Yamaha YH-L500A: The Bluetooth helmet that brings a home Multichannel Home to your content
Bluetooth helmets dedicated to home cinema are a niche market which Yamaha has been able to seize for several years with his YH-L700A. Although this iteration continues to successfully evolve within its catalog, the Japanese brand unveils a simplified version called YH-L500A. Capable of transforming any audio content into a three -dimensional experience, it takes up the principle of its elder.
The virtualization technology used by the YH-L500A, named Sound Field, would go further than standard space audio, simulating a real multi-channel sound. According to Yamaha, the cinema mode would separate the dialogues from background music, while improving dynamics and immersion. The music mode, meanwhile, increased the width of the sound scene with a feeling of openness and a realistic reverberation.
Reduced weight, sweeter pads and new low-latency mode
This new YH-L500A is distinguished from the YH-L700A by a less refined construction for the benefit of comfort and transportability. Its weight has been reduced to 265 g, while its pads now covered with similarities would be much more flexible and replaces if necessary. On the sound architecture side, the YH-L500A takes over the 40 mm dynamic transducers of its elder, but promises a more realistic bandwidth ranging from 20 Hz to 20 kHz (against 8 Hz to 40 kHz).
In addition, if its Bluetooth receiver goes to version 5.4, it perpetuates an adaptive APTX codec for an uncompressed wireless transmission from a compatible source. However, the YH-L500A adds Google Fast Pair for automatic pairing at an Android device and the multipoint for connection to two simultaneous sources. A new “gaming mode” is also in order to reduce audiovisual latency with all types of content.
20 hours of autonomy with Sound Field activated, but no old
Of course, the entry-level positioning of the YH-L500A implies some sacrifices. It does not include any noise reduction system or transparency mode, and would be delivered without transport cover. On the other hand, it still includes the Listening Care mode, which adapts the frequency response according to the volume. Autonomy is promised at 8 p.m. with the activated Sound Field function. Performance that should be similar to those of his big brother, knowing that he presented up to 35 hours of autonomy with Sound Field and the Activated ANC.
In addition, this Yamaha helmet takes up certain advantages of the YH-L700A as microphones dedicated to calls, compatibility with voice assistants (Siri and Google Assistant), the possibility of using it in wire via its 3.5 mm mini-jack input (cable included) or a total control via the Yamaha Headphone Control app.
The price and release date of the YH-L500A have not yet been announced. But by slightly modernizing the YH-L700A formula while abandoning some of its features, the YH-L500A should much less expensive than its YH-L700A elder launched in 2021 at a price of € 499.
