After the attractive Yamaha YH-L700A and its intoxicating spatialization, the Japanese manufacturer is enriching its range with the YH-E700B, Bluetooth headphones with luxurious looks, equipped with a sound processing processor that adapts its signature according to the noises that surround it. the listener. A good idea, because the presence of extraneous noise alters our ability to hear certain frequencies correctly. By strengthening them, the Yamaha YH-E700B is therefore likely to offer a better sound experience.
Yamaha YH-E700BTechnical sheet
Model | Yamaha YH-E700B |
---|---|
Format |
Wireless Headset |
Removable battery |
No |
Microphone |
Yes |
Active noise reduction |
1 |
Autonomy announced |
32 hours |
connector type |
USB Type-C |
Weight |
335g |
Price |
399 |
Product sheet |
This test was carried out with a helmet provided by the manufacturer.
Yamaha YH-E700BDesign
The Yamaha YH-E700B are imposing circum-aural headphones, but elegant in their cream leather livery, car upholstery style. Foldable, it has a generously padded headband and thick memory foam ear cups. For the controls, the manufacturer preferred to rely exclusively on push buttons, distributed on the two shells. The one on the right receives the power button and Bluetooth pairing, as well as two smaller volume management buttons. On the left side, there is the button for activating the noise reduction system and the transparency mode. The USB-C port – which is only used for charging – and the 3.5 mm mini-jack input are installed at the base of the earbuds. The build quality is very good, as are the materials used. The Yamaha badge embedded in each headset, the yokes or the control buttons are thus made of anodized aluminum and tinted gold.
The comfort of wearing the Yamaha YH-E700B largely depends on the size of the listener’s ears, as the space in the center of the pads is so small. Bad pickaxe, mine are too big for him and prolonged contact is tiring. Furthermore, at over 330 grams, the YH-E700B is quite heavy and its inertia is noticeable during slightly rapid head movements, or simply while walking. It won’t fall off, no, but you’ll never forget you’re wearing it.
On the contrary, the ease of use is very good, the buttons falling naturally under the thumbs and the only action allowed being direct pressure. No need therefore to push, direct the control buttons. There is no risk of being wrong.
Yamaha provides a nice shell storage case with fleece lining inside. The charging cable, 3.5 mm mini-jack line and an airplane adapter are there.
Yamaha YH-E700BUse and application
To take full advantage of your headphones, Yamaha offers to download the Headphone Control app. This gives access to the advanced settings of the headset. The application allows you to disable voice confirmations or automatic port detection, but not to configure the control buttons as you wish. Here are the main functions available in the app:
- Sound equalization: five equalization profiles are offered to the user, but they struggle to convince due to a lack of balance. Fortunately, two custom profiles can be created, playing with the 5 keys of the equalizer. The results obtained are therefore interesting. During my tests, I pushed the low frequency key to the maximum, added a hint of high bass and quite a bit of treble, leaving the mids alone. The sound has thus gained in thickness.
- Listening Optimizer: the headset uses its microphones to determine the sound environment around the user and the sounds that could, despite the ANC, disturb music listening. The music is then automatically equalized, with a reinforcement of certain frequencies to improve the intelligibility of the sound message. This mode gives valid results outdoors, but deserves to be deactivated in a quiet environment, because in this case it brings an unnecessary coloration to the sound. In absolute terms, nothing revolutionary here.
- Listing Care Advanced: beware of this function which is activated by default and compresses the dynamic margin. This means that all sounds can be heard without marked differences in intensity, like a radio station. We like it or not, but there is more to lose than to gain, the fine variations of intensity of the music being removed.
The USB-C socket is only for battery charging and not for digital audio playback from a computer or smartphone. However, it is possible to use an external analog source, via the mini-jack input and the cable provided by Yamaha. Listening is possible even with the headphones off, with a slightly drier sound signature. Still, it’s best to listen via Bluetooth, as it’s only in this mode that EQ profiles can be applied, including those designed by the user. And we will see later that they are very useful.
