Best Planar Magnetic Headphones Under $1000
A planar magnetic set is a great alternative for music lovers who wish to upgrade their headphones. However, they can also be quite expensive.
There are plenty of excellent options that are less than the $1000 mark. In this article, we'll look at the best budget-friendly planar headphones that will provide you with an unforgettable listening experience.
1. Beyerdynamic T1
Beyerdynamic is a German brand which doesn't compromise when it comes to premium headphone design. The Beyerdynamic T1 is made from top quality materials and features an elegant design. It's a delight to wear. They are very comfortable and feature an extremely soft headband and padded removable Ear pads that can be replaced. They may feel a little rough on the skin at first but they soon meld into the head and ears and provide long listening sessions with no discomfort.
The T1 is a natural sound, with a controlled but elevated bass and clean mids. The highs are bright and detailed but can be somewhat overwhelming for those who prefer a smoother treble. These headphones are great for critical listening, and they excel at medium-low volumes. They can maintain their balance when playing violent music such as blackmetal or death metal, and won't be overwhelmed by cymbal crashes.
Another great feature is the T1's excellent dynamic range. It can reproduce the extreme variations in the volume of more quiet and less loud parts with a high level of clarity and precision. This makes them a good choice for musicians who want to get every detail and nuance of their instrument, and for audiophiles who appreciate being able to easily distinguish different instruments in the course of a song.
A nice feature is the gold-plated connectors and the Beyerdynamic logo on the ear cup. This is a mark of quality and is a guarantee that you're receiving a top-quality product. They come with a hard-case case that protects the headphones when not in use. A detachable cable and an adapter of quarter-inch size are included.
planar driver has a closed back design, and isn't portable. They will not protect you from the everyday sounds like traffic jams or children's alarm clocks, nor will they annoy spouses. They are not intended for sports like running around with them because the ear cups are large and can easily slip off your ears. The Beyerdynamic T5p also has an open-back design. However, the cups are smaller. They could be more suitable for listening at the go.
2. HIFIMAN Ananda Nano
The HIFIMAN Nano is the most recent version of the popular mid-range, open-back headphones. The Nano is a quantum leap ahead of the original Ananda and features a brand-new nanometer-thick diaphragm and an invisible magnet to improve clarity. These features were also included on the ultra-high-end Susvara headphones. These features promise low distortion, lightning fast transient response, and clearly enhanced clarity and dynamics.
The result is a wide and deep soundstage, with great separation between instruments and vocals. The Nano also offers a relatively warm character to its sound, with a thump in the upper mids which is ideal for pop, rock and hip-hop.
This emphasis in the upper mids comes with some drawbacks, though. This results in a muffled sound in the higher frequencies, where certain details are lost. The Nano is not suitable for classical music as the lower mids are typically overshadowed.
The bass is powerful and punchy and has good timbre in the lower reaches and excellent bass and dynamics. It's a bit more full than the original Ananda bass which is ideal for modern music such as rock, pop and gaming. However, it still has plenty of rumble for audiophiles who prefer more natural sound to their bass.
Leakage can be quite problematic, as expected for an open-back headphone, and it can cause problems in noisy environments. The headphone is not equipped with an audio microphone, so it cannot be used for mobile phone calls.
The HIFIMAN Nano is a great choice for anyone searching for an open-back magnetic planar headphone that's priced under $1000. It's an excellent upgrade over the previous model, and is worth a look. The Ananda Nano comes with a travel bag that is an excellent addition for audiophiles traveling. The case is large enough to fit the Ananda Nano with its cable, as well as the smallest player/DAC. Inside the case you will also find a carrying pouch. The headphones are well-constructed and durable, and they come with a three-year warranty.
3. Hifiman Edition XS
The HIFIMAN Edition X created a lot of excitement in the world of audiophiles when it was launched. The company has brought the technology to a smaller, less expensive headphone that fits right in between the Sundara and the Ananda. The Edition XS uses the same aerodynamically-shaped stealth magnets and a thin "Neo Super-Nano Diaphragm" to guarantee fast response time with minimal distortion.
Like all HIFIMAN products the headphones are sturdy and well-constructed. They are durable enough to withstand the rigors of heavy use and are comfortable to wear for long listening sessions. The cups are constructed of an anti-resonant, vibration-reducing material. A tangle-free, tangle-free cable that has a straight plug is included in the package, along with a headphone stand that can also double as a portable storage case for the headphones.
The Edition XS is a very good planar magnetic headphone that provides excellent detail resolution. This means you'll be able to hear things in your music that weren't there before, or even notice flaws in your recordings you would have otherwise missed using a different set of headphones. They offer a wide soundstage and superior imaging that fills an entire room with three-dimensional clarity.
They have a balanced and neutral sound profile, so they will suit any genre of music. They are excellent at reproducing vocals and lead instruments with precision. However, they could lack some punch and rumble when it comes to bass. They have clear precise high frequencies, but they may sound too bright to some listeners.
The HIFIMAN XS may be a great choice for anyone looking for a planar open-backed magnetic headphone that can handle noisy environments, yet doesn't require the most power. The low impedance (18O), makes it easy to drive almost any DAC, or headphone amplifier. However you'll get the best results if you're using an audio interface with an integrated headphone amplifier. The headphones are not the most compact and can be bulky however they come with a padded travel bag. These headphones are a bit more expensive than the other options, but they're worth the price because of their features and the quality.
4. Audeze LCD-5
The Audeze LCD-5 planar magnetic headphones are the most current flagship model of the company. It is an entirely new design incorporating an all-new magnet and driver. This is a significant improvement to their previous headphone model, and puts the LCD-5 at the top of the personal audio market. The LCD-5's drivers consist of ultra-thin Nano-Scale Diaphragms that are paired with Parallel Uniforce voice coils and Fazor Waveguides. These new features work in conjunction to control the diaphragm's movement and deliver a high level of resolution.
The earpads on the LCD-5 have been designed to accommodate more heads. The pads are made of a more flexible material, and the headband is smaller and lighter which means that the LCD-5s feel more comfortable on most ears than the previous models. They do clamp slightly more than other Audeze headphones, and they may also be a little tight on some, but this may resolve with use.
Audeze LCD series has been a benchmark in the field of planar magnetic headphones for a long time. Their flagship LCD-2 introduced the modern age of high-fidelity audio, followed by the LCD-3 and LCD-4. The LCD-5 continues to follow the trend by providing improvements to every aspect of headphones' sound signature as well as their design.
The LCD-5 has more refined sound and a less aggressive presentation compared to the LCD-2. This is due to the increased concentration on mid-range detail retrieval as well as surgical treble accuracy and microdetail retrieval. The LCD-5s are still an extremely powerful headphone, capable of being able to provide a huge dynamic range and full-bodied bass. They're not as powerful as an Abyss AB-1266, or Hifiman HE1000SE. You'll have to adjust them to achieve the most optimal sound.
Overall the Audeze LCD-5 is an outstanding set of headphones with outstanding sound quality and a stunning build quality. They're not for all people, but if you have the money and want an expensive headphone that can give you a dazzling listening experience Look no further than the LCD-5. It's worth every cent.