As promised! Subject to change if I notice anything different once I try other gear. Most of these impressions are based off of how I think it deviates from the crayon and/or what i think it doubles down on and/or how it fares against the mysphere in the same setup. Probably not the best way to go about it but whatever, this is just my experience anyway. I’ll include actual comparisons for context whenever I finish writing but here’s what I think of it overall on this chain…
The BIG Picture
Current main chain:
Auralic Aries G2 (PSU mod) via lightning DS —>
LinnenberG Satie DA Converter (IIR filter) —>
Crayon Audio CHA-1 —>
Yamaha YH-5000 (stock leather pads)
[all connected to a PS Audio Power Plant 3 outfitted with Allnic ZL technology cables (from digital to analog to power) / all components are isolated with Gingko isolation products]
In general the YH5K, to me, goes for a very “clean analytical” approach. What do I mean by this? In a sense, its goal is to showcase clarity and resolution to the max. I don’t think this translates to being natural or true-to-life but there’s also nothing wrong with that. Tonally, I’d classify this as a neutral-bright headphone on this setup.
One of the two main standouts of this headphone is its extreme treble presentation, and I do find it on the brighter side of what I’d consider neutral. It is supremely extended, energetic, and airy while being very delicate at the same time. In other words, the treble is front and center but it’s never harsh or piercing, assuming synergy is on point. As a result, I think the YH5K handles organic music very well giving it a great sense of energy and life. There’s almost a sense of heightened clarity but without sounding artificial as to cause problems and, in effect, ends up sounding hyper accentuated which isn’t really realistic, but damn is it engaging. How they pulled off this kind of balance in the treble while delivering so much is really something.
The second main standout is its “traditional” but very open stage. What do I mean by “traditional”? Basically, you have a very defined stage boundary on your left and on your right (ie. right where the earcups are), resulting in a direct line of sight toward the center stage. And within the center stage is a very open, free, and layered view. Although it’s not a very wide stage, the depth and focus more than makeup for it. It sort of forces you to look forward toward the music rather than to the sides of your head or behind.
To briefly address its weaknesses, the YH5K lacks some impact in the fundamental notes (ie. sub-bass). It extends just fine but there’s not enough weight and impact behind it. Overall, it’s not a big issue with most music I played through it but it is a bit disappointing. However, the upper harmonics (ie. mid-bass) are punchy, fast, and tight with some nice added warmth (ie. not lacking in quantity to me), despite it being neutral-bright on this setup. The overall bass here is actually very good and I feel like I’m underselling it here with my explanation, but it gets overshadowed by how standout the treble is that I’m unable to give it justice.
Next up, I think the timbre and tonal density lean a bit dry here so for the dedicated timbre heads, you probably have better options out there. Personally, I don’t think it’s a big issue considering the presentation it goes for but it’s still worth mentioning. I will say that the YH5K handles texture very well so I think that balances the lean timbre a bit. In addition, you do get an upper-mid emphasis so the upper-harmonics do get emphasized over the lower.
What I think are standouts:
- extreme treble extension, delicacy, energy, and air
- very great resolving power and microdynamics
- traditional yet very open stage presentation
- very nice energy and handling of texture
- a natural sense of dynamics
What I think could be improved:
- stage width
- sub-bass impact
- tonal density could be richer
- timbre might not satisfy the dedicated
Pretty great hp imo, assuming you like the standout traits I just mentioned. Adding to this, the treble imo is really impressive, not really natural but is quite unique in its presentation. Tbh I’m not sure I articulated or emphasized how standout the treble is lol.
As far as scalability and synergy pickiness go, idk. I don’t think I’m equipped enough to assess that accurately, but I know it sounds damn good on this particular system lol. Well if I had to guess, it’s pretty close to the mysphere on this setup, so it probably scales pretty well. There’s great synergy with the crayon though, that I’m sure of. The yh5k kind of offsets a bit of its smoothness and comes across as very clean and very delicate.
As far as the other stuff goes… comparisons, cables, pads, amps, etc… will have to wait until I get around to it. Hopefully this satisfied some curiosity around this hp, although take with a grain of salt as always. Perhaps i might have come off as too enthusiastic but I really think it’s that good and at least worth considering. I pretty much classify this specific setup in the holy shit category that’s for sure.
