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Funny thing I have two pairs of the stealth magnets' edition of HE400se with one set having stealth magnets printed on the gimbals whilst the other pair came with a box labeled as “stealth magnet”. Two iterations of the same edition.
always wanted to ask this but I always forgot:
can anyone tell me how/why is impedance so flat with planar headphones, and not with dynamic headphones?
years ago I always presumed a 300ohm dynamic headphones would be 300ohm all the way, until I know better.
It really only matters when you have a source with a high(ish) output resistance.
Fortunately a low output resistance is rather standard so unless the output TRS socket on power amps is used there will not be a problem.
The reason is mechanical damping and distance from the membrane to magnets is high.
Due to the needed tension the mechanical damping at lower frequencies is rather high where with dynamics the membrane near its edges has to be very flexible to get great bass extension and low distortion.
The voicecoil is very close to a very concentrated magnetic field because we want efficiency and/or large dynamic range. This makes them an effective microphone as well (back EMF).
For planars much more and powerful magnets are needed (heavy) and they have to be at a minimal distance to allow the amplitude swing needed.
Thicker (higher current capable) windings are needed as well. So the drivers are better (and above all differently) damped and the microphone effect (back EMF) is much less because of the airgap difference.
You can see a change in impedance with planars (depending on the design and efficiency) b.t.w. but have to zoom in a lot. In practice this is a not audible issue though even when driven from a Bakoon current drive amp or high output R amplifier as the variances are too small to modify the response. Exceptions are the Audeze sine (because of the passive filter in it) and the Meze Liric. These will modify their tonal balance and not in a good way at higher output R.
I always thought it had to do with the moving coils impedance changing with the position in the magnetic field. A planar "coil" stays much more in the sweet spot.
That would only be logical when the impedance would vary depending on amplitude.
The impedance peak (fed voltage - back EMF current) is the same when this is measured at very low levels and higher levels.
Great review! I just received my pair yesterday and I'm really enjoying them. It's my first pair of planar magnetic headphones. The price is what pulled me in. I'm fairly new to Hifi products as I bought $20 headphones at Wal-Mart before purchasing Sennheiser HD560s and these. I returned the HD560s because the 400se sound just fit my needs.
Great review! I just received my pair yesterday and I'm really enjoying them. It's my first pair of planar magnetic headphones. The price is what pulled me in. I'm fairly new to Hifi products as I bought $20 headphones at Wal-Mart before purchasing Sennheiser HD560s and these. I returned the HD560s because the 400se sound just fit my needs.
Thanks! Just ordered from Amazon. It seems interesting that the estimated delivery is about 12 days from now. Typically Amazon prime delivery is 2 to 3 days.
Same. The 560s are VERY nice headphones for the price. But the treble spike got me at just the wrong spot, and the sound lacked a certain "energy" due to its relatively flat signature. I don't like much color added to sound, but the 560s didn't sound nearly as alive and a lot more clinical than the HE-400se.
Same. The 560s are VERY nice headphones for the price. But the treble spike got me at just the wrong spot, and the sound lacked a certain "energy" due to its relatively flat signature. I don't like much color added to sound, but the 560s didn't sound nearly as alive and a lot more clinical than the HE-400se.
There is no high distortion in the bass and HD560S does not need any lift in the bass either. Of course when one plays really loud and is a (sub)basshead the HE400SE will deliver in spades.
There is no high distortion in the bass and HD560S does not need any lift in the bass either. Of course when one plays really loud and is a (sub)basshead the HE400SE will deliver in spades.