The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for influencing and/or detecting magnetic particles in a field of view (28), in particular for magnetic particle imaging (MPI). The proposed apparatus comprises selection means for generating a magnetic selection field (50) and drive means for generating a magnetic drive field for moving a field-free point along a predetermined trajectory through the field of view so that the magnetization of the magnetic material changes locally. According to the present invention a time-dependent oscillating drive field current is provided per drive field coil for driving the respective drive field coil, each drive field current having one or more individual oscillating frequencies and one or more individual current amplitudes and being generated by a corresponding drive field voltage per drive field coil (136a, 136b, 136c), each drive field voltage being generated by a superposition of a number of drive field voltage components including a drive field voltage component per drive field coil, wherein a drive field voltage component corresponding to a particular drive field coil comprises one or more sub-components, a sub-component having an individual voltage amplitude and having the same individual oscillating frequency as the respective drive field current of said particular drive field coil.
