Inside the Yamaha YH-4000: Planar Mastery Redefined

In addition to a new closed-back headphone, Yamaha has also released a new open-back headphone. This one sits squarely in the middle of the YH-C3000 and the YH-5000SE, at a retail price of $2,499.95. The Yamaha YH-4000 is an impressive combination of a planar magnetic driver and ultra lightweight design. This review will dive deep into all the finer details so you can take a look at what might be your next upgrade. 

The first thing I noticed about the YH-4000 is the lightweight build. The YH-4000 only weighs 320g, which helps for long listening sessions to prevent fatigue over time. In addition to the lightweight design, the leather and suede earpads were light and breathable, which was great for preventing fatigue. It's a great headphone for wearing all day, to become completely immersed in your listening and forget you were even wearing it. The look leans into a futuristic-technology aesthetic, with fun mechanical details on the outside for added flair. 

The YH-4000 comes with one proprietary cable that terminates to 3.5mm. It also comes with a screw-on adapter, which is perfect for when you want to plug into your other gear. Unfortunately, 3rd party cables are not compatible with the YH-4000, so you'll have to get replacement cables directly from the company. Be on the lookout for 3rd party cables that specifically clarify they are compatible with the headphone. 

The YH-4000 headphones are also relatively easy to drive, but that doesn't mean they still couldn't benefit from a nice amplifier. Using a portable amp like the Chord MOJO 2 was a perfect match, though I particularly liked how the iFi Valkyrie accentuated the dynamic sound signature. Desktop amplifiers like the FiiO K13 R2R were also good matches to the YH-4000. 

• Retail Price: $2,499.95
• Headphone Type: Over-Ear
• Housing: Open-Back
• Driver: Orthodynamic (Planar magnetic)
• Frequency Response: 5Hz - 70kHz
• Sensitivity (SPL): 97 dB/mW (at 1kHz)
• Weight: 320 g (11.3oz)
• Impedance: 34 Ω (at 1kHz)

SOUNDSTAGE & IMAGING

Now for the question everyone is awaiting the answer to: how does the YH-4000 sound? My initial listening impressions revealed that this headphone has a remarkably wide soundstage. It makes this an immersive listening experience with sound wrapping around your head and fully placing you in the space. Depth and separation are there, as the layers definitely build outwards and backwards. High-end frequencies give the headphone height, so your listening experience fully surrounds your head. The low end keeps things grounded and stable, so elements have a place to fall back to when they ring out. 

The YH-4000's signature isn't quite natural. There is a distinct tuning that gives the bass good slam and body, as well as the treble taking on sharper and pitched characteristics. You have a very dynamic tuning, one that is almost U-shaped because of the slightly recessed midrange. It handles a lot of genres very well, favoring pop and singer-songwriter tracks just as much as rock or jazz. 

BASS FREQUENCIES

For an open-back headphone, the YH-4000's bass was highly impressive. It is punchy and thick, coming out to drive fast-paced tracks with ease. The YH-4000 got a response reminiscent of that in the YH-C3000, but slightly thinner. With bass boosting filters turned on (like from the Valkyrie), you can hear that punch even stronger. The bass delivers detail and texture that doesn't get lost as you add more power to it. It doesn't quite sound natural, and like the YH-C3000, there is a warped quality to it that keeps you entertained and wanting more. That warped quality is one of my favorite things about the bass, and it was fun to hear it in genres like rock, EDM, folk, and jazz. All the instruments in the YH-4000's low range got an extra boost of life. 

MIDRANGE FREQUENCIES

The midrange is highly detailed and fairly transparent. The YH-4000 has a midrange that is a bit recessed compared to the treble and bass, creating the U-shaped signature mentioned earlier. It isn't a very jarring offset, but it was enough to be noticeable and make certain elements awkward to listen to. Most particularly, the vocals were a bit strange. While most headphones have vocals that are dead center and everything filters around it, the YH-4000 had a vocal reproduction that stayed recessed and got hidden behind other instruments. Because these instruments were panned in certain ways, it was like the vocals were off-center as well. It took some time to get used to, but it was fine to listen to all the same. 

Other instruments in this range were excellently reproduced and had high detail throughout. The YH-4000's midrange shone when it came to instrumental tracks, like in jazz or orchestral works. I was a fan of the guitar breaks in rock songs because of the twang coming from electric guitars, or the extra snap of percussion from drum kits. Instruments were easy to distinguish between and had distinct qualities that made them fun to listen to. I could pick apart each instrument in the YH-4000 and place them perfectly in the field, thanks to the wide and immersive soundstage. 

TREBLE FREQUENCIES

In the YH-4000, the top end brings the entire signature together for a cohesive listening experience. The treble is sharp, has good detail, and attacks when it needs to. There is enough transparency to give a sense of space, but not too much to make the range feel thin or lacking. Frequencies reach their peaks and don't cut off abruptly, and instead have space to naturally die out. Spaces get their own sound, and you can hear reverbs ring out and take shape. I found this especially noticeable in large orchestral recordings where the sound of the room is just as important as the instruments themselves. The way the top end opens up prevents the signature from becoming too compressed. They make spaces bigger than just what may be confined to the soundstage of YH-4000. The balance between the top end and the fullness of the low end brings the whole signature together for a great listening experience in the YH-4000. 

On paper, the two top-tier open-back Yamaha headphones look almost identical. With only a slight difference in sensitivity, there isn't much that sets them apart. Even their looks are pages out of the same book. Notably, the YH-5000SE comes with a 4.4mm cable as opposed to only a 3.5mm cable like the YH-4000. So what makes them so different? Are you getting a $5,000 experience with the YH-4000 and saving a ton of money? Or does the YH-5000SE prove to be the ultimate upgrade? 

Listening to both side by side, you'll find there are some sonic differences. The YH-4000 has a sound signature that isn't quite neutral, but is definitely more balanced than that of the YH-5000SE. The soundstage is wider in the YH-4000, whereas the YH-5000SE opts for a more intimate sound reproduction. I found the bass to be clear and detailed in both headphones, and the high end was sharp with precision for both as well. The midrange on the YH-5000SE came forward as opposed to going back on the YH-4000, so you got more vocal clarity and texture from the YH-5000SE than the YH-4000. 

At the end of the day, both headphones from Yamaha offer a great listening experience, but are good for different things. If vocal reproduction and 4.4mm connection are important, the YH-5000SE may be worth the extra money. People looking for a 

The Yamaha YH-4000 presents a great option for people looking for a high-end sound that is different from the rest. The lightweight and comfortable wear style is enough to sway anyone, and when you pair it with a wide, immersive listening experience, you've got a real winner. The vocal reproduction may be a bit funky, and the sole proprietary cable could be bothersome to people who want to upgrade their cables. However, the sound quality leans into fun, immersive listening that you can do all day without fatigue. The YH-4000 is definitely a headphone that should be on people's lists, especially when you're looking to make a serious upgrade. 

You can audition and purchase the Yamaha YH-4000 at Audio46.