Top Planar Magnetic Headphones

Planar magnetic headphones provide an immersive and spacious listening experience. Audiophiles who want to upgrade their listening experience will love these.

The best planar magnetic headphone is dependent on your priorities. It comes down to image structure, clarity, and distinction versus bass slam and punch.

1. Audeze LCD-2 Classic

The LCD-2 was one of the first planar magnetic headphones to gain a lot of attention. It was so popular that it is now synonymous with the technology, and is still one of the top headphones available. The sound quality is amazing - especially for a headphone that is priced at over $1,000. The bass extends all the way down to levels that are beyond human hearing and offers a remarkable level of clarity. The mids and upper treble are warm, but not in an unpleasant way. Overall, the sound is clear and precise and has very little distortion.

The earpads are also very comfortable. The headband is soft and flexible, while the earpads are very plush. The headphones are light enough to wear for long listening sessions, without feeling fatigued. However, they don't offer an airtight seal around your ears like the open-back headphones do. And this means that you will hear the sounds around you. This isn't a problem for quiet environments, but it can be an issue in louder environments.

The LCD-2 Classics have a very solid build and are built to last. The earcups are made from crystal-infused nylon, which is a great material for headphones. It looks tough and is significantly lighter than the wooden rings used on other Audeze models.

However, the LCD-2 Classics don't feel quite as premium as many other high-end headphones. They have an "artisanal" feel with all the screws visible and the lack of a finish on the metal components. The headphones are still excellent however they may not be the best choice for all.

If you're looking for a similar headphone that is cheaper then the Monoprice Monolith M1060 is an excellent option. These headphones feature the same high-quality planar technology as the LCD-2 Classics, but they are priced at a lower price. They also have an improved seal on the earcups and include a carry case. The LCD-2 Classics are missing the impressive bass extension and clearness that they boast. However the sound quality is incredible and should satisfy most audiophiles.

2. Meze LIRIC

Meze Audio's affordable and innovative planar magnetic iem magnetic headphones have made it an international brand. The LIRIC 2nd Generation is the company's latest headphone. It builds on the success of the previous model, with improved performance and new striped finishes to improve modularity.

The LIRIC has a full-frequency response that ranges from 4Hz to 92kHz. It delivers impressively detailed music with exceptional clarity and a wide soundstage. The QWRM (Quarter Wavelength Ressonator Mask) of the headphone efficiently reduces high-frequency peaks, which can be a strain on the ear.

The headphones are designed to block out background noise and provide high-quality listening in motion. They also have an ovoid-shaped design that fits the natural shape of the human ear for a better direct connection to the source of sound.

The Meze LIRIC comes with the company's own proprietary Isodynamic Hybrid Array Driver with dual shaped voice coils to improve ambience and spatial sound imaging. This dual sound is the result of more than 30 years of development and research, making it the most compact and light magnet driver available.

To enhance their sound quality, the LIRIC headphones have a pressure equalization mechanism that precisely regulates airflow and the pressure of the earcup chamber. This allows the listener to hear the same sound quality regardless of whether they're wearing the headphones in a workplace or on the plane.

In my tests, the Meze LIRIC sounded a fantastically smooth and balanced sound that's very enjoyable to listen for long hours. The treble is crystal clear, and the bass is punchy with excellent clarity. The soundstage is wide and there is good separation between the instruments and vocals. I also appreciated the fact that every element of an album was too small to not attract the ears' attention including the decay and attack of PJ Harvey's 50ft Queenie down to the individual strings of an electric guitar.

The Meze LIRIC is an excellent option if you're searching for the top closed-back planar magnet headphones that cost less than $2000. It's a great alternative to the Dan Clark Audio E3 but has a different timbre and is lighter overall.

3. Meze Elite

In their search to create headphones that are stunning in appearance and sound quality, Romanian manufacturer Meze Audio have stepped up the game in recent years by introducing several flagship products. The Elite new model, which is their most recent model, is their highest expensive headphone to date and is a worthy replacement for Empyrean as Meze's flagship.

The Elite is also an open-back design, but with unique wings that enhance wearability. These wings are similar to the ones on Dan Clark, HiFIMan or Sendy headphones in that they spread the weight of the Elite’s heavier than average driver across more of your head, increasing comfort while listening for long periods. In my experience, they do really well and the Elite can be worn for a long time without discomfort.

The Elite is a reference-style headphone that features an upgraded hybrid isodynamic driver. It is capable of delivering extremely low harmonic distortion, averaging less than 0.1 percent across its entire frequency range. It also has the highest sensitivity rating of 101 dB/mW as well as an impedance of 32 ohms, which means it can be controlled effortlessly by even cheap headphone amplifiers and DAPs (assuming they support the standard headphone jack).

The Elite's diaphragm is another significant upgrade from the Empyrean and is moving away from the polymer that was developed by a custom-made company to a semi-crystalline low-mass film that has been engineered by biaxial lengthening in a sequential manner. This process permits an Elite diaphragm that is strong and thin, as well as providing outstanding resistance to stress and fatigue cracking.

The Elite's diaphragm with a lower mass results in higher resolution and speed. It is now capable of competing with other models like the Audeze LCD-2 Classic at a less expensive price. In actuality the Elite is possibly more detailed than the LCD-2 and can be very neutral, while providing an impression of transparency, depth, high-end air and transients that makes it a superb choice for those who enjoy rock music as well as other genres where bass can be extremely significant.

4. Meze HE400SE

The HE400SE is among the most popular headphones with planar magnetic technology around. It's a great choice for any audiophile looking to transition into open-back headphones. It's is also a great entry-level model for those who are already familiar with planar magnetic technology. It comes with HiFiMAN's latest Stealth Magnet Design, which minimizes distortion and wave diffraction to nearly non-existent levels.

The HE400SE is a good open-back headphone, but it does not have the same bass extension as some other HiFiMAN headphones. The HE400SE's bass is very rich and full, but it doesn't sound boomy or bass-heavy. The overall tonality is neutral, with a hint of higher treble and a forward midrange that many listeners will find appealing.

Vocals are incredibly clear on the HE400SE. The HE400SE is a fantastic choice for listening to acoustic music and also classical and orchestral music. This is the most affordable headphones to listen to this kind of music. If you're using closed-back headphones with bass-heavy tuning, the transition could be uncomfortable. It takes a few listening sessions to get the hang of it.

The HE400SE's image is impressive. The HE400SE creates a huge and detailed soundstage that makes musicians feel like they are in the right spot. On the track Let's Go Crazy by Prince, the vocals and drums feel up front and planar magnetic Iem in your face. The guitar solo is extremely prominent, and is easily heard over the other instruments.

Lastly, the HE400SE is a great treble extension and clarity. The treble has a little warmth to it, but is not harsh. It doesn't have that added brightness that some other headphones with brighter treble can be, but it doesn't have the sibilance or fatiguing quality of some other open-back headphones.

The HE400SE is an 25 O impedance device, which means it will need an amp with a high power to reach the maximum SPL. It can be used with the majority of smartphones and portable devices, but requires an amp that has at minimum 0.5 W output power to reach its maximum SPL of 102 decibels.