Planar Magnetic Technology for Headphones
A few HiFi audio companies are reviving the planar magnetic technology. These companies create headphones with old-fashioned planar drivers that provide a rich sound signature.
This paper focuses on the fundamental properties of a planar magnetic device by examining winding conduction loss, leakage inductance and winding capacitance. In addition, a strategy to reduce the parasitic elements is proposed.
Low profile or low vertical height
Compared to traditional wire-wound magnetics, planar magnetic technology offers lower profile and greater efficiency. It also reduces leakage capacitance and parasitic capacitance. This method allows for the use of a smaller core used, which lowers the cost of the device. In addition, it does not require any clamping of the magnets. This makes it ideal for power electronic devices.
Planar magnetic technology has the benefit of being smaller and lighter than traditional headphones. It can also operate an increased frequency range without distortion. This is due to the flat diaphragm that is used in these devices, which is typically composed of a thin film and has a conductor trace on it. The film is able to react quickly to audio signals and produce high sound pressure levels.
The sound produced by these devices will be richer and more detailed. Many audiophiles like this, especially those who prefer listening to music at work or at home. It is crucial to remember that a planar magnet driver requires a power amplifier and digital audio converters in order to perform properly.
The resulting sound is much more natural and precise than that of dynamic drivers. Planar magnetic drivers are also capable of reacting to changes in audio signals faster, making them perfect for listening to music that is fast.
Despite their benefits however, planar magnetic drivers come with some disadvantages. One of them is their price, which can be attributed to the massive amount of magnetic material that is required for them to operate. Their weight and size can also be a problem particularly when they're being used as portable devices.
Wide band gap (WBG) devices
Wide band gap (WBG) semiconductors are a type of material that exhibit higher electrical properties than silicon-based devices. They are able to handle higher current and voltage density. This makes them ideal for power electronics and optoelectronics applications. Wide band gap semiconductors like gallium nitride and silicon carbide can offer significant enhancements in performance, size and cost. They are also greener than traditional silicon devices. These features make them attractive for companies that make satellites and aerospace.
Planar magnetic drivers work using the same principles as dynamic drivers, with an electrical conductor that moves between fixed magnets whenever audio signals are transmitted through them. Planar magnetic drivers, however, use an array of conductors embedded or attached to a thin diaphragm-like film instead of a coil. The conductors comprise made up of coils that sit on the diaphragm, and are placed directly between two magnets. This causes the push/pull effect that triggers the diaphragm's to move.
This technology produces distortion-free music and produces a distinctive pleasant sound. The even distribution of magnetic force across the entire surface of the driver and the absence of a coil sitting behind the diaphragm causes it to move in a uniform manner and swiftly, creating high-quality, precise sound. The resulting sound is known as isodynamic, orthodynamic, or magnetically-incident.
Generally, headphones that have planar magnetic drivers cost more than other technologies due to their complexity and price. That said there are a variety of excellent, affordable alternatives such as the Rinko by Seeaudio and S12 / Z12 by LETSHUOER that were recently released.
Power electronics
Planar magnetics can disperse heat more effectively than wire wound components. This allows them to handle more power without creating excessive strain or audible strain. This makes them ideal for applications such as headphones. Planar magnetics are more efficient and also offer greater power density. The technology is ideally suitable for applications like electric vehicle fast charging, battery management, and military systems.
Compared to dynamic driver headphones which utilize a diaphragm suspended by a voice coil planar magnetic drivers work using a different method. A flat array of conductors is placed directly on the diaphragm and when an electromagnetic signal runs through the array, it causes an interaction between the push-pull 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 since they have a higher surface-to-volume ratio. They are able to disperse heat more efficiently and allow for higher switching frequencies while maintaining their maximum temperature rating. They also have lower thermal sensitivity than wire-wound devices. This means they can be used in smaller power electronics circuits.
Designers should consider a variety of factors to optimize a planar booster inductor. This includes the design's core winding configurations, winding configurations, loss estimation and thermal modeling. In the ideal scenario, the inductor will have low leakage inductance and winding capacitance and be easy to integrate into a PCB. Moreover, it should be able to handle high currents and have a smaller size.
In addition, the inductor needs to be compatible with a multilayer PCB that has SMD or through-hole package. Moreover, the copper thickness needs to be thin enough to reduce eddy currents within the layers and to prevent thermal coupling between conductors.
Flexible circuit-based planar winding based on flexible circuits
In planar magnetics, flex-circuit-based windings can be used to create a high-efficiency resonance. They use one-patterned conductor layers on dielectric film that is flexible and can be made using a variety of metal foils. A common choice is copper foil, which has superior electrical properties and is processed to allow termination features on both sides. The conductors on a flex circuit are linked 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 are offered in a variety of thicknesses and conductive coatings.
In a typical pair of headphones, a diaphragm is sandwiched between two permanent magnets. These magnets oscillate in response the electric signals sent from your audio device. These magnetic fields produce a sound wave that travels across the entire surface of the diaphragm, creating a piston-like motion which prevents distortion and breakups.
One of the major benefits of planar magnetic headphones is their capacity to reproduce a wider frequency range, particularly in the lower frequencies. The reason for this is that planar magnetic headphones have a larger surface than traditional cone-shaped speakers, allowing them move more air. Furthermore, they are able to reproduce bass sounds with a much greater level of clarity and clarity.
However the headphones that are planar magnetic are expensive to make and require a powered amplifier as well as a DAC to perform effectively. They are also heavier and bulkier than traditional drivers, which makes them difficult to transport and be able to fit into smaller spaces. Their low impedance requires a lot more power to drive, which could quickly increase when you listen to music at a high volume.
Stamped copper winding
Stamped copper windings can be utilized in planar magnet technology to increase the window utilization and reduce manufacturing costs. magnetic earphones by placing grooves on the body of the coil that support a layer-accurate position of the windings. This technique prevents deformations in the coil and improves the tolerances. This reduces scrap and improves quality control. This type of planar coil is usually used in contactor coils and relay coils. It is also used in ignition coils as well as small transformers. It is also used in devices with wire thicknesses as high as 0.05mm. The stamping process produces an uniform coil with a high current density. It also ensures that the windings are perfectly placed on the coil body.
Planar magnetic headphones, as opposed to traditional dynamic drivers that use a voicecoil conductor that is attached to the diaphragm's thin layer, have a flat array of conductors directly bonded to the diaphragm's thin. When electronic signals are applied, these conductors vibrate, creating a pistonic motion that creates sound. In the end, headphones with planar magnetic technology can produce higher-quality sound than other types of audio drivers.
This technology can boost the bandwidth of transducers. This is crucial since it lets them operate over a wider frequency range. It also reduces the power requirements of the driver.
This new technology has some drawbacks. It can be difficult to design a thin-film diaphragm that can withstand the extreme temperatures required for this type of technology. Manufacturers such as Wisdom Audio have overcome the challenge by developing a solution that is non-adhesive and can withstand temperatures up to 725degF. This allows them to create audio of superior quality without compromising durability or longevity.