Yamaha TW-E3C

The Yamaha TW-E3C True Wireless in-ears are now in their third generation. The TW-E3C is the smallest model in the series so far, and they are available at a list price of around one hundred euros. This makes them cheaper than the TW-E5B and also the more expensive TW-E7B that comes with noise cancelling.

In the exemplary plastic-free packaging, you will find a matt charging case with a USB-C connection that contains the two ergonomically shaped earpieces. The product is available in six different colours (black, grey, blue, green, beige, or red), so you can choose your own personal colour preference.

The headphones are protected against splashes of water and sweat in accordance with IPX5 and are therefore quite suitable for sports use.

In terms of technical specs, Yamaha uses dynamic 6mm drivers, supports Bluetooth 5.2 and the audio codecs SBC, AAC and aptX Adaptive. The manufacturer specifies a battery life of up to nine hours and an additional 15 hours for the charging case, but this can, unfortunately, only be recharged with a cable. The battery status is indicated on the case via four LEDs. The TW-E3C are controlled via touch-sensitive surfaces on the outside of the earpieces and via a free app that is available for iOS and Android.

The Yamaha TW-E3C in practice

The first thing that struck me was the really good wearing comfort. These earphones were well-shaped, at least for my ear canal, and fitted securely and without pressure in my ears. The selection of silicone tips in four sizes was also good. Pairing was quick and achieved a stable connection. There was also nothing to complain about in terms of range: The wireless link worked over several rooms.

The touch-control surfaces on the two earpieces can be used with clicks, multiple clicks and long touches to trigger functions for music playback, track jumps, and level control, as well as to switch the Ambience function on and off; this allows you to make ambient sounds fade into the background enabling better interaction with your surroundings. Although this function cannot be controlled, it provided practical help in everyday use, at least when the music was switched off. It is also possible to directly summon a voice assistant.

The App Headphone Control is also available. Here you have the option of firmware updates (status: 3.07), configurations for the functions “Listening Care”, and “Game Mode”, automatic switch-off in rest phases and the option of multipoint connection. There is also a 5-band equaliser with several pre-sets and two user memories, with which you can adapt the sound to suit your own taste and favourite genre.

I would like to mention a positive feature here, and that is the switchable game mode, which ensured a lower offset between sound and image playback in videos and games and thus increased the synchronicity of these elements.

In practice, the stated runtime turned out to be completely practical. This means that the TW-E3C are well equipped for long train journeys and flights. The charging time for the case is two hours, including a quick-charge function. This device scored points for use during phone calls and conferences, with convincing voice quality, which according to the manufacturer, benefits from adapted microphones and Qualcomm cVc (Clear Voice Capture) technology for ambient noise suppression. If necessary, it is also possible to work with only one earpiece. I also managed to pair with two devices, and this allowed me to switch between playing computer audio and incoming calls on my smartphone.

How good do the Yamaha TW-E3C sound?

The Yamaha TW-E3C delivered an appealing sound performance. Despite their budget price, these headphones sounded well-balanced and were fun for listening to music. While the design does not offer noise cancelling, it does offer quite convincing passive attenuation, which intensifies the listening experience.

The general tuning was punchy and full-bodied rather than slim and analytical. Although the bass reached far down and was rather overemphasised, it remained contoured and did not disturbingly obscure the mid-range. Voices and central instruments (acoustic, electric and electronic) were all reproduced coherently and dynamically. The Yamaha TW-E3C also performed well when listening to rock and metal.

These headphones were not hard in the treble; indeed, they were a little muffled. For me, there was a little “air at the top”. However, this was definitely mix-dependent.

The Yamaha TW-E3C offer detail resolution appropriate for the price range that illuminated the stereo stage successfully. You can also use the EQ to adjust the bass to suit your taste. Considering the price, this was a good performance. However, these headphones do not stand up to audiophile demands.

I found the switchable “Listening Care” function less convincing. According to Yamaha, it is supposed to ensure a fuller sound even at lower volumes – a dynamic loudness circuit, so to speak. However, the effect was rather subtle, and I only noticed it at really low listening levels: the bass range and the sound image, in general, came a little more to the fore. And so the Yamaha TW-E3C did actually sound good at low levels. At medium and higher levels, the differences were hardly noticeable. Personally, I would have preferred an adjustable solution. However, you can use the equaliser to make the necessary changes to the sound.