Best Planar Magnetic Headphones Under $1000
If you love music and would like to upgrade your headphones, a set of planar magnetic headphones could be a great investment. They can be expensive.
There are a few excellent options that are less than the $1000 mark. In this article, we'll look at the best budget-friendly planar headphones to give you an unforgettable listening experience.
1. Beyerdynamic T1
Beyerdynamic is an innovative German brand in headphones. The Beyerdynamic T1 is made from high-quality materials and has an elegant design. It's an absolute pleasure to wear. They are extremely comfortable and feature an extremely soft headband and padded and replaceable Ear pads that can be replaced. They may feel rough on the skin initially but they soon meld into the head and ears and offer long listening sessions without discomfort.
The T1 has a very natural sound, with a controlled but high-pitched bass and clean mids. The highs can be extremely vibrant and clear, however they could 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 they excel at medium-low volume. They can maintain their balance while playing violent music such as blackmetal or death metal, and won't be smothered by cymbal crash.
Another great feature is the T1's exceptional dynamic range. It can reproduce extreme differences in volume between more quiet and less loud parts with precision and clarity. This makes them an excellent option for musicians who want to get every nuance and detail of their instrument. It is also a good choice for audiophiles who appreciate the ability to distinguish between the different instruments in a song.
A nice feature is the gold-plated connectors and the Beyerdynamic logo on the earcup. This is a sign of quality and is a guarantee that you're getting a top quality product. The headphones are protected by a durable case when not in use. Included are a detachable cord and an adapter for quarter inches.
The Beyerdynamic T1 has a closed back design and is not portable. They are not able to protect you from the everyday noises like traffic jams and alarm clocks for children or annoying partners. They are not intended for
sports like running around with them because the ear cups are large and are prone to slip off your ears. The Beyerdynamic T5p also features an open-back design, however the cups are smaller. They could be more suitable for listening on the go.
2. HIFIMAN Ananda Nano
The HIFIMAN Nano is the newest version of the popular open-back, mid-range headphones. The Nano is an enormous leap over the original Ananda with a brand new nanometer-thick diaphragm that has an invisible magnet to improve clarity. These features were also included on the ultra-high-end Susvara headphones. These features promise low distortion, lightning fast transient response and demonstrably enhanced quality and clarity.
The resulting soundstage is wide and deep, with excellent separation of instruments and vocals. The Nano has a warm and mellow sound with a peak in the upper mids, making it perfect for
sports hip-hop, rock, and pop.
This emphasis in the upper mids comes with some disadvantages, however. This can result in a muddy sound in the higher registers, where some details are lost. It also means that the Nano isn't as suitable for classical music, as the lower mids are often overshadowed by the bass.
The bass is powerful and powerful, with a nice texture at the low end. It's a little more full than the bass of the original Ananda and is perfect for contemporary music such as pop and rock and gaming, yet it still offers plenty of rumble that is pleasing to audiophiles who want the natural sound of their bass.
Leakage is quite a problem, as expected for an open-back headphone. it can be a concern in loud environments. The headphone doesn't also have a microphone, so you won't be able make calls from mobile phones.
The HIFIMAN Nano is a great option to anyone looking for a
planar driver magnetic open-back headphone that's priced under $1000. It's a step up from the previous model and is worth a look. The Ananda Nano is available with a travel case that is a must-have for audiophiles who want to enjoy their music while on the move. The case is big enough to accommodate the Ananda Nano with its cable and the smallest DAC/player. A carrying pouch is also included in the case. The headphones are made of high-quality and 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 and more affordable headphone, that is a good compromise 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.
Like all HIFIMAN products, these headphones are extremely robustly constructed. They are durable enough to withstand the rigors of heavy use and are comfortable to wear for long listening sessions. The cups are made of an anti-resonant vibration-reducing material. A tangle-free, tangle-free cable that has straight plug is included in the box along with an accessory stand for the headphones that can also serve as a portable storage case for the headphones.
The Edition XS planar magnetic headphones provide excellent detail resolution. You'll be able to hear specifics in your music that you've never heard before. You may also be able to spot flaws that you may not have noticed in other headphones. They offer stunning imaging and an impressive soundstage that can fill a large space with crystal clear, 3D detail.
They have an even and neutral sound profile, so they can be used with any type of music. They are excellent at reproducing vocals and lead instruments accurately. However, they might lack some punch and rumble in terms of bass. Their high frequencies are clear and precise, but they may sound a little bright for some listeners.
The HiFiman Edition XS is a excellent choice for those who want an open-backed planar magnetic headphone that can be used in noisy environments, and doesn't require much power to drive. The low impedance (18O) allows it to be easy to drive virtually any DAC or headphone amplifier. However it is best to have the best results if you use an audio interface that has an integrated headphone amplifier. The headphones are not the most portable and may be heavy, but they come with a cushioned travel bag. These headphones are a bit more expensive than the other choices however they're worth the price for their features and high-end quality.
4. Audeze LCD-5
The Audeze LCD-5 is the company's most recent flagship magnetic headphones in a planar design. It is an entirely new design incorporating an all-new magnet and driver. This is a significant improvement to their previous headphone model and
Sports puts the LCD-5 at the top of the market for personal audio. The LCD-5's drivers are ultra-thin Nano-Scale diaphragms, paired with a brand new technology for voice coils called Parallel Uniforce and Fazor waveguides. These new features work in conjunction to control the diaphragm's motion and deliver a high resolution.
The LCD-5's earpads have been designed to accommodate more heads. The LCD-5s are more comfortable than previous models due to the pads are made from an elastic material and the headband is also lighter and tinier. They do clamp slightly more than other Audeze headphones however, and they could be a bit tight on certain models, but this will resolve with use.
Audeze's LCD series has long been a benchmark for the performance of planar magnetic headphones.