Greetings friend and Welcome aboard!!
Before we get into the Audeze Sine vs. Oppo PM3, grab a snack, sit back and relax because..
You’ve come to the right place!!
What I will bring you in this review
Today I will provide a no non sense comparison of these two buddies, and then give a recommendation towards the end. ?
- Similarities & Differences
- Final Word
Now without further ado, let’s get rolling!!
Similarities & Differences
Similarities
- Both are closed back headphones. Closed back vs. Open back headphones.
- Both have planar magnetic drivers. Learn more about drivers: What is a Headphone Driver?
- While the impedance of each is slightly different, neither of these will need amplification to sound good. How to choose a Headphone Amp! Do keep in mind that the Sine did sound a bit quiet out of my Samsung Galaxy S5. Still not really sure why that is. What is Headphone Impedance?
- Cable. Both have removable cables, but the PM3’s connects on one side while the Sine’s goes into both ear-cups.
- Frequency Response. Both have a 10Hz – 50kHz response.
- Detail. Both are incredibly detailed and articulate.
- Soundstage. Neither have a particularly wide soundstage, but for closed back models it’s still pretty good. I’m able to discern where instruments are in both very well. What is Soundstage?
Differences
- Comfort. The Oppo PM3 is one of the most comfortable headphones I’ve worn. The Audeze Sine is kind of the opposite; they will start to hurt your ears after awhile, and aren’t conducive to long listening sessions. The PM3’s most certainly are.
- Fit. The Sine is a Supra-Aural (On-ear) headphone while the PM3 is circumaural (Around the ear).
- Impedance. The PM3’s have a 26 Ohm impedance vs. the 20 Ohm impedance of the Sine.
- Timbre. I would say the Timbre of the Audeze Sine is more true to life than the PM3. What is Timbre?
- Weight. The PM3’s are a bit heavier at 320g vs. 300g for the Sine.
- Sensitivity. The Sine’s have a higher Sensitivity at 120dB vs. 102 dB for the PM3. What is Sensitivity in Headphones?
- Aesthetic. The Sine’s have that weird bit of leather on the outside of the ear-cups, while the PM3’s have a gorgeous brushed aluminum/metal look and just exude class. The Sine’s are also classy, but the leather on the ear-cups kind of ruins the overall vibe for me.
- Sound signature. Overall, the Sine is more tonally accurate than the PM3 for sure, and much flatter overall. It’s timbre is truer to life, and the treble has more sparkle and shine. Accusations of the PM3 being a bit too polite are just unfounded in my opinion, and I don’t think they’re boring headphones by any means. In fact, while the mid-range on the Sine is basically a flat line, there’s a small bump around 1k on the PM3 which reveals a lot of subtle detail that made me fall in love. That said, it’s hard to choose between the two. The spike in the treble on the PM3 comes at around 7k, and then it kind of falls off. This goes in line with some people saying it’s a bit too polite, but I still think there’s plenty of detail to be had. On the other hand, the Sine peaks at around 10k.
- Cipher. The Sine has an optional Cipher cable for apple devices, while the PM3 does not. The PM3 does however come with 2 cables, a 3m and 1.2m. The cipher cable for the Sine is well worth it, as it provides an immediate upgrade in sound from portable devices. There’s also an equalization app that comes with it.
- Mic. The Sine has a built in mic while the PM3 does not.
- Color. The PM3 is Black and Silver while the Audeze Sine is all Black.
- Material. The Sine’s boast genuine leather for the ear-cups and headband, while the PM3’s have synthetic.
- Case. The PM3 comes in a semi-hard denim case which I really thought was nice, while the Sine only comes in a pouch.
- Replaceable pads. The PM3’s ear-cups aren’t replaceable while the Sine’s are.
- Rotation. Both headphones ear-cups swivel 180 degress and fold flat, but neither collapse in on themselves like a Sony MDR V6. See: Sony MDR V6 Review!
Final Word
This is one of the hardest decisions I’ve had to make.
PM3 = Great mid-range, lots of detail, very accurate, treble is a little subdued. Bass is well extended but doesn’t have a ton of impact. More comfortable than the Sine. A bit more affordable. No amp needed.
Sine = Great mid-range, lots of detail, more tonally accurate than the PM3, a tad better treble. Bass is well extended. Less comfortable than the PM3. A bit more expensive. No amp needed.
Wow. I really can’t make a recommendation, so I’m just going to provide both of my official reviews, and let you decide. I definitely swooned harder over the PM3 in my review, but if I had to make a choice given how great the Sine is, I’m not sure I could one way or the other.
That said:
AUDEZE SINE REVIEW!!
OPPO PM3 REVIEW!!
Well that’s about it for today my friend! I hope you’ve enjoyed this Audeze Sine vs. Oppo PM3 comparison.
Questions? Comments? Requests? Did I miss the mark on something? Please let me know down below or Contact me!!
What do you think about these? Which is worth the investment? I would love to hear from you! Until next time..
All the best and God bless,
-Stu
