Planar Loudspeaker

A type of dipole loudspeaker design that combines aspects of both dynamic and electrostatic designs. The planar speaker consists of a large plastic sheet with conducting wires imbedded in it. These wires function as the voice coil. Many small magnets in front of and behind the sheet set up a magnetic field so current in the wires causes a force that moves the unit, similar to an electrostatic speaker. Planar speakers suffer from the same directional problems as other dipole loudspeakers, but their impedance is more similar to dynamic designs.