Best Planar Magnetic Headphones Under $1000
If you enjoy music and want to upgrade your headphones, a set of
planar headphone magnetic headphones explained (
you could check here) magnetic headphones could be a great investment. However, they can be quite expensive.
There are plenty of alternatives available for headphones below the $1000 price point. In this article, we'll take a look at the best budget headphones to provide an unforgettable listening experience.
1. Beyerdynamic T1
Beyerdynamic is a cutting-edge German brand in headphone design. The Beyerdynamic T1 has a classic style and is constructed from top quality materials, making it an absolute pleasure to wear. The soft headband and interchangeable earpads make them extremely comfortable. They might feel a bit rough on the skin at first but they quickly meld into the ears and head and offer long listening sessions without any discomfort.
The T1 has an extremely natural sound, with elevated but controlled bass and clear mids. The highs are dazzling and clear, but they can be too loud for those who prefer a softer treble. These headphones are ideal for listening to music that requires a lot of concentration and excel at medium and low volumes. They can maintain their balance when playing aggressive music like blackmetal or death metal and won't be overwhelmed by cymbal crashes.
Another excellent feature is the T1's excellent dynamic range. It can reproduce the most extreme variations between louder and quieter songs with crystal clear clarity and accuracy. They are an excellent choice for musicians who wish to hear every detail and nuance of their instrument as well as audiophiles who appreciate the ability to distinguish between different instruments in the song.
The gold-plated connectors on the ear cup and the Beyerdynamic Logo are a nice addition. This is a sign and a guarantee of high-quality. They come with a protective hard case that will protect the headphones when not in use. Included are a detachable cord and a quarter inch adapter.
The Beyerdynamic T1 is not designed for portable use as it has a closed-back design. They aren't able to protect you from the everyday sounds like traffic jams and children's clocks, or even nagging spouses. They are not intended to be used for athletic activities such as running with them as the ear cups that are large can easily fall off your ears. The Beyerdynamic T5p has the same open-back design, but with the ear cups being a bit smaller, so they could be a better choice for portable listening on the move.
2. HIFIMAN Ananda Nano
The HIFIMAN Nano is the most recent version of HIFIMAN’s popular open-back, mid-range headphones. The Nano takes a quantum leap forward from the previous Ananda model, with the latest nanometer-thick diaphragm as well as a clarity-enhancing stealth magnets that were also used on the ultra high-end Susvara headphone. These features promise extremely low distortion and lightning-fast transient responses, and significantly improved quality and clarity.
The resultant soundstage is wide and deep, with excellent separation of vocals and instruments. The Nano also offers a relatively warm tone to its sound, with a high point in the upper mids that makes it ideal for pop, rock and hip-hop.
This focus on the upper mids has some downsides. This causes a distorted sound in the higher registers where some details are lost. The Nano is also not as suitable for classical music due to the lower mids are typically overshadowed.
The bass is powerful and punchy and has good timbre in the lower reaches and excellent dynamics and slam. It's a little more full than the original Ananda bass, which is perfect for modern music such as rock, pop and gaming. But it has plenty of rumble to audiophiles who prefer more natural sound to their bass.
Leakage is quite a problem and is not expected from an open-back headphone. it can be a problem in noisy environments. The headphone also doesn't have a microphone, which means you won't be able to use it for calls to mobile phones.
The HIFIMAN Ananda Nano has lot to offer, and it is a highly recommended option to anyone who is looking for an open-back planar magnetic headphone that costs less than $1000. It's a step up from the previous model and is worth checking out. The Ananda Nano comes with a travel bag,
planar magnetic headphones explained which is an excellent addition for audiophiles on the move. The case is large enough to hold the Ananda Nano, its cable and a smaller DAC or player. A carrying case is included in the box. The headphones are well-made and
Planar Magnetic Headphones Explained durable, and come with a three-year warranty.
3. Hifiman Editions XS
When HIFIMAN launched the Edition X, it created quite an uproar within the audiophile world. The company has now brought the same technology into a smaller, more affordable headphone, which fits between the Sundara and Ananda. The Edition XS uses the same aerodynamically-shaped stealth magnets and a thin "Neo Super-Nano Diaphragm" to guarantee fast response time with minimal distortion.
These headphones are constructed to the highest standards similar to all other HIFIMAN's headphones. They are strong enough to stand up to heavy usage and are extremely comfortable to wear for long listening sessions. The cups are made of an anti-resonant vibration-reducing material. The box has an untangled cord with an unidirectional plug, as well as the headphone holder which can be used to store the headphones.
The Edition XS planar magnetic headphones offer excellent detail resolution. This means you'll hear things in your music that weren't there before, or you may even spot flaws in your recordings you would have otherwise missed with other headphones. They're incredibly clear and have an expansive soundstage that can fill a large space with crisp, 3D clarity.
These headphones are balanced and neutral which means they can be used with any type of music. They are great at reproducing vocals and lead instrument accurately. However, they might not have enough punch and rumble when it comes to bass. They have clear, precise high frequencies but may sound too bright to some listeners.
The HIFIMAN Edition XS can be a great choice for those looking for a planar open-backed magnetic headphone that can be used in noisy environments, yet doesn't require any power. The low impedance (18O), makes it easy to drive virtually every DAC, or headphone amplifier. However it is best to have the best results if you use an audio interface with a built-in headphone amp. The headphones are not the most portable and may be heavy, but they come with a padded travel pouch. They're also more expensive than other models on this list, but their performance and features justify the extra cost.
4. Audeze LCD-5
The Audeze LCD-5 planar magnetic headphones are the most recent flagship model from the company. The design is completely new, with a brand-new driver and magnetic structure. This is no small upgrade over their previous headphone models and puts the LCD-5 at the top of the line of the market for personal audio. The LCD-5's drivers comprise ultra-thin Nano-Scale Diaphragms paired with Parallel Uniforce voice coils as well as Fazor Waveguides. These new features work together to regulate the diaphragm's motion and provide a superior resolution.
In addition the earpads on the LCD-5 are designed to fit a larger range of heads. The LCD-5s are more comfortable than previous models because the pads are made from an elastic material and the headband is lighter and slimmer. They do clamp slightly more than other Audeze headphones however, and they could be a bit tight on some, but this may be able to be resolved with time.
Audeze LCD series has been the benchmark in planar magnetic headphones for years. Their flagship LCD-2 brought in the new age of high-fidelity audio, followed by the LCD-3 and LCD-4.
