Planar Magnetic Loudspeakers and planar magnetic loudspeakers Ribbon Tweeters

Planar magnetic drivers and ribbon tweeters provide a number of advantages over traditional dynamic speakers. Their large diaphragms require only just a tiny amount of movement (excursion) which allows them to produce the same sound quality as a conventional speaker.

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

High-Resolution Sound

Planar and ribbon magnetic speakers are famous for their ability to create accurate, detailed sound. They are known for their high-resolution, revealing subtle details in music that other drivers are unable to reproduce or show.

In addition to their impressive accuracy In addition to their impressive accuracy, ribbon and planar drivers provide superior sound staging, allowing them to reproduce an expansive soundstage with outstanding clarity. This makes them an excellent choice for audiophiles and home audiophiles who wish to enjoy music to the fullest extent possible.

Planar and ribbon drivers can be distinguished by their dipole pattern. The pattern emitted equal amounts of energy in front and closed back planar magnetic headphones with an inverted phase that creates a natural soundstage. Their wide dispersion and dipole radiation pattern make 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 allows to reproduce transients with greater precision and speed than conventional cone drivers. This produces a clear and detailed sound, even at higher frequencies.

Planar magnetic drivers are also known for their low distortion. This is because they do not use an actual voice coil, but rather an electrostatic field. This allows the diaphragms to move without creating vibrations that can cause distortion that is not desirable.

A planar driver also has a much larger space between the magnets than a cone speaker. This results in a better bass performance and a higher frequency response at lower amplitudes.

Despite their many advantages planar magnetic drivers do have some limitations to take into consideration. They can be expensive and require more power when compared to other kinds of speakers. Also, they can be large and difficult to install in some spaces. Finally, they can be sensitive to room acoustics and require extensive room treatment to achieve optimal performance. There are methods to reduce the problems. For example you can include an attenuation resistance (provided by speakers) and place it in the attenuation mode. Also, you can use a variety of room treatments.

Wide Dispersion

Similar to electrostatic speakers, planar magnetic speakers produce sound by regulating the electrical charge that travels through wires that are suspended between magnets. They vibrate a flat membrane directly, rather than using an electrostatic charge. This results in an increased surface area and greater precision. This principle allows them to be incorporated into smaller and more affordable speakers and headsets than electrostatic models.

In addition to offering large dispersion, they also deliver superior imaging and clarity of soundstages, particularly in the higher frequencies where they excel. This is a huge benefit for audiophiles who love watching movies or music on big screens or in an open space.

Planar drivers can also produce an extremely deep bass because they can be enhanced with subwoofers in boxes that are attached to or separated from the ribbon-like membrane. This is in contrast to traditional cone speaker woofers which are typically placed in the bottom of the cabinet, a location which is unable to reproduce bass frequencies due to the physical limitations of the enclosure for the woofer.

Another advantage of a planar driver is its exceptionally low distortion, which is directly related to the size and length of the diaphragm, which is shaped like a ribbon. As a result, the planar speaker can deliver an enormous amount of sound with little distortion, which is why it gives such a clear and detailed sound.

Dynamic drivers in standard headphones and speakers typically exhibit significant distortion when driven to their extreme limit of excursion. Dynamic drivers can produce an unnatural or booming sound.

Planar magnetic drivers are extremely efficient. They are less energy-intensive to drive, which results in a lower power consumption and environmental impact. In addition, their diaphragms are typically comprised of lighter materials than standard speakers, which reduces the amount of energy required to propel them to create a given sound pressure.

Many audiophiles have heard of planar/ribbon speakers like those produced by Magnepan Infinity and Apogee Acoustics. However, a new brand is now on the market. For instance new planar loudspeakers coming from manufacturers like Diptyque and Clarisys Audio are incorporating the latest 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 drivers for speakers. (See U.S. patent 6,353,560). This means that the diaphragm is never being out of phase with the surrounding magnetic field, resulting in an unchanging output level. Distortion is generally only noticeable 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 can be very efficient and have low distortion. This allows the drive to use much 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 traditional dynamic speakers, and more so for electrostatic speakers. This is because the flat diaphragm has a conductor trace that allows it react to magnetic fields that are 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 is what allows magnetic drivers that are planar to function at a very linear level in all frequencies above bass.

Planar magnetic drivers come with a myriad of other advantages, Planar magnetic loudspeakers but the most important is that they can be designed as dipoles (radiating in opposite phases and equally in front and behind the speaker, similar to an ESL), or monopoles (radiating in the direction of forward and more like traditional dynamic speakers). This allows for a variety of designs, especially when combined using a ribbon-tweeter.

There are a variety of planar magnetic loudspeakers available in the present, from companies like Hifiman Dan Clark Audeze and Fostex. Each brand has its own distinctive sound that comes of their proprietary driver designs as well as other engineering breakthroughs. The commonality among these speakers is their astonishing clarity, dynamics and their controlled directivity.

High Power Handling

Planar magnetic speakers can handle more power than traditional moving coil dynamic drivers without the strain and strain that they can cause. This is due to the fact that the "voice coil" is spread out across an extensive area instead of being squeezed into a small gap between the basket and cone like in traditional dynamic drivers. This gives the voice coil more surface area to absorb any heat.

Another reason that planar drivers are able to handle such a large amount of power is that they have such a low mass compared to conventional drivers. Dynamic drivers are made of diaphragms that are heavy and thick. They are a tenth of a pound heavier and thicker than the ultra-light diaphragms found in the planar magnetic drive. Because of their mass, conventional diaphragms require more force in order to move forward and backwards (a measurement referred to as excursion) to produce the required sound pressure.

They can't be driven nearly as effectively as a planar magnetic driver, because the voice coil can begin to create significant distortion. This is the reason it's essential to purchase only loudspeakers that are designed for the type of amplifier that you intend to drive them with.

The high frequency of an acoustic driver enables it to create a larger soundstage than traditional drivers. This is because the entire diaphragm vibrates to create a flat, even wavefront rather than the more centered spherical wavefront found in conventional drivers. The wider soundstage improves the precision and detail of the speakers and allows them to reproduce subtle nuances and complex sounds.

The disadvantage of the superior power handling that is offered by planar magnetic drives is that they tend to be more expensive to manufacture and require more powerful amplifiers to run them at their full capacity. They can be large and heavy which can make it difficult to install them in certain environments. It is also possible to add a subwoofer to achieve good results at lower frequencies.