Planar magnetic headphones:
are they better than classic dynamic headphones designs as the HD650, K702, DT880/990?
are they better than classic dynamic headphones designs as the HD650, K702, DT880/990?
Planar magnetic headphones
- Thread starter gerlando
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NA Blur
Headphoneus Supremus
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"Better" is very debatable and you're going to read a ton of different opinions. Here is what the science shows us:
1.) The planar driver is thinner and can move faster. This reproduces the audible frequency range more accurately because it doesn't decay and oscillate as much as a dynamic driver.
2.) The planar drivers don't have as much frequency dependence in their impedance curve. This makes them less amp picky and less prone to bass bloom. Of course bass bloom can be fun sounding with dynamic drivers and tube amps for example, but hardly something I want in a system that should be as true to source as possible.
3.) Planars can product much more linear bass even in an open headphone design. Take headphones like the HE-400i and DCA Aeon Flow Open. The bass is nearly flat down to 10Hz! It's very difficult for a dynamic headphone to achieve this.
Whether you are going to like a planar over a dynamic headphone is purely a matter of taste and experience. I think if you train your ear to the planar sound, in a few weeks, you will prefer their sound over dynamic headphones.
To each their own though. My best advice is to try a few pairs of planars for a few weeks and then try and go back to dynamic headphones. There are some great dynamic headphones. The Philips Fidelio X2HR/27, Focal Clear and Elear, and the Denon AH-D2000 all do well, but to me the planars have them all beat for accuracy and bass reproduction.
1.) The planar driver is thinner and can move faster. This reproduces the audible frequency range more accurately because it doesn't decay and oscillate as much as a dynamic driver.
2.) The planar drivers don't have as much frequency dependence in their impedance curve. This makes them less amp picky and less prone to bass bloom. Of course bass bloom can be fun sounding with dynamic drivers and tube amps for example, but hardly something I want in a system that should be as true to source as possible.
3.) Planars can product much more linear bass even in an open headphone design. Take headphones like the HE-400i and DCA Aeon Flow Open. The bass is nearly flat down to 10Hz! It's very difficult for a dynamic headphone to achieve this.
Whether you are going to like a planar over a dynamic headphone is purely a matter of taste and experience. I think if you train your ear to the planar sound, in a few weeks, you will prefer their sound over dynamic headphones.
To each their own though. My best advice is to try a few pairs of planars for a few weeks and then try and go back to dynamic headphones. There are some great dynamic headphones. The Philips Fidelio X2HR/27, Focal Clear and Elear, and the Denon AH-D2000 all do well, but to me the planars have them all beat for accuracy and bass reproduction.
tmb821
100+ Head-Fier
I’m a huge fan of planars. I very much dislike distortion, and I, personally, feel like I get much less distortion in a planar headphone. And to me, planars sound much more like the balanced armatures that are in the iems that I prefer. I’m not a big fan of dynamic drivers, they can sound good, I just prefer the sound of planars and ba’s.
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