This Is The Advanced Guide To Planar Magnetic Loudspeakers

Planar Magnetic Loudspeakers and Ribbon Tweeters

Planar magnetic drivers as well as ribbon tweeters and other speakers with dynamic characteristics have many advantages. Their large diaphragms require only the slightest amount of movement (excursion) which allows them to produce the same sound quality as traditional speakers.

They also feature a dipolar radiation pattern that means they radiate equally to the front and back of the speaker.

High-Resolution Sound

They are known for their accurate, detailed sound effects. They are known to deliver high-resolution and reveal subtle nuance in music that other drivers can't reproduce or show.


In addition to their incredible precision in sound reproduction, planar and ribbon drivers have superior soundstages that allow them to create an expansive soundstage with outstanding clarity. Audiophiles and home theater enthusiasts as well as audiophiles will find them to be a great choice.

The most notable feature of planar and ribbon drivers is their dipole radiation pattern that emits equal energy front and back, inverted phase to create a natural and spacious soundstage. This, combined with their wide dispersion, makes them ideal for large spaces, where they can fill the room with a a broad and natural soundstage without producing unnatural reflections off the walls and furniture.

Planar magnetic drivers have a quick response time which allows them to reproduce transients more precisely and faster than cone drivers. This produces a clear and precise sound, even at very high frequencies.

Planar magnetic drivers are also recognized for their low distortion. This is because they do not use a voice coil, but rather an electrostatic field. This allows the diaphragm to move without creating vibrations that could cause unwanted distortion.

In addition, the distance between the magnets in the planar driver is larger than in a traditional cone speaker. This allows for a better bass and a better frequency response even at low intensities.

Despite their many advantages planar magnetic drivers do have some limitations to take into consideration. For instance, they could be quite expensive and may require more power than other types of speakers. They are also heavy and make difficult to fit in certain spaces. They are also sensitive to the room acoustics and require extensive treatment of the room in order to ensure optimal performance. There are solutions to lessen the issues. For example you can include an attenuation resistance (provided by speakers) and place it in the attenuation settings. Also, you can apply a variety of room treatment.

Wide Dispersion

Planar magnetic speakers also create sound by regulating electrical currents that pass through wires that are suspended between magnets. They vibrate a flat surface directly, rather than using an electrostatic charge. This gives them an increased surface area and more precise. This operational principle also allows for the construction of them into smaller, more affordable speakers and headphones than electrostatic models.

In addition to providing large dispersion, they also offer superior imaging and clarity of soundstages, particularly in the higher frequencies where they excel. This is a great benefit for audiophiles that enjoy listening to music or movies on a large screen or in a large open space.

Planar drivers can also produce a very deep bass, since they can be augmented by boxed subwoofers that are connected to or separated from the membrane-like ribbon. This is in contrast to traditional cone speaker woofers, which are typically placed at the bottom of the cabinet, a location which is unable to reproduce bass frequencies due to the physical constraints of the woofer enclosure.

A planar driver has a low distortion rate which is directly proportional to the size and movement of the diaphragm. A planar speaker is able to produce a high volume of sound without distortion. This is the reason why the sound quality is so clear and detailed.

Dynamic drivers in conventional headphones and speakers typically show significant distortion when driven to their highest limit of excursion. This is why dynamic drivers typically produce a hollow or boomy sound.

Planar magnetic drivers are extremely efficient. They require less power to drive, which results in a lower power usage and a less environmental impact. Their diaphragms, which are typically lighter than traditional speakers, also reduce the energy needed to propel them to produce a specific sound pressure.

While many audiophiles are familiar with planar/ribbon loudspeakers - particularly the ones made by Magnepan, Infinity, and Apogee Acoustics - a new generation of brands is now coming onto the market. For headphonesshop , new planar loudspeakers from manufacturers like Diptyque and Clarisys Audio are incorporating the latest advancements in ribbon technology.

Low Distortion

Since planar magnetic speakers don't have a cone or dome-shaped diaphragm, they produce extremely low distortion. This is the direct result of their unique design which eliminates the voice coil inductance commonly associated with traditional dynamic speakers (see U.S. Patent 6,353,560). This results in the diaphragm never being out of phase with its surrounding magnetic field, resulting in the output level remains constant. Distortion is usually only present when large waveforms are reproduced. With a single-ended planar magnet driver, distortion is virtually nonexistent at all frequencies that go beyond the bass.

Planar magnetic loudspeakers are very efficient and have a low distortion. This means that the drive requires less power than other types of speakers. This translates into lower costs of ownership and reduced energy consumption.

The distortion of planar magnetic drivers is significantly less than that of conventional dynamic speakers, and even more than electrostatic speakers. This is because the diaphragm that is flat in the planar magnetic driver is equipped with a conductor trace around it which allows it to respond to magnetic fields produced by magnets on the opposite side of it.

The two magnets have to be carefully positioned so that the voice element remains in the magnetic field optimally throughout the time. This is what enables the extremely linear performance of planar magnetic drivers in all frequencies above the bass.

While there are many other benefits of planar magnetic drivers, the most significant is that they can to be constructed to be dipole (radiating equally and in opposite phases in front and back of the speaker like an ESL) or Monopole (radiating forward, more like the traditional dynamic). This allows for an array of possible designs, particularly when paired with the ribbon tweeter.

Many planar magnetic loudspeakers are available today from brands such as Hifiman, Dan Clark, Audeze, and Fostex. Each brand has its own distinctive sound, which is a result of their proprietary driver designs and other technological innovations. These speakers are distinguished by their stunning clarity, dynamic, and controlled directionality.

High Power Handling

Planar magnetic drivers are capable of handling lots of power, but without the tension or strain that is caused by traditional dynamic speakers with moving coils. This is because the "voice coil" is spread across a large area instead of being squeezed into a small gap between the cone and basket like in traditional dynamic drivers. This gives the voice coil a larger surface to dissipate any heat.

Planar drivers can handle such a large amount of power because they are so light compared to conventional drivers. Dynamic drivers have diaphragms that are heavy and thick. They are a tenth of a pound larger and heavier than ultra-light diaphragms found in planar magnetic drive. Because of their high mass, conventional diaphragms require a much larger amount of force to move back and forth (a measure known as excursion) to create the same level of sound pressure.

They're not able to be driven as much as a planar magnet driver, because the voice coil can begin to create significant distortion. This is the reason it's essential to only purchase loudspeakers that are designed for the amplifier that you intend to drive them with.

A planar magnetic driver's high excursion enables it to create a wider soundstage than conventional drivers. This is due to the diaphragm's vibration uniformly and flat to form a wavefront, rather than the spherical wavefront typical with conventional drivers. This wider soundstage also increases the clarity and accuracy of the speakers and allows them to better reproduce subtle variations and complex sounds.

The drawback of the superior power handling offered by planar magnetic drives is that they can be more expensive to produce and require larger amplifiers to operate at their full potential. They can be huge and heavy, making it difficult to install in certain environments. They also tend to have a low bass response, which means you may have to add a subwoofer to your system to get the best results at lower frequencies.

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Pub: 22 Mar 2024 02:22 UTC

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