Armature headphones with balanced armature - differences and features against other types of emitters in the headphones

We have long been accustomed to the fact that headphones use speakers to emit sound and often do not pay attention to the fact that there are other types of emitters.

In English, the word “driver” means “emitter”. Due to the dominant use of dynamic emitters, many put the equality between the words “driver” and “speaker”, which is just as competent as saying that “fuel” and “gasoline” are the same thing.

In addition to dynamic emitters, there are alternatives: reinforcing, electrostatic, iso- and ortho-dynamic emitters.
Reinforcing radiators are widely used relatively recently and occupy an almost equal number of models with dynamic headphones in the middle and upper sector of the in-ear headphones.

The reinforcing radiator in the original is called as "balanced armature" and does not have an exact translation. Usually use the following headphone names with this emitter:

• Reinforcing headphones
• Balanced Anchor Headphones
• Balanced Anchor Headphones
• Balance armature

And many other phrases with the words "armature", "anchor", "balanced / balanced." The design of the reinforcing radiator is so far from dynamic and so unvariant among reinforcing radiators that any name is suitable.



The reinforcing radiator looks like a rectangular oblong bottle, where sound is emitted from the neck. Thus, the axis of radiation coincides with the main length, and the width and height of the emitter are relatively small. Due to this form, this type of emitter has become widespread in intra-ear hearing aids, where a conventional dynamic emitter cannot be placed in a narrow auditory canal.



Marketers of different companies like to compare the dimensions of the reinforcing and dynamic emitters, showing that the reinforcing emitter is much smaller, and plays no worse.

But the laws of physics cannot be deceived, and all parameters that depend on the dimensions are also valid for a reinforcing radiator: small dimensions are a limitation of the bass and the overload capacity of the radiator.

To ensure that reinforcing headphones are not inferior to dynamic ones in overload capacity in the low-frequency region, it is required either to use a reinforcing radiator with comparable dimensions or to use several emitters at the same time.

Like any radiator, reinforcing or dynamic, the type itself is not synonymous with the definition of quality or mandatory characteristics. There are budget models with mediocre sound, and there are expensive and very expensive with high quality sound. It is completely pointless to compare inexpensive reinforcing headphones with expensive dynamic ones and vice versa. Preferences will often be in the direction of an expensive model, regardless of the type of emitter.



Structurally, with the same membrane area in the reinforcing and dynamic emitters, the course of the membrane is greater in the dynamic. For this reason, dynamic emitters have higher overload capacity, which is expressed in the absence of crackling sound at high volume. When the task is to get a similar bass, like a dynamic radiator with the help of a reinforcing bar, a large total area from the reinforcing radiator (compensating for the small stroke of the membrane) is required.

An additional drawback of many reinforcing radiators is a narrow neck, which adds distortion in the low-frequency region due to the inability to “pump” the required amount of air. The neckline is necessary for attaching the sound guide in hearing aids. Probably for this reason, reinforcing emitters from SONY (which does not release its emitters for hearing aids) have a neckline.

Reinforcing headphone development

In the history of the birth of reinforcing headphones, the most prominent role was played by Jerry Harvey.

Armature radiators at that time were used mainly in hearing aids. If the hearing impaired was important only the mid-frequency range (to hear the speech of others) and high volume, then musicians and audiophiles needed a wide frequency range, high overload capacity and the highest possible sound quality. This required a completely different approach.

In 1995, Jerry Harvey created the first custom monitors for musicians, laying the foundation for the development of multi-driver models. Custom monitors were an analogue of a hearing aid with high noise isolation for performing on stage. The case of custom headphones (as well as hearing aids) is made individually according to the cast of the ear, which ensures a secure fit and the best sound insulation. For musicians, custom monitors are called personal ear monitoring systems.

The use of several emitters allowed to obtain high quality sound and get away from the level of "hearing aids." Gradually successful custom models migrated to universal headphones and are widespread today.

A little earlier, in 1991 Etymoic introduced the ER-4 model (still in high demand among single-driver models). However, the ER-4 model with one emitter is designed primarily for audiophiles.

