Yamaha has put two new headphones into its Head-Fi range, each aimed at a different kind of listener.

The YH-C3000 is closed-back and portable.

The YH-4000 is an open-back design, suitable for home use.

The C3000 is the practical pick. Closed cups mean outside noise stays out and your music doesn’t bleed into the room.

That makes them fine for the train, the office, or late at night when others are asleep.

The new ARMODYNAMIC driver is tuned for clarity in the mids and bass that’s firm but not overblown.

Yamaha leans on its 70 years of acoustic design here, chasing balance rather than cheap thrills.

The light frame and soft pads make them comfortable enough to wear for hours, and they fold up when you want to throw them in a bag.

Even better, they weigh in at a mere 330 grams, even with the same stainless-steel arm as the Yamaha’s flagship YH-5000SE headphones.

There’s a solid and an open-back option

The 4000 is a different proposition.

Open-back housings with vents let air move around the ORTHODYNAMIC driver, creating a bigger, more natural soundstage.

They give you a sense of space that sealed headphones can’t, with sharper placement of instruments and vocals, which is perfect for classical, jazz or live recordings.

The downside is that the sound leaks both ways.

People nearby will hear your music, and you’ll hear them.

That makes the YH-4000 suboptimal for use while commuting to work.

But in a quiet living room, they come into their own. The large, breathable pads help during long sessions, and the metal build feels suitably high-end.

Together, these models show Yamaha hedging its bets in the higher end of the market.

There’s one set of headphones for people who want privacy and portability, another for those who want something closer to a concert hall at home.

Neither will replace a full speaker setup, but for enthusiasts who want more than a generic pair of cans, they’re a serious step up.

The YH-C3000 closed-back and YH-4000 open-back headphones are expected to arrive in Australia later this year, priced at $2,999 and $3,999 respectively.