Bluetooth: full of codecs, but monopoint
The Yamaha YH-EB700 is compatible with Google Fast Pair pairing and is therefore easily associated with an Android smartphone. Too bad the multipoint connection is not supported, which forces you to manually disconnect from one device to pair with another. The multipoint function is nevertheless practical, especially for those who juggle between their computer and their smartphone, for example. Especially since it is offered by the overwhelming majority of high-end helmets on the market. The Bluetooth range is beyond reproach and does indeed last up to 10 meters as advertised, and through thin walls. On the Bluetooth audio codec side, SBC, AAC, aptX and aptX HD are supported, with, let’s say, inaudible differences, clearly less than those that can be heard from one smartphone to another.
As for Bluetooth latency, we measured it at around 230 ms, with active audio processing. It is possible to save a few milliseconds by activating the game mode, but there is still a lag between image and sound. As a reminder, this phenomenon only concerns video games and not the films or series that can be viewed.
Yamaha YH-E700BActive noise reduction
First good surprise, the ANC system works very well and eliminates noise over a wide sound spectrum, from bass to midrange. With the Yamaha YH-E700B, one can stroll down the street and enjoy clear sound free from excessive noise. Listening comfort decreases only in the most extreme conditions (car on the motorway, squeaking switches in a tram, etc.). And again, that’s reasonable.
Bose remains one step ahead, but the pleasure provided by these Yamaha headphones is of a very good level. Still, activating the ANC has a (slight) impact on the sound signature, the sound losing a bit of breadth and punch. The transparency mode is also satisfactory and lets you hear what is happening around you, intelligibly, even while listening to music. It is easy to chat with someone by activating it.
Yamaha YH-E700BAudio
Little is known about the transducers on board the Yamaha YH-E700B headphones, at most that they are classic 40 mm dynamic models, covering the audio spectrum from 8 Hz to 20 kHz, which is much more than our ears can’t hear. So much the better.
Passed to the measuring bench, the Yamaha YH-E700B reveals a particularly uneven response curve, with two peaks of intensity in the midrange and treble. The first bump, between 600 Hz and 1 kHz, considerably reinforces the presence of female and male voices, while the second, around 12 kHz, brings a lot of brilliance to the treble. The problem is that the low register is in fact clearly set back in terms of volume and that the sound signature of the YH-E700B is unbalanced. It is therefore necessary to play with the equalizer to reinforce the low end of the spectrum, or even calm the heat of the headphones in the midrange. Either way, the distilled sound is surprisingly civilized, if not sweet. On the other hand, and the biggest problem of this helmet is there, its spatialization is very poorly controlled, very insufficient at this level of range. The difference with the Yamaha YH-L700A, which is also tonally better balanced, is striking.
The stereo lacks separation and a mass of information jostles in the center, without clear organization. In fact, in the frontal axis, the scene is packed, without any depth. This tight scene is linked to an average dynamic, which standardizes what we listen to: rock, jazz, rap… everything sounds a bit the same. Simply put, the Yamaha YH-E700B doesn’t really make you want to nod your head or tap your feet to the beat.
- Bass: limited extension, despite the announced 8 Hz, the infra-bass is clearly not there and it lacks nerve.
- Medium: nice presence in the central part, which benefits the vocals
- Treble: pleasant generosity and brilliance, tarnished, however, by a recessed finesse
Yamaha YH-E700BMicrophone
You can make phone calls with the Yamaha YH-E700B, but with moderately satisfactory quality. The capture of the user’s voice is marred by surrounding noise, which struggles to be filtered by the algorithms of the on-board processor. In addition, my voice was perceived during my tests as lower than usual. As for the interlocutor, we can hear him well, but the sound lacks treble, which forces his attention to be forced a little. Damage.
Yamaha YH-E700BAutonomy
With its 330 grams, it would have been unfortunate that the Yamaha YH-E700B was not enduring. Yamaha advertises up to 32 hours without ANC. I measured with an iPhone at 50% volume, ANC and equalization profile active, a battery life of around 30:15. It’s absolutely excellent. Charging the battery takes up to 3.5 hours.
Yamaha YH-E700BPrice and release date
The Yamaha YH-E700B is available in a black or beige finish, priced at €399 including VAT. Before being tempted, a look at the Yamaha YH-L700A test is in order.
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