The Quest for Excellent Sound

November 21, 2023

Yamaha is most well known as a musical instrument manufacturer, but it also pursues the same level of quality in its audio equipment. In the field of home audio equipment, for example, Yamaha develops devices and systems that deliver “TRUE SOUND”—in other words, allowing the artist’s thoughts and emotions to reach the listener’s ears just as they were intended.

Uncovering a Treasure Lost in Time

Ryo Hadano, who works on headphone and earbud development at Yamaha, reflects on the serendipitous story of the YH-5000SE. When he and his team were brainstorming ideas for new products, they learned about ORTHODYNAMIC™ driver technology, which was developed by Yamaha in the 1970s for products such as the HP-1 headphones released in 1976.

“Ortho” in Greek means “correct" or "straight.” The idea behind the ORTHODYNAMIC™ driver was to drive the diaphragm evenly to reproduce sound more precisely. While the typical dynamic driver uses a dome-shaped diaphragm attached to a voice coil, the ORTHODYNAMIC™ driver adopts a true circular diaphragm with an integrated voice coil. Because it drives the entire diaphragm, it is more responsive and offers excellent high-frequency performance with low distortion.

However, the ORTHODYNAMIC™ driver posed numerous development and manufacturing challenges. When the HP-1 headphones were discontinued in the mid-1980s, Yamaha stopped making headphones using the driver altogether.

As they learned more about this history, Hadano and his team were increasingly pulled into the design philosophy of the ORTHODYNAMIC™ driver. This is when they found the old blueprints in the company storage room. This chance-encounter with hidden treasure is what inspired the team to develop the YH-5000SE.

Hadano’s devotion to audio equipment engineering is rooted in the unforgettable experience he had in his student years, when he spent most of his time playing in bands. He remembers being astounded by Yamaha’s NS-10M, which at the time was known as the leading small studio monitor. “When I was recording the drums, the sound coming from the speakers was so real that I could almost see the sticks hitting the snare right in front of my eyes. I remember being amazed that sounds can be reproduced so accurately.”

Reviving the technology of 40 years ago, however, is not a simple “copy and paste.” To begin with, the team struggled to interpret the blueprints, as they lacked detailed descriptions. "Even so, the drawings gave us great inspiration for the design,” says Hadano. “We gained valuable insights that allowed us to narrow down the specifications.” Hadano and the designers worked together to create mockups and made numerous proposals to convince upper management. The enthusiasm of Hadano and his team bore fruit, and in 2016 the team was granted the chance to revive the ORTHODYNAMIC™ driver.

A Story Behind Every Component

From the preliminary stages of development, the team knew that the headphones would need to be entirely manufactured in Yamaha’s domestic facilities. Chikara Kobayashi, who worked on the mechanical and housing design for the YH-5000SE, explains. “Many of the necessary parts were only available in Japan, and because the driver unit is such a delicate component it was not realistic to ship it overseas for assembly. From the very beginning, we knew that these headphones had to be fully made in Japan.”

As a student who played the bagpipes and developed automatic music-playing robots, Kobayashi found it only natural to apply for a position at Yamaha. Since joining the company, he has worked on a wide range of products from home audio systems to voice communication devices and has been involved in headphones development for the past eight years.

Kobayashi describes his role in the development of the YH-5000SE as “the guy who does all the difficult things.” In order to achieve the specifications the team wanted, Kobayashi and Hadano visited companies around Japan to compare materials and components. Because their standards of quality and precision were extremely high, many factories turned down their requests to manufacture the components. At times, Kobayashi and Hadano were met with harsh criticism for making extreme asks. “Even so,” Kobayashi says, “it was extremely rewarding to work on the components procurement and getting factory production off the ground. The project pushed me to challenge myself beyond my role as an engineer.”

Looking back on those days, Hadano says “each component has its own story.” Despite the many challenges they faced along the way, what kept the two going was the support they received from their collaborators, both inside and outside the company. “It was the designers; it was the colleagues who helped us with the initial stages of prototyping; it was the component manufacturers that lent us a patient ear, even when they weren’t sure if it would lead to their sales. We wouldn’t have made it without the help of these people. Giving up was not an option, because they were counting on us.”

In December 2022, after this long and steady journey, Yamaha launched the YH-5000SE—the first headphones with ORTHODYNAMIC™ drivers in 46 years. Six years had passed since Hadano found the old blueprints in the storage room. The finished product, despite its imposing appearance, weighs only 320 grams and boasts a comfortable fit for the head and ears. At exhibitions and events, many described the YH-5000SE as a “game changer” for high-end headphones. Such comments reassured Hadano and Kobayashi that their concept was reaching the hearts of their users.

A Gripping Experience in the Hands of Many

The duo spent six years to complete the unconventional headphones. Their next mission is to ensure the YH-5000SE can be manufactured and sold for as long as possible.

The YH-5000SE is priced at 4,999.95 USD, which is far beyond the typical price range. "We want to keep the product on the shelves so that people who want it in the future have access to it,” Kobayashi says. “It would be a shame if someone saved up for the headphones, only to be told it was discontinued.” In one of the exhibition events, a young visitor came up to Kobayashi. While he expressed his amazement for the YH-5000SE, he also mentioned that he still does not have the means to purchase a pair straight away. “We worked hard to deliver this product to the market, so we want to lengthen its life cycle as much as we possibly can. It’s crucial for us to incorporate the voices of users and continue to make improvements in the product to make it a long seller,” Kobayashi explains.

To do this, Kobayashi and his team hope to engage deeply with their users, as well as build a community of avid fans. Users who choose the YH-5000SE are extreme audio enthusiasts; many of them would be delighted to connect with others who share their same passion. Kobayashi and Hadano also suspect that there are still many potential users who have yet to experience and be amazed by the YH-5000SE. The team is excited to provide spaces where devoted fans can interact and share ideas about their ideal sound.

Hadano is already envisioning the kind of experience he wants to provide to future users. He imagines a quiet room after dusk. On the desk is a pair of Yamaha YH-5000SE headphones. The owner is drawn to the headphones and indulges himself with his favorite music. It’s a blissful moment that makes his day complete.

“The headphones can be a companion to your musical life,” Hadano says. “Every time you listen to music on the YH-5000SE, you notice things you’ve never noticed before—even if it’s a song you’ve listened to countless times in the past. The supreme musical experience can also make you realize your true love for music. I want Yamaha to always be there to help users discover new things—about music, and about themselves.”

The YH-5000SE headphones were developed to enable deep immersion in music. Both these headphones and the new CFX, Yamaha's flagship concert grand, pursue quality sound that enriches our artistic senses. In the third and final article of this series, we will delve into the "Key" that runs through these two products. Stay tuned!

*Bio as of the time of the interview

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