Planar Magnetic Loudspeakers and Ribbon Tweeters
Planar magnetic drivers as well as ribbon tweeters and other dynamic speakers offer a number advantages. Their large diaphragms need only a small amount of movement (excursion) which allows them to create the same sound quality as an ordinary speaker.
They also have a dipolar pattern of radiation which means they radiate equally to the front and rear of the speaker.
High-Resolution Sound
They are known for producing accurate, detailed sounds. They are known for their high-resolution sound and reveal subtle nuances in the music that other drivers are unable to reproduce or show.
In addition to their impressive precision in sound reproduction, planar and ribbon drivers have superior soundstages which allows them to recreate an expansive soundstage with outstanding clarity. Audiophiles and home theater enthusiasts as well as audiophiles will find them be a great option.
A key feature of ribbon and planar drivers is their dipole radiation pattern which emits equal energy both front and rear with inverted phase to create an incredibly spacious and natural soundstage. Their large dispersion and dipole radiation pattern makes them ideal for large spaces, where they are able to create a natural and spacious soundstage.
Planar magnetic drivers have a quick response time which allows them to reproduce transients with greater accuracy and quickly than cone drivers. This results in a clear and detailed sound, even at high frequencies.
Another benefit of planar magnetic drivers is their low distortion. This is due to the fact that they don't use a voice coil, but rather an electrostatic field. This allows the diaphragms move without causing vibrations that could cause unwanted distortion.
In addition, the distance between the magnets in a planar driver is much larger than in a traditional cone speaker. This results in a greater frequency response and lower distortion at lower amplitudes, but still delivering excellent bass performance.
Although many of the advantages of planar magnetic drivers appeal to you however, they have some limitations that must be considered. They can be costly and require more power to other types of speakers. They can also be heavy and make it difficult to fit them into certain areas. Additionally, they are sensitive to the acoustics of the room and require extensive room treatment to ensure the best performance. However, there are solutions to alleviate these issues, such as by adding an attenuation resistor (provided with your speakers) in the attenuation location, or by performing some type of room treatment.
Wide Dispersion
Similar to electrostatic speakers, planar magnetic speakers produce sound by regulating the electrical charge that travels through wires suspended between magnets. They vibrate a flat, conductive membrane directly, not using an electrostatic charge. This allows for greater surface area and more precise. This operation principle makes it possible to build them into smaller, less expensive headphones and speakers than electrostatic models.
In addition to offering large dispersion, they also deliver superior imaging and clarity of soundstage, particularly in the higher frequencies where they excel. This is a great benefit for audiophiles that enjoy watching movies or music on a large screen or in a large open space.
Planar drivers can also provide a very deep bass, as they can be augmented by boxed subwoofers that are connected to or separated from the ribbon-like membrane. This is in contrast to traditional cone speaker woofers that are usually placed in the bottom of the cabinet, a position which is unable to reproduce bass frequencies because of the physical constraints of the enclosure that houses the woofer.
Another benefit of the planar driver is its exceptionally low distortion that is directly related to the size and the excursion of the diaphragm that resembles a ribbon. In the end, the planar speaker can deliver a huge volume of sound with very little distortion, which is why it gives such a clear and detailed reproduction.
Dynamic drivers in standard headphones and speakers typically show significant distortion when driven to their extreme limit of excursion. Dynamic drivers can produce a hollow or boomy sound.
In addition, planar magnetic drives are also extremely efficient. They require less power to drive, resulting in a lower power consumption and less environmental impact. Furthermore, their diaphragms typically composed of lighter materials than conventional speakers, which further decreases the amount of energy required for them to generate the desired sound pressure.
Many audiophiles have heard of speakers made of ribbon and planar like those produced by Magnepan Infinity and Apogee Acoustics. However, a new brand is now available. For instance, new planar loudspeakers from manufacturers like Diptyque and Clarisys Audio are incorporating the most recent advancements in ribbon technology.
Low Distortion
Because planar magnetic speakers don't have a cone or dome shaped diaphragm, they produce extremely low distortion. This is the direct consequence of their unique design which eliminates the voice coil inductance commonly associated with conventional dynamic speaker drivers (see U.S. Patent 6,353,560). This assures that the diaphragm never out of phase with the magnetic field that surrounds it, and thus a constant output. The distortion is typically only evident when large waveforms are reproduced. With a planar magnetic single-ended driver, distortion is virtually impossible at all frequencies that are above the bass.
In addition to their ultra-low distortion and low distortion, planar magnetic loudspeakers provide extremely high efficiency. This allows the drive to operate with a lesser amount of power than would otherwise be required for other speakers. This translates into lower costs of ownership and less energy consumption.
The distortion of planar magnetic drivers is also significantly less than that of traditional dynamic speakers, and more so for electrostatic speakers. This is due to the fact that a planar magnet driver's flat diaphragm features an electrical conductor trace that lets it to react to magnetic fields generated on either side.
The two magnets need to be placed in a way that the voice element is in the magnetic field optimally throughout the time. This allows magnetic drivers that are planar to function at a very consistent level across all frequencies higher than bass.
While there are numerous other advantages of planar magnetic drivers, the most important is that they can to be constructed to be dipole (radiating equally and in opposite phases both in front and back of the speaker similar to an ESL) or monopole (radiating forward, similar to a traditional dynamic). This permits a wide range of designs, particularly when combined a ribbon-tweeter.
There are many planar magnetic loudspeakers that are available today, from brands such as Hifiman Dan Clark Audeze and Fostex. Each company has a signature sound, which is a result of their unique design of drivers as well as other engineering breakthroughs. These speakers are characterized by their amazing clarity and their dynamic, as well as controlled directionality.
High Power Handling
Planar magnetic speakers can handle a lot more power than traditional dynamic moving coil drivers without the tension and strain they can cause. The "voice coil" is not squeezed into the narrow gap between baskets and cones as in traditional dynamic drivers. Instead, it is spread across an area larger. This gives the voice-coil a larger surface to dissipate any heat.
Planar drivers can handle a lot of power because they are so light in comparison to conventional drivers. planar magnetic vs dynamic headphones use diaphragms with heavy, thick diaphragms that are several orders of magnitude larger and heavier than the ultra-light and thin diaphragms used in planar magnetic drives. Because of their high mass, these conventional diaphragms require a much larger amount of force to move between them (a measure called excursion) to create a given level of sound pressure.
They're not able to be driven as hard as a planar magnet driver, since the voice coil will begin to produce significant distortion. This is the reason it's essential to only purchase loudspeakers that are rated for the amplifier that you intend to drive them with.
A planar magnetic driver's large excursion allows it to create a wider soundstage than conventional drivers. This is because the diaphragm vibrates uniformly and flat to form an asymmetrical wavefront, not the spherical wavefront common with traditional drivers. This larger soundstage improves the accuracy and clarity of the speakers and allows them to reproduce subtle nuances and complex sound effects.
The downside to the superior power handling capabilities of planar magnetic drivers is that they are often more expensive to manufacture and require stronger amplifiers in order to be driven at full capacity. They can also be heavy and bulky and can be difficult to install in certain locations. You may also have to add a separate subwoofer in order to achieve good results at lower frequencies.