Yamaha YH-L700A review
Our Verdict
Despite its large form and price point, the $499 Yamaha YH-L700A is a worthy spatial audio competitor to the AirPods Max.
For
- Excellent spatial audio performance
- Great sound quality for music and calls
- Sharp-looking design
- Respectable ANC
- Excellent connectivity
Against
- Huge and heavy
- Uneven battery life
- Expensive
Tom's Guide Verdict
Despite its large course and price point, the $499 Yamaha YH-L700A is a worthy spatial audio competitor to the AirPods Max.
Pros
- +
Excellent spatial audio operation
- +
Great sound quality for music and calls
- +
Sharp-looking design
- +
Respectable ANC
- +
Splendid connectivity
Cons
- -
Huge and heavy
- -
Uneven battery life
- -
Expensive
The Yamaha YH-L700A is the latest pair of noise-cancelling headphones to enter the 3D audio market at a luxury price indicate. So, what does $499 get you lot? Spatial audio, active noise cancellation, aptX Adaptive support, companion app access with multiple listening modes, and head tracking, all in a sleek, ultramodern package.
Yamaha YH-L700A specs
Colors:Black
Battery life (rated): 11 hours (with ANC and 3D Sound Field on), 34 hours (with ANC on and 3D Sound Field off)
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0
Processor: Non stated
Size: 3.5 ten 8 10 10.v inches
Weight: 11.64 ounces
- The best headphones overall
- Find a deal with the best Apple AirPods Max alternatives
Sound quality is elite, thanks to a wide soundstage and special features that augment the listening feel in unique ways. Yous'll also get serviceable call quality, controls, and noise neutralization out of these cans.
On the flipside, the design is huge, which won't be to everyone'due south tastes. There's besides a notable disparity in playtimes depending on the listening style.
These flaws aside, though, the Yamaha YH-L700A gives you 3D sound that'southward merely as good equally the AirPods Max, and for a lower toll. Information technology's a worthy contender for both our best headphones and best noise-cancelling headphones pages.
Is it good enough to truly claiming the Apple AirPods Max? Find out in our full Yamaha YH-L700A review.
- Yamaha YH-L700A at Yamaha for $499
Yamaha YH-L700A review: Price and availability
Y'all tin can buy the Yamaha YH-L700A for $499 directly from Yamaha. Information technology is only sold in one colour: Black. Arranged with the purchase are a hard carrying case, USB-C charging cable, audio cable, and flight adapter.
By comparison, this model comes in cheaper than the AirPods Max ($549), only is more expensive than ANC savants like the Bose 700 ($379), Sony WH-1000XM4 ($349), and Bowers & Wilkins PX7 ($399).
For all of the latest sales, bookmark our all-time headphones deals page.
Yamaha YH-L700A review: Pattern and comfort
Build quality is what you lot would await from a pair of $500 headphones: superb. The combination of mesh materials and leather parts coated with soft urethane gives the YH-L700A a luxe, yet ruggedly handsome appearance. Tiny details similar the leather buttons and embossed aluminum logo at the acme of each ear cup add to its distinctiveness. Just all optics are on the forward-tilted headband, which Yamaha purposely designed to sit right at the center of your caput.
At xi.64 ounces, these headphones are non lightweight. Their large class also makes them less than platonic for commuting. They practise fold inward and rotate at 90 degrees to properly fit inside the case, which stores other accessories, but you're still dealing with a heavy conduct. The extra weight also affects comfort, with the headband applying unwanted pressure on top of the skull. This becomes unpleasant subsequently about two hours of use. Thankfully, the thick, soft, and cushiony earcups provide some relief for your ears, though they tin can become hot after a few hours.
Fit-wise, you won't have to worry about the YH-L700A slipping off; a common result for nearly large wireless headphones. The tilted headband is positioned perfectly to maintain stability and go along the cans from feeling loose, and yous can conform the extenders to a proper length setting to heighten the fit.
Yamaha YH-L700A review: Controls and digital assistant
The YH-L700A has a full suite of physical controls including buttons for playback, call direction, book, digital assist, power/pairing, and listening mode activation.
