previous Foster models, somewhat catering to the owners who complain about the V-shaped sound on previous models. While it does extend quite well, it lacks air and and openess of say something like the Beyer T70 or AKG K612 Pro (complimentary phones to the THX00 btw).

Essentially these headphones bridge a gap between the audiophile world and the consumer world. And it does so in more ways than one. First, it allows newcomers to the hobby moving up from sub $100 phones including the big B with possibly less than ideal source like a cell phone. These phones are the perfect recommendation for someone still appreciating the consumer sound of, "is there bass" and using Pandora/Spotify; but at the same time audiophiles or properly geared headphones listeners can appreciate the well done, fun sound the THX00 creates, something that requires grace and a fine line to balance. However, this phone isn't a do-it-all nor is it an audiophile's main phone. Consider it an exotic mistress to your truthful reference collection. If you've got a few of those already in your collection, this may be a bit redundant although a nice addition to any collection.
 
 
*Delivery and late but important thoughts after burn-in: (the reason for the * in the frequency breakdown above)
Out of the box the THX00 can sound closed in with the bass boomy to some, this in turn effects the clarity on the mids and highs. Something I noticed while A/Bing between the THX00 and Denon D5000 at the Seattle meet. I didn’t realize this until having the headphone for a several weeks now (over 200hrs of music plus 70hrs of LOUD electronic music - a must) but proper burn-in is huge in sound changes and settling of the drivers. I can say today the headphone is quite different from when I first got it and unfortunately when I wrote the frequency breakdown on this thread. I may re-write that section fully and amend this review but until then, the write up above are more initial impressions even after 150-200hrs of music. This headphone after a long burn-in process now sounds more of its kin in the Denon and TH6/9 series. The decay is faster and more controlled on the bass, the highs a bit more clarity, but adversely the mids are now a little pushed back. Not quite as drastic as the Denon D2000 or D5000 but now the lows and highs have stepped forward where as previously things seemed even with an big bass. In turn the clarity and separation is now there, which was my biggest issue albeit worth looking over for that extra fun. I’ve put about 200 hours into the headphone at 70db (which some would think is a bit on a soft side) but it wasn’t until the LOUD 90-110db electronic music piping through did this newfound sound come about. I would highly recommend that after 48hrs of regular listening that you run another 48-72hours of electronic music or white noise to properly break these in.

Where as before I would not recommend this headphone for symphony or heavy guitar rock music due to instrument separation being a problem, now I can easily recommend it as a do-it-all as well as specialized phone. The THx00 is still not my first choice for symphony and classical but much better than my initial thoughts.
 

Conclusion and notable mentions:
For the price these are a no brainer, an excellent way to get into the Fostex sound. As it is now after burn-in, I believe these may be a bit redundant for current TH600/900 owners as well as the older Denon owners with too many similarities. On the flip side, if you've been looking at those phones and wondering if the price tag is worth it, well here's your excuse to get one. If you’ve got an HD650 and other mid-tier phones, this should still be in your radar as it is unique and provides an excellent closed back alternative. Of course if you want a woody (who doesn't) then these should definitely be on your radar. Massdrop and Fostex has done something special with the THX00 and gets my high recommendation. They are not however an end-game phone (for me), although many who choose to spend less than $500 on phones may find it to be a halting point in the hobby and go off into the content sunset.
 
Notable Mentions:
- These have outstanding value and does not play into the diminishing return side of the hobby.
- The Mahogany cups vary in texture, some being absolutely breathtaking in pattern and cut, some being somewhat dull and plain.
- The build of the headphone is fantastic; time will tell how well they hold up to daily use with possibly the cable being the weakest link.
- A bit too flashy for public use but they isolate well enough to enjoy a cup of tea or coffee at a public place.
- The pads need time to wear-in, initially they can get uncomfortable after an hour of use.
- Doesn't take much of an amp to drive these well, for newcomers a cell phone may be enough to be content until better gear is acquired.
- BURN IN IS REAL! 48-72hrs of 70db music then follow it with another 72hrs of 90-110db white noise or electronic music, away in drawer.

