Magnetic Planar Speakers - Holographic 3D Imaging and Stunning Clarity
They create sound waves by vibrating a thin diaphragm that is suspended between two magnets. Planar magnetic speakers are famous for their holographic 3D images and incredible clarity.
They also offer a wide horizontal and vertical dispersion, low distortion and reasonable costs making them suitable for many audio applications.
Superior Sound Quality
Planar magnetic speakers are known for reproducing detailed, clear sounds with low distortion. This is because they employ a flat diaphragm with an electrically conductive trace that reacts to a magnetic field emanating from magnets on either or both sides of the speaker. The diaphragm rotates, causing sound waves to be transmitted via a monopole- or dipole-radiation pattern. This allows the diaphragm to vibrate more evenly, and create superior sound quality than a standard dome or cone driver.
Planar magnetic drivers also have the advantage of a broad, uniform sound dispersion. This allows the sound to be heard from any place in a room. Ribbon or planar dipole speakers also provide an incredibly spacious and natural soundstage with very low resonances. This provides a full listening experience that brings the music to life in a way that is hard to replicate with other types of speakers.
Planar magnetic speakers have a larger surface area than cone drivers and are more durable. They can also operate at higher volumes without causing excessive distortions or vibrations. They also have less mechanical noise than other types of drivers, which makes them a great choice for home theaters and HiFi applications.
Planar speakers are more expensive due to their intricate design. However, they offer better audio quality and are worth the investment. Furthermore planar speakers have a lower impedance than other types of loudspeakers, which means they are easier for amplifiers to drive than traditional drivers.
Planar magnetic speakers are a great option for both professional and home use. However, they are not as popular in IEMs because they require more intricate engineering to fit into smaller sizes like headphones and earbuds. Recently, however, there is a surge in the number of IEMs available with planar magnetic technology. The Rinko by Seeaudio and the S12 and Z12 from LETSHOUER are two examples IEMs that have proven to provide a great listening experience.
Lower Distortion
For many audiophiles, the most sought-after characteristic of a speaker or headphone is the low distortion. The distortion is caused in the speaker due to various factors, but the most common source of distortion is voice coil inductance. When an alternating current is fed through a traditional moving coil driver's voice coil, the inductance of the voice coil produces magnetic fields that cause a movement of the diaphragm. The movement or the excursion is what causes the sound wave, but it also causes unwanted resonances and harmonics that diminish the audio quality.
One of the main advantages of magnetic planar speakers is that they have much less distortion than traditional drivers. This is because the "voice coil" has more surface area, instead of being squeezed into an extremely small space within a massive piece of metal. A well-designed planar magnet speaker can handle much more power than a dynamic driver with no any audible strain.
Another way in which planar magnetic speakers minimize distortion is to provide an almost perfect resistive load to the amplifier inside the system. This is due to the fact that the voice wire is a long, thin wire that behaves as a simple resistor. This makes the amplifier easy to operate and will always sound the best when connected to a magnetic planar speaker.
The high efficiency of magnetic planar speakers means that they generate little heat even when playing high-pitched music. This is crucial as a large amount can damage the voice coil, and diminish its lifespan.
However, this isn't to claim that all single-ended planar magnetic speakers are without distortion. Due to their close magnet spacing, magnetic forces can interact with each other and attract one another to a significant extent, which can cause changes in the diaphragm's pressure as time passes. This issue is exacerbated by the close proximity between adjacent rows of magnets.
Better Heat Dissipation
In the last couple of years, a number of specialization HiFi audio headphones manufacturers have created incredible masterpieces with planar magnetic technology. Planar magnetic drivers have some remarkable advantages over the standard Coiled Dynamics used in the majority of headphones and speakers.
The "voice coil" is able to disperse heat more effectively than a cone speaker as it is spread over a larger surface area. This allows the voice coil to operate more linearly and with less distortion and also enables an extremely light diaphragm that can be driven to extremely high excursion levels.
This allows the planar magnetic speaker to have exceptionally quick transient response, which means that sharp peaks and very tiny details can be reproduced precisely even at extremely high SPLs. The sound is crystal clear, free of distortion and is identical to the original source material.
The planar magnetic speaker also has a very flat impedance curve, ranging from about 4.2 ohms in the bass, to 3.3 Ohms in the Treble. This makes it a simple load to drive amplifiers and is similar to the resistive loads used by electronics manufacturers to show their products' quality.
A ribbon/planar diaphragm that's extremely light and compact can move quickly and with little strain. This produces a very clear and crisp sound with a very wide bandwidth and excellent linearity.
The ribbon/planar also is very quiet, which reduces distortion. It is also extremely stable over a wide range of temperatures, allowing the speaker to provide consistent sound quality for long durations of time, and over an extensive listening area.
While the benefits of using a ribbon/planar speaker are numerous, it is crucial to remember that they are a specific kind of loudspeaker that is not suitable for all applications or for all listeners. For example, a ribbon/planar speaker with a large radiating panel will require an extremely large space to produce full-range sound of adequate SPL. For this reason, most such speakers are sold as tweeters or as an upper mid/high range part of a two-way system.
Higher Power Handling
Magnetic planar drivers provide clarity and detail that is not matched by cone drivers. They can detect subtle nuances and reproduce complex sound precisely. They also have a wide frequency response, which means they can produce a wider range of frequencies, with greater accuracy.
Planar speakers produce a directed sound, which could be a problem if you are listening to them with other people. However, it's the reason they have such a wide dynamic range and pristine image. The sound is like a laser beam emanating directly from the speakers. It is heard even when you are off-axis.
The flat diaphragm, when combined with the front of the acoustic wave, provides them with a greater perception of space and depth than cone speakers. They tend to have an extremely low noise floor, which makes them less distracting when in noisy environments. Planar magnetic drivers are highly regarded by many audiophiles for their natural sound quality.
However, there are a few limitations to the technology. Planar drivers are more difficult to manufacture than conventional cone drivers, and they are quite heavy, which can make them challenging to mount in certain conditions. They also require more power to drive, which could restrict the maximum output they can achieve.
Wisdom Audio is a leader in the development of PMD technology and its products continue to push the boundaries of what this breakthrough technology can achieve. The patented material it uses can withstand temperatures that are much higher than PET which is used to create the majority of planar drivers. Its unique design also reduces the effects of diffraction, which can be caused by sound waves traveling through narrow gaps and curves.
This is why its headphones and speakers are known for their exceptionally detailed and clear sound that isn't distorted. They also have a higher level of responsiveness than cone drivers, which helps enhance their bass response. magnet planar reproduce high frequencies with astonishing accuracy, and are capable of delivering deep, powerful bass.