Yamaha RH5Ma vs Philips SHP9500

Short answer: the Yamaha RH5Ma. It ranks #66 of 216 over-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 4.0/5, at $78; the Philips SHP9500 ranks #80, rated 3.9/5, and costs $94.99, so there is little reason to consider the other one.

The case for the Yamaha RH5Ma: A preference score of 82 with extra bass, 2.5 dB above target from 60 to 200 Hz, gives a warm, punchy sound with a bit of body in the low mids. Watch for: Treble is about 5.6 dB above target, with a peak near 8.9 dB at 8.4 kHz, so cymbals and sibilance can be sharp.

The case for the Philips SHP9500: A preference score of 80 and a deviation of only 2.2 dB make the open back response smooth for the money, with bass from 60 to 200 Hz and the lower mids within half a dB of target. Watch for: Sub-bass is about 9 dB below target under 60 Hz, so electronic and cinematic bass lacks rumble and slam.

Buy the Yamaha RH5Ma. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Philips SHP9500 and costs less, which makes it the one to get unless you need something the other one does better.

Still deciding? The full Headphones rankings cover every ranked option.

Specifications Side By Side

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Prices on this page were last checked October 11, 2026 at 4:59 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

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The Two Headphones In Full

Yamaha RH5Ma: $78.00 Amazon eBay

Pros: A preference score of 82 with extra bass, 2.5 dB above target from 60 to 200 Hz, gives a warm, punchy sound with a bit of body in the low mids. At 163 g with 32 ohms and 98 dB/mW, it is light, closed-back and easy to drive from a phone or laptop.

Cons: Treble is about 5.6 dB above target, with a peak near 8.9 dB at 8.4 kHz, so cymbals and sibilance can be sharp. A 7.5 dB dip near 4.3 