The PM3 is Oppo's 3rd headphone offering, a closed back planar magnetic. Thank you to @Jiffy Squid and Oppo for allowing us Head-fiers to audition these at the comfort of our own home and time, tour units are always well appreciated!! I don't own these headphones but I am now considering one in my shortlist of possibly future phones!

Before the announcement of the PM1 and HA1, Oppo was an unknown brand to me. I've not even heard of their fantastically priced Blu-Ray players that cater to the videophiles as well as their cell phones that they've released for the Asian markets.  When Oppo first announced their intentions, it was bold. Above $1k headphone along with a DAC/AMP in the same region, I was skeptical as how a company can just come out and command prices out of the blue but it would seem that their following PM2 proved that they can create such headphone and sonic qualities at a more affordable price, the thing that made Oppo a well regarded company. Then comes the PM3, closed back taking on its sibling counterparts in a portable setup that's not one bit picky on source. It's really something of a wonder how Oppo was able to make the PM3 sound so good out of lesser sources.

EDIT: The detail graph with the green bars seem inaccurate on how I rated the headphone so to put a number on the qualities; audio quality is 9/10, comfort 8.5/10, design 8.5/10, and value is 10/10. Overall a 36/40

The build quality jumps out upon opening the box, everything is built with great attention to detail and the metal used to construct the headband, gimbles, and cups are very well crafted. It screams of class being held and being worn. The headband clickers have a fantastic feel to how they adjust, adjustments feel and sounds solid unlike some headphones where it feels/sounds like cheap materials are inside that's getting ready to go after years of use. This thing feels like it'll last generations from father to son type thing. The metals they used on the build is very nice, solid feel and the machining is PRECISE. It's got some bulk to the metal but nothing ridiculous. I don't know how I feel about the black brushed backing and the midnight blue cups but it does look nice and the difference in color is really subtle, the polish corners creates great lines that's very pleasing to the eye. The downside to a luxurious build like this would be the weight, it seems to be around 475G which is on the hefty side of portables. With the weight a sudden down tilt of the head forward or backwards (like sitting down on the sofa really fast) would cause the headband to slide off the direction of your movement. So headbanging is out.

*Edit: Correction on weight, it is in fact lighter than the HE560 and Oppo claims 325G, however it does feel heavy as I believe most weight is on the headband itself or the way the pressure is distributed.

Pads are very soft and very comfy, no problem wearing this headphone for hours out. Some people might have issues with fit of ears and the earpads but I've never been one of those, Your Mileage May Very. The cable is nice and doesn't yell obscene audiophile, which is great because when you wear this out and about it doesn't look like you have braided twine running to your headphones. They've also included a nice denim covered hard case to keep your headphones safe during travel in luggage. The box presentation is simple but elegant, something that comes off a shelf or behind a glass counter and not hanging at your electronics aisle.

My listening rig consists of a Dell Laptop > Audio-GD NFB 11 > Audio-GD C2 Class A > Oppo PM3.

THE SOUND. Let's start with it's most prominent range and that is the mids. The mids has a nice balance of a dry and wet sound, a lean towards dry but this helps in clarity. The mids are slightly forward but not enough to make them stand out and over run the bass and treble, more-so the bass as the highs are rolled off for your hearing pleasure*. The lower mids are clear and are not encroached by the bass. The upper mids/lower treble starts to have a bit of roll-off which in some instruments can make the sound slightly veiled, as if a layer can be removed here for that uber clarity. This is most obvious in violins, guitars, etc. It's not enough to take away from being able to hear the particular instrument  but it is enough to make it sound either distant or somewhat turned down.

The bass does extend well to the sub-bass region when pushed to extremes by the music; listening to The Rite Of Spring on Gustavo Dudamel's Discoveries CD (newer release) shows how well the bass reaches down into the nitty-gritty sub-bass goodness region. However for the majority of listening the sub-bass does seem very subdued, it takes a certain db level in the 50hz region to get them to really shake. The 75-100hz bass region is very well presented however, more so when amped out of a beefy amp (like the Audio-GD C2 Class A in my home rig). It's not basshead nor overpowering but those that like to get the emotion from this frequency range will be nicely awarded. Speed is somewhat on the loose side of what I'm used to out of a planar magnetic but nothing like the bloat a dynamic driver is capable of. 