Among audiophiles there are many adherents of both single-driver models (lack of filters and therefore less phase distortion), and multi-driver models (more phase distortion due to filters, but with an advantage in some other parameter: overload capacity, deep raised bass, etc.) .P.).

Lots of emitters and sound quality

Recently, manufacturers are trying to fit as many reinforcing radiators into the earpiece as possible, hinting that the more emitters, the higher the quality. Today, among mass products, the number of drivers reaches 6 pcs. In non-bulk and Custom headphones, the number of drivers reaches 12 or more (for example, JH Audio Layla).


Custom headphones with “total” 8 emitters

A large number of emitters does not always give a gain in quality and creates problems with the dimensions of the final headphones, this limits the mass production of headphones with more than 3 emitters. In most cases, with comparable dimensions to the three-driver model, the 6-driver model simply uses smaller reinforcing radiators. For example, Westone W60 uses 6 emitters, but there are three bands for reproduction, and two identical emitters are used for each band. Cost with this approach increases in no way in proportion to quality.

When it comes to Custom models, it is often determined by the ear cast which maximum number of emitters can be used and which headphone models are automatically excluded.

What is the real use of models with a huge number of drivers?

In concert monitors, they try to increase the sensitivity of the headphones due to the large number of emitters, which in turn provides loud sound even from weak sources (you never have to work with what equipment on stage).

Usually, if an ordinary user takes concert monitors, he often starts complaining about the good audibility of background noise from a source (such as a phone). Most companies that develop multi-driver models focus on musicians, and for this reason, one must meticulously approach the choice of multi-driver headphones - the result does not often coincide with expectations. Most concert monitors are designed to operate in environments with increased noise and in a less noisy environment. In this case, the transition from traditional models with three emitters does not contribute to the transition to a new level of quality, but only empties the wallet.

For audiophiles, it is necessary to configure the emitters so that they work in the light mode with a low level of distortion at the usual sensitivity of the headphones.



In addition to the quantity and quality of the emitters, filters (crossover), which divide the sound stream into separate frequency ranges, strongly influence the sound. Due to the inability to use inductors and large capacitors, crossover and selection of emitters is a very expensive part in the development and sometimes affects the final quality more than the quality of the emitters individually. Headphones with a large number of emitters and a low price (albeit seemingly adequate for the total price of components) can be significantly inferior to eminent models, with a seemingly simpler elemental base.

As for the choice between Custom and ordinary headphones with comparable accessories from one manufacturer, an individual case usually costs from $ 200 to $ 500.

Round reinforcement

A separate type of reinforcing emitters is round reinforcement, many known by the name of the first successful Siren Armature series. The round shape repeats dynamic emitters and competes with them only due to the quality or nature of the sound. The main advantage is a higher sensitivity and lack of neck. Today, with round reinforcement, you can find mostly single-driver high-end models (such as Grado GR8 and GR10 ). In most cases, headphones with round reinforcement demonstrate a neutral and even sound with high detail. Interestingly, the Grado GR10 is positioned higher than the GR8, although the class of headphones is the same and the models differ in tonal balance, the GR8 has a darker sound, and the GR10 is lighter.

Earlier, single-driver headphones with wideband reinforcing emitters were for many de facto standard quality (Etymoic ER-4, Klipsh X10, etc.), then headphones with round reinforcement rather confidently replaced the leading places.

Models with junior emitters of round reinforcement did not take root in the market (S-Jays, Fischer Audio SBA-1), because There was no obvious advantage over traditional balanced armature or speaker. The application for the use of “Siren Armature” as a guarantor of quality did not cause delight among consumers, because there were high expectations from different groups. Headphones could not compete with the reinforcement Etymoic ER-4 and Klipsh X10 in detail, but with dynamic models in quality.

