[Habu]

Closed on ear headphones rarely have good soundstage so maybe Pro 300 is not exception.
 
I am glad I picked up Pro 500. They have same kind of airy sound like Hifiman HE-400. Sound is really spacious and stereo imaging is really good.
 
Happy with Pro 500

 

[Habu]

299$ @ amazon.com
 
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0092T84HQ/ref=s9_simh_gw_p23_d7_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=15W91GN0DAPBXB89R573&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1389517282&pf_rd_i=507846
 
only 3 left in stock

 

[roma101]

That's incredible.

 

[sofastreamer]

has anyone compared them with ue6000 yet?

 

[roma101]

Quote:

Well, the PRO 500 is definitely not bright. Think of the UE6000 with a bit less midbass (more upper bass and lower midrange) and a bit more clarity up top. Compared to the 500, the K550 and K167 are bright. Given my druthers, I would wish for just a bit more lower treble energy in the 500.
 
I am assuming the PRO 400 is voiced much differently than the 500. But they do sound rather appealing. 

 
Here are a couple impressions that were posted by Beagle regarding the UE 6000 vs. the 500.

 

[money4me247]

serious question b/c I'm new.
 
If the Beats are a rip-off for bass heavy sound & a plastic build at $300... and the M100 is a good deal for well-tuned bass & solid build materials at $300...... how does a $400 plastic, bass-heavy pair of headphones from Yamaha not equal a rip-off???
 
I am seriously asking because I am now confused. Hypothetically, if the Beats are a rip-off at $300, that means that good bass/good v-shaped sound signature should be obtainable at $300 or less.
 
Sure, the Beats are muddy bass at $300... but does that mean it takes $100 more to have decent bass??? ...because actually yamaha removed the other variables such as comfort/style by ripping off the Beats design.

 

[roma101]

The 500 is a top-tier portable and obliterates the beats in ever way shape and form, period. It is no comparison. It is also not a v-shaped hp even though it has punchy and impactful bass. Everything is balanced and perfectly in line with each other. The BQ is also much better. Do not get confused by the appearance and go and actually audition them if you get a chance. IMHO I would not have been surprised if this headphone was priced higher (think Ultrasone Sig Pro) because that's how good they sound. I have never heard a headphone this detailed, this musical, balanced and natural-sounding.

Also Yamaha has made a mockery of beats since this is essentially what beats should have sounded and felt like in the first place. The 500 oozes quality from the packaging to sound.

 

[money4me247]

Quote:

The 500 is a top-tier portable and obliterates the beats in ever way shape and form, period. It is no comparison. It is also not a v-shaped hp even though it has punchy and impactful bass. Everything is balanced and perfectly in line with each other. The BQ is also much better. Do not get confused by the appearance and go and actually audition them if you get a chance. IMHO I would not have been surprised if this headphone was priced higher (think Ultrasone Sig Pro) because that's how good they sound. I have never heard a headphone this detailed, this musical, balanced and natural-sounding.

Also Yamaha has made a mockery of beats since this is essentially what beats should have sounded and felt like in the first place. The 500 oozes quality from the packaging to sound.

 
Hmmm... from what I've read, the Yamaha Pro 500 is definitely v-shaped with a bass emphasis. there is nothing inherently wrong with that if that is what you are looking for, but for $400 you can get the HE-400. $300 you can get the M100. I am curious what headphones you have tried if you are saying this is the cream of the crop. Kinda seems like hype of the week to me.
 
The 500 is legitimately made of plastic and aluminium (the same premium materials found in soda cans)... the design isn't even original. So basically, Yamaha (a company w/ no previous experience in headphones) suddenly jumps into the game & releases a Ultrasone Sig Pro equivalent at half its cost? Yamaha would have to R&D from scratch while Ultrasone has 20+ years of experience specializing in only headphones. I am just highly skeptical that the 500s offers anything more than any other highly-rated closed headphones in the $200-300 price range. Yes, they might offer a slightly different sound signature. But definitely not $100 worth of sonic upgrade.
 
I seriously feel like it is just a bad joke. 

 

[SpiderNhan]

 

[LinkPro]

The Pros are meant to be a portable headphone with a stylish touch that sounds good out of iDevices, so comparing them with the likes of HE400 which strictly focuses on sound quality only, abandoning all aesthetic appeal to cut costs and requires a massive amp is unfair. I agree the 500 should be around $300 to be more in line with competition (Studio, Diamond Tears, h/k NC, M100, etc.) which is what they're going for now. Yamaha does have experience with headphones (not quite Sony level experience but still) and if the reviews are any reliable I believe they did a good job for their first foray into consumer headphones. However given what their market is, if the sound sig is not V-shaped I'd call BS.  

 

[Billyjoegunrack]

Quote:

 
Hmmm... from what I've read, the Yamaha Pro 500 is definitely v-shaped with a bass emphasis. there is nothing inherently wrong with that if that is what you are looking for, but for $400 you can get the HE-400. $300 you can get the M100. I am curious what headphones you have tried if you are saying this is the cream of the crop. Kinda seems like hype of the week to me.
 
