Planar Magnetic Bluetooth Headphones
These headphones offer an immersive listening experience. They come with an elegant, luxurious design and a sound that is impressively precise. These headphones are specifically designed for audiophiles who demand the highest quality music.
RHA has developed a new technology that reduces distortion to just 0.5%. The CL2 includes 10 millimeters of planar magnetic driver that is suspended over two magnetic arrays that are matched.
Accuracy
Instead of traditional headphones that rely on cones and moving voice coils to move air back and forth, these headphones have ultra-thin diaphragms positioned between two magnets. This gives them greater accuracy and crystal clarity. However, planar headphones are larger, harder to power, and more expensive than their dynamic counterparts which is the reason they're not taking over the market.
Thankfully, audio brands that are boutique like Audeze and HIFIMAN are constantly improving and offering new models that make the most of this exciting technology. Audeze LCD-5 headphones are a great example. The latest model is more acoustic and more balanced, yet retains the clarity and resolution of its predecessors. The soundstage is also larger and clear, allowing users to hear things you didn't before and enjoy old favorites in a fresh light.
A wider soundstage also gives an enhanced sense of depth and location. The spherical drivers of modern closed-back magnetic headphones such as the Oppo PM-3 may also make them sound too wide, particularly when the sound pans from left to right. The more symmetrical design of the HIFIMAN Ananda, on contrary is designed to provide an incredibly natural and accurate stereo sound than other headphones on the market.
The advantages of a bigger soundstage are obvious, but the majority of people prefer balanced and neutral tuning. This is why the majority of magnetic headphones made for planar use come with closed-back and open-back versions, with the latter providing an older and more practical design that can be used on a daily basis.
Precision
The planar magnetic drivers in RHA's brand new CL2 headphones deliver incredible sound quality and precision. The driver is small and compact, containing an incredibly thin diaphragm that is suspended above two matched magnetic fields that provide superior sound up to 45,000 Hz.
The diaphragm also has more homogeneous molecular structure than traditional cone drivers, which means that there's less distortion throughout the frequency range. This lets the sound to be much more natural dynamic response, giving it a rich and detailed image quality.
To reduce distortion even further the diaphragm was placed inside a precisely-machined aluminum housing. The result is a light, durable design with a smooth and even interior surface that allows for a continuous flow of audio waves between the microphone and the speakers.
These features create an audio system that is fantastic no matter what volume you are playing it at. The soundstage is large and covers your headspace in an unmistakable separation of sounds that give an impression of depth that lets you be able to hear every single detail in your music.
The Glasgow-based firm uses superior materials to create the CL2 headphones. They use zirconium dioxide, a near-indestructible substance that's also used to make synthetic diamonds and protect jet engines. The ultra-thin black stainless steel housings are durable and scratch-resistant, with a matte-finish produced by superheated plasma.
The CL2s are the first portable planar magnetic headphones to provide wireless listening thanks to their Bluemini adapter and Bluetooth 4.1 support for aptX and AAC streaming. They also come with detachable 3.5mm and balanced 2.5mm cables with oxygen-free copper cores that ensure analogue signals reach the headphones without distortion.
Soundstage
Audiophiles always want a large and spacious soundstage. Audiophiles are not like some listeners, who are happy to blast Taylor Swift on laptop speakers. They require a precise and spacious soundstage so that they can immerse themselves into the music.
The quality of a soundstage is largely dependent on the headphones and their acoustics. To get the most value of a headphone's soundstage, it is important to know how headphones are made and designed. The design of the headband, earpads and microphones all play an important role in creating the soundstage.
The size of the headband, for example, can have a big impact on how large and open a soundstage is. A larger headband results in a bigger soundstage, but less distortion. The quality of the earpads plays a role. The earpads should be comfortable and provide an excellent seal to cut down on the sound of resonance and unwanted noise.
Clarity of each instrument is another aspect of the soundstage of headphones. A clear soundstage makes easy to differentiate individual instruments and vocals in the song even at higher volume. The clarity of the bass also plays a crucial role in the overall sound quality of headphones.
Planar magnetic headphones have superior bass response compared to dynamic drivers. While dynamic drivers have a smaller diaphragm which vibrates in response to the electric impulses sent by the voice coil Planar drivers feature larger magnets that move the entire diaphragm. This results in an unidirectional sound wavefront, rather than the spherical focus that is found in dynamic drivers, which helps to locate sound more precisely as it enters the ear.
Furthermore, a flat sound wavefront requires much more power than a spherical, which leads to planar headphones with larger magnets and needing more powerful amplifiers. This is the reason why planar headphones tend to be a little heavier and larger than dynamic headphones.
Distortion
The distortion in your headphones is caused by a voice coil that goes back and forth rapidly in a whirlwind of air, which is compressed and released around the diaphragm of your speaker. This causes the diaphragm's points to move out-of-phase, resulting in muddy and distorted sound. Planar magnetic headphones are less prone to distortion because the drivers produce uniform driving forces across the entire flat surface of the diaphragm. This results in low distortion even at high volumes.
Planar headphones are also renowned for their wide frequency response. They can reproduce a broad range of frequencies from low bass to high treble. They also have an immediate transient response. This means that they respond quickly to changes in audio signals.
While planar headphones offer a lot of advantages, they can be a bit difficult to drive without an external amplifier. This is because they typically have larger magnet arrays than dynamic headphones and require higher voltage to function. Fortunately, there are some highly efficient planar headphones that can used directly from mobile devices as well as desktop audio players.
The CL2 Planar by RHA is constructed with an oxygen-free core and custom neodymium magnetic material to provide greater efficiency. They can be utilized with wireless or wired connections and are compatible with all devices that supports Bluetooth. planar magnetic closed back headphones are available in 3.5mm, balanced 2.5mm and premium materials. They are also braided for durability and strength.
Whether you're looking for a pair of Bluetooth planar headphones or just an ideal set to listen to music, there are plenty of excellent options available. But, it's essential to think about your preferences in listening and budget prior to making the purchase. It's tempting to get the most expensive headphones, however you might find that they don't sound as impressive as a pair of cheaper ones.
Leakage
Planar headphones, as the name suggests use a flat membrane and magnetic fields to create sound. They also have a smaller diaphragm, which is typically less than 80% of a dynamic driver. They can provide a more rich sound and greater detail than their larger counterparts. They also require more power. Some headphones with a planar design, such as the HIFIMAN Deva can be powered by the power of a mobile phone. However, for the best sound quality, most headphones require an amplifier for headphone.
Due to their bi-directional movement that they have, planar magnetic headphones can release more sound than headphones that employ the standard voicecoil transducer. They're therefore not suited for use in public, particularly if you don't want to cause disturbance to others. This is avoided by selecting closed-back headphones that have a tight seal, which prevents sound from escaping.