Yamaha YH-L700A wireless ANC headphones go big on 3D audio, head tracking and price

(Image credit: Yamaha)

It might not be the first to do so, but Yamaha is going big on 3D audio and head-tracking features for its latest pair of headphones. With its all-new Yamaha YH-L700A, the company promises an immersive 360-degree listening experience courtesy of its 3D Sound Field technology.

It works with any stereo content from “virtually any source” and the effect is customisable depending on user preference and the type of content being played. This is done with a series of sound modes – Cinema, Drama and Music Video (for video content), Audio Room and Background Music (for music), plus Outdoor Live and Concert Hall modes. These can be selected within the Yamaha Headphones Controller App, which is available on Android and iOS.

Head tracking, meanwhile, combines with the 3D technology to emphasise the immersion, responding in real-time to the orientation of the listener’s head in relation to the device playing the content.

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The YH-L700A’s features don’t stop there. As well as the two headline features, the headphones boast Yamaha’s Listening Optimizer, which works to ensure optimal performance based on the fit, and Listening Care, which encourages lower volume listening by adjusting audio frequencies in an effort to maintain the full range of sound no matter the volume.

Noise-cancelling, complete with an Ambient Sound mode, is also onboard. And the impressive specification continues with support for Bluetooth 5 with aptX Adaptive, up to 34 hours of wireless battery life, and a swiveling earcup design with on-cup controls.

On paper at least, that’s more than enough to trouble the class leaders in the premium wireless headphones space. They’ll have to perform excellently to do so, of course – not least as their asking price is a hefty £449.

The Yamaha YH-L700A will be available from August, so we don’t have long to wait to find out how they fare.

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Becky is the managing editor of What Hi-Fi? and, since her recent move to Melbourne, also the editor of the brand's sister magazines Down Under – Australian Hi-Fi and Audio Esoterica. During her 11+ years in the hi-fi industry, she has reviewed all manner of audio gear, from budget amplifiers to high-end speakers, and particularly specialises in headphones and head-fi devices. In her spare time, Becky can often be found running, watching Liverpool FC and horror movies, and hunting for gluten-free cake.