Built to exceed the expectations of the most ardent of music lovers, the new Yamaha YH-5000SE headphones are the result of over six years of development efforts. The headphones draw inspiration and engineering know-how from legendary Yamaha Orthodynamic headphones from the 1970s, yet every aspect of the design has been wholly reimagined using the latest technologies and engineering methods. An equal level of care has been applied to the manufacturing process – the headphones are being built at the same factory in Kakegawa, Japan, that forges Yamaha flagship grand pianos and other premium audio products.
According to Yamaha, the YH-5000SE headphones are based on the original Orthodynamic driver reimagined using the latest technology, utilizing a thin, ultra-lightweight diaphragm to achieve dynamic contrast between stillness and motion. Yamaha's original Orthodynamic planar magnetic headphone captivated music enthusiasts in the 1970s, beginning with the famed Yamaha HP-1 headphones. Taking advantage of the latest technology, the engineering team redesigned this ultra-responsive driver, which encompasses a thin film diaphragm with metal coil patterning. To eliminate any degradation in sound quality, they've implemented various innovative measures that include eliminating the fixed central structure of conventional headphone drivers, ensuring shape retention by use of concentric circle corrugation and pattern reinforcement, and avoiding magnetic substances in the vicinity.
The specially developed thin-film diaphragm is the result of relentless prototyping, meticulous measurements, and rigorous analysis. It is manufactured by etching the voice coil with a unique pattern on both sides of the film and applying minute corrugation. As Yamaha describes, "The result is significant weight reduction compared to a conventional dynamic driver, providing outstanding responsiveness that brings out all the subtle nuances and delicate ambiance in the music. Moreover, highly permeable, micro-perforation air dampers are arranged on both sides to ensure the diaphragm motion can be accurately controlled for sound reproduction that doesn’t degrade the vibrant dynamism of the music. In addition, the rounded shape devoid of any fixed points other than the outer circumference maintains uninhibited movement of the entire film, enabling exceptionally full, yet clear low-frequency expression."
Employing an over-ear, open-back design, the large-capacity housing features ample internal acoustic volume for ideal operation of the ultra-thin film diaphragm. This creates a perfect airflow to prevent sound reflections inside the rear cavity and eliminates unwanted resonance at the back of the diaphragm. To control the internal air pressure, a newly developed, Japanese-made, rolled plain Dutch weave stainless steel filter was integrated into the housing.
The fitted two-layer headband evenly distributes the load on the head and optimizes lateral pressure, while a stepless slider adds the fine adjustment. In addition, it features an inclined swivel mechanism that smoothly stabilizes earpad surface pressure by tilting the rotation axis of the swivel. Weighing only 320 grams (courtesy of a magnesium housing), they are one of the lightest, high-end headphones in the world.
Each YH-5000SE package comes with a full range of high-quality accessories, including a dedicated headphone stand machined out of solid aluminum, two different cable systems for balanced and unbalanced driver sources, and two different types of earpads: sheepskin leather and synthetic suede. The new YH-5000SE flagship headphones will be available in early 2023 and retailing for $4,999.95 (MSRP).
www.yamaha.com