On the rear of the right earcup is the ANC/Ambient Sound button, while the rear of the left earcup has the 3D Sound Field and Ability/Pairing buttons. The front of the right earcup as well has three buttons covered in leather, each of which has slits and so they can be easily identified by touch alone.
The centre push/slit volition operate play/pause/answer telephone call/finish call (1x printing) and the digital banana (2x press), whereas the left and right slits raise/lower volume (1x press) or play next/previous track (hold down). This isn't my favorite command scheme, but at least the buttons produce smashing tactility to ensure commands are being met with every press.
On-ear detection to auto-pause when taking off the headphones is non available.
Google Assistant, Siri, and Bixby are all compatible with the YH-L700A. The mics pick up vocals well and each digital banana responds to commands as rapidly equally information technology receives them. I will warn you that enabling Google Assistant and Siri can exist finicky at times. In that location is lag and performing follow-up voice commands can be a process; you'll have to close it manually or wait for the feature to time out to utilise it again.
Yamaha YH-L700A review: Sound quality
There's a lot to unpack here, so I'll showtime with the YH-L700A'due south default sound signature. It's spacious and has full bass presence, delivering potent, rich lows that don't compromise the palpable mids or well-baked highs. These headphones besides receive a heave in streaming quality via aptX Adaptive for hi-res sound over Bluetooth connection.
Hearing the snares sound so prominent on The Beatles' "Yellowish Submarine" was enjoyable, but the YH-L700A's reproduction capabilities are what blew me away. Instruments and private voices were distinguishable over the cheery chorus, and the little intricacies sprinkled throughout the recording were evoking. The seashore wave effects, clanking bottles, and bubble blowing had me engrossed in the nautical atmosphere.
Switching over to more contemporary selections, I pulled up Dr. Dre's "Nuthin' But A 'Grand' Thang" and let the funky, impactful bassline whip my head back and along in a rhythmic manner. Even acapellas had a liveliness to them. Reference DMX's "Skyscrapers" feat. Bono, which captured the rapper's passion and grittiness superbly, along with the U2 vocalist'south fantastic range.
Onto the YH-L700A'south killer feature: spatial audio. Yamaha's version is chosen 3D Sound Field, and unlike the AirPods Max, this is compatible with whatsoever stereo sound content from "virtually whatsoever source." The feature works in tandem with head-tracking engineering and Picture palace DSP processing to place where sound is coming from and conform what you lot hear on the fly for a more immersive listening experience. It also has vii different 3D modes: Audio Room, Background Music, Picture palace, Drama, Music Video, Outdoor Live, and Concert Hall.
Background Music and Audio bring a vividness to songs, emphasizing instruments and vocals to make the listener feel like they're in the same recording session as the artist. Outdoor Live and Concert Hall do a solid job of recreating the atmosphere of live performances; revisiting Verzuz battles and Whitney Houston's iconic "Star Spangled Imprint" rendition at Super Bowl XXV placed me front row at these events.
The existent treats are the video content modes — Groundwork Music, Drama, and Music Video, all 3 of which serve a bully use for their intended media.
Hearing Han Zimmer'southward Inception score while watching the film was surreal. The opening to Saving Private Ryan was even more than intense, as the YH-L700A'due south stellar headtracking provided the sensations of loud explosions and flying bullets surrounding me, no thing which way my head was turned.
There are 2 more listening settings that can be paired with 3D Audio Field. The first is Listening Optimizer, which is designed to adjust sound in real-time past adapting to your ambient environment and listening behavior. Listening Care is the second, and information technology intelligently tweaks sound frequencies to enjoy full-range sound at lower listening volumes. All you lot need to know is sound remains consistent and energetic with either mode or both enabled at the aforementioned fourth dimension.
Most over-ear headphones tend to leak sound at a high level, and the YH-L700A is no different. Blasting music in the same room with my married woman drew a "delight lower that because I'm on a professional call" stare.
Yamaha YH-L700A review: Active racket cancellation
Yamaha's noise-cancelling technology won't outperform the big dogs (due east.g., Bose, Sony, Bowers & Wilkins), only information technology is satisfying enough to proceed listeners focused on their playlists. According to the company, these headphones use internal mics that collect ambient noises and calculate what should exist removed from the playback music signal through an algorithm. This is meant to keep sound quality pure.
