But what if you want the performance of the ribbon uniform, strong magnetic field with the large panel size of the quasi ribbon. Jul 20, 2010 diagram showing quasiribbon driver technology. Planar magnetic headphones and their benefits are well known amongst the audiophile community but perhaps not so much to the casual observer. When the aluminum tape is used instead of wires magnepan calls the speakers quasi ribbons.
As a result, these planar magnetic drivers manage to best even other strong planar magnetic designs in terms of both detail and dynamics. Compare these speakers to any other high performance design. Only selling as i have upgraded to spatial audio open baffle speakers. Magnepan magneplanar mmgi 2 way quasi ribbon planar loudspeakers. Magnepan uses what they call a quasi ribbon for the mid range driver which is a mylar diaphragm with wires in it which is more like a planar magnetic driver. So the magnet array does get in the way of the sound to some extent. Quasiribbon technology used for all drivers in magnepans. Magnepan has used planar magnetic drivers for the bass or lower midrange in its speakers but. Jun 20, 2019 planar magnetic headphones are a bit like a middle ground choice between the simple dynamic headphone and highend electrostatic. Typically they will have one or more large drive units to cover the low bass frequencies, and a single smaller unit to reproduce the treble. Nothing quite compares to the effortless sound transmission provided by a planar or ribbon transducer.
Dynamic woofers, especially subwoofers, can not blend with the speed of the magneplanar center channel quasiribbon midrange drivers. Thanks to the radiating surfaces incredibly low mass and high magnet strength, transient response is nearly unequaled by other driver types, and distortion figures tend to be quite low as well. Sls planar magnetic ribbon drivers dolby laboratories. You will recognize the sonic similarity of a magneplanar and planar magnetic quasi ribbon headphones. Nov 27, 2019 the woofermidbass panel houses three planar magnetic drivers two sidebyside planar woofers, with a narrower planar midbass coupler along one side. Such drivers are also called quasi ribbon transducers. The midrangetweeter panels use a tall, slender quasiribbontype planar magnetic midrange driver with a very slim and nearly sixfoottall pure ribbon tweeter. The woofer section of the cc speaker stand uses the same diplanar technology as the magneplanar 20. You get the distortionreducing driving force across the diaphragm. The magneplanar diaphragm comes closer to the ideal driver.
Ribbon midrange pros and cons audiogon discussion forum. Under its cloth dust cover the lrs has a different and more advanced complement of drivers than its elder brother. Oct 14, 2017 planar magnetic drivers mix some of the operating principles between dynamic and electrostatic drivers. Rather than using a coil, planar magnetic drivers consist of a large, flat, membrane that has an embedded wire. A variety of color options are available for the fabric and rails. Aug 23, 2016 planar magnetic headphones and their benefits are well known amongst the audiophile community but perhaps not so much to the casual observer. It is still a planar magnetic driver and can be used for tweeter, midrange, and bass applications. Its planar magnetic loudspeakers which utilize very low mass. Planar magnetic headphones are a bit like a middle ground choice between the simple dynamic headphone and highend electrostatic. Planar magnetic tweeter some loudspeaker designers use a planar magnetic tweeter, sometimes called a quasi ribbon. The diva used pure ribbon drivers throughout and under the right circumstances they sounded wonderful.
And as demonstrated by the monoprice monolith 1060, not all planar. The quasi ribbon should be less prone to delamination and is essentially the same as the driver used in eminent technology speakers. Planar headphones lie somewhere in between dynamic driver headphones eg. For planarmagnetic speakers, the technology is completely different, but produces a similar effect, i. This unique technology developed by magnepan is the heart of magneplanar speaker. In a planar magnetic setup, the part that actually creates sound is an electrostaticstyle thin, flexible material sandwiched between the outer layers of the mechanism. Apr 19, 2019 of course, if audio is your passion and you have the means to pursue that passion, planar magnetic, electrostatic, and balanced armaturedriven headphones are worthy upgrades. The use of quasi ribbon technology down into the lower midrange and bass will provide a new level of coherence.
Whats the difference between ribbons, planars and electrostats. The pros and cons of ribbon tweeters novo audio and. The impedance of the speakers is 4 ohms and sensitivity is 86 db. Two subcategories of planar magnetic speakers are ribbon and quasiribbon. Hybrid planar magneticribbon driver equipped dipolar loudspeaker featuring a quasiribbon type bassmidrange driver and a true ribbon tweeter driver complement. Also, high frequency planar magnetic drivers see a single uniform source which precludes interference patterns as rows of trueribbons could as reproduced wavelengths shorten. Planar magnetic tweeters are generally less expensive than true ribbon tweeters, but are not precisely equivalent as a metal foil ribbon is lighter than the diaphragm in a planar magnetic tweeter and the magnetic structures are different. The true ribbon, as shown below, is a very simple device. However, in this case, the windings are spread across the thin membrane of the diaphragm with two permanent magnets. A planar driver is a true ribbon only if the diaphragm is conductive and the audio signal flows directly through the diaphragm, rather than through conductors bonded to a diaphragm, as in quasi ribbon drivers.
Many of the best highend headphones use planar magnetic quasi ribbon drivers. Understanding the pros and cons of ribbon tweeters loudspeakers divide their output into frequency bands. The magneplanar quasi ribbon is simply a true ribbon on a mylar film. For planar magnetic speakers, the technology is completely different, but produces a similar effect, i. A planar driver is a true ribbon only if the diaphragm is conductive and the audio signal flows directly through the diaphragm, rather than through conductors bonded to a diaphragm, as in quasiribbon drivers. Magnepan is a private highend audio loudspeaker manufacturer in white bear lake.