*The highs and upper regions of the mids does have a roll-off. Depending on how you like your sound, this could be a positive or a negative. A positive in a sense that this is a headphone you can listen to hours on out without fatigue (for those of you that are treble sensitive) and that it has enough forgiveness to be a good all-arounder even with your loudness wars tracks or those that are not mastered masterfully. I wouldn't call it a dark headphone as the highs are present but it does not have that sparkle/sheen that most extending headphones are able to produce. I believe this is a nice compromise between having treble and having treble that may cause headaches due to the music or for those that are sensitive. The only negative I see in this presentation however is the is a lack of clarity in the upper regions where you will find violin and guitar work. Along with the headphone's relatively closed in soundstage this can be problematic in big bands/symphonies and the sound is swelling around a lead instrument. With all that said, I believe this to be a small glitch/compensation in an overall good presentation of sound from a closed back offering. 

Soundstage/Imaging is typical with most headphones, more so on the soundstage than imaging. The soundstage of the headphones can put the sound just outside of your ear. It does go slightly deeper towards the front and separation is great which creates a small stage effect. A front row listener but great instrument separation to not sound crammed in. Keep in mind that this is a closed-back planar magnetic, with that in mind I think it's a fantastic soundstage for what it is. This won't be good for gaming and it won't put instruments around you in the space of the room but it can make things feel like you can look to your left to follow a bass line or look to your right and watch a solo riff or further back in the stage and watch a drummer go ape.
 

Notable mentions!
- The one thing that jumped out at me for this headphone is how good it sounds out of a portable source! As of now I'm DAP-less but I did do extensive listening on my Samsung Galaxy S3 (Wolfson DAC). Running 500kbps OGG Vorbis CD rips through Neutron, as well as Spotify Premium 320kbps vorbis, this thing sounded amazing. I don't think I've ever heard my cell phone sound this good, seeming like there's a DAC and AMP externally to the PM3! It's that good! I can only imagine what it's like out of a proper DAP. With a nice DAP or portable DAC/AMP this could very well be end game headphones for someone comfortable in the mid-fi region of sound and price.

However if you're asking scalability, the PM3 really doesn't scale all that much. A noticeable touch of clarity, separation, and bass presence with my home rig but out and about this thing was like carrying a backpack of mid-fi DAC/AMPs in my pocket which was just my G-S3. Volume can get up to 100% with sound levels getting around hearing damaging levels, I find myself mostly listening in the 70-90 volume depending on the album's output.

- The price. For $399 MSRP this is a great deal of a headphone in this spendy hobby. Oppo is known for value on their products and I think this qualifies as one of said quality products with affordability. The PM3's commanding price is well worth in terms of build and sound quality.

- It look's classy as all hell. Sharp as a tack, these don't yell LOOK AT MY HEADPHONES but with close attention you can adore many of it's aesthetics.

In Conclusion, Oppo has created what I would like to call a well crafted do-it-all headphone at an easy to swallow price. There are just too many positives to take away from how I feel about the PM3s even with its minor shortcomings and that is that they're worth every 399 dollars. If you're looking for something that can be an end game can without diving deep into the headphone world, this is it. If you don't have a great source or amp but want something that will compete with higher end cans out of a cell phone or until you're able to get better gear, this is it. If you're looking for on-the-go sound without lugging along a giant brick of a stack and still have that home-system sound, this is it. A fantastic offering by Oppo and the PM3 really deserves the recognition.

 

The Denon AH-D600:

First thing you notice when getting the headphone is it's fantastic packaging. From the outer sleeve sleeve to the actual fold box, everything speaks quality from a reputable company. In a world of packaging having as much importance as the actual product, Denon does not disappoint. Opening the package displays the beautifully crafted headphone on a silk bed, something you'd expect Sony to do and something of a throwback to the yesteryears. The cables, adapter, travel bag, and documentation are underneath the bedding and are also as pleasantly packed.

