Planar Magnetic Headphones
Planar magnetic headphones create uniform soundwaves using a thin, flat membrane suspended between two magnets. This provides a better understanding of soundstage, more clarity and a distinctive sound distinctiveness that distinguish them from typical dynamic driver headphones.
They tend to be more expensive and harder to drive than dynamic headphones, however they can be worth the investment for audiophiles. You can purchase headphones for less than $400. These include the affordable Hifiman HE400i or Monoprice Monolith M1070.
Soundstage
With their large drivers, planar magnetic headphones can create exceptionally wide soundstages. These large soundscapes enable listeners to experience a more detailed sound, resulting in an immersive listening experience. You are able to better distinguish the instruments and vocals that are in the mix. This makes them an excellent choice for studio or mixing use.
In addition to their amazing soundstage, planar magnetic headphones are also known for their outstanding bass performance. Their huge drivers can move a great deal of air, giving them the ability to reproduce deep and full-bodied bass notes with incredible precision and clarity. This is a major upgrade over the muddy, tinny bass that you get from the majority of dynamic driver headphones.
The headphones of the planar magnetic type are unique in that they use a flat diaphragm that is sandwiched by a conductive pattern in between two arrays of magnetic material. When an electrical current flows through the conductive trace, Planar magnetic Headphones it creates a magnetic field that causes the diaphragm’s surface to vibrate and produce audio waves. The magnetic field regulates the diaphragm’s motion and is evenly distributed across the entire surface. This creates an isodynamic (or constant) field that guarantees that the diaphragm’s movement is constant throughout the entire frequency range.
Because the distortion created by a dynamic driver is due to the voice coil moving in and out of contact with the diaphragm. Planar magnetic headphones have significantly less distortion than their dynamic counterparts. This means that you can hear the music as the artist intended, even at high volume.
Planar magnetic headphones leak more than dynamic models with open backs. The huge diaphragms of these headphones transport a huge amount of air. Some of it escapes through the open back. However, if you what are planar magnetic drivers listening in a closed environment, this shouldn’t pose an issue.
The choice between planar magnetic headphones and dynamic headphones is dependent on your budget and listening preferences. If you are looking for clarity, precision, and low distortion, a pair of planar magnetic headphones are the right choice for you.
Detail
Planar magnetic headphones have gained popularity among audiophiles in recent years. Known for their large sound signature, they utilize flat diaphragms that move with amazing speed and flexibility to produce superior high frequencies and a deep bass. Contrary to dynamic drivers, which have rigid, rigid driver voice coils The conductor trace of planar magnetic headphone drivers is fixed to the flat surface of the diaphragm, and it reacts to the magnetic field produced by two magnets that are opposite. This allows them to reproduce frequencies with larger ranges than other headphones, without experiencing distortion to the driver or damage to the diaphragm when they are used at high volumes.
This also leads to the flat diaphragm creating a wider, more planar sound wavefront, rather than the more narrow spherical waves like dynamic drivers (although some of the latest, high-end dynamic driver headphones like Focal Utopia can extend into 20Hz). Planar magnetic headphones feature a wider, more expansive soundstage that allow them to display recordings with greater detail. This is particularly noticeable with instruments, where the precision and clarity that planar headphones provide allows you to hear every individual note on a woodwind instrument, and piano key clearly, as intended by the composer.
A good pair of headphones can also reproduce the sounds of your surroundings. Depending on the shape of the earcups and whether they’re open-back or closed-back headphones, certain models leak sound from the back of the ear cup. This is not a problem in most instances, but it could cause annoyance to people who are in the vicinity when you listen. With this in mind, it’s essential to find headphones that are specifically designed to minimize leakage, or even have an additional grille that to use when listening in public areas.
Whatever type of headphone you choose it is crucial to find the one that is compatible with your lifestyle and music listening preferences. There are many styles, sizes and prices for a planar magnetic headphones that will fit your music preferences.
Comfort
A planar magnetic headphone uses thin diaphragms engraved with conductors strung across an array of magnets that manipulate sound waves in ways that traditional dynamic headphones can’t. This wider wavefront produces sounds that are more immersive and natural, with incredible detail, speed, accuracy, and speed. They are very heavy and require an amp that is specifically designed to achieve their full potential.
In recent years, many specialist HiFi audio brands have brought this old technology back. This allows listeners to experience new levels in audio quality. Although they might not appear as sleek and contemporary as the latest models, these headphones are known for their rich bass, intimate sound, and exceptional stage depth.
They are comfortable and easy to wear despite their dimensions and unique design. The earcups will seal in your ears and keep out ambient noise, allowing you to focus on your audio, but they don’t cling to the head and neck like certain over-ear models can. The lightweight build and comfortable earpads are a major draw for some listeners.
The price of a planar magnetic headphone is another disadvantage. You can find budget-friendly dynamics headphones, but a lot of planar models need a dedicated amplifier/DAC to get the best out of them. This is because they are more complex than their dynamic counterparts, and generally require a lot of power to move the two magnets around.
Some headphones with planar designs are affordable (such as HIFIMAN’s Deva or the AUdeze Venus), but most are high-end models and some costing over $400. It’s a big investment if you listen to music only on the move or play games most of the time. But for those who appreciate music in its finest form, planar headphones offer the best listening experience.
The main drawback of planar headphones, despite their great audio quality, is their leakage. Dual magnets move in both directions, which causes the headphones to leak sound. This can be disruptive to those who are in the vicinity or let outside noises to enter. Some models are more prone to this than others, but it is a problem for the majority of listeners who want to listen to the sound of a pair of these headphones in an unobtrusive space.
Noise isolation
For a pair of headphones to be referred to as “headphones” they should be able to isolate your ears from the surrounding environment. A high-quality pair of planar magnetic headphones should have an ergonomic design and the finest materials to prevent noise from escaping your ears. This will reduce the noise you hear and provide you with a more immersive experience.
In general the headphones with planar magnets are heavier and larger than dynamic headphones. This is due to the fact that the driver has a larger surface area to deliver sound, which requires a larger earcup. Boutique HiFi audio brands like to design earcups with exotic woods and composites.
Planar magnetic headphones regulate electrical current using an electrified film sandwiched between magnets. The magnetic field that is present on either side of the film causes the diaphragm to vibrate and creates sound waves. The fact that the entire diaphragm is being driven to vibrate by a magnetic field instead of just a small area connected to a voice coil makes them less prone to distortion when playing at high volumes.
However, a lot of newer planar magnetic headphones are a bit weak in bass, and don’t have as much punch or slam as you’d get from a modern high-end pair of dynamic drivers. It’s a tradeoff, but one which can be resolved through careful comparisons of different sets of headphones.
Therefore, it’s best to take your time shopping around for a set of magnetic headphones that are planar and carefully read reviews from professional audio websites as well as those on the r/headphones subreddit. This is how you can ensure that the pair of headphones you pick will provide you with the performance that’s right for your needs and taste. Once you’ve done this, all that’s left is to find a great price/performance ratio. The Monoprice M1060 headphones are a great example, as they combine a stunning sound quality with a sleek, stealthy design and comfortable pads that rival headphones costing much more than the M1060.