Magnetic Planar Speakers - Holographic 3D Imaging and Stunning Clarity
With a thin diaphragm suspended between two arrays magnets that vibrate, they create sound waves. Planar magnetic speakers are renowned for their amazing clarity and 3D holographic images.
They also offer a wide vertical and horizontal dispersion, low distortion, and affordable prices which makes them suitable for a variety of audio applications.
Superior Sound Quality
Planar magnetic speakers are known for delivering clear, precise sounds with low distortion. They do this by using a flat diaphragm that has an electrically conductive pattern. This is a reaction to the magnetic field generated by magnets either on one or both sides of the speaker. The diaphragm moves, causing sound waves to be transmitted through a monopole- or dipole-radiation pattern. This makes the diaphragm move more evenly and produce superior
Magnetic Planar sound quality compared to the typical cone or dome driver.
Another benefit of planar magnetic drivers is their wide dispersion that is uniform which lets the sound be heard from any point in an area. Planar dipole or ribbon speakers also have an incredibly spacious and natural soundstage with a few resonances. This creates an immersive listening experience that brings the music to life in a way that is difficult to duplicate with other kinds of speakers.
Planar magnetic speakers have a bigger surface area than cone drivers and are more durable. They can also operate at higher volumes without creating excessive vibrations or distortions. They are also quieter than other kinds of speakers, which makes them an ideal choice for home theatre or HiFi applications.
Planar speakers are more expensive due to their intricate design. However, they offer superior audio quality and are worth the investment. In addition planar speakers have a much lower impedance than other types of loudspeakers, which means they are less difficult for amplifiers to drive than standard drivers.
Planar magnetic speakers are an excellent option for professional and home use. However they aren't as popular in IEMs because they require more complex engineering to be able to fit into smaller sizes like headphones and earbuds. Recently, however, there has been an increase in the number of IEMs with planar magnetic technology. This includes the Rinko by Seeaudio, and the S12 and Z12 by LETSHOUER, which have proved to provide an exceptional listening experience.
Lower Distortion
For many audiophiles the most sought-after characteristic of a speaker or headphone is its low distortion. The distortion is caused in the speaker due to many elements, but perhaps the most prevalent cause of distortion is voice coil inductance. When an alternating current is fed through a typical moving coil driver's voice coil, the inductance of the voice coil produces magnetic fields which induce diaphragms to move. The movement or the excursion is what produces the sound wave, however it also generates unwanted resonances and harmonics that diminish the quality of the audio.
One of the main advantages of magnetic planar speakers is that they feature lower distortion than traditional dynamic drivers. This is because the "voice coil" has an increased surface area rather than being squeezed into an extremely tiny space inside a huge piece of metal. In the end, a well-designed planar magnetic speaker can withstand a greater amount of power than a traditional dynamic driver without any sound.
Planar magnetic speakers also reduce distortion by providing an almost perfect resistive load to the amplifier in the system. The voice coil is a thin, long wire which behaves like a resistor. This makes it easy for the amplifier to drive, and it will always sound its best when driving the planar magnetic speaker.
The high efficiency of
magnetic planar speakers means that they produce little heat even when playing high-pitched music. This is important as excessive heat can harm the voice coil, reducing its lifespan and increasing distortion.
However, this does not mean that all single-ended planar magnetic speakers are free of distortion. Due to their close magnet spacing, the magnetic forces can interact with one with one another and pull each other to a large extent, causing changes to the diaphragm's elasticity over time. This issue is made more difficult due to the close proximity between adjacent rows of magnets.
Better Heat Dissipation
Many specialized HiFi audio headphone manufacturers have begun to create incredible masterpieces in recent years using planar magnetic technology. Planar magnetic drivers have some impressive advantages over the common Coiled Dynamics used in the majority of headphones and speakers.
The main benefit is that the "voice coil" is spread across more of a larger area than a conventional cone speaker, allowing it to dissipate heat efficiently and not get too hot. This lets the voice coil operate more efficiently and with less distortion, and allows a lightweight diaphragm which can be driven at extremely high excursion levels.
This enables the planar magnet speaker to have a remarkably fast transient response. Sharp peaks and small details can be reproduced with great accuracy even at high SPLs. This also means that the sound is extremely clear and free from distortion and is not different from the original source material.
The planar magnetic speakers has a very flat impedance curve that ranges from around 4.2 ohms in the bass, to 3.3 Ohms in the Treble. This makes it an easy load to drive amplifiers, and is similar to the resistive loads used by electronic manufacturers to showcase their products' quality.
A ribbon/planar diaphragm that is extremely light can move swiftly and without much strain. This creates a crystal clear and clear sound, with a wide range of frequencies and excellent linearity.
The ribbon/planar is also extremely quiet which further reduces distortion. Additionally, it is extremely stable across a range of temperatures, which allows the speaker to produce consistent sound quality for long periods of time and across the entire listening area.
Although there are many advantages for using a ribbon/
planar magnetic headphones explained speaker, it is important to keep in mind that this type of speaker is not appropriate for all listeners or applications. For example, a ribbon/planar speaker with a large radiating panel will require a very large room to create a full-range sound with an sufficient SPL. Because of this, the majority of such speakers are sold as tweeters or as an upper mid/high-range component of a two-way system.
Higher Power Handling
Magnetic planar drivers provide amazing clarity and detail without distortions that plague traditional cone drivers. They can show subtle variations and reproduce complex sound precisely. They also have a wide frequency response, which means they can produce a wider frequency range with greater precision.
Planar speakers produce a highly focused sound field, which could be a disadvantage in the event that you're listening in an area with other people. It's also a reason for their incredible high-quality image and dynamic range. The sound appears to shoot directly out of the speaker, much like a sonic laser beam that can be heard even when you're off-axis.
The flat diaphragm in combination with the front of the acoustic wave, provides them with a higher perception of space and depth than cone speakers. They also tend to have an acoustic wavefront that is less noisy and are less distracting in noisy environments. Many audiophiles prefer the natural sound quality of planar magnetic drivers over other types of technology.
However, there are a few limitations to the technology.