The actual headphones themselves scream quality made. The cups, the leather headband cushion along with the super premium ear pads with white stitching. The feel of the headband might seem similar to one juggernaut headphone company that sells mostly hype and a bass-heavy sound but everything else is a clear step up, by a mile. Putting the headphones on, you feel your ears wrapped by the pads and the comfort of the leather against your skin. You also notice that it isolates the outside world very well and this would be something you can wear in loud surroundings like public transportation, albeit a bit showy for the more reserved but isolation wise it's fantastic. And for those that don't mind showy, you'll separate yourself from the rest with the words clearly marked DENON.

Taking out the cable from the packaging, you notice the custom looking thicker cable made for home use is something most head-fi members will paying upwards of $150-$200 for, if not more. No need spending as much as the headphone to have a nice cable here and really something all headphone companies should catch on. The thinner mobile use cable has the Apple product controls built-in and is shorter in length, perfect for the traveling audiophile!

Now the important stuff, sound:
The Denon AH-D600 has a V shaped sound, making it a fun headphone. The bass is absolutely tremendous and well executed. It has great impact, presence, and extends LOW. 20hz on the new Chesky sound bites? No problem and well presented! On the heartbeat bass test the D600 outperforms the HE4 out of the Project Ember and that's saying something. I would say bass quality is of the HE400 if not better (although this comparison is from extended memory).

With the prominent bass, the mids are are untouched albeit being recessed in the V signature. Not to the point where you are missing parts of your music but enough to notice it is a step back in the stage around other instruments. This might not be the go-to headphone for music that is meant to have pronounced vocals but for movies where vocals are very important it works fine and well audible. If a V signature puts you off, read the brief source pairing below that might change your mind. The highs are well extended without sibilance, airy but presented a bit on the thin side. It has great detail and clarity.

Something that strikes me on this headphone is it's great amount of clarity. Coming from a good source of music and chain it really presents above the level of mainstream headphones while having that mainstream sound signature. About the recessed mids, when I plugged this directly into the NFB12 the highs seem more level with the mids and now you have basically a warm phone with excellent bass extension. The highs still extended well but doesn't have that thin sound when coming from a neutral or bright source. It could be the way Denon has tuned this headphone, which is for for Apple devices and their warm signature.

Conclusion. If you like a mainstream headphone, something that has excellent build and sound of an audiophile company but has the popularity and fashion to back it, these are the go to. They're great for anything that calls for good bass. I wouldn't call them bass-head levels as they do the bass gracefully even if it's prominent but for those looking for a flat or something with a more reference bass probably should keep looking elsewhere.


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The ESW9 are sealed African paduak wood phones with lamb skin leather pads and headband. Stainless steel for a band with plastic parts, it looks of quality with parts here and there looking compromising (plastic). Upon looking at them one wouldn’t believe that they were $450 at one point in time but like the saying, never judge a book by it’s cover, the same applies here. It is however a very attractive set of phones, gets A LOT of admiring looks when worn in public. The ESW9 has two variants, the earliest models had cherry wood and the later, more common model are of African paduak. The ESW9 and ESW9A are the same phones, the ESW9A never had the cherry wood and are marketed for America.

Comfort-
Out of the box the phones do feel uncomfortable after an hour. After the pads wear in, which took about a week of daily use, they’re much more comfortable and can be worn for 3-4 hours at a time. They’re very light and have 0 issues with weight distribution or neck fatigue.

Power needs-
With it’s 32ohm impedance and high sensitivity, this headphone is meant to be driven from portable devices and relatively lightweight amps. Sounds absolutely fantastic on my Samsung Galaxy 3 for all genres but excels in jazz, acoustic, vocals and classical. This does not need an amp to sound good, if anything it does better with portable device and lower output sources.

Sound-
Has a warm tone with mids lush and slightly forward but by no means slouchy. Bass impact and extension is very impressive, hardest hitting sub-bass tracks will have the rumble feel but nothing drastic. The warm nature leaves the treble non peaky with 0 sibilance but still with excellent detail and slight roll off at the highest freq. To me a slight lean towards a laid back sound, almost like having a tube amp in the chain (from you cell phone!). Sound stage is fantastic considering the closed back design, instrument separation is excellent as well. IMO one of the most under rated and under reviewed phones.