ANC fashion tames rumbly sounds very well; rolling thunder and any noises coming from the laundry room went unnoticed. I too liked how well the YH-L700A performed with mid frequencies, minimizing the loud chatter coming from a Zoom baby shower that took identify just two rooms away from my workspace.
High frequencies are a struggle for the YH-L700A. Chirping birds and my infant boy crying caught my attending at times, along with ambulance sirens and whistles. Raising the volume made these noises less confusing. Too, you lot can hear some hissing when the characteristic is turned on.
Ambient Sound mode will increase sensation of surroundings past using the headphone's built-in mics to capture incidental sounds. I was able to monitor traffic and hear the landscaping piece of work that was transpiring next door, while also having my ears open up when the missus needed help feeding the baby. Being able to speak with people in the house without having to mute or accept off the headphones was sweet, as well.
Yamaha YH-L700A review: App and special features
A companion app called Yamaha Headphone Controller is bachelor for download to enable functions direct from your smartphone screen. These include the aforementioned 3D Sound Field, Surround Mode, Head Tracking, Listening Care, Listening Optimizer, and Noise Cancelling/Ambient Sound.
Anything else the app offers? Yes, but let me warn you lot that extra perks are deficient. The rest consists of a bombardment level indicator, firmware updates, and an auto power-off timer.
Popular features such as a customizable EQ with presets, control customization or a Notice My Headphones setting seemed like a given for headphones this expensive. Unfortunately, we'll have to wait for them to get in in a hereafter update, if they always do.
Yamaha YH-L700A review: Battery life
Playtime on the YH-L700A is lopsided. Using the headphones with just ANC on gets yous 34 hours of use, which is not only terrific for a pair of dissonance-cancellers, but also ameliorate battery life than ANC giants like the Bose 700 (20 hours) and Sony WH-1000XM4 (thirty hours).
Turn on 3D Audio Field at the aforementioned time and that playtime drops to 11 hours. That's pretty bad. Keep in mind, likewise, that loftier volume and streaming drop playtimes all effectually past well-nigh i to 2 hours.
Quick charging is available on these headphones. According to Yamaha, 10 minutes of charging is good for approximately two hours of playtime with ANC on, while the same accuse time gets you 45 minutes of use with ANC and 3D Sound Field on.
Yamaha YH-L700A review: Phone call quality and connectivity
Whether for quick cheque-ins with my wife or client calls on Google Meets, the YH-L700A was a quality calling headset. Virtually of the feedback I received was positive, with a few callers pointing out how articulate and loud my voice sounded during video chats.
My married woman shared the same thoughts when taking her calls inside, though outside was hit or miss. The YH-L700A struggled in gusty conditions, making it hard to speak over rumbling wind furnishings. Also that, I would consider it for inclusion on our best headphones with a mic for vocalisation and video calls list.
The YH-L700A can hold connections well. Advertised range is at 32.8 anxiety, which is accurate and feasible for walking from room to room, but it can extend upwardly to 40 feet when walking in open up areas.
For powerful headphones, I figured features like Google Fast Pair and multipoint technology to connect to two devices simultaneously would be an ideal fit. Yamaha didn't recall then. It's no major loss, since the YH-L700A automatically pops up on the available devices list when in pairing way and auto-connects instantly with recognized devices.
Yamaha YH-L700A review: Verdict
The Yamaha YH-L700A is an audiophile headphone for both music and cinematic lovers. Information technology's loaded with features that elevate the listening experience to some other level, powered past 3D Sound, caput tracking, hullo-res audio, and real-time listening modes that all deliver. ANC is solid, connectivity is strong, and the pattern is well made — although it's too super bulky.
All that functionality doesn't come inexpensive, and $499 is a lot for any pair of headphones. That doesn't mean the LH-L700A isn't worth information technology, because it is, based on sound performance alone. My only major complaint is the short bombardment life when listening with multiple features turned on at the aforementioned time, but eleven hours still seems sufficient for casual listening at habitation or in flight.
If y'all desire spatial audio headphones with more 3D listening modes than the AirPods Max, and for slightly less, and so consider splurging on the YH-L700A.
- More than: The best headphones with a mic for voice and video calls
Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/yamaha-yh-l700a
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