Sound Impressions
Bass
The low end of the Yamaha YH-E700A is relatively mild, it is not what I could ever consider bass-head worthy, but it is also not lacking. The tone and presentation are both immensely pure feeling in structure.
This is a very clinical bass tone, like most “monitor” headphones out there intended for mixing artists. Of course, that makes sense, as Yamaha likely wants musicians and producers who are working on instruments live in a studio to be using this YH-E700A model.
The bass responsiveness to alteration and boosting is also relatively fine. I can drop in a +5dB before I start to experience anything of what I’d call a negative tone.
Interestingly, the wired connection variation of using this headphone yields a more powerful and thickened bass experience vs the fully wireless option. Fidelity overall is on par with $199 headphones in the current era.
The entire low end though, is of a thinner appeal in texture, compared to something a bit thicker and fuller-bodied in the Sennheiser Momentum and even the much cheaper 1MORE SonoFlow.
Mids
The vocal experience is forward, and once more, a very pure feeling. This seems to be the generally preferred house sound of Yamaha these days, which is cool, I guess. I prefer the warmer and thicker appeal.
I understand a lot of others do not like that, nor care about the tonal heft. But, in the vocalists’ experiences out there, I think that having a tonal heft is the wiser option and that Yamaha could have boosted the mid-tone a bit to make it seem a little more wooly and well-rounded.
In stock form, the experience is sharpened, a purified feeling, and crystalline in nature. If you like the sterile clarity and quality of studio monitors, then you’ll like these headphones.
The upper mids are lacking a nasalness that I am unfond of, so that makes me super happy. Studio monitors usually have a brightened treble experience and that is in fact the case with this YH-E700A.
But the upper mids are very well tapered off and do not suffer from the overly brightened and washed-out appeal that is commonplace in the budget to mid-fi headphones that are regarded as “studio monitors”.
Treble
The treble on the Yamaha YH-E700A is bright, engaging, and vivid in physical slam. But not painfully or annoyingly so. As I’ve said many times, finally, companies understand that you can get brightness without overly slamming the entire experience into the ears of the listener.
The YH-E700A is relatively mild and enjoyable with a physical strike and slam effect on the top side, which really makes me quite happy.
The treble in general is very clinical in tonality. The entire headphone is very “studio monitor” in that regard. For $199 to the original $349 MSRP price point, the quality is spot on for what I would want to be paying for what I get in return.
The fidelity factor on the Sennheiser Momentum 4 has a much darker backdrop than the YH-E700A, which forces the treble to appear less bright, less in your face, less potent, and much softer overall. The YH-E700A is brighter, hits harder, and is more precise.
Imaging
The YH-E700A is one of the most balanced-sounding headphones I’ve ever reviewed. It is very linear across the board for all sound staging experiences.
The depth of field, height, width, and overall airiness are all damned near equal abundance. It is one of the most perfectly square-shaped feeling imaging experiences that I’ve ever used in any headphone.
Not one area of the imaging fights for dominance, every area is pretty much equal in heft and sizing. The sound staging sizing factors are all average though and do not extend into the tier of what I would call great imaging prowess.
However, it almost doesn’t matter, because having a perfectly coherent imaging sound void makes your ears feel like they are hearing an effortless, normalized, and eerily coherent imaging field.
Synergy
Wired Performance
The YH-E700A is very easy to drive and doesn’t require any amplification. It also doesn’t matter what amp or source tone you use on it, since the tone of the headphone is wildly sterile, there is almost nothing you can do to alter it and make it sound warmer or cooler than it already is.
Every amp I used retained the same general sound signature, so this headphone is stubborn in that regard, but that means it is highly synergized and plays well with anything.
It literally doesn’t matter what DAP or amp you have on hand; the tone will not change. So, stick with a good and solid mid-fi amp or portable music player, and don’t think twice about power needs.
Bass, though, alters slightly with a ton more power. Absurd levels for a portable, something closer to 1watt of output power shouldn’t really be used with it, but it’s fine and it does make the rumble factor more enjoyable than when I use the standard 3.5mm output of the very same amp. So that might be something to consider.
Wireless Performance
The range caps out at about 35 feet, which seems the industry standard for some reason on reach. I just reviewed the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless and it also shared an identical wireless range.
However, the call quality on the Sennheiser is leagues better than the Yamaha. Hearing my own voice in playback and apparently to others in VOIP apps that I use, everyone has said they hear me come across much clearer than on the Momentum than the YH-E700A.
Despite that, the YH-E700A is still good at what it does for voice needs. The YH-E700A cuts down wind better than the 1MORE SonoFlow, but not as well as the Sennheiser. The Sennheiser is a bit more expensive these days, though, so take that with a grain of salt on the pricing tiers.
The biggest difference is that the YH-E700A automatically adjusts to exterior noise needs on the fly, scanning everything and adjusting the sound for you.
None of the other headphones I mentioned can automatically scan the world around you and sense if your earcup seal is 100%, or if it physically needs adjustment. The YH-E700A can do that.
Select Comparisons
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless
The Yamaha YH-E700A has a significantly more sterile and purified feel. It houses a much thinner tonality. But it is also a more coherent feeling in physical imaging size and shape.
The software also adjusts the sound based on exterior sounds around you, while the Momentum 4 Wireless doesn’t have the ability to do that.
The treble on the YH-E700A is more engaging and bright. The Momentum 4 Wireless has a significantly darker background to the sound void but is much softer in tone and physical impact from top to bottom. Also, the Momentum 4 Wireless is a small bass canon, while the YH-E700A is more of a treble master.
Cleer Alpha
Both headphones now have the same price at $199, the Cleer Alpha is massively more powerful in physical slam and has a hugely thickened tone overall, that vs the thinner YH-E700A across the board. Both imaging sets are relatively on par in quality and depth.
However, the YH-E700A is closer to perfect in sizing from width to height, to depth. The YH-E700A is also cleaner everywhere than the woolier and more musical Alpha. Also, the YH-E700A is much more comfortable and softer on my head.
1MORE SonoFlow
The 1MORE SonoFlow is much cheaper at $99 but it offers excellent VOIP and wind reduction potential, which surpassed the ability of the YH-E700A. Despite that, the YH-E700A is much cleaner everywhere.
The bass on the SonoFlow is much deeper and rumbled than the milder and more sterile approach of the YH-E700A. Battery life on the SonoFlow is absurdly great and just good on the YH-E700A.
Our Verdict
The Yamaha YH-E700A is a very neutral and almost reference-sounding studio monitor intended for portable usage or for producers or music recording artists.
The experience is a hyper pure feeling, and enjoyably engaging on the treble side without going into painful territory. Overall, the YH-E700A is a great option for the price if you like a straight-up neutral performance from your audio gear.
Yamaha YH-E700A Technical Specifications
- Noise Cancelling (Active) Yes
- Connection Type Wireless, Wired
- Wireless Connectivity Bluetooth
- True Wireless No
- Carrying Case Yes
- Headphone Fit Over-the-Ear
- Battery Life 35 hours
- Battery Charge Time 3.5 hours
- Works With Google Assistant, Siri
- Audio Noise Cancelling (Active)
- Minimum Frequency Response 8 hertz
- Maximum Frequency Response 40 kilohertz
- Driver Size 40 millimeters
- Connectivity Connection Type Wireless, Wired Wireless Connectivity Bluetooth
- Bluetooth Version 5.0
- Connector Size 1/8 in. (3.5mm)
- Detachable Cord Yes
- Battery Life 35 hours
- Battery Charge Time 3.5 hours
- Works With Google Assistant, Siri
