Top Planar Magnetic Headphones
Planar magnetic headphones offer a wide and detailed listening experience. Audiophiles looking to upgrade their listening experience love them.
The best planar magnetic headphone is dependent on your priorities. It all comes to clarity of the image and distinction as well as clarity in comparison to bass impact.
1. Audeze LCD-2 Classic
The original LCD-2 was the first planar magnetic headphones to truly take off. It's so well-known, it has become synonymous with the technology. It's still among the best headphones in its class. Its sound is incredible and especially for a headset that can cost more than $1,000. The bass is so deep that it extends past the human hearing range, and is bursting with a lot of detail. The mids and upper the treble are warm, but not in a snooty way. Overall, there is a lot of detail in the sound and very little distortion.
The earpads are also very comfortable. The headband is soft and flexible, and the earpads are extremely comfortable. They are light enough to be worn for long listening sessions without becoming exhausted. They don't encase the ear like other open-back headphones, so you can hear what is going on around you. helpful site isn't an issue in quiet environments, but it can be a problem in louder ones.
As far as quality of build in terms of build quality, the LCD-2 Classics are very solid and made to last. The earcups of the LCD-2 Classics are made with crystal-infused nylon. This is an excellent material for headphones. It appears sturdy and long-lasting, and is significantly lighter than the wooden rings that are used on some other Audeze models.
The LCD-2 Classics do not feel as luxurious as other high-end headphones. The LCD-2 Classics sport a DIY-like feel with their visible screws and lack of finish. They are still a fantastic pair of headphones, but they might not be right for everyone.
Monoprice Monolith M1060 offers a similar product at an affordable price. These headphones have the same technology as the LCD-2 Classics but at a lower cost. They also have an improved seal on the earcups and come with a carrying case. The LCD-2 Classics are missing the amazing bass extension and clarity that they boast. However the sound is incredible and should satisfy most audiophiles.
2. Meze LIRIC
Meze Audio has made a name for itself through its unique and affordable line of magnetic headphones that planar. The latest headphone from the company model, the LIRIC 2nd Generation, builds on the success of the first-generation model with performance enhancements and a brand new striped ebony finish that offers improved modularity and a long, durable life.
The LIRIC boasts a full-frequency response that ranges from 4Hz to 92kHz, providing amazingly detailed music that has exceptional clarity and a wide soundstage. The QWRM (Quarter Wavelength Ressonator Mask) of the headphone is effective in reducing the high-frequency peaks, which can be exhausting for the ear.
Designed for high-fidelity listening on the on the go, these headphones feature closed-back designs to block out background noise. They also have an ovoid-shaped design that is a natural human ear's shape to provide a clearer channel to the source of sound.
The Meze LIRIC is equipped with the company's proprietary Isodynamic Hybrid array driver, which has dual-shaped voice coils to improve ambience and spatial sound imaging. Dual sound is the result of more than 30 years of development and research, making it the most lightweight and advanced planar magnet driver on the market.
To improve their audio quality, the LIRIC headphones have a pressure equalization mechanism that precisely controls airflow and ear cup chamber pressure. This allows the listener to hear the same high-quality sound regardless of whether they're wearing the headphones in an office or on the plane.
In my tests, the Meze LIRIC produced a stunningly smooth and balanced sound that's extremely enjoyable to listen to for long hours. The bass is punchy and deep, with a crisp treble. The soundstage is wide and there is a good separation between instruments and vocals. I also appreciated the fact that nothing of a song was too small to not attract the attention of headphones from the attack and decay of PJ Harvey's 50ft Queenie down to the individual strings on an electric guitar.
The Meze LIRIC is a great option if you're looking for the best closed-back planar magnet headphones under $2000. It's a formidable rival to the Dan Clark Audio E3, however it has a slightly different tone and is lighter overall.
3. Meze Elite
Meze Audio, a Romanian manufacturer, has been working to up their game in recent years by releasing several flagship products. The Elite new model, which is their most recent product, is their most premium headphone yet, and an excellent replacement for the Empyrean as the brand's flagship.
The Elite is also an open-back design, however, it has unique wings that enhance wearability. The wings function similar to the design of Dan Clark, HiFIMan, or Sendy headphones in that they distribute the weight of the Elite's heavier than average driver over a larger area of your head to improve the comfort of listening for long periods. They are effective, and I have worn the Elite for long periods of time without discomfort.
The Elite is a reference-style headphone that has an upgraded hybrid isodynamic driver. It can deliver extremely low harmonic distortion, less than 0.1% over its entire frequency spectrum. 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 very easily by even cheap headphone amplifiers and DAPs (assuming they can accept the standard headphone jack).
The Elite diaphragm is a important improvement over the Empyrean. Instead of using a specially-designed polymer the film is a semicrystalline low-mass material that has been developed using biaxial lengthening in a sequential fashion. This permits an Elite diaphragm that is both rigid and thin, while providing outstanding resistance to stress and fatigue cracking.
The Elite's lower-mass diaphragm results in increased speed and resolution. It is now capable of competing with other models like the Audeze LCD-2 Classic at a less expensive price. In fact, the Elite is arguably even more resolving than the LCD-2 and can sound very neutral while still offering the impression of transparency, depth, high-end air and transients that makes it an excellent choice for those who enjoy rock music and other genres in which bass is quite prominent.
4. Meze HE400SE
The HE400SE is one of the most well-loved headphones with planar magnetic technology around. It's an excellent choice for audiophiles wanting to switch to open-back headphones, and for those who are already comfortable with planar magnet technology. It features HiFiMAN’s new Stealth Magnet Design, which minimizes distortion and wave diffraction to nearly inaudible levels.
Although the HE400SE doesn't have the bass extension that some other HiFiMAN models do, it still delivers an excellent low end sound for a headphone with an open back. The HE400SE is very deep and full low end however it doesn't sound loud. The overall tonality is neutral, but there's some elevated treble and forward midrange that many listeners will appreciate.
Vocals are crystal clear on the HE400SE. The HE400SE is a fantastic choice for listening to acoustic and classical music. It's the most affordable headphones to listen to this kind of music. However, if you're used to closed-back headphones which have a more bass-emphasized tuning the transition can be uncomfortable. It takes a couple of listening sessions to get used to it.
The HE400SE's image is impressive. The HE400SE can create a huge soundstage with a clear soundstage that allows musicians to feel well-positioned in the space. In the song Let's Go Crazy by Prince the drums and vocals feel up front and in your face. The guitar solo is very prominent, and is easily heard over other instruments.
Finally, the HE400SE is a great treble extension and clarity. The treble can be a bit warm, but not overly harsh. It's not like other open back headphones with a brighter treble, but it doesn't sound as sibilant or tired either.
The HE400SE has an impedance of 25 O which means it will require a fairly powerful amplifier to reach its maximum SPL. It is compatible with most smartphones and portable music players, however it requires an amplifier that has a minimum of 0.5 W output to achieve its maximum SPL.