Planar Magnetic Loudspeakers and Ribbon Tweeters

Planar magnetic drivers and ribbon tweeters have numerous advantages over traditional dynamic speakers. Their large diaphragms require very little movement (excursion) to reproduce the same volume like a conventional driver, which results in extremely low distortion.

They also exhibit dipolar radiation patterns, meaning that they radiate equally in front and behind the speaker.

High-Resolution Sound

They are known for producing accurate, detailed sound effects. They are known for delivering high-quality sound, and revealing subtle variations in music that other drivers aren't able to reproduce or reveal.

The planar and ribbon drivers are not just precise, but also provide superior soundstages that allow them to reproduce a large soundstage with exceptional clarity. This makes them a great choice for audiophiles as well as home audiophiles who wish to listen to music to the maximum extent possible.

Planar and ribbon drivers are distinguished by their dipole pattern. This pattern radiates equal amounts of energy in the front and back, with an inverted phase that creates a natural soundstage. Their broad dispersion and Planar Magnetic Loudspeakers dipole radiation pattern makes them ideal for large spaces, where they are able to create a natural and spacious soundstage.

Planar magnetic drivers also have a quick response time, which enables to reproduce transients with more precision and speed than conventional cone drivers. This produces a clear and detailed sound, even at higher frequencies.

Planar magnetic drivers are well-known for their low distortion. This is due to the fact that they don't use the voice coil, but rather an electrostatic field. This allows the diaphragms to move without creating vibrations that can cause distortion that is not desirable.

In addition, the gap between the magnets in the planar driver is bigger than the gap in a conventional cone speaker. This results in a better bass and a better frequency response at lower intensities.

While the benefits of planar magnetic drivers appeal to you however, they have some limitations that must be taken into consideration. They can be costly and require more power to other types of speakers. Additionally, they can be bulky and difficult to install in some rooms. Finally, they can be sensitive to room acoustics and require extensive room treatment to achieve optimal performance. There are ways to minimize the issues. For example you can add an attenuation resistance (provided with speakers) and put it in the attenuation setting. You can also apply a variety of room treatments.

Wide Dispersion

Similar to electrostatic speakers, planar best magnetic planar headphones speakers produce sound by regulating the electrical current that flows through wires that are suspended between magnets. They vibrate a flat membrane directly, not using an electrostatic charge. This gives them an increased surface area and more precise. This principle of operation also allows them to be built them into smaller, less expensive speakers and planars headphones than electrostatic models.

In addition to providing wide dispersion, planar drivers provide superior clarity and image of soundstages, Planar magnetic loudspeakers particularly in the higher frequencies where they excel. This is a huge benefit for audiophiles that enjoy listening to music or movies on a large screen or in an open space.

Planar drivers can also produce an extremely deep bass as they can be augmented with boxed subwoofers connected to or separated from the membrane that resembles a ribbon. This is in contrast to traditional cone-type speaker woofers that are usually located at the bottom of the cabinet, which is a place which is unable to reproduce bass frequencies due to the physical limitations of the enclosure for the woofer.

Another benefit of the planar driver is that it has extremely low distortion, which is directly related to the size and the excursion of the diaphragm, which is shaped like a ribbon. A planar speaker is able to produce a huge volume of sound without distortion. This is the reason that the sound quality is so clear and precise.

Dynamic drivers in conventional headphones and speakers typically show significant distortion when they are driven to their maximum excursion limits. As a result, dynamic drivers typically produce a hollow or boomy sound.

Finally, planar magnetic drivers are also extremely efficient. They require less energy to drive, resulting in lower energy consumption and a less negative impact on the environment. Furthermore, their diaphragms typically composed of lighter materials than standard speakers, which further decreases the amount of energy required to propel them to produce an appropriate 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 coming onto the market. New planar loudspeakers by manufacturers such as Clarisys Audio and Diptyque, for instance, are incorporating the most recent advancements in ribbon technology.

Low Distortion

Because planar magnetic speakers don't have a conventional cone or dome-shaped diaphragm, they produce extremely low distortion. This is due to their unique design that eliminates voice coil inductance that is associated with dynamic driver speakers. (See U.S. patent 6,353,560). This results in the diaphragm not being out of phase with its surroundings magnetic field, and therefore an unchanging output level. Distortion is generally only noticeable when large waveforms are being reproduced. With a single-ended planar magnetic driver, distortion is almost impossible at all frequencies that are above bass.

Planar magnetic loudspeakers are extremely efficient and have a low distortion. This allows the drive to operate with a much lower power consumption than is typically required for other speaker technologies. This translates into lower costs of ownership and lower energy consumption.

Planar magnetic drivers also have significantly lower distortion compared to conventional dynamic speakers, and even less distortion for electrostatic speakers. This is because the diaphragm, which is flat, of the planar magnetic driver has 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 need to be placed so that the voice element remains in the magnetic field at optimum levels at all times. This allows magnetic drivers that are planar to function in a linear manner in all frequencies above bass.

Planar magnetic drivers come with a myriad of other advantages they offer, but the main advantage is that they can be constructed as either dipoles (radiating in opposite directions and equally behind and in front of the speaker, similar to an ESL), or Monopoles (radiating in the forward direction, more like traditional dynamic speakers). This permits a wide range of designs, particularly when combined the ribbon-tweeter.

There are a myriad of planar magnetic loudspeakers that are available today, from manufacturers like Hifiman Dan Clark Audeze and Fostex. Each brand has its own distinctive sound, which is a result from their patented driver designs as well as other engineering breakthroughs. The commonality among these speakers is their incredible detail, dynamics, and a controlled directionality.

High Power Handling

Planar magnetic speakers can handle more power than traditional dynamic moving coil drivers without the audible strain and stress that they can cause. This is because the "voice coil" is spread across an expansive area instead of being squeezed into a small gap between the cone and basket like in traditional dynamic drivers. This gives the voice coil an increased surface area to dissipate heat efficiently.

Planar drivers can handle such a large amount of power because they are so light compared to conventional drivers. Dynamic drivers utilize thick, heavy diaphragms that are orders of magnitude heavier and thicker than the ultra-light and thin diaphragms used in planar magnetic drivers. Because of their high mass, these conventional diaphragms require a greater amount of force to move back and forth (a measure called excursion) in order to produce a given level of sound pressure.

They're not able to be driven as hard as a planar magnet driver, since the voice coil can begin to produce significant distortion. This is the reason it's essential to only purchase loudspeakers that are rated for the amplifier you're planning to drive them with.

The high excursion enables it to create a wider soundstage than conventional drivers. This is because the diaphragm itself vibrates to create a flat, even wavefront rather than the more focused spherical wavefront common in conventional drivers. This larger soundstage also increases the precision and clarity of the speakers which allows them to better reproduce nuances and complex sounds.

The drawback to the superior power handling of planar magnetic drivers is that they tend to be more expensive to manufacture and require more powerful amplifiers to operate at full capacity. They can be large and heavy which can make it difficult to install them in certain areas. They also have a low bass response, which means you may have to add a subwoofer your system to get a satisfying result at lower frequencies.