Yamaha YH-C3000 vs DCA E3: Closed-Back Comparison Review

SOUNDSTAGE & IMAGING

Now we move on to the listening review portion. The YH-C3000 and the E3 present very unique sound signatures that are very fun to listen to and compare. Both have an impressively wide soundstage that is unexpected for closed-back headphones. The YH-C3000 utilizes this soundstage by presenting great spatialization and depth within the layers of the sound. You get really accurate imaging, and the depth of the sound is great for immersive listening. The sound isn't very dynamic to be solely for entertainment; there is a flatness to this that makes it a potential reference headphone for people as well.

On the other hand, the Dan Clark E3 presents an equally wide soundstage with even more detail in its imaging. This is a headphone that puts reference sound as the star quality. The natural sound reproduction is unmatched, making instruments sound realistic in timbre and texture. The sound has excellent depth to it to make frequencies build backwards and create an immersive listening environment, just like the YH-C3000. The E3 differs when you look at the dynamic sound, which stays even flatter than the YH-C3000 does.

In their overall sound signature, I found the Dan Clark to be more balanced and relaxed than the Yamaha. The E3 took the sound and laid it openly on a flat plane, while the YH-C3000 had very frontal sound that displayed the coloration more than the reference sound.

BASS FREQUENCIES

The bass in the YH-C3000 is one of my favorite features. This sound isn't quite natural; as a matter of fact, it has a certain 'warped' quality that keeps it tight and controlled in any track. This warped quality makes all the bass and sub-bass frequencies have a fun coloration that makes bass-heavy genres pop. I was a big fan of the color and detail you got in this range, especially in the sub-bass, where frequencies can sometimes get muddy and washed out. The YH-C3000 handles low register detail and clarity with the utmost smoothness and resolution.

The Dan Clark E3 takes a more relaxed approach to the bass. Instead of overly punchy and forward sound, the bass stays a bit recessed and attacks just when it needs to. It makes the detail in this range highly noticeable, and it prevents a washed-out and hollow sound. There is a good amount of warmth and depth to this range, stretching all the way to the sub frequencies, so you get a full-bodied sound. This sound might come off as too clinical or flat for someone who loves the bass sound: the Yamaha is a better match for that. This is for people who want to hear complete detail and not have the bass be at the forefront of the signature. 

MIDRANGE FREQUENCIES

The midrange is where both of the headphones shine. You get startling detail from each, but in different ways. The YH-C3000 is an excellent example of a forward midrange, where frequencies are pushed just above the rest for a small V-shaped signature. It is a subtle push, so you still get the midrange interacting with the other frequencies. This is where the YH-C3000 gets the most natural and honest sound, and the coloration leans into the realism more than a fun and entertaining tuning. The sound in the YH-C3000's midrange is an ideal blend in color and timbre to give analytical listeners the detail they crave while also giving audiophiles premium sound quality entertainment. 

If it's solely reference sound you're looking for, the Dan Clark E3 has you covered. With spatial detail and instrumental timbre reproduced with peak clarity, the E3 has all the sound qualities to give a top-notch, detailed listening experience. The sound is very immersive in this range, sitting at the same level as the bass and treble to give smooth transitions from one range to the next. The separation in this range is largely heard in this depth and backwards expansion. It may not have the same coloration as the Yamaha, but it gives listeners analytical sound that they can appreciate in any genre. 

TREBLE FREQUENCIES

In the top end, the Yamaha jumps out and speaks immediately. Upon an initial listen, I was taken aback by the sharpness in this range. The treble was very bright and shot out amongst midrange frequencies that were trying to take center stage instead. I thought this treble response would be too much for my liking, but instead I was met with a sound that smoothed out over time. After running the headphones for a bit, the treble in the YH-C3000 became smoother and lighter, and it separated from the midrange to create its own field of detail and color. The space you get from the Yamaha in this range was also commendable, as it made the headphone seem less compressed and more spacious than you'd think. 

Some of these characteristics are shared in the Dan Clark E3. There is an excellent sense of top-end space from this range, making instruments feel uncompressed and frequencies open to ring out naturally. This just adds on to the natural sound and space the E3 creates for all the genres you put through it. It is even with the bass to bring a nice balance to the signature as a whole, and has a light and airy feeling, so the top end doesn't get too sharp. The E3 manages to maintain clarity and precision in the top end, much like the YH-C3000, but does so with more delicacy that doesn't hit you too fast.