Best Planar Magnetic Headphones Under $1000

If you enjoy music and would like to upgrade your headphones, a planar magnetic set could be a great investment. However, they can be quite costly.

There are plenty of fantastic options for headphones that are priced below the $1000 mark. In this article, we'll take a look at the best budget planar headphones for an unforgettable listening experience.

1. Beyerdynamic T1

Beyerdynamic is a German brand which doesn't compromise when it comes to high-end headphone design. The Beyerdynamic T1 is made from top quality materials and features an elegant design. It's an absolute pleasure to wear. They are very comfortable and come with a soft headband with richly-padded removable ear pads. The earphones can initially appear rough, but they will adapt to the ears and head. They are able to endure long listening sessions with no discomfort.

The T1 has a very natural sound, with a soaring, but controlled bass and clean mids. The highs can be extremely vibrant and clear, however they may be too much for those who prefer a soft treble. They are a fantastic pair of headphones for demanding listening and excel when played at low to medium volumes. They are able to maintain their balance even when playing aggressive music like blackmetal or death metal and won't be smothered by cymbal crash.

Another great feature is the T1's excellent dynamic range. It can reproduce the extreme variations in the volume of quieter and more loud passages with a high level of clarity and precision. This makes them a good option for musicians who want to hear every nuance and detail of their instrument, and for audiophiles who appreciate being able to distinguish between different instruments in songs.

The gold-plated connectors on the ear cup and the Beyerdynamic logo are a nice addition. This is a proof and a guarantee of quality. The headphones are protected by a hard case when not in use. A detachable cable as well as an adapter for quarter-inch are included.

The Beyerdynamic T1 has a closed back design and isn't portable. They will not effectively shield you from sounds of everyday life like traffic jams, children's alarm clocks or irritating partners. 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 features an open-back design, but the cup sizes are smaller. They may be better for listening at the go.

2. HIFIMAN Ananda Nano

The HIFIMAN Ananda Nano is the newest version of the popular HIFIMAN mid-range open-back headphones. The Nano makes a quantum leap forward from the previous Ananda model, featuring an innovative nanometer thickness diaphragm as well as a clarity-enhancing stealth magnets that were also used on the ultra high-end Susvara headphone. These features promise ultra low distortion, lightning speed transient response, and clearly enhanced clarity and dynamics.

The resultant soundstage is wide and deep, with great separation of vocals and instruments. The Nano has a warm, rich sound with a peak at the upper mids, making it ideal for hip-hop, rock, and pop.

This emphasis in the upper mids comes with a few drawbacks, however. It results in a slightly muffled sound, especially in the higher registers, where some of the detail is lost. This also means that the Nano isn't as suitable for classical music, as the lower mids tend to be obscured by the bass.

The bass is powerful and punchy with great texture in the low-end and great dynamics and slam. It's more full than the bass of the original Ananda and is perfect for contemporary music such as pop, rock and gaming, but still provides plenty of rumble that is pleasing to audiophiles who want the natural sound of their bass.

As expected, leakage is bad for headphones with an open back. It could be a problem when in noisy environments. The headphone doesn't also have an audio microphone, so you won't be able use it for calls from mobile phones.

The HIFIMAN Nano is a great choice for those looking for a planar magnetic open-back headphone that's priced under $1000. It's a fantastic upgrade from the previous model, and is worth checking out. The Ananda Nano comes with a travel bag, which is a great option for audiophiles on the move. The case is spacious enough to accommodate the Ananda Nano, its cable and a smaller DAC or player. A carry-on pouch is included in the box. The headphones are durable and well-made, and come with a 3-year warranty.

3. Hifiman Edition XS

The HIFIMAN Edition X created a lot of excitement in the world of audiophiles when it was first introduced. The company has applied the same technology to a smaller, more affordable 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, these headphones are extremely well-built. They are sturdy enough to withstand the rigors of heavy use and are comfortable to wear for long listening sessions. The cups are also constructed of a non-resonant material that helps minimize the sound. A tangle-free cable with straight plug is included in the package, as well as a headphone stand that can also double as a storage case that can be used for the headphones.

The Edition XS planar magnetic headphones provide excellent detail resolution. You'll be able to hear specifics in your music that you've never heard before. You may also notice flaws that you might not have seen in other headphones. They have a wide soundstage and superb imaging that can fill the entire room with three-dimensional clarity.

These headphones are balanced and neutral and can be used with any kind of music. They have excellent mids and reproduce vocals as well as lead instruments precisely, however they may be lacking some energy and rumble in their bass. They have crisp high frequencies that are precise, but they may be too bright for some listeners.

The HIFIMAN XS may be a great option for those looking for a planar magnetic open-backed headphone that is suitable for noisy environments, yet doesn't require much power. The low impedance (18O), makes it easy to connect to almost every DAC or headphone amplifier. However, you'll get the best results if you have an audio interface that has a built-in headphone amp. The planars headphones are not the most portable and may be heavy, but they come with a comfortable travel pouch. They're a little more expensive than the other options but they're well worth it because of their features and the quality.

4. Audeze LCD-5

The Audeze LCD-5 planar magnetic headphones are the most recent flagship model from the company. It's a brand new design, with a brand new magnet and driver planar. This is not a minor improvement over their previous headphone models, and it places the LCD-5 firmly in the high-end of the personal audio market. The LCD-5's drivers consist of ultra-thin Nano-Scale Diaphragms, paired with Parallel Uniforce voice coils as well as Fazor Waveguides. These new features work in conjunction to control the diaphragm's movement and deliver a high resolution.

The LCD-5's earpads are designed to fit more heads. The pads are made from an elastic material, and the headband is smaller and lighter which means that the LCD-5s feel more comfortable on all ears than the previous models. They do clamp a bit more than other Audeze headphones however, and they could be a bit tight on some, but this may be able to be resolved with time.

Audeze's LCD series has long been a benchmark in audio quality using planar magnetic headphones. Their flagship LCD-2 introduced the modern age of high-fidelity audio, Best Planar Magnetic Headphones followed by the LCD-3 and LCD-4. The LCD-5 continues the trend by offering improvements to all aspects of headphones' sound signature, including their design.

Compared to the LCD-2, the sound of the LCD-5 is more refined and less aggressive in its presentation. This is due to the increased focus on midrange detail retrieval surgical treble precision, and microdetail retrieval. The LCD-5s are still a powerful headphone capable of being able to deliver massive dynamic range and full-bodied bass. They're not as loud as the Abyss AB-1266 or Hifiman HE1000SE. You will have to adjust them to achieve the best sound.

Overall overall, the Audeze LCD-5 is an outstanding pair of headphones that have outstanding sound quality and impressive build quality. The LCD-5 isn't for everyone. But if you're willing to invest the money, and want a headphone that delivers a stunning listening experience and sound quality, then you should look for it. It will be worth every penny.