Advantages and disadvantages of a reinforcing radiator

Benefits

• Most emitters do not require a separate camera (equivalent volume). This allows you to use the headphone case of any shape.
• Single-driver reinforcing headphones have an impedance boost in the high-frequency region, which allows you to reduce the distortion level of the headphone amplifier and get a better sound (for example, in Grado GR8 and GR10).

disadvantages

• With equal dimensions of reinforcing and dynamic emitters, parity is at best parity; at worst, the loss of a reinforcing emitter is in the low-frequency region. A reinforcing radiator can take advantage only in a multi-driver system where a separate driver will be responsible for individual frequency ranges (for example, small-sized lightweight for high frequencies, the largest and heaviest for low frequencies as in Shure SE425, Ultimate Ears TripleFi 10).
• Low frequencies are the most difficult for reinforcing radiators (low travel and neck), and after the usual multi-driver reinforcing headphones, hybrid systems began to appear, where the speaker is responsible for the low-frequency range, and the armature is responsible for the medium and high ranges (for example, Sony XBA-Z5 , AKG K3003 , T-PEOS H-100 ).
  
  The hybrid system requires a separate camera for the speaker and therefore ergonomics repeats traditional dynamic models.

Features

• If for dynamic headphones, the resistance value indirectly affects the sensitivity to voltage and high-impedance headphones belong to the “quiet and unsuitable for portable” class, then reinforcing headphones do not have such a connection. The resistance can reach up to hundreds of ohms and compete in volume level with dynamic headphones with a resistance of 16 ohms.
• For multi-driver reinforcing headphones, the impedance line can have a high spread of peaks and dips and, accordingly, require a high-quality amplifier to unlock the potential of the headphones. Depending on the nature of the impedances of the headphones and amplifier, the final frequency response of the headphones will change.

Quality and type of emitter

Reinforcing headphones are often considered better quality, but it is important not to fall for some manipulations.

Flat frequency response

Due to the low overload capacity, most reinforcing headphones do not have a rise in the low-frequency region, which ensures a smooth frequency response (technically correct). In certain cases, this can be qualified as higher quality - this is a more correct tonal balance and often “fast and articulated” bass. However, there is a psychoacoustic adaptation to tonal sound by the ear, similar to adjusting vision to white balance. In addition, on the street and transport, the rise in the low-frequency region is compensated by the surrounding low-frequency hum and therefore dynamic headphones for the street are in high demand.
A flat frequency response exists not only in reinforcing headphones, among dynamic headphones there are exceptions to the rules in the form of "non-bass" models, like Hifiman ReZero, Re 100/400.

But ceteris paribus, if necessary, the choice of headphones with a "flat" frequency response reinforcing one-driver headphones is preferable, because it is easier for the amplifier to work out the mid and high-frequency range of reinforcing headphones and, accordingly, get less distortion at the output.

The most expensive headphones are reinforcing, which means the best

Among the most expensive models of headphones, you can see mainly reinforcing models. High cost is dictated by the quantity, quality (cost) of emitters and filter settings.

In most cases, multi-driver dynamic models cannot be made due to the geometry of dynamic emitters and the housing requirement. This provides superiority among the most expensive headphones for reinforcing models. But the concept of “best” applies only within its price range, and not to all models.

Audiophile preferences

Ideological battles, which is better, have been going on for a long time and are not going to stop. Someone in his collection holds several models of headphones for the mood or a particular genre of music. For others, preferences are temporary, a couple of years “fittings”, then “I’m tired of the fresh sound, I want meat”, switching to dynamic headphones and back after the statement “tired of the hollowing bass, I want to relax.” Everything is like with amplifiers: “transistor” or “lamp”.

Output

Reinforcing emitter is a full-fledged alternative to a dynamic emitter. Due to design features, the headphone housing with reinforcing emitters can be of any shape and allows the use of a multi-driver system.
The sound quality depends on the specific model, but due to the fact that the roots of the development of reinforcing headphones go into the professional field, in most cases reinforcing headphones have a more natural sound. Dynamic headphones (within their price group) are leaders in bass depth and high overload capacity, which is why they are in high demand for the street.
Inveterate audiophiles very often keep different types of headphones in their collection or periodically change them. What kind of headphones do you use?

Author Kuznetsov Roman romanrex