The Yamaha YH-4000 is the latest addition to the brand’s growing lineup of open-back, planar magnetic headphones, designed for listeners who want to experience music in its most natural form. With its minimalist design and heritage-inspired construction, it represents Yamaha’s continued exploration of high-end personal audio. But how does this new model stand out in a market full of planar contenders, and what kind of listening experience does it really offer?
What You Get
- Yamaha YH-4000 headphones
- Headphone carrying case
- Leather & Suede hybrid earpads
- Unbalanced cable: 3.5mm (with 6.35mm screw-on adapter)
Look & Feel
The Yamaha YH-4000 takes after the YH-5000SE in terms of appearance. It’s almost exactly the same style of earcup, with its only differences being slight accent changes in the headband and connector colors. The only area where the YH-4000 is a noticeable downgrade from the YH-5000SE is with its headband yokes. While the frame of the headphones is stainless steel, it’s encased by plastic instead of aluminum. The stock cable is also a lot more basic. What makes the design of the YH-4000 worthwhile is its lightness and breathability. The body of the headphone is made from magnesium, and its earpads are suede, combining for a comfortable fit that I was able to wear for many hours without bother. The swivel of the ear cups helps out a lot for adjustment, and allows the headphones to feel secure without pinching down on your head.
Design
The Yamaha YH-4000 are open-back headphones, built around reengineered Orthodynamic (planar magnetic) drivers housed in open-back magnesium enclosures, delivering a responsive, airy sound. A triaxial mesh and PET filter regulate internal pressure and ensure clarity and tight low-end. This driver has a low impedance, but its sensitivity is a bit low, so a good DAC/Amp is suggested to do the sound justice. I used a Chord Mojo 2 for this review.
Soundstage
This is exactly the kind of soundstage you’d expect at this price point. The width and spatial imaging on the YH-4000 are fantastic, pinpointing sounds with exceptional separation and channel identity. I expected the YH-4000 to be a bit more linear, but its sound is remarkably holographic, striking a balance between accuracy and immersion in a highly engaging way. Arrangements dance around just outside of your head, but nothing about the imaging feels floaty. Everything is nailed down to a specific area in the sound field, but still wraps around your head like a bubble. This gives the soundstage a ton of dimension while still reproducing the most accurate representation of stereo positioning and pan movement. It completely engulfs your headspace, heightening critical listening factors with general enjoyment.
Low End
While the bass has a good amount of clarity and detail, the YH-4000 doesn’t have the type of profile that allows it to take center stage. Instead, the low end on the YH-4000 is balanced and neutral, with occasional heft and body showing up depending on the track. Synthpop and Electronic tracks provide the bass with a solid bloom, offering a clear shape in the mix, while R&B tracks offer good note density around the mid-bass. Sub-bass frequencies are subtle but can be felt with small vibrations here and there. If you’re looking for a consistent impact, the YH-4000 isn’t that kind of headphone, but its bass dynamics are still very concise and natural.
Mids
The midrange is the most dominant region of the YH-4000’s sound signature. You have the fundamental and upper-midrange sitting very forward in the mix, offering up a ton of gain for instruments to demonstrate fullness and clarity. Notes have a good amount of snap to them, especially from acoustic instruments. There’s a lot of articulation to strings, which feature the most resolving performances through the YH-4000. Layers of sound unfold and stack on each other naturally, exhibiting the YH-4000’s accuracy. While the majority of midrange frequencies sit forward, vocals showcase the most drive over many instruments. They’re raised slightly, featuring the floatiest elements of the sound signature. There’s a big space for voices on the YH-4000, resulting in powerful and expressive performances.
Highs
Aside from a few blaring frequencies, the highs are quite tame. Sometimes those powerful vocals can exceed a certain barrier, allowing for a hot treble to peak its way in, but overall, the highs have a tight control to them. They feature a neutral timbre that has a slight clickiness to it, which has enough height to really elevate cymbals. It’s not quite a sizzle, but their resposne is fairly even and easy to digest. Just like the rest of the frequency resposne, the highs have a natural tone that conveys accurate representation, but the frequencies aren’t too raw or bright that they distract from general enjoyment.
Summary
With its reengineered Orthodynamic drivers, magnesium housing, and precise tonal balance, the YH-4000 captures the essence of Yamaha’s high-end sound philosophy in a lighter, more approachable form. Its open, holographic soundstage and forward mids make it ideal for listeners who value musicality and spatial accuracy in equal measure. While the YH-4000 may lack the brute force of bass-heavy models, its natural timbre and detail-rich presentation reward patient, attentive listening. For anyone seeking a refined entry into Yamaha’s planar magnetic world, the YH-4000 delivers pure sonic authenticity with unmistakable character.
The Yamaha YH-4000 is available at Audio46.
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