Yamaha YH-C3000 Headphones – Closed-Back, Beechwood

Yamaha YH-C3000 – closed-back high-end headphones in beechwood

The YH-C3000 is Yamaha's closed-back premium over-ear and a genuine piece of instrument-making: the ear cups in polished beechwood are made in the same Japanese factory as Yamaha's grand pianos. It's driven by the newly developed ARMODYNAMIC driver – over ten years of development went into it.

The ARMODYNAMIC driver

Unlike its open-back siblings YH-4000 and YH-5000SE, the C3000 is not an orthodynamic model; instead it uses a dynamic driver with a three-layer diaphragm of paper, resin and ZYLON – the same material also found in the diaphragms of Yamaha's high-end speakers. The name derives from the Italian "armonia" (harmony). The result: a smooth, high-resolution and surprisingly open sound for a closed-back design.

Sound & comfort

Closed-back design means good isolation from the outside world – ideal for the office or a not-quite-silent room. Even so, the C3000 draws a surprisingly wide, deeply layered soundstage. Dedicated ear pads in silk-protein leather, a two-layer headband and a stepless slider ensure long-term wearing comfort.

What's in the box

• YH-C3000 headphones
• Unbalanced cable 3.5 mm + 6.3 mm adapter
• Carrying case
• Cleaning cloth

Technical data

• Type: over-ear, closed-back, beechwood housing
• Driver: ARMODYNAMIC (dynamic), 3-layer diaphragm with ZYLON
• Frequency response: 5 Hz – 55 kHz
• Sensitivity: 94 dB/mW (1 kHz)
• Impedance: 34 Ω
• Weight: 330 g (without cable)
• Manufacturing: made in Japan

Straight talk

The housings are smaller than you'd expect at this price, and the yoke fork looks a bit plainer than the rest. The wooden cups and build quality, on the other hand, are first-class. At 94 dB/mW and 34 Ω it runs on almost any source including a 3.5/6.3 mm headphone output – but a good amplifier gets more out of it here too.

Frequently asked questions