Yamaha recently released a slew of new wireless products. They’ve launched both over-ear and in-ear Bluetooth devices in a few different price ranges. Their flagship set of true wireless earbuds is the TW-E7B, which goes for $279.99 at full price. Yamaha has had some recent acclaim with their latest high-end headphones: the 5000SE. Can Yamaha strike the same positive reaction with the E7B?

What You Get

• Earbuds
• Charging case
• USB power cable
• Ear tips (XS, S, M, L, XL)

Look & Feel

There is an interesting design going on with the E7B. They remind me a bit of the Sony WF-1000XM4, but thinner. The inner cavity is actually much bigger though, but that doesn’t infer a cumbersome fit. The E7B doesn’t resemble most other true wireless earbuds, but it makes its construction work with the level of comfort on display. You can easily pick them out of a pack full of other true wireless earbuds and I think that is significant to its overall memorability and branding.

Design & Functionality

A 10mm dynamic driver lies within the E7B’s housing, and it boasts an average level of output that is nothing out of the ordinary from what we’re used to hearing from true wireless. There is some good headroom with the E7B, but its loudness depends mostly on the listener. I thought it was versatile enough for what they are, and ANC makes it a bit more manageable. The level of noise-canceling is good but it is quickly outdone by other true wireless earbuds in this price range.

Its isolation works well when you’re sitting in a room with loud vents, but it doesn’t cancel out a whole lot else. You also get environmental modes, a gaming mode that increases latency, and a stable function for phone call support. There is also a companion app that houses an EQ, and it is notably separate from Yamaha’s headphones app that gives you 3D capabilities. 

Bluetooth

Yamaha gives the E7B the latest version of Bluetooth tech with 5.2. Pairing is fast and simple, featuring Qualcomm support with aptX CODECs. 

Battery Life

You’ll be able to enjoy the E7B for around six hours off a single charge. With the case, that time is increased by sixteen more hours, making a total of 22 hours of use. The E7B is able to charge quickly, so you can get a lot of playtime from them before you need to plug them back in for a while.

Soundstage 

It’s interesting to see Yamaha’s new flagship true wireless earbuds go in a different direction than their recently launched Bluetooth headphones. You’d think both flagship wireless products would include the 3D option that the L700A introduced, but the E7B leaves that feature out, which is unfortunate. That’s not to say that these earbuds can’t have a good stereo soundstage on their own, I just like having more customization in my wireless sound.

Although it is strange that Yamaha would release the E7B without its already introduced 3D mode, these earbuds can still showcase a good stereo image. It’s not the widest or the most spacious I’ve heard over true wireless, but the E7B does a good job of giving you a tight bubble of sound to enjoy. Instruments are more spatially distinct and separated but never come outside of an interior headspace. Sound elements appear where they are meant to, and they’re given just enough depth as to not feel totally linear in the mix. 

Low End

Yamaha tunes the bass here in a way that immediately engages you with its response. The frequencies and transients are quick and tight, but also meaty. It’s a thickness that is treated with control, leaving out foggy resonances. The EQ doesn’t even need to be adjusted too much to accomplish this, and it responds well when you want to add more impact and vibration. I was particularly impressed by how many layers the E7B was able to communicate from underneath. It gives the sub-bass a stronger presence. This timbre is fuller as a result and it pairs perfectly with the genres that most benefit from this type of low-end, such as most rock sub-genres, metal, and electronic music. 

Mids

You definitely start to hear things smooth out in the midrange. With EQ, instruments, and vocals can have some form of bite, but it still never feels very natural. On their own, the mids are softer and neutral, never expressing much emphasis, but also never appearing too recessed. There is just enough definition in these frequencies to make a surface-level impression. It is strictly inoffensive to the ear. 

Highs

Like the mids, the highs on the E7B are also not very flashy. There’s a bit of a roll-off towards the very top of the spectrum, but it doesn’t leave the timbre feeling hollow. Without EQ, the highs are reserved but never feel too absent. The sound signature feels more complete with the amount of gain given to the treble, and with EQ, some added height can be established with certain instruments. The timbre of the frequency content seems a little too dull at times, and EQ only helps to enhance its presence. However, it doesn’t exactly give you the different flavors of treble you might be looking for.

Summary

If we’re judging the E7B just on its sound quality, then they’re perfectly fine for the price. Especially when you implement EQ, the sound signature has a lot of satisfying textures to offer. The bass is its strongest point, and the rest of the profile is flat enough to make some considerable changes that you can shape to your ears. Noise-canceling leaves something to be desired, and their overall functionality seems a little finicky. For the price, the E7B offers enough, but when up against other heavy hitters it can be a tougher sell. Apart from its cool design, the E7B might be missing a certain wow factor that sets it apart from its competition.

Check out the Yamaha TW E7B here at Audio46, or use the button below to Add to Cart directly.