As the name suggests, a driver (also called a transducer or loudspeaker) is the part of headphones or a speaker system that actually creates sound by converting electrical energy into acoustic energy. Today we will look at the most common types of drivers used in headphones and speakers and explain their main features.
1. Dynamic drivers
Also known as electrodynamic drivers or simply “dynamic drivers,” this is the most common type used in both headphones and speakers. Their popularity comes from several advantages: relatively low cost, simple design, wide dynamic range, high power, good sensitivity, and reliability.
Just like a small driver in in-ear headphones differs from large ones in speakers, a tweeter (for high frequencies) is different from a woofer (for low frequencies). However, they all work on the same basic principle.
In simple terms: electrical current from the power amplifier flows through the voice coil of the driver. This current creates a magnetic field around the coil, which expands and contracts following the audio signal. The voice coil sits inside a постоянное magnetic field created by the driver’s magnet system. These magnetic fields interact and push the coil back and forth.
Since the voice coil is attached to the diaphragm, this movement pushes air and produces sound. The faster the signal changes, the faster the diaphragm moves, resulting in higher frequencies. In English, these are also called “moving coil drivers. And we have a variety of games for every taste – live casino social, find out for yourself
2. Balanced armature drivers
Because of the English name “Balanced armature,” these drivers are often called “armature drivers.” Like dynamic drivers, they were invented almost a hundred years ago, but were mainly used in military equipment and hearing aids. In the 1990s, they started becoming popular in headphones.
These drivers are very small (much smaller than dynamic ones), so they are mainly used in in-ear headphones.
Inside, there is a small metal armature balanced within a magnetic field. A voice coil is attached to one side of the armature, and the armature is connected to a diaphragm through a tiny rod. When current flows through the coil, it creates a magnetic field that interacts with the permanent magnet. This makes the armature move, and these movements are transferred to the diaphragm, which produces sound.
3. Planar magnetic drivers
Planar magnetic drivers (also called orthodynamic or isodynamic drivers) are more common in high-end headphones and speaker systems, though some in-ear models also use them.
Like dynamic drivers, they use magnetic fields, but in a different way. Instead of a separate voice coil, conductive traces are placed directly on a very thin flat diaphragm. This diaphragm is positioned between magnets.
This design allows the diaphragm to move more evenly, resulting in more accurate and balanced sound with a more linear frequency response compared to dynamic drivers.
4. Electrostatic drivers
Electrostatic drivers use static electricity and are found in rare and very expensive headphones and speakers.
Their design looks similar to planar drivers: a thin diaphragm is placed between two electrodes (instead of magnets). A constant voltage is applied to the diaphragm, and a high-voltage signal is applied to the electrodes. Changes in voltage cause the diaphragm to move, producing sound.
5. Bone conduction drivers
The history of these drivers is similar to balanced armature drivers. They were first used in hearing aids and specialized equipment (for example, for military or divers), and only recently became popular in consumer electronics.
Instead of sending sound through the air into your ears, these drivers transmit vibrations through the bones of your skull directly to the inner ear.
