Yamaha unveils YH-C3000 and YH-4000 audiophile headphones

Yamaha is expanding its audiophile lineup with two new headphones—the YH-C3000 and YH-4000—both made in Japan and inspired by the flagship YH-5000SE.

The YH-C3000 is a closed-back model priced at $1,699. It introduces new Armodynamic drivers with a three-layer diaphragm of paper, resin, and ZYLON, a material used in Yamaha’s top loudspeakers. The beechwood housings—the same wood the company uses for its pianos—deliver a natural, balanced sound, and the choice also reads as a quiet nod to Yamaha’s acoustic roots.

The YH-4000 is an open-back pair at $2,499. It inherits orthodynamic drivers and an ultralight magnesium chassis from the YH-5000SE, but arrives with a different tuning: more responsive, more transparent, more natural. By removing some sound-absorbing elements, the weight drops to 320 grams, making it one of the lightest in its class—a clear play for listening comfort over long sessions.

Both models come with memory-foam earpads and an adjustable fit system. The YH-C3000 covers 5 Hz to 55 kHz with an impedance of 34 ohms. Production is handled at Yamaha’s Kakegawa factory—the same plant that builds the brand’s legendary concert grand pianos, a pedigree that rarely accompanies a headphone spec sheet.

In essence, Yamaha is offering more attainable—by high-end standards—alternatives to the YH-5000SE while preserving top-tier materials and a distinctive approach to sound. It’s a carefully judged move that keeps the brand’s identity intact while broadening the audience.