[uhhmike]

there is a slightly different tuning in the new ones as far as I know, supposedly not a huge difference. A little more subbass and maybe teenGe extension is what I hear

 

[Allanmarcus]

 

Does anyone have a new version of this can with the updated tuning available to be borrowed? I live in Rhode island if that matters. I am currently demoing last year's model and am interested in buying one, but haven't heard the newer version. Thanks

Where is this information about updated tuning ? There isnt a newer version as far as i can find.

Just read through this thread. AZ didn't calling the PMx2 gen 2 or anything. From what I can tell, it just evolved a bit as Alex worked on the tuning.
 
I heard a "new" one when I was in San Diego over winter break. Thank @ray-dude  for meeting me at a local donut shop
 
I would say the new tuning reaches deeper and maybe sounds a little less "flat". It was still a little noisy in the donut shop, and I'm not the best and describing what I hear, or even at hearing subtle differences. The lower bass, however, wasn't subtle over my originally turned PMx2, but the bass wasn't overwhelming at all. All in all, a great evolution of the PMx2. I won't be selling mine and getting a newly turned version; it's good, but not that good (at least to me). 
 
The only way to understand is to listen to it. I would say the newly tuned version is a even better value than the original, so if you are on the fence and can afford it, get one. If you want to save a little, try to get a used or refurbished PM2.

 

[uhhmike]

What do you mean when you say it was a little noisy in the donut shop? So it basically just had more sub bass? And it's a subtle or huge differebnce? Did it sound like any parts of the bass region were exaggerated or over kill? And is the treble that much different?

 

[Allanmarcus]

What do you mean when you say it was a little noisy in the donut shop? So it basically just had more sub bass? And it's a subtle or huge differebnce? Did it sound like any parts of the bass region were exaggerated or over kill? And is the treble that much different?

Ray-Dude and I met in a donut shop (like a Dunkin' Donuts for you easy coast types to listen to headphones. We were going to meet in a Library, but it was closed.
 
I feel the frequency response of the "new" tuning is still quite flat, but it reaches lower into the sub-bass region. No exaggeration or over-kill; just a more visceral bass. 

 

[Shure or bust]

Hopefully he can mod my pm1. If not ill have to sell it and buy the pm2 or pmx2. Is the pm1 better than the pm2 or just tweaked ?

 

[uhhmike]

I've never heard oppos original stuff but Fromm what I read pm1 and pm2 are close in sound. I read pm1 is more luxurious materials and extras mainly, that's also what an oppo employee told me. But I've never heard either.

 

[Shure or bust]

So the oppo PM-1 can be modded. I'm gonna run away from these though. The stock Oppo pm-2 weighs 385g wo cable, pm-1 is 395g. The zenith pmx2 add around 80 grams. That's way too much for the headband in my opinion. I am a firm believer in suspension bands once you reach above 400 grams. Like wearing a brick other wise lol 

 

[darinf]

  So the oppo PM-1 can be modded. I'm gonna run away from these though. The stock Oppo pm-2 weighs 385g wo cable, pm-1 is 395g. The zenith pmx2 add around 80 grams. That's way too much for the headband in my opinion. I am a firm believer in suspension bands once you reach above 400 grams. Like wearing a brick other wise lol 

I have the PMx2's and never really noticed the weight. They are one of my most comfortable headphones. My Focal Utopias are slightly heavier than the PMx2's and they are comfortable too. I guess the weight of the headphones don't bother me, but the headband padding is pretty good.
 
While doing DIY mods will help, if you know how much work Alex does on each pair of PMx2's there's simply no way to get the sound of a PMx2 doing it DIY. Even the modder admits that his mods do not sound like a PMx2. 

 

[uhhmike]

I just borrowed a pmx2 for a week. They are very comfortable and the weight didn't bother me at all. It's not like am Audeze LCD can which actually hurts your head sometimes. Not at all. The pads are very comfortable too. My ether is more comfortable but the pmx2 is way better in every way sound wise than the ether. Try the AZ if you can borrow one, they sound awesome and are very comfortable to wear. Hence I'm selling my Ethers (I think I might be done with mrspeakers to be frank) and trying the pmx2 soon.

 

[Shure or bust]

The Utopia is a 30 minute can for me due to its weight. Swapped to after market cable and it helped significantly, but to me the elear more enjoyable.

 

[uhhmike]

I've heard utopia can be peaky with small soundstage. Not sure if anything is worth 4k unless it's perfect which nothing is, not that I've heard at least.

