Magnetic Planar Speakers - Holographic 3D Imaging and Stunning Clarity
They create sound waves through vibrating a diaphragm, which is suspended between two magnets. Planar magnetic speakers are renowned for their stunning clarity and holographic 3D images.
They also offer a wide horizontal and vertical dispersion, low distortion and reasonable costs making them ideal for a variety of audio applications.
Superior Sound Quality
When it comes to high-performance audio planar magnetic speakers are known for their ability to reproduce clear, detailed sound with minimal distortion. They accomplish this by employing a flat diaphragm with an electrically conductive pattern. It reacts to the magnetic field produced by magnets on one side or both sides of a speaker. The diaphragm moves creating sound waves that can be transmitted via the dipole-radiation pattern. This allows the diaphragm to vibrate more evenly, and produce higher-quality sound than a typical dome or cone driver.
Planar magnetic drivers also have the benefit of a wide, uniform sound dispersion. This allows the sound to be heard from any place within a room. Additionally dipole or planar ribbon speakers offer an unnatural and expansive soundstage with very few resonances. This gives you an experience of listening that is hard to duplicate with other speakers.
Planar magnetic speakers have a larger surface area than cone drivers and are more durable. They can also operate at greater volumes without causing vibrations or distortions. They are also quieter than other kinds of speakers, which makes them an excellent choice for home theatre and HiFi applications.
Because of their complicated design, planar speakers can be more expensive than other kinds of loudspeakers, however they offer superior audio quality that is worth the cost. In addition planar speakers have less impedance than other types of loudspeakers, meaning they are less difficult for amplifiers to drive than traditional drivers.
These advantages make planar magnet speakers a great choice for
magnetic planar speakers home and professional applications however, they are not as popular in IEMs, as they require more sophisticated engineering to integrate into small forms like headphones and earbuds. Recently, however, there has been a rise in the number of IEMs that feature planar magnetic technology. This includes the Rinko by Seeaudio, and the S12 & Z12 by LETSHOUER, which have proved to offer an outstanding listenable experience.
Lower Distortion
For many audiophiles, the most desired characteristic of a speaker headphone is low distortion. Voice coil inductance is the main source of distortion in speakers. When an alternating voltage is passed through the voice coil of a moving coil driver, the inductance of the voice coil creates a magnetic fields that cause the diaphragm to move. The resulting movement, or excursion, is the reason for the sound wave to be generated, but it also creates unwanted resonances and harmonics that affect the audio quality of the speaker.
Magnetic planar speakers have a lower distortion level than traditional dynamic drivers. This is because the "voice coil" is distributed over a large surface, instead of being squeezed into a narrow gap inside a huge chunk of metal. A well-designed planar magnet speaker can handle more power than a dynamic driver without the sound of strain.
Another method by which planar magnetic speakers can reduce distortion is by providing an almost perfect resistive load to the amplifier in the system. The voice coil is a long, thin wire which behaves like an resistor. This makes the amplifier easy to drive and will sound the
best magnetic planar headphones when driven by a magnetic planar speaker.
The high efficiency of magnetic planar speakers means that they generate little heat, even when playing a lot of music. This is crucial, since a large amount can damage the voice coil and decrease the life span of the device.
However, this isn't to say that all single-ended magnetic speakers are without distortion. Because of their proximity to the magnet spacing the magnetic forces can interact with each the other and draw one another to a considerable extent, causing changes in the diaphragm's elasticity as time passes. This issue is exacerbated due to the proximity of adjacent rows of magnets.
Better Heat Dissipation
In the past few years, a number of specialized HiFi audio headphones manufacturers have created amazing masterpieces using
closed-back planar magnetic headphones magnet technology. While many people consider the common dynamic driver that most headphones and speakers utilize to be superior, there are amazing advantages when using a planar magnetic design.
The "voice coil" is able to disperse heat more efficiently than a cone speaker since it has more of a surface. This allows the voice coil to operate more efficiently and with less distortion, and allows a lightweight diaphragm which can be driven at very high excursion levels.
This allows the planar magnet speaker to have an exceptionally rapid transient response. Sharp peaks and small details can be reproduced with great accuracy even at very high SPLs. It also means that the sound is clear and clear of distortion. It is indistinguishable from the original source material.
The impedance curve of the planar magnetic speaker is also extremely flat and ranges from 4.2 Ohms for the bass to 3.3 in the high-frequency. This makes it an easy load to drive for amplifiers, and is similar to the resistive loads used by electronic manufacturers to showcase their products' quality.
A ribbon/planar diaphragm that's extremely lightweight can move quickly and without strain. This produces a very clear and clean sound with a wide range of frequency and excellent linearity.
The ribbon/planar also is very quiet, which reduces distortion. It is also extremely robust across a wide range of temperatures, allowing the speaker to maintain a high-quality sound that is consistent over long durations of time, and over a broad listening area.
While the benefits of using a ribbon/planar speakers are numerous, it is important to keep in mind that they are a specific type of loudspeaker, and are not suitable for every situation or for all listeners. For instance, a planar or ribbon speaker with a large radiating panel requires an extremely large space to produce full-range sound of adequate SPL. Because of this, the majority of such speakers are sold only as tweeters or the upper mid/high range part of a two-way system.
Higher Power Handling
Magnetic planar drivers deliver clarity and detail that is not matched by cone drivers. They can detect subtle variations and reproduce complex sounds precisely. They also have a wide frequency response, which means that they can produce a wider range of frequencies with greater accuracy.
Planar speakers produce a highly directional sound field, which can be a disadvantage if you're listening to them in an area with other people. It's also the reason they have such a wide high-quality sound and crystal clear imaging. The sound is like a laser beam, emanating directly from the speakers. It can be heard even when you are off-axis.
The flat diaphragm and the acoustic wavefront give them more the depth and expansiveness of conventional cone speakers. They also tend to have less noise which makes them less distracting in noisy environments. Planar magnetic drivers are preferred by a large number of audiophiles because of their natural sound quality.
However, there are limitations to the technology. Planar drivers are more difficult to create than conventional cone drivers and they are quite heavy, making them challenging to mount in certain conditions. They also require a greater power output to drive them, which could limit their maximum output.