Hi-Fi corner: Oppo’s PM-3 bring practicality to premium planar headphones

By Caleb Denison Published March 17, 2015

It’s been true for some time now that you could spend a boatload of cash on a pair of headphones if you want, and in many cases, you’d get a handsome return on your investment. But now Oppo has come along and absolutely changed the game for premium headphones. Meet the PM-3, a $400 planar magnetic-style headphone that blend practicality with premium sound and a luxurious feel.

Oppo’s first go at a premium headphone, the $1100 PM-1, were a knockout when it came to sound quality and comfort. Unfortunately, they are the sort of headphone that should be kept in their high-gloss lacquered cherry-wood storage box, right next to your humidor and bottle of Johnny Walker Blue. One of the PM-1’s few limiting factors is that they are open backed, so it’s easy to hear everything going on around you, and those around you will easily hear whatever you’re listening to. The PM-3, on the other hand, are closed-backed, providing better sound isolation, and a bit of reinforcement in the bass.

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The PM-3 maintain a luxurious feel and exhibit excellent build quality. In addition to an extra-long standard headphone cable, Oppo makes an iOS-compatible three-button inline mic cable, and a single-button inline mic cable for Android devices.

Our only grip is with the PM-3 clamping force, which seems a little bit excessive. Those with wider noggins may find them a little tight, but between the exceptional sound quality and extremely comfortable earpads and headband, it is easy to excuse.

If you’re going to spend $400 on a pair of headphones, then you’re probably serious about sound quality and style. The PM-3 deliver both in spades, and challenge headphones costing twice as much.

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Following the success of Sunrise on the Reaping, the latest book in the Hunger Games series, Deadline is reporting that the film adaptation that is set to release in 2026 has found its lead actors. Joseph Zada will play Haymitch in the film, while Whitney Peak will play Lenore Dove, Haymitch's romantic partner.

The film will be set 40 years after the events of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and 24 years before Katniss Everdeen volunteers to take her sister's place in the Hunger Games. The book follows Haymitch, the District 12 victor who mentors Katniss and Peeta, as he wins his own Games on their 50th anniversary.

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Depending on how you look at it, golf is either one of the simplest sports or one of the most complex. The objective is very easy to wrap your head around: This ball has got to wind up in a hole that's maybe a quarter mile away. Everything that happens after that, though, is where things get interesting. Of course, people who love golf love it for a wide array of reasons. Some people love the beautiful courses, while others love the stories behind their favorite players.
There are plenty of people who love golf but don't play it much themselves, and those are the people who this list is really for. Golf's full of amazing stories, and we've even gotten our fair share of great golf movies as a result. Sometimes, though, a documentary is an even better fit for a particular story set in the world of golf. As someone who doesn't play much golf but loves to watch it, these documentaries are right up my alley. They're the kinds of movies that can inspire and perplex you, and also remind you that at its best, golf is filled with legendary moments. These movies might not be on the shortlist for any awards, but that's only because sports documentaries are so recognized for how well they put stories together.
After careful consideration, we've brought you this list of the best golf documentaries you can stream now.

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Julia Garner was pretty sure the Silver Surfer had to be a man before joining Fantastic Four

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Julia Garner as the Silver Surfer

Now that we've gotten our first look at Julia Garner's female version of the Silver Surfer in Fantastic Four: First Steps, we're also learning a little bit more about the Emmy winner wound up signing on to the project. In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Garner revealed that she wasn't even aware that her character, Shalla-Bal, or the female version of the Silver Surfer, existed until she met with director Matt Shakman.

“I met up with Matt, who’s lovely. We met up at some restaurant in Burbank or something. I don’t even remember, but I knew it was for the Fantastic Four,” she explained. “And then I was confused because I was like, ‘Wait, isn’t the Silver Surfer a man?’ I was just like, “Okay, well, I’ll play anything.” [Laughs] I was a very big fan of Matt’s, so there was already, in my mind, like, ‘I should probably meet with Matt Shakman because he’s a very smart director and I love his work.’ And then he was explaining to me that it’s actually Shalla-Bal and that whole thing.”