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20 Resources That Will Make You More Efficient At Planar Magnetic Loudspeakers
driver planar and Ribbon Tweeters

Planar magnetic drivers and ribbon tweeters offer many advantages over traditional dynamic speakers. Their large diaphragms only require just a tiny amount of movement (excursion) which allows them to produce the same sound quality as traditional speakers.

They also have a dipolar radiation pattern which means they radiate equally to the front and back of the speaker.

High-Resolution Sound

Ribbon and planar magnetic speakers are famous for their ability to deliver precise, clear sound. They are known for their high-resolution and reveal subtle nuances in music that other drivers can't reproduce or reveal.

Planar and ribbon drivers aren't just accurate, they also have superior soundstages that allow them to reproduce a huge soundstage with exceptional clarity. This makes them a great choice for audiophiles as well as home theatre enthusiasts who wish to enjoy music to the highest level possible.

Planar and ribbon drivers are distinguished by their dipole pattern. This pattern radiates equal amounts of energy in front and back in an inverted phase that creates an authentic soundstage. Their large dispersion and dipole radiation pattern make them ideal for large spaces, where they are able to create an open and natural soundstage.

Planar magnetic drivers also have a quick response time, which allows them to reproduce transients with greater accuracy and speed than conventional cone drivers. This results in a clear and clear sound even at very high frequencies.

Planar magnetic drivers are also known for their low distortion. This is because they do not use an actual voice coil, but rather an electrostatic field. This allows the diaphragm to move without creating vibrations that could cause distortion that is not desirable.

Additionally, the distance between the magnets in the planar driver is larger than in a traditional cone speaker. This provides a higher bass and a better frequency response even at low amplitudes.

Despite their many benefits, planar magnetic drivers do have some limitations to take into consideration. For instance, they can be quite expensive and may require more power than other types of speakers. They can also be bulky, making difficult to fit in certain spaces. They can also be sensitive to the room acoustics and require a thorough treatment of the room in order to achieve optimal performance. There are methods to reduce the problems. For instance you can add an attenuation resistance (provided by speakers) and set it in the attenuation setting. Or, you can apply a variety of room treatments.

Wide Dispersion

Like electrostatic speakers magnetic speakers produce sound by regulating the electrical charge that travels through wires that are suspended between magnets. They vibrate a flat membrane directly, instead of using an electrostatic charge. This results in greater surface area and more precise. This operational principle also allows for the construction of them into smaller, more affordable headphones and speakers compared to electrostatic models.

In addition to offering wide dispersion, planar drivers provide superior clarity and image of soundstage, especially in the higher frequencies where they excel. This is a huge benefit for audiophiles who like listening to their favourite music or movies in an expansive living room or any other open space.

Furthermore they can also produce deep bass since they can be augmented with boxed woofers that are connected to or separated from the diaphragm-like ribbon. This is different from traditional cone-type speakers that feature woofers that are located at the bottom, which cannot reproduce bass frequencies because of the physical limitations of enclosures for woofers.

A planar driver has a low distortion rate which is directly correlated to the dimensions and travel of the diaphragm. This means that an acoustic planar speaker produces an extremely high volume of sound with minimal distortion, which is why it can produce such crisp and precise reproduction.

Dynamic drivers in standard headphones and speakers typically exhibit significant distortion when they are driven to their maximum limit of excursion. As a result, dynamic drivers often create a booming or hollow sound.

Planar magnetic drivers are extremely efficient. They are less energy-intensive to drive, resulting in a reduced power consumption and environmental impact. Their diaphragms, which are usually smaller than traditional speakers, also decrease the energy needed to propel them in order to produce a specific sound pressure.

Many audiophiles are familiar with planar/ribbon loudspeakers, particularly the ones made by Magnepan, Infinity, and Apogee Acoustics - a new generation of brands is now coming onto the market. New planar loudspeakers by manufacturers like Clarisys Audio and Diptyque, for example, incorporate the most recent advancements in ribbon technology.

Low Distortion

Planar magnetic speakers exhibit extremely low distortion because they don't utilize a traditional dome-shaped diaphragm or cone. This is a direct result of their unique design, which eliminates the voice coil inductance commonly associated with traditional dynamic speakers (see U.S. Patent 6,353,560). This guarantees that the diaphragm is always in phase with the magnetic field surrounding it, and thus it has a constant output. Distortion is usually only present when large waveforms are being reproduced. With a single-ended magnetic planar driver, distortion is virtually impossible at all frequencies that are above the bass.

Planar magnetic loudspeakers are extremely efficient and have low distortion. This means that the drive requires less power than other speaker technologies. This means lower costs of ownership and less energy consumption.

The distortion of planar magnetic drivers is considerably less than conventional dynamic speakers, and even more so for electrostatic speakers. This is because the diaphragm, which is flat, of the planar magnetic driver has a conductor trace which allows it to respond to magnetic fields produced by magnets located on either side of it.

The two magnets need to be placed so that the voice element is in the magnetic field at optimum levels at all times. This allows magnetic drivers that are planar to function at a very linear level at all frequencies above bass.

There are numerous benefits to planar magnetic drivers, the most important is that they are able to be designed to be either dipole (radiating equally and in opposite phases in the front and back of the speaker similar to an ESL) or Monopole (radiating forward, much like the traditional dynamic). This permits a wide range of designs, especially when used with a ribbon-tweeter.

Many planar magnetic loudspeakers are on the market today from brands such as Hifiman, Dan Clark, Audeze and Fostex. Each company has its own distinctive sound, which is the result of their unique driver configurations as well as other innovations in engineering. These speakers are distinguished by their stunning clarity, dynamic, and controlled directionality.

High Power Handling

Planar magnetic speakers can handle a lot more power than traditional moving coil dynamic drivers, without the strain and strain that they may cause. This is because the "voice coil" is distributed over an expansive area instead of being squeezed into a small gap between the cone and basket like traditional dynamic drivers. This gives the voice coil an increased surface area to disperse any heat.

Another reason why planar drivers can handle so much power is because they have the smallest mass when in comparison to conventional drivers. Dynamic drivers utilize thick, heavy diaphragms that are several orders of magnitude larger and heavier than the ultra-light and thin diaphragms used in planar magnetic drives. Due to their high mass, conventional diaphragms require a greater amount of force in order to move forward and backwards (a measurement referred to as excursion) to produce the required sound pressure.

They can't be driven nearly as hard as a planar magnet driver, since the voice coil can begin to create significant distortion. This is the reason it's essential to only purchase loudspeakers that are designed for the amplifier you're planning to drive them with.


The high excursion of a planar magnetic driver also enables it to generate a much wider soundstage than conventional drivers. This is because the diaphragm itself vibrates to create a flat, even wavefront instead of the more centered spherical wavefront found in conventional drivers. This larger soundstage improves the accuracy and details of the speakers and allows them to reproduce subtle nuances and more complex sounds.

The downside of the superior power handling that is offered by planar magnetic drives is that they tend to be more costly to produce and require stronger amplifiers to operate at their full potential. They can also be heavy and bulky, which can make them difficult to install in certain locations. It is also possible to add a separate subwoofer to get satisfactory results at lower frequencies.

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