How a Planar Magnetic Diaphragm Headphone Driver Works

In the past, dynamic drivers featured a voice coil attached at the center of the dialephragm, which is conical. When electrical signals pass through a voice coil, the diaphragm shifts.

The force is applied to a tiny portion of the diaphragm, so it is difficult to move multiple points at the same time. This can lead to breakup patterns that can lead to distortion.

Sound Detail

Many audiophiles would like to hear clear and precise sound through their headphones. A great way to achieve this is with a planar magnetic diaphragm. This kind of headphone functions in a similar manner to cone drivers that are dynamic, but with more advanced technology.

A planar diaphragm is a flat structure placed inside the frame of a headphone and made of a thin and lightweight material. It's designed to be as uniform as it can be, and its flat surface allows for an even distribution of pressure across the entire surface, which in turn improves sound clarity.

The flat design of a planar magnetic diaphragm also lets you control the soundstage. A more precise wavefront can result in better sound staging that can help pinpoint the location of a vocal or instrument on the track. This is a major advantage over the more spherical waves typically of dynamic drivers.

In contrast to traditional dynamic drivers, which utilize a voice coil placed close to the center of a paper or plastic cone, a planar diaphragm utilizes magnets placed on both sides of its flat face. The electrical current flowing through the voice coil interacts with the magnets to drive the diaphragm and produce sound. The entire diaphragm can be controlled simultaneously. This eliminates breakup modes, mechanical filters, transmission delays and local resonances that can have a negative effect on sound quality.

A diaphragm that is smooth and uniform can also accelerate more quickly than a thicker, heavier one used in dynamic drivers. According to the laws of physics, force is proportional mass and acceleration. This means that the greater the speed at which a driver's diaphragm is moved, the more power they are able to exert. This gives planar magnet drivers an improved response to bass as well as superior detail retrieval.

The advantages of a planar magnetic driver are not without cost. They are more expensive than dynamic drivers due to the fact that they feature a larger diaphragm and a complex motor. They also require a more powerful amplifier to work efficiently. However, planar magnetic drivers many manufacturers of planar magnetic headphones can make use of their technology to create premium headphones that are priced competitively. Some examples include the Audeze LCD-4 and HiFiMAN Susvara.

High Sensitivity

The planar driver is different from the moving coil drivers that are used in the majority of headphones and IEMs, in that it utilizes a flat diaphragm, instead of a cone or planar magnetic drivers dome shaped membrane. When an electrical signal is passed through, it interacts with the magnets on both sides of the diaphragm. It creates sound waves by vibrating the diaphragm. The diaphragm with a flat surface is able to respond quickly to sound and it can produce a wide range in frequencies from lows to highs.

The main benefit of the planar magnetic design is that it's much more sensitive than other types of headphone drivers. They may utilize a diaphragm up to several times larger in volume than a typical planar headphone. This lets you listen to all the details of your music.

In addition, planar magnetic drivers produce an extremely uniform force across the entire diaphragm that eliminates breakup points, and provides an uncluttered sound that is free of distortion. This is particularly important for high frequencies in which the presence of breakups can be quite loud and distracting. In the FT5 this is accomplished through the use of a sophisticated material called polyimide, which is extremely light and robust, as well as a specialized conductor pattern that blocks inductance associated intermodulation distortion.

The planar magnetic drivers of OPPO have better phase coherence, which means that when a wavefront strikes the ear canal, it has a perfectly flat and unaltered shape. Dynamic drivers, on the other hand are spherical in their wavefront that disturbs this coherence and causes poor signal peak reconstructions particularly at high frequencies. This is another reason for why the OPPO headphones sound so real and natural, as well as extremely accurate.

Wide Frequency Response

Planar magnetic diaphragms have the ability to reproduce sounds at much higher frequencies than traditional dynamic drivers. This is due to their diaphragms are thin and light. is very precise in its movement. This allows them to provide high-quality transient response, which makes them a perfect choice for audiophiles who require rapid responses from their headphones and speakers to reproduce the finest detail in music.

This flat design also gives them a more even soundstage than regular headphones with coiled dynamic drivers. In addition, they are less prone to leakage that is the sound that escapes from the headphone cups and enters the environment around you. In certain situations, this could be a problem, as it can distract the listener and cause them lose focus while listening to music. In some instances it can be a problem since it can distract listeners and alter their focus while listening to music.

Instead of using an underlying diaphragm shaped as a cone Planar magnetic headsets comprise an array of printed patterns on a thin film of the actual diaphragm. This conductor is suspended between two magnets. When an electrical signal is applied to it, the conductor becomes electromagnetic, and the magnetic forces that are on either side of the diaphragm to interact with each other. This is what is a planar headphone makes the diaphragm vibrate and create an audio wave.

The smooth movement of the lightweight diaphragm, and the fact that force is evenly distributed over its surface, means that distortion is incredibly low. This is an enormous improvement over traditional dynamic drivers, that are known for causing distortion at high levels of listening.

Some high-end headphones use the old school moving coil design, but most HiFi audiophiles are using a technology that was long forgotten and a new generation of incredible sounding planar magnetic headphones. Certain models require a premium amp to power them. But for those who are able to afford it, they provide an experience that is unmatched by any other headphones. They offer a full and detailed sound without the distortion that comes with other kinds of headphones.

Minimal Inertia

Because of their design the planar magnetic diaphragms are extremely light and move faster than conventional drivers. This means they can reproduce audio signals more precisely and are tuned for a wider range of frequencies. They also produce an authentic sound with less distortion than traditional dynamic loudspeakers.

The two rows of magnets in a planar driver produce equal and uniform magnetic forces across the entire diaphragm's surface. This will eliminate any unnecessary and unwanted distortion. Because the force applied to the lightweight diaphragm is distributed evenly and evenly, it can be controlled more precisely. This permits the diaphragm to vibrate in a perfectly pistonic motion, which results in smooth and accurate music reproduction.

Planar magnetic drivers are also capable of achieving extremely high levels of performance while carrying a minimal weight, making them ideal for headphones that can be carried around. They can also be designed to provide a variety in frequencies, ranging from low-frequency sounds to high-frequency ones. Audio professionals love them for their large frequency response and clear sound.

In contrast to dynamic drivers, which utilize coils to push against the diaphragm the planar magnetic driver has no mechanical components that could come into contact with each with each other, causing distortion. This is because the flat array sits directly on the diaphragm's top, rather than in a coil behind.

In contrast, the thin and lightweight diaphragm inside a planar magnetic driver may be driven by a strong magnetic field without loss of energy. The diaphragm, which is thin, light membrane is driven by a magnetic field that exerts a constant pressure. This stops it from bending or causing distortion.

The moment of inertia defines the resistance to the rotation of an object. The formula I = mr2 could be used to calculate it. The shape of an object influences its minimum moment of inertia. Thicker and longer objects have lower moments of inertia.