Conclusion-
For the price they can be had today (under $200 new) they are a great buy and a nice introduction to wood phones. Do be careful in buying from a lesser known source as there has been a good portion of fakes being released when these were a hot item. Couple of giveaways are the LEFT RIGHT writing, the authentic ones have the clear and clean while fakes have it in bold and sloppy. Also the coil of the driver should be blue, not copper (fake).

Let me start by saying I don't normally write reviews on the official level, star system with graphs and all. I do look at them religiously when trying to find info on a HP, DAC, or AMP that's sparked my interest. So here I am reviewing on the Taiwanese made Superlux 668B which is quite obvious a mix of AudioTechnica's wing headband system, AKG K studio series body, with Superlux's driver. Aside from the last bit, obviously all are homages or clone of their respective brands. Not the first time one brand took from another however.

With that out of that way, let me start by saying at less the $50 shipped, not much can go wrong. The headphones look and might feel somewhat cheap on the cups but before you judge, plug the sucker in and have at it.

Notes:

- Quite obviously the headband's wing system is something you'd find from AudioTechnica's line. Similar to AD900X and the likes. The headphone feels quite secure but the the two wings takes time getting used to. I'm hoping with time they get somewhat softer and less obvious. Aside from the two wings pads, the headphone is very light and does not feel like you're wearing a headphone at all. Clamp force is very good in gripping your head but not overly where it hurts (like a DT880 Pro when new). I've tried pointing my head downwards to try and get the HP to fall off, doesn't even budge. For reference I wear a 7 5/8" fitted hat, I fare on the big noggin side.

- The cups are made of plastic, they feel and look cheap. Aside from the opening of the grill, the cups look exact clones of the AKG K studio series (K240 for example). From the way the cups swivel up and down on the driver housing, the way the headband goes into the housing, as well as cable entry and run from one driver to another.

- The earpads are pleather and aren't too bad, although I can see some Hifiman velours or similar would do great on comfort. As is, it's not too bad. They're soft but not memory foam or anything fancy. The feel isn't too bad either, I've seen worse.
 
Now the most important part, SOUND.

They've been running for about two hours now and there's already a noticeable difference in treble. At first it sounded rough and spikey but after 60 mins it's calmed down quite a bit. From word around here, 50 hours would produce the final sound after burn-in. First these are what you would call reference type headphones, neutral sounding and fairs to the bright/airy side. No dark stuff here and if you seek a bass-head or a warm phone, look elsewhere. What I can say however is the clarity on these phones are fantastic. Dry sounding, it pairs well with tube amps for a more musical flavor but does well with solid state if speed and attack is of priority. With an emphasis in the treble end, they air on the bright side  The treble does get too hot with poorly mastered tracks, definitely a bright and airy phone that does well when the music fed is greatly recorded (loud war tracks need not apply). The bass has a steep roll off after 60hz, sub-bass rumble is non-existent but bass is pronounced from 60hz and up. Nothing sloppy, but unamped the drivers can lose control when the sound swells. Soundstage isn't very wide, I would say comparable to the DT880's semi-open width. Instrument separation are great, you can easily follow different instruments in a piece without it getting lost when you've got 3-4 different going at the same time.

These sound to be about 85% straight from a cell phone, a plus if that's all the source you have or need to use it on the go. When amped, the HP can keep things tight and true. It doesn't take a whole lot to get these going as well, plugged straight to my Lenovo laptop I'm having to use 50% of the volume bar to keep things at a sane level. These are 56ohms with the rating of 98db/1mW according to the box.

I've never heard anything in the full size realm that sound like these at this price range. It definitely holds up to the hype and praises it gets as reference or studio quality. If you prefer a bright tilted phone with a dry and clear sound at less than $100 this is something that should be in your shopping list. At the normal price of around $40, these are a steal of a headphone. It's great as a value minded HP, backup, or something to let the kids chuck around. I'm one for great value and willing to spend the money if it warrants it so when something with great value comes around it definitely sparks my interest. If you're looking for something that won't leave a hole in your wallet that will compare very to mid-fi headphones, this is it. A definite listener's headphone, not very show worthy but when your friends ask what you spent on it, you'll look like you've done some homework with your purchase.