10 Inspirational Graphics About Planar Magnetic Loudspeakers

Planar Magnetic Loudspeakers and Ribbon Tweeters Planar magnetic drivers such as ribbon tweeters, and other dynamic speakers have many advantages. Their large diaphragms require only just a tiny amount of movement (excursion) and allow them to create the same sound as a conventional speaker. They also have a dipolar pattern of radiation that means they radiate equally to the front and back of the speaker. High-Resolution Sound They are renowned for creating precise, detailed sound effects. They are renowned for their high-quality sound, and revealing subtle details in music that other drivers aren't able to reproduce or show. In addition to their impressive accuracy in sound reproduction, planar and ribbon drivers offer superior soundstaging that allow them to create an expansive soundstage with exceptional clarity. Audiophiles as well as home theater enthusiasts and audiophiles will find them to be a fantastic choice. A key feature of planar and ribbon drivers is their dipole radiation pattern, which radiates equal energy front and back, inverted phase to create a natural and spacious soundstage. Their wide 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 also have a quick response time, which enables to reproduce transients with more precision and speed than conventional cone drivers. This results in a clear and precise sound, even at very high frequencies. Another benefit of planar magnetic drivers is their low distortion. This is because they don't use a voice-coil rather an electrostatic field. This allows the diaphragms move without causing vibrations that could cause distortion. Additionally, the distance between the magnets in a planar driver is larger than that of a traditional cone speaker. This allows for a better bass performance and a higher frequency response at lower amplitudes. Despite their many benefits, planar magnetic speakers have a few limitations to take into consideration. They can be costly and require more power to other kinds of speakers. Additionally, they can be heavy and difficult to install in certain spaces. They are also sensitive to the acoustics of the room and require a thorough treatment of the room in order to get the best performance. There are ways to minimize the effects. For example, you can add an attenuation resistance (provided by speakers) and place it in the attenuation mode. Also, you can use a variety of room treatment. Wide Dispersion Like electrostatic speakers, planar magnetic speakers produce sound by controlling the electrical charge that travels through wires suspended between magnetic. They vibrate a flat membrane directly, not using an electrostatic charge. This results in a larger surface area and better precision. This is why they can be incorporated into smaller and less expensive headsets and speakers as opposed to electrostatic models. In addition to offering wide dispersion, planar drivers offer superior imaging and clarity of soundstage, especially in the higher frequencies, where they excel. This is an enormous benefit for audiophiles who enjoy listening to their movies or music in a large living room or any other open space. Additionally, planar drivers can also produce deep bass since they can be augmented by boxed woofers that are connected to or independent of the ribbon-like diaphragm. This is in contrast to traditional cone speaker woofers which are typically located at the bottom of the cabinet, a position that is not able to reproduce bass frequencies because of the physical constraints of the enclosure that houses the woofer. Another benefit of the planar driver is its extremely low distortion that is directly related to the size and length of the ribbon-like diaphragm. This means that an acoustic planar speaker produces an enormous amount of sound with very little distortion, which is why it can produce such crisp and precise reproduction. Dynamic drivers found in conventional headphones and speakers typically show significant distortion when they are driven to their maximum limit of excursion. Dynamic drivers can give a hollow or boomy sound. Additionally, planar magnetic drivers are also extremely efficient. They are less energy-intensive to drive, which results in a reduced power consumption and environmental impact. Their diaphragms that are generally lighter than traditional speakers, also decrease the amount of energy required to propel them in order to create a certain sound pressure. Many audiophiles are familiar with planar/ribbon loudspeakers – particularly those made by Magnepan, Infinity, and Apogee Acoustics – a new generation of brands is making their debut. New planar loudspeakers by manufacturers like Clarisys Audio and Diptyque, for instance, are incorporating the latest advances in ribbon technology. Low Distortion Planar magnetic speakers have extremely low distortion because they don't employ a traditional dome-shaped diaphragm or cone. This is a direct result of their unique design, which eliminates the voice coil inductance that is associated with conventional dynamic speakers (see U.S. Patent 6,353,560). This guarantees that the diaphragm is never out of phase with the magnetic field surrounding it, which results in an output that is constant. Distortion is generally only noticeable when large waveforms are reproduced. With a single-ended planar magnetic driver distortion is virtually nonexistent in all frequencies above the bass. Planar magnetic loudspeakers are extremely efficient and have a low distortion. This means that the drive requires less energy than other technologies for speakers. This results in lower cost of ownership and less energy consumption. Planar magnetic drivers also have a significantly lower distortion than conventional dynamic speakers and even less distortion for electrostatic speakers. This is due to the fact that the flat diaphragm has an electrical conductor trace that lets it react to magnetic fields generated on either side. The two magnets must be placed in a way that the voice element is in the magnetic field at optimum levels throughout the time. This is what enables the extremely linear performance of planar magnetic drivers in all frequencies that go beyond the bass. There are numerous other advantages of planar magnetic drivers, the most significant is that they are able to be designed to be dipole (radiating equally and in opposing phases in the front and back of the speaker, similar to an ESL) or Monopole (radiating forward, much like a traditional dynamic). This allows for a variety of designs, particularly when paired with the ribbon-tweeter. Many planar magnetic loudspeakers can be found today from manufacturers such as Hifiman, Dan Clark, Audeze and Fostex. Each company has their own signature sound, which is a result of their proprietary design of drivers as well as other engineering breakthroughs. These speakers are characterized by their incredible detail and dynamic as well as their controlled directionality. High Power Handling Planar magnetic drivers can handle large amounts of power without the audible strain or stress that can be caused by traditional dynamic speakers that move. This is because the “voice coil” is spread out across a large area instead of being squeezed into a small gap between the cone and basket as in traditional dynamic drivers. This gives the voice-coil more surface area to absorb any heat. Another reason why planar magnetic drivers can handle such a large amount of power is because they have the smallest mass when compared to conventional drivers. Dynamic drivers feature diaphragms that are heavy and thick. They are several orders of magnitude larger and heavier than ultra-light diaphragms found in planar magnetic drives. Because of their mass, conventional diaphragms require a greater amount of force to move between them (a measure referred to as excursion) to create an equal amount of sound pressure. They aren't able to be driven nearly as effectively as a planar magnetic driver, because the voice coil will begin to create significant distortion. It is therefore essential to purchase loudspeakers that are rated for the amplifier you intend to use. The high excitation of a planar magnetic driver also enables it to create a larger soundstage than conventional drivers. planar magnetic closed back headphones is because the diaphragm itself vibrates to create an even, flat wavefront instead of the more centered spherical wavefront found in traditional drivers. This wider soundstage also increases the precision and clarity of the speakers which allows them to better reproduce subtle variations and more complex sounds. The disadvantage of the superior power handling capabilities of planar magnetic drivers is that they are typically more expensive to manufacture and require more powerful amplifiers in order to operate at full capacity. They can be large and heavy which can make it difficult to install in certain areas. You may also need to add a separate subwoofer in order to achieve good results at lower frequencies.