Expensive, but their performance is exceptional
Mention Yamaha and it is the Japanese brand’s enviable track record with home cinema amplifiers that comes to mind. The company is also a dominant force in musical instruments, motorcycles and more, but its smallish domestic headphone range tends to get overlooked. It seems Yamaha is determined to change that with the introduction of the range-topping YH-5000SE.
The YH-5000SE uses an orthodynamic driver, an older term for planar magnetic, where the diaphragm is etched with a voice coil and sits between opposing magnets. This arrangement has advantages compared with a conventional moving-coil driver as it has the potential for lower distortion because the diaphragm is driven over more of its surface area, and greater responsiveness thanks to its lower weight. The driver used here differs from conventional magnetic planar units by having a circular diaphragm with a spiral coil.
The YH-5000SE is an open-back design. It carefully manages the pressure around the drive unit with the use of Dutch weave stainless steel filters, and controls directivity with special shaping inside the earcup. The earcup housing is made of lightweight magnesium, while the rest of the structure uses a mix of steel, ABS, leather and aluminium. The result is a surprisingly light pair of headphones at just 320g. Add that low weight to the combination of a wide leather headband, large, softly cushioned earpads and carefully judged clamping pressure, and you have one of the most comfortable pairs of headphones we have worn.
General build quality is as good as you would expect at this premium price. These headphones feel beautifully engineered and are built with obvious care. But, unlike more luxurious alternatives such as the similarly priced Focal Utopia (2022), they have an aura of being a functional tool rather than something to impress friends with. We’re fine with that.
There are no two ways about it, these Yamaha headphones are exceptional performers. They come close to equivalently priced Stax electrostatics when it comes to outright resolution and clarity, but in our opinion deliver the sound with greater verve, which makes them a more enjoyable listen.
IMPECCABLE CLARITY
It is hard to think of an alternative that is as insightful and balanced. The Focals certainly deliver more in the way of punch and drive when we listen to Bruce Springsteen’s High Hopes set, but the Yamahas sound obviously more balanced and detailed. They reveal subtleties in texture and low-level informa