 

[Venture Guy]

I've heard utopia can be peaky with small soundstage. Not sure if anything is worth 4k unless it's perfect which nothing is, not that I've heard at least.

My experience as well...

 

[Allanmarcus]

I've compared the Utopia to the PMx2, as have a number of my friends. I, and they, prefer the Utopia. 
 
I actually prefer the Utopia to any other headphone I've heard so far.

 

[Venture Guy]

  I've compared the Utopia to the PMx2, as have a number of my friends. I, and they, prefer the Utopia. 
 
I actually prefer the Utopia to any other headphone I've heard so far.

To thine own ears be true...

 

[Mike C]

I've had mine for a few weeks now so it's a good time to give some impressions. They improved with 100 hours running in, but continued to improve slightly but noticeably over the next 100 hours or so.
 
My 'frame of reference' is the AKG K812. My headphone system uses the excellent Gryphon Scorpio CD player, a really lovely player.
I have two fairly similar valve headphone amps, one using 7N7 and paralleled 12SN7 valves, the other using paralleled 7N7s, both with good output transformers; both are excellent.
The K812s sound good on this setup; I've heard them sound awful with a lesser Cd player and solid state amp.
 
The PMx2 is totally *amazing*. The music is simply so enjoyable it puts a smile on my face, tingles down my spine, just beautiful.
It's really worked out for me as these are the things I find missing from the K812's, excellent though those are in many ways.
 
So may I give sincere thanks to Alex for his fine product and also the care he took to ensure they would be suitable, and to the posters here ... comments were spot on. In particular I mention Ray for his shootout details (truly excellent!), and for personal dealings.
 
Now some specifics.
All the following things are superb.
Transparency; tonality; purity; naturalness; engagement with the music (tapping my feet, hard to do in bed!!!); the 'shape' of music (Mozart having that Mozart lilt and shape, making me want to conduct); separation of instruments; proper individual character of different instruments (related to tonality); fast, clean leading edges making plucked strings and percussion sound good; resolution/timing which separates out fast sequences of notes. I'm bound to have forgotten many things.
And above all, these things are delivered with *class* and BEAUTY.
 
One funny comment which I hope is appreciated in the right way. I find that mid range hifi sounds like, well, reasonable hifi; high end hifi sounds better in the ways hifi is mostly described ... bass, treble, dynamics etc; but the highest level of hifi just doesn't sound like hifi !!!
To me, the PMx2 just doesn't sound like hifi, it's better than that. See how I describe things above and you may see what I mean; no mention of bass, treble etc (OK, they are *fine*), but I'm appreciating things at a higher level.
 
To set some kind of benchmark I'll mention my main system. I'm fussy about sound and make my own valve electronics to get the sound quality and nature I like.
Main source is Teres turntable, Moerch DP8 arm, Zyx 4D cartridge (a lovely combination). Valve phono stage (better than Aesthetix Rhea in a head to head), '27' valve line preamp; '45' parallel single ended valve amp; good speakers of suitable sensitivity. The 45 amp is far better than typical 300B SET amps.
Second source is Heed DT/DA cd system, decent but below the vinyl front end.
This system is mainly used for classical, folk, jazz, popular. I specially love female vocals.
 
The PMx2 with good source and amp sounds in many ways like my main system and gives me similar pleasure; it's the only headphone setup that has ever done that. No, they don't sound the same, but the nature and strengths are similar. For one thing, female vocals are utterly gorgeous on both my main system and the headphone system with PMx2.
 
Some music I love. I was about to write 'which shows the virtues of the PMx2' but *all* music does this!
 
Melissa Menago; highly transparent
Amber Rubarth, Scribbled Folk Symphonies; highly transparent; sweet, and also note the 'growl' of the cello
Tierney Sutton, After Blue; lovely vocals, lots going on, superb piano
Calamus, The splendour of Al-Andalus; thanks Ray! Lots going on, all well resolved, fine leading edges, fine tonality, musical
Eduardo Paniagua, Cantigas of Toledo; Eduardo is the main man in Calamus! Similar comments apply
Halie Loren, Stages; live, and in the best way it sounds it, fabulous
Mozart, Flute and Harp Concerto; Piano concerto no 21; City of London Sinfonia. I rarely listen to classical on CD but this sounds good, and it sounds like Mozart (not all systems do this IMHO).
Anything else by Halie Loren or Tierney Sutton; anything by Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer.
 
All the above sound *fantastic* on a good system.
 
Sorry if I ramble on and bore you ......
Best regards
Mike C in the UK