How a Planar Magnetic Diaphragm Headphone Driver Works
In the past, dynamic drivers used an attached voice coil at the center of a conical dialephragm. When electrical signals pass through a voice coil, the diaphragm is moved.
The force is applied to a small part of the diaphragm and it's hard to move different points at the same time. This can lead to breakup patterns which can cause distortion.
Detail Sound
Many audiophiles want to hear a detailed sound through their headphones. A great method to achieve this is by using a planar magnetic diaphragm. This kind of headphone driver operates similarly to cone drivers that are dynamic however, with more advanced technology behind it.
A planar diaphragm features flat structures that are embedded in the headphone's frame. It's constructed out of a lightweight, thin film-like material. It is designed to be as flat and uniform as is possible. This ensures an even pressure distribution across the entire surface.
A flat planar magnetic diaphragm's design provides a greater soundstage. A more precise wavefront results in better sound staging which helps you identify the exact location of an instrument or vocal on the track. This is a major advantage over the more spherical wavefront typical of dynamic drivers.
A planar diaphragm differs from traditional dynamic drivers which use a voice-coil attached to the cone's central point made of paper or plastic. Instead, it utilizes a series magnets on either side of its flat surface. The diaphragm vibrates and creates sound when the current that passes through the voice coil interacts with these magnets. Because the entire diaphragm can be driven at once, there are no breakup modes mechanical filtering transmission delay or local resonances which could negatively affect the quality of sound.
A diaphragm that is smooth and uniform can also accelerate faster than a more substantial, thicker one used in dynamic drivers. Physics' laws of physics say that force is proportional to acceleration and mass so the faster a diaphragm will move and the greater force it exerts. This gives planar magnetic drivers a more accurate response to bass and superior detail retrieval.
Of course, the advantages of the planar magnetic driver do not come without cost. They cost more than dynamic drivers due to the fact that they feature a huge diaphragm and a complicated motor. They also require a stronger amplifier to work efficiently. However, a lot of manufacturer of planar magnetic headphones are able to make the most of their technology to produce high-quality headphones at a reasonable price. Some examples include the Audeze LCD-4 and HiFiMAN Susvara.
High Sensitivity
The planar driver is different from the moving coil drivers used in most headphones and IEMs, by using a flat diaphragm instead of a traditional dome-shaped or cone-shaped membrane. When an electrical signal travels through it, it interacts with the magnets and the diaphragm to produce sound waves. The flat diaphragm is able to react quickly to sound, and produce a broad range of frequencies ranging from lows to highs.
Planar magnetic headphones are more sensitive than other headphone drivers that utilize diaphragms that are multiple times larger than a standard planar design. This gives you an amazing amount of clarity and dynamic range, allowing you to hear every detail your music can offer.
Planar magnetic drivers also provide a very consistent driving force that is evenly distributed throughout the diaphragm. This prevents breakup, and creates an undistorted and smooth sound. This is especially important for high-frequency sounds, where the presence of breakup can be very audible and distracting. In the FT5 the way this is achieved is by utilizing a highly advanced material called polyimide. It is extremely light and robust, as well as a sophisticated conductor pattern that blocks inductance related intermodulation distortion.
OPPO's planar magnetic drivers have better phase coherence. This means that when the sound wavefront hits our ear, it's flat and unaltered. Dynamic drivers, on the other hand, have a spherical wavefront that disrupts this coherence and causes poor signal peak reconstructions particularly in high frequencies. OPPO headphones sound very natural and authentic.
Wide Frequency Response
Planar magnetic diaphragms have the ability to reproduce sounds at much higher frequencies than traditional dynamic drivers. This is because their thin and lightweight diaphragm moves extremely precisely. This enables them to deliver excellent transient response, which makes them a great choice for audiophiles that require rapid responses from their speakers and headphones to reproduce the finest details in music.
This flat structure gives them a more even soundstage than headphones that use coiled dynamic driver. Additionally they are less prone to leakage which is the sound that escapes the headphone cups and enters the environment around you. In certain situations, this is a problem because it can distract listeners and affect their focus when listening to music. In other instances, it can be beneficial because it lets listeners enjoy their music in public spaces without worrying about disturbing other people close by.
Instead of using an underlying diaphragm shaped as a cone, planar magnetic headsets have an array printed on a thin layer of the diaphragm itself. The conductor is suspended between two magnets. When an electrical signal is applied, it transforms into electromagnetic energy and makes the magnetic forces that are on either side of the diaphragm to interact with each other. This is what causes the diaphragm to vibrate, creating an audio wave.
The uniform motion of the diaphragm that is light, and the fact that the force is evenly distributed over its surface which means distortion is incredibly low. This is a significant improvement over traditional dynamic drivers that are known to produce distortion when listening to high volumes.
Some high-end headphones still use the old school moving coil design, but the majority of HiFi audiophiles are using a technology that was long forgotten and a new generation of amazing sounding planar magnetic headphones. Some of these headphones are extremely expensive and require a top-of-the-line amplifier to provide power however, for those who can afford them, they provide an incredible experience that is unmatched by any other headphone. They offer a rich and detailed sound that is free from the distortion inherent in other headphone types.
Minimal Inertia
Due to their design they can move faster and are lighter than conventional drivers. This means that they reproduce audio signals with greater precision and can be tuned to a wider range of frequencies. They also produce more natural sound and have less distortion than traditional dynamic speakers.
The two rows of magnets in a planar driver produce equal and uniform magnetic forces across the entire surface of the diaphragm. This removes any unwanted and unnecessary distortion. Because the force on the diaphragm's light weight is distributed evenly it is able to be controlled more precisely. This allows the diaphragm vibrate in a precise pistonic motion.
They also have the capability of achieving extremely high levels of performance while carrying minimal weight. This makes them ideal for portable headphone. In addition, they can be produced to have the widest range of frequencies, from deep bass to high-frequency sounds. Audio professionals love them for their broad frequency response and accurate sound.
Unlike dynamic drivers, which use coils to push against the diaphragm the planar magnetic driver has no mechanical parts that can meet with each with each other, causing distortion. This is due to the fact that the conductors' flat surface rests directly on the diaphragm instead of being enclosed in a coil behind.
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