Five Planar Magnet Projects To Use For Any Budget Planar Magnetic Vs Dynamic Driver Headphones

The majority of headphones and IEMs use a dynamic driver that uses a cone to move back and forth, creating sound waves. linked here are more expensive and feature a flat diaphragm, but provide a clearer image.

They might not be suitable for portable use because they require more power. This is where the term 'punch and slam' comes from and could be a step down for certain audiophiles.

The Basics

Planar Magnetic Drivers are quickly becoming a standard in headphones due to their rich sounds and crisp quality. While they aren't as common as dynamic drivers, you can find big-name companies such as Audeze and Oppo who sell some of the top Planar Magnetic Headphones. Planar Magnetic Headphones are a little different from traditional dynamic driver headphones since they don't employ a moving voice coil to generate vibrations within the diaphragm. Instead, the driver's charged area is spread across the flat surface, which allows for a more uniform movement.

A less complex mechanism allows the planar magnet driver to be more efficient in producing sound waves. This could result in better distortion levels, more accurate responses to music's transients and a natural soundstage.

While there are a number of advantages to choosing a pair of headphones with a planar magnetic drive but the technology comes with a few drawbacks that you must keep in mind. First, be aware of the fact that these headphones tend to leak more sound than standard open-back dynamic models. This is due to the fact that the flat diaphragm of the planar magnetic headphones will push sounds in both directions, which means sound waves will escape out of the ear cups and into your surroundings. It is important to take this into consideration if you will be using your headphones in public areas or at work.

Another issue is that planar magnetic headphones typically require more power to achieve their full potential than other headphone designs. They require more energy to uniformly move their large diaphragms that are thin, and consequently, they tend to be somewhat heavier and bulkier. This is a disadvantage if you want to keep your headphones lightweight and portable.


Planar magnetic headphones might not be as powerful or slam some listeners desire. This is because the flat diaphragm doesn't vibrate in the same way as traditional dynamic headphones and isn't able to be 'plucked' as some listeners may wish. This isn't an opinion that is widely accepted. There are some premium planar magnet headphones (like the HiFiMAN Sundara) that deliver a punchy image and excellent image distribution.

If you are willing to overlook the shortcomings and are looking for a headphone that has a unique soundstage with unsurpassed clarity the planar magnetic headphones could be worth a look. Make sure to take into consideration the extra cost and power requirements, as well as the weight and size of your headphones before making a choice. There are a variety of top planar magnetic headphones that are available at a reasonable price. This includes the well-known HiFiMAN Sundara. This offers a taste of the speed precision, accuracy, and clarity that planar headphones provide without spending a fortune.

Benefits

While there are plenty of excellent headphones that utilize dynamic drivers, a lot of the top headphones available in different price ranges use the planar magnetic technology. These headphones are usually more expensive than dynamic ones however they offer superior performance. They have a wider soundstage, and offer a more immersive listening experience.

To generate vibrations in the diaphragm area, planar magnetic headphones make use of two or more magnets positioned next to the flat surface of the driver and an conductor trace that runs across the diaphragm. The electrical impulses that travel through these wires create an electric force that interacts with the magnets, causing them to vibration. The force that results is evenly spread across the entire diaphragm's surface that does not cause distortion in the same way that dynamic headphones can.

Because of the way these headphones are constructed, they have a larger soundstage than dynamic models and have much better transient response that means they can deal with fast changes in audio with greater precision. Additionally, they have lower resonance and a flatter frequency response, which makes them more precise in the bass area than dynamic models and delivering more fuller, richer sound.

Planar headphones are more accurate and have an edgier sound. This makes them more appealing to audiophiles. This is evident in the clarity of their sound as well as the way they reproduce the stereo balance and location of instruments. This is especially important when using closed-back designs, such as the HiFiMAN sundara that provide more realistic and expansive soundstage.

They are also less likely to break in the event that forces acting on the diaphragm degrade the diaphragm's structural integrity and cause different points to move out-of-sync. This issue could be caused by poor design or manufacturing, and is among the main reasons that planar headphones are regarded as the premium option.

This type of headphone has some drawbacks. It requires a significant amount of power to operate. This means that they can be heavy and bulky, which can make them less mobile as compared to their more dynamic counterparts. They also tend leak more sound. This means you'll have to be in a quiet area to listen to these headphones without disturbing other people. The most recent models have improved sealing and noise isolation to alleviate this issue. Because of this, it's hard to give a definitive answer as to whether or not planar magnetic headphones are truly superior to dynamic ones. It's all about your priorities and what you value in your audio experience.