12 Companies Leading The Way In Planar Magnetic Technology

Planar Magnetic Technology for Headphones

A few HiFi audio companies are reviving the planar magnetic technology. These companies make headphones with planar drivers that are based on the old school, which produce a the most powerful, full-bodied sound signature.

This paper focuses on the fundamental properties of a planar magnetic device by looking at winding conduction loss as well as leakage inductance and winding capacitance. In addition, a method for reducing the parasitic elements is proposed.

Low profile or low vertical height

Compared to traditional wire-wound magnetics, planar magnetic technology offers lower profile and higher efficiency. It also reduces leakage capacitance and parasitic capacitance. This technique allows for a smaller core to be utilized, which reduces the cost of the device. In addition it doesn't require any clamping of the magnets. This makes it perfect for power electronic devices.

Planar magnetic technology has the advantage of being smaller and lighter than traditional headphones. It also can handle higher frequencies with no distortion. This is due to the diaphragm, which is flat, that is employed in these devices, which is typically made of a thin film and includes a conductor trace on it. This film is able to react quickly to audio signals and can create high sound pressure levels with ease.

The audio produced by these devices will be richer and more precise. This is the reason why it is highly favored by audiophiles, specifically those who prefer listening to music at workplace or at home. It is important to keep in mind that a planar magnet driver requires a powered amplifier as well as a digital audio converters to work correctly.

The sound that is produced is more natural and precise compared to dynamic drivers. Planar magnetic drivers are also able to respond faster to changes in the audio signal, which means they are perfect for listening to fast music.

Despite their advantages however, planar magnet drivers do have a few disadvantages. One is their high price which is due to the huge amount of magnetic material required for them to operate. Their weight and size can be a challenge particularly when they're being utilized as portable devices.

Wide band gap (WBG) devices

Wide band gap (WBG) semiconductors are a group of materials with higher electrical properties than conventional silicon-based devices. They can handle higher current and voltage densities. They are therefore suitable for optoelectronics and power electronics applications. Wide band gap semiconductors like gallium nitride and silicon carbide can provide significant improvements in performance, size and cost. They are also more environmentally green than conventional silicon-based products. These advantages make them attractive for satellite and aerospace manufacturers.

Planar magnetic drivers work on the same principles as dynamic drivers. A conductor in an electrical circuit moves between magnets that are fixed when audio signals travel through them. But instead of a coil attached to a conical diaphragm, planar magnet ic drivers employ an array of conductors that are flat that are attached to, or embedded into, a film-like diaphragm that is able to be made thin. Conductors function as a set of 'coils' which are placed directly on the diaphragm, and are placed between two magnets, creating the aforementioned push/pull interaction that causes the diaphragm to move.

This technology creates distortion-free music reproduction. It also has a unique sound that a lot of listeners find pleasing. The driver is able to move uniformly and quickly due to the even distribution of magnetic force over the entire surface and the lack of a coil in the diaphragm. This results in a clear and precise sound. The resulting sound is known as isodynamic, orthodynamic, or magnetically-incident.

Generally, headphones that have magnetic drivers that are planar cost more than other technologies due to their complexity and the higher cost. There are some good and affordable choices for example, like the Rinko from Seeaudio or S12 Z12 from LETSHUOER and others that have recently been released.

Power electronics

Planar magnetics can disperse heat more effectively than traditional wire wound components. This allows them to handle more power without causing undue strain or audible strain. This makes them perfect for headphones. In addition to their improved efficiency, planar magnetics also provide higher power density. The technology is especially suited to applications such as electric vehicle fast charging, battery management, and military systems.

Planar magnetic drivers work using a different model than dynamic driver headphones. Dynamic driver headphones use a diaphragm suspended by the voice coil. A flat array of conductors is placed directly on the diaphragm, and when an electromagnetic signal runs through the array, it creates an interaction that pushes and pulls with the magnets on both sides of the diaphragm. This creates soundwaves that move the diaphragm and produce audio.

Planar magnetic devices are more efficient than conventional magnetics because they have a higher surface-to-volume ratio. They are able to disperse heat more effectively, allowing for higher switching frequencies, while maintaining their maximum temperature rating. They also have lower thermal sensitivity than wire-wound devices, which allows them to be used in more compact power electronics circuits.

To optimize a planar boost inductor, designers should be aware of several aspects, such as the fundamental design, winding configuration, losses estimation, and thermal modeling. The ideal inductor features include low winding capacitances, low leakage inductance, and simple integration into a PCB. Furthermore, it must be able to handle high currents and have a small size.

The inductor should also be compatible with multilayer PCBs with through-hole or SMD packages. In addition the copper thickness has to be thin enough to prevent eddy currents from entering the layers and also prevent thermal coupling between conductors.

Flex circuit-based planar winding

In planar magnetics, flex circuit-based windings can be used to construct an extremely efficient resonator. They are made from one-patterned dielectric film and a single-patterned copper foil. The most popular choice is copper foil, which has superior electrical properties and is processed to enable termination features on both sides. The conductors on a flex circuit are connected by thin lines that extend beyond the edges of the substrate, thereby providing the flexibility required for tape automated bonding (TAB). Single-sided flex circuits can be found in a wide range of thicknesses and conductive coatings.

In a typical pair of headphones, a diaphragm will be sandwiched between two permanent magnets. The magnets vibrate in response to the electric signals sent from your audio device. These magnetic fields produce the sound wave that moves across the entire surface of the diaphragm, creating a piston-like motion which prevents distortion and breakups.

One of the major advantages of planar magnetic headphones is their ability to reproduce a wider frequency range, especially in the lower frequencies. The reason for this is because planar magnetic headphones have a larger surface than conventional cone-shaped speakers, allowing them to move more air. They can also reproduce bass sounds with greater clarity and detail.

However the headphones that are planar magnetic are expensive to produce and require a powered amplifier and DAC to perform properly. They are also larger and heavier than standard drivers, making them difficult to transport and be able to fit into smaller spaces. Their low impedance requires much more power to drive, which could quickly increase when you listen to music at high volume.

Stamped copper winding

The use of stamped copper windings with planar magnetic technology could increase the window utilization factor and reduce manufacturing costs. The technique involves making grooves in the body of the coil to help support the windings at a layer-accurate location. This method helps prevent deformations of the coil and improves tolerances. It also reduces the amount of scrap that is produced during production and enhances quality assurance. This type of planar coil is commonly employed in relay and contactor coils, ignition coils and small transformers. It can also be used in devices that have a wire thickness of up to 0.05 mm. The stamping produces an even coil with an extremely high current density. The windings will be perfectly placed.

In contrast to traditional dynamic drivers, which use a conductor voicecoil behind the diaphragm to create sound waves, planar magnetic headphones have a range of flat conductors placed directly on the thin diaphragm. The conductors vibrate when electronic signals are applied. This causes a pistonic movement that produces sound. This is why planar magnetic headphones produce higher-quality sound than other types of audio drivers.

In addition to reducing weight and costs it also could also help increase the bandwidth of planar magnetic transducers. This is crucial, since it allows them to work across a larger frequency range. It also reduces the power requirements of the driver.

This new technology has some drawbacks. It can be difficult to create a thin-film diaphragm capable of enduring the high temperatures required by this type of technology. Manufacturers such as Wisdom Audio have overcome the challenge by developing a solution that is adhesive-free and can withstand temperatures up 725 degrees Fahrenheit. This allows them to produce audio with the highest quality, without sacrificing durability and longevity.