The tympanis and mg speakers were all made from wireonmylar. Magnepan refers to the tweeter as a quasiribbon design to distinguish it from both the planar magnetic driver and a true ribbon of the sort they use in the mg3. Although the term ribbon and planar magnetic are often used. They also send electrical impulses to a conductive material windings that interacts with the magnetic fields within the driver. The use of quasi ribbon technology down into the lower midrange and bass provides a new level of coherence. The ultrathin aluminum foil carries the current from the amplifier and is also the means of moving the air to create sound. Of course, if audio is your passion and you have the means to pursue that passion, planar magnetic, electrostatic, and balanced armaturedriven headphones are worthy upgrades. Magnepan mc1 planarquasi ribbon loud speaker audiolab. A tradition of innovation and advanced technology magnepan.
Magnepan mmg main stereo speakers for sale online ebay. Magnepan has used planar magnetic drivers for the bass or lower midrange in its speakers but with the maggie 1. For over 40 years, magnepan has used planar magnetic drivers for the bass or lower midrange in its speakers but with the maggie 1. Sep 26, 2017 ever wonder what planar magnetic drivers are, or how they work. A quasiribbon tweeter handles the treble while a planar magnetic driver covers the midrange and bass. This is a ribbon which doesnt quite have the same performance as the true ribbon because of the variation in the magnetic field with excurting distance from the magnets, and because the field strength maynt be as strong. This is primarily because people have a wide range of opinions about what constitutes perfection, making a onesizefitsall approach pretty much impossible. The quasi ribbon driver is a variation on the original true ribbon design.
This makes for important and easily audible sonic differences. The woofermidbass panel houses three planar magnetic drivers two sidebyside planar woofers, with a narrower planar midbass coupler along one side. This design is very rugged and costeffective with very wide bandwidth. Broadly, these are classed as planarmagnetic speakers. Maggies true ribbon tweeter, taken on its own, remains a superior transducer, and the considerably larger planarmagnetic midbass panels in the 3. Also, high frequency planarmagnetic drivers see a single uniform source which. The quasi ribbon should be less prone to delamination and is essentially the same as the driver used in. The best american audio companies that are keeping passive. Planarmagnetic tweeter some loudspeaker designers use a planarmagnetic tweeter, sometimes called a quasiribbon. Although planar magnetic drivers are typically found in openback, overear headphones, were seeing an uptick of inears using them too. Quasiribbon technology used for all drivers in magnepans new. The other, called quasiribbon, has the foil attached to a plastic membrane, and it is the membrane that is suspended with tension at the ends.
The quasi ribbon shown is basically the same driver used for the mid and low frequencies of the magneplanar speaker with the infusion of a heavier gauge wire replacing the thin aluminum ribbon. Where the mmg used a quasi ribbon tweeter and a planar magnetic midwoofer, the lrss drivers are all ribbon or quasi. Magnepan us loudspeaker manufacturer founded in 1969 by jim winey, magnepan specialises in producing speaker systems utilising quasi ribbon planar magnetic driver technology. Although these driver types require a bit more shopping around, there are plenty of options out there. Quasi ribbon planar magnetic driver this unique technology developed by magnepan is the heart of magneplanar speaker. One, the true ribbon speaker, has the foil itself suspended with tension at the ends of the foil. Planar magnetic drivers have a similar principle to dynamic drivers. Planar magnetic tweeters are generally less expensive than true ribbon tweeters, but are not precisely equivalent as a metal foil ribbon is lighter than the diaphragm in a planar magnetic tweeter and the magnetic structures are. Sounderlink 1pc 30khz hifi 3inch 4 planar transducer. The quasi ribbon driver is a deviation from the true ribbon design.
The best planar magnetic headphones top 10 audiophile on. These are fantastic value and punch well above their price point and i have enjoyed every minute of them. High power ribbon tweeter planar transducer amt diy audio. Two subcategories of planar magnetic speakers are ribbon and quasi ribbon. Ever wonder what planar magnetic drivers are, or how they work. Such drivers are also called quasiribbon transducers.
The thinfilm, planarmagnetic driver in the cc speaker stand has flat frequency response to 5 khz. Sennheiser hd800 and electrostatic headphones eg kingsound ksh1, stax etc. Anatomy of a planar magnetic headphone driver duration. In a sense, these operate similarly to dynamic drivers because they also use magnetic fields. Both the magneplanar true ribbon and quasi ribbon drivers eliminate the need for a. The quasiribbon shown is basically the same driver used for the mid and low frequencies of the magneplanar speaker with the infusion of a heavier gauge wire replacing the thin aluminum ribbon.
The voice grid of the bass section consists of lightweight aluminum wire. Sls pro audio productsmay 1st, 2017 conventional 2 compression driver sls prd planar magnetic driver cumulative spectral decay compression driver vs. The thin, narrow metallic ribbon is suspended within the magnetic field, a signal. Using the aluminum tape spreads out the driving force on the mylar speaker. Magnepan us loudspeaker manufacturer founded in 1969 by jim winey, magnepan specialises in producing speaker systems utilising quasi ribbonplanarmagnetic driver technology. Loudspeaker types and how they work tas 207 the absolute. Some loudspeaker designers use a planarmagnetic tweeter, sometimes called a quasiribbon.
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