Top Planar Magnetic Headphones

Planar magnetic headphones offer the most detailed and expansive listening experience. They're popular with audiophiles who want to improve their listening experience.

The best planar magnetic headphone is dependent on your preferences. It's all about image quality, clarity, and distinction versus bass punch and slam.

1. Audeze LCD-2 Classic

The original LCD-2 was the first pair of planar magnetic headphones to really take off. It's so well-known, it has become synonymous with the technology. It's still among the best headphones in its class. The sound quality is amazing particularly for a headphone that costs well over $1,000. The bass is so deep that it goes past the human hearing range, and is bursting with a lot of detail. The upper mids are warm, but not obnoxious. Overall the sound is clear and precise and has very little distortion.

They are extremely comfortable to wear and are also very. The headband and earpads have an incredibly soft and flexible feel. They are also light enough to allow for long listening sessions without getting too fatigued. They don't seal the ears like some other open-back headphones, so you can hear what's going on around you. This isn't an issue in quiet environments however it could be a problem in noisy areas.

The LCD-2 Classics have a very sturdy construction and are built to last. The earcups are made from crystal-infused nylon which is a fantastic material for a headphone. It is durable and significantly lighter than the wooden rings that are used on other Audeze models.

The LCD-2 Classics do not feel as premium as other high-end headphones. The LCD-2 Classics have a DIY-like feel, with visible screws and lack of finishing. These headphones are still fantastic but they might not be the best choice for Premium Sound: Sennheiser HD 599 SE Headphones everyone.

If you're looking for a similar headphone that is less expensive then the Monoprice Monolith M1060 is an excellent choice. These headphones have the same planar technology of the LCD-2 Classics but at a lower price. They also have a more secure seal on the earcups, and come with a carrying case. The LCD-2 Classics are missing the impressive bass extension and clearness that they have. However the sound quality is incredible and should satisfy most audiophiles.

2. Meze LIRIC

Meze Audio's innovative and affordable planar magnetic headphones have helped make it an international brand. The LIRIC 2nd Generation is the company's latest headphone. It builds on the success of the first-generation model and features improved performance as well as a new striped finish to increase the modularity.

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

Created for high-quality listening while on the on the go, these headphones feature a closed-back design to block out ambient noise. The headphones sport an ovoid design that is reminiscent of the shape of human ear for an immediate connection to the source of sound.

The Meze LIRIC comes with the company's exclusive Isodynamic Hybrid array driver which has dual-shaped voice coils that provide better audio quality and spatial sound. Dual voicing is the result of more than 30 years of research and development and makes it one of the tiniest and most advanced magnetic drivers for planar circuits on the market.

To enhance their audio quality, the LIRIC headphones come with an equalization system that precisely controls airflow and ear cup chamber pressure. This lets the listener hear the same sound quality regardless of whether they wear the headphones in an office or on the plane.

The Meze LIRIC has an incredibly smooth and balanced sound that I found very enjoyable to listen to over long periods. The bass is punchy and deep, with a clear treble. The soundstage is large and there is good separation between vocals and instruments. I was impressed by the fact that no detail was too small for the headphones to miss, from the sound of PJ Harvey's 50ft Queenie to the individual guitar strings.

The Meze LIRIC is an excellent choice if you're looking for the best closed-back planar magnet headphones under $2000. It's a formidable competitor to the Dan Clark Audio E3, however it has a slightly different sound quality and is lighter overall.

3. Meze Elite

Meze Audio, a Romanian manufacturer, has been working to up their game in recent years by releasing various flagship products. The Elite new model, which is their most recent model, is their highest premium headphone yet and an excellent replacement for the Empyrean as Meze's flagship.

The Elite is also an open-back, however, it has unique wings that improve wearability. The wings are like those on Dan Clark, HiFIMan or Sendy headphones in that they distribute the weight of the Elite’s larger than average driver over a larger surface area of your head, improving comfort when listening for long periods. They do work well and I've worn the Elite for long periods of time without any discomfort.

Sonically the Elite is a reference headphone that comes with an upgraded hybrid isodynamic array driver that can deliver exceptionally low harmonic distortion, less than 0.1 percent across its entire frequency range. It has a high sensitivity of 101 dB/mW and an impedance of 32 ohms. This means it can be driven by budget headphone amplifiers or DAPs as long as they support the standard jack.

The diaphragm of the Elite is a significant improvement over the Empyrean and is moving away from the polymer that was developed by a custom-made company to use a low-mass semi-crystalline film that was engineered by biaxial lengthening that is sequential. This process creates an Elite diaphragm that is flexible and thin, while offering excellent resistance to fatigue and stress cracking.

The Elite's diaphragm with a lower mass results in a higher speed and resolution. It's 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 it can sound extremely neutral while offering an impression of depth, transparency, high-end air and transients. This makes it a great option for those who love rock music as well as other genres in which bass is very noticeable.

4. Meze HE400SE

The HE400SE is one of the most well-known headphones with planar magnetic technology around. It's an excellent choice for anyone who wants to make the jump into open-back headphones. It's also an excellent entry-level headphone for anyone already familiar with planar magnetic technology. It features HiFiMAN's new Stealth Magnet design, which reduces wave diffraction and distortion to levels that are almost inaudible.

While the HE400SE doesn't have the bass extension some other Superior Sound: HiFiMAN Deva-Pro Open-Back Headphone models do but it still provides excellent low-end performance for a headphone with an open back. The HE400SE's lower end is rich and full, but it doesn't sound loud or bass-heavy. The overall tone is neutral but with some forward-looking midrange and an elevated treble which many listeners will appreciate.

Vocals are crystal clear on the HE400SE. The HE400SE is an excellent option for listening to classical and acoustic music. This is the best budget headphones to listen to this type of music. If you're used to closed-back headphones which have a more bass-emphasized tuning the transition may be a bit uncomfortable. It may take a few listening sessions to get used to it.

The HE400SE's imaging is also impressive. The HE400SE creates a huge and detailed soundstage, which allows musicians to feel like they are in the right spot. In the song Let's Go Crazy by Prince, the vocals and drums appear to be in front of your face. The guitar solo is extremely prominent and can be easily heard over the other instruments.

The HE400SE is a solid treble extension, with good clarity. The treble is slightly warm, but not overly harsh. It doesn't have that added brightness that other headphones with brighter trebles possess, but it does have the sibilance or a fatty quality of some other open back headphones.

The HE400SE has an impedance of 25 O which means that it will require a fairly powerful amplifier to reach its maximum SPL. It can be used with the majority of portable and smartphones, however, it will require an amplifier that has at least 0.5 W output power to reach its maximum SPL of 102 dB.