Review on 🎧 Discover Crystal-Clear Sound with Yamaha YH-E700A Wireless Noise-Cancelling Headphones by Ryan Dillon

Opening the box reveals a fairly large black matte faux leather case. It's well built and looks like it will protect your headset. Headphones are also on the large side. They are neatly folded in the case along with the 3.5mm cable, USB-C cable and flight travel adapter. I really like the design of the YH-E700As. They look like professional-grade headphones that a musician or producer would wear in the studio. The matte black round earphones are made of high quality plastic with good construction. The headband is strong and flexible. It is upholstered in soft faux leather and has a cushion on the bottom. The cups can be moved in different ways and folded to the side. The ear pads are also large, round and very soft. On the left earcup you'll find a 3.5mm jack and an ANC button. On the right side you have a volume rocker, a multifunction button, a power button and a USB-C input. In terms of comfort, they are a bit disappointing. Although the ear cushions are super soft, I did find that a strong clamping force applied pressure right behind my ears. I also found that the headband padding is insufficient and causes pain after less than an hour of wear, requiring me to constantly adjust it. YH-E700A is easy to pair thanks to Bluetooth 5.0. The connection is solid, and since they have aptX Adaptive, there were no noticeable lags when playing videos or games. I appreciate that you can control everything through the headset, including volume, play/pause, and assist. Even ANC levels. The controls are responsive and easy to find and get used to. The battery life is impressive. This set was enough for almost a week of constant listening. Not sure if it was the claimed 35 hours but I'm sure it's close if not better. But how's the sound you ask? Well, that might be the only factor that makes them contenders in the game. As expected, the sonic signature of these headphones is exceptional. I would describe it as neutral, precise and dynamic. The bass is powerful but very controlled. It may not be as deep as the others, but I find it much more comfortable. The mids aren't that deep, which means that the vocals come into their own. The high frequencies sound clean and are in no way tiring or piercing. The soundstage is very wide and the stereo separation is very clear. I could almost see where the instruments and vocals were placed. While they still don't have audiophile quality, they're set up quite well. Using the 3.5mm cable, I noticed a bit more bass, but nothing too overpowering. The active noise cancellation (ANC) is fine. While I could still hear higher-pitched noises, they did a good job of blocking out low frequencies like car engines, a distant lawn mower, and a washing machine. Ambient Sound Mode simply activates the microphones so you can hear what's going on around you. Nice to have for sure. The YH-700A features what Yamaha calls "Listening Optimizer" and "Listener Care". These features should use microphones to adjust tone and volume for a better personal experience. I personally haven't noticed any real changes (maybe it should be?), so I doubt it for now. The connection quality is acceptable. I was told that my voice was clear and never lost during a conversation. So are they worth the premium price? Based on the comfort alone and purely from my own experience I was a little discouraged as I tend to use the headphones for long periods of time. The build, design, solid features and most importantly, in my opinion, the sound quality make the Yamaha YH-700 a definite contender in the world of premium ANC headsets, and I would definitely recommend trying it out.