YAMAHA YH-5M pictorial - "Form follows function"
Mar 30, 2009 at 3:19 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 30

Sasaki

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Form ever follows function, This is the law.

- Louis Sullivan



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Form follows function, Sullivan told. YAMAHA YH-5M proves.


The YH-5M is a unique ensemble of gears and joints. A marriage of mechanics and sound engineering.
The idea of YH-5M design was inspired from headsets for pilots and broadcast monitors. This form ensure the best function, the designers thought. They designed YH-5M as a fusion of the fullsize headphones and the In Ear Monitors.


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Nowadays, some IEM employs electrical PTT(Push to talk) function to talk while wearing.
The YM-5M has the same function by mechanics.
The ear support spins 180 degrees when the lower button was pressed.


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The side pressure of the ear tips is painful at first but after some fine tuning it eventually fits nicely.
The head-bands can be adjusted via rack and pinion precise mechanics, this is remarkable.
The cable length is 2.5m(almost 8 feet) and detachable, so this is not intended for outdoor use despite the look.


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YH-5M is a convertible.
YH-5M can be open and closed either, this is selectable with replacing cone shaped covers. The cover is called as back-cavity.
When you snap on the cavity, YH-5M is a closed can, now you have a good isolation.
When you remove the cavity, YH-5M sounding more clearer and open.
I prefer open, the Following sonic comments are based on the open form.


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YH-5Ms are vintage orthdynamic headphones. The orthdynamic is a dynamic version of planner driver.
It's hardly believable from the futuristic look but they are almost 30 years old.
Its big brother YAMAHA HP-1 is very hard to drive as the impedance is fairly high while the efficiency is low. However YH-5M is much easier to drive.
The efficiency of YH-5M is high (113dB) and the impedance is low (20ohm). This makes driving YH-5M easily, and the same time YH-5M is very noise sensitive like today's IEM.

That impedance difference also brings a different sonic impression. The sound of HP-1 is dark while the YH-5M is airy.
On the other hand, the two brothers share the same sonic impression as well. They sounding like silky smooth across the entire frequency, with tight bass and crisp highs. I guess this smoothness is a virtue of orthdynamic drivers.


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YAMAHA YH-5M sounding really excellent.
It's obvious at the first look.


Form and function should be one, joined in a spiritual union.

- Frank Lloyd Wright



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Mar 30, 2009 at 3:33 PM Post #2 of 30
you actually got hold of a pair!!
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whats next; the discovery of moby dick and the loch ness monster... IN SPACE!?
 
Mar 30, 2009 at 3:37 PM Post #4 of 30
He does live in Japan.. I think that makes finding a pair somewhat easier. But man, those things look mint. Very cool.

Sasaki, have you tried modding the HP-1 at all?
 
Mar 30, 2009 at 3:53 PM Post #6 of 30
Mar 30, 2009 at 3:56 PM Post #7 of 30
! Hey were you the one who won it yesterday (
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) ?!!!
Can you please post some sound impressions!!!
Maybe against your HP-1 or other, this is very interesting.
EDIT: Sorry I saw your impressions now. Thats interesting, I think I understand. Can you say if the sound is a little unclear like the HP-1? Or more clearer?

Thanks!
 
Mar 30, 2009 at 4:06 PM Post #9 of 30
Quote:

Originally Posted by Kabeer /img/forum/go_quote.gif
! Hey were you the one who won it yesterday (
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wink.gif
) ?!!!



and we were so wanting them
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congratulations on owning a pair Sasaki - they are my ultimate dream HP ( forget the HD800 - these are were it is all at !! ) ..dB
 
Mar 30, 2009 at 6:04 PM Post #12 of 30
They look a lot more comfortable than baby Stax and some of the full sized orthos. The Fostex T30 looks like a normal headphone but is a torture device. bjarnetv has a mod to make them more comfortable, but I haven't found appropriate pads yet.
 

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