Open-Back Reference-Grade Headphones

US Avantone Pro's Planar the II features planar drivers design 22/06/23

Having introduced its original open-back reference-grade headphones with planar drivers design three years ago as a radical departure from traditional dynamic designs, Avantone Pro has now announced availability of Planar the II.

A spokesperson told us, "We are taking the best and making it better by reducing the weight of that already surprisingly low-weight Planar predecessor to ensure even greater comfort during long-haul mix and listening sessions while continuing to take advantage of the amazing accuracy, high-end detail, clarity, natural bass, and response time that can clearly be attributed to its namesake planar drivers, duly making it an ideal solution for mix engineers, musicians, podcasters, live-streamers, and hi-fi enthusiasts alike."

Here's more details in the company's own words...

An appreciation of some science goes some way towards an appreciation of Planar the II's namesake planar drivers; with that, of course, comes an appreciation of the advantages of Avantone Pro's advanced open-back reference-grade headphones themselves. Traditional moving-coil (dynamic) drivers deploy an asymmetric single-magnet design that begets an asymmetric waveform, driving audio from a single point to create an unnatural spheroid wavefront which relies on the surround's elasticity to return the driver to the neutral position -- pushing but not pulling, in other words. What this really boils down to, though, is a distorted misrepresentation of audio reproduction. Reality dictates that planar drivers, conversely, operate via a matrix of neodymium magnets that both push and pull from both sides of its incredibly thin, ultralight diaphragm across its entire surface area, thereby creating a more naturalistic wavefront with very little harmonic distortion and incredibly fast response time. It is, in fact, these symmetrical vibrations that are responsible for Planar the II's trademark tight bass and breathtaking soundstage. An attendant 30 kHz ceiling is, impressively, also well worth noting.

Needless to say, Planar the II really represents the sum total of Avantone Pro's extensive experience in meeting the demands of music professionals. Planar the II employs a perfectly tuned open-back architecture, designed to eliminate the pressure build-up, acoustic resonance, and frequency curve typical of closed-back headphones, further ensuring that any monitored music is represented as accurately as possible. Put it this way: when working with Planar the II, the air and breath in every vocal, the long decays of shimmering reverb tails, and tight, punchy bass that hits hard can clearly be heard -- and all without being overhyped.

Of course, Avantone Pro has far from sacrificed the need for comfort when designing Planar the II as an audiophile-grade quality product perfectly suited to any situation where music matters most by making the advanced open-back reference- grade headphones more lightweight than the already surprisingly low-weight classic Planar design that preceded them. This is further bolstered by cosy ear pads that will surely stay comfortable during long-haul mix and listening sessions. Speaking of comfort, the Planar the II package also comes complete with a high-grade, removable, two-metre-long, noise-free 3.5mm cable that can be plugged into either side to suit workflow or handedness. Handily, an eco-friendly shoulder bag with room for accessories -- and a pouch for that cable -- is also included in the purchase.

Pricing and Availability:

Planar the II is available -- in a colour choice of Black, Creme, or Red -- at Avantone Pro's US Dealers with a MAP (Minimum Advertised Price) of $399.00 USD. (MSRP -- Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price -- in the European Union is €532.00 EUR, including VAT, with international dealers listed by country here.

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