The 500 is legitimately made of plastic and aluminium (the same premium materials found in soda cans)... the design isn't even original. So basically, Yamaha (a company w/ no previous experience in headphones) suddenly jumps into the game & releases a Ultrasone Sig Pro equivalent at half its cost? Yamaha would have to R&D from scratch while Ultrasone has 20+ years of experience specializing in only headphones. I am just highly skeptical that the 500s offers anything more than any other highly-rated closed headphones in the $200-300 price range. Yes, they might offer a slightly different sound signature. But definitely not $100 worth of sonic upgrade.
 
I seriously feel like it is just a bad joke. 

Have you held a pair of these Yamaha headphones in your hands, and then put them on your head and listened to these cans? 

 

[retrophonic]

$55.00 JVC HA-S500 > $299 Beats Studio, don't believe me, try it for yourself. Kids probably won't give you props for wearing them, but they do sound better. I recently put a friend on to the JVC HA-S500's looking for a cheaper and lighter alternative to his Studios, now that's all he wears.

 

[gelocks]

Quote:

 
Hmmm... from what I've read, the Yamaha Pro 500 is definitely v-shaped with a bass emphasis. there is nothing inherently wrong with that if that is what you are looking for, but for $400 you can get the HE-400. $300 you can get the M100. I am curious what headphones you have tried if you are saying this is the cream of the crop. Kinda seems like hype of the week to me.
 
The 500 is legitimately made of plastic and aluminium (the same premium materials found in soda cans)... the design isn't even original. So basically, Yamaha (a company w/ no previous experience in headphones) suddenly jumps into the game & releases a Ultrasone Sig Pro equivalent at half its cost? Yamaha would have to R&D from scratch while Ultrasone has 20+ years of experience specializing in only headphones. I am just highly skeptical that the 500s offers anything more than any other highly-rated closed headphones in the $200-300 price range. Yes, they might offer a slightly different sound signature. But definitely not $100 worth of sonic upgrade.
 
I seriously feel like it is just a bad joke. 

 
It all depends on what you want really. As per my review, if you like "Beats" style with better sound (i.e. no muddy mid-range due to excessive bass), these are good alternatives. But (as per my review also) this price bracket is pretty competitive. Break down:
 
Comfort: Mad Dogs --> D5000s --> Sony MDR-1R --> Denon D600 --> Yamaha Pro 500 --> Signature Pro --> SRH940 --> A900X --> V-MODA M100
(this is taking into consideration both earpad and headband feel)
 
Build: Signature Pro --> Mad Dogs --> A900X --> Denon D600 --> Sony MDR-1R --> V-MODA M100 -->  Yamaha Pro 500 --> D5000s --> SRH940
(if you wonder why the M100s ranked low, cracked wing-tips on supposedly indestructible headphones! BAH!)
 
Sound Quality: Signature Pro --> Mad Dogs --> D5000s --> Yamaha Pro 500 --> Sony MDR-1R --> V-Moda M100 --> Denon D600 --> A900X --> SRH940s (note, ALL of these have a GREAT sound and some are "special" on specific genres, but when nitpicking, this is how I would choose them)
 
For me, even though I like their sound more than that of the Sony MDR-1R, VModa M100s, Denon D600, etc. the comfort factor was not too good for me. Also, the Pro 500s are being sold now even at $300 (and I pretty much think it's going to go further down) so IS IT A GOOD ALTERNATIVE against the Sony, V-Moda, Denon, etc.? I say yes!

 

[roma101]

Have you held a pair of these Yamaha headphones in your hands, and then put them on your head and listened to these cans? 

This ^^

I can only say so much about a headphone but if you're gonna keep assuming its a POS without having experience with them then go ahead. I don't know who in this thread has called them v-shaped - haven't read that and I'm not hearing that. These cans do things that I haven't heard in a $300 can and I'm very nitpicky. It's why a lot of headphones have come and gone. Till now, I have never been sure of a can being a keeper and the more expensive a headphone is, the more critical I am of it since I certainly don't have $400 to blow (that's basically my weekly paycheck right there). That said, go ahead and audition them. Or don't. You may or may not like them. You talk about hype on these cans but they actually aren't being given the attention they deserve, especially the way other headphones are at the moment which have been hyped to steroid levels.

 

[Billyjoegunrack]

Quote:

This ^^

I can only say so much about a headphone but if you're gonna keep assuming its a POS without having experience with them then go ahead. I don't know who in this thread has called them v-shaped - haven't read that and I'm not hearing that. These cans do things that I haven't heard in a $300 can and I'm very nitpicky. It's why a lot of headphones have come and gone. Till now, I have never been sure of a can being a keeper and the more expensive a headphone is, the more critical I am of it since I certainly don't have $400 to blow (that's basically my weekly paycheck right there). That said, go ahead and audition them. Or don't. You may or may not like them. You talk about hype on these cans but they actually aren't being given the attention they deserve, especially the way other headphones are at the moment which have been hyped to steroid levels.

Have you tried the V-Moda M-100, and if so, how much of an upgrade sound wise is it? Anyone?
 
You are right about the hype for these, there hasn't been much around here. The king of the hype train right now in the 300ish portable is the M-100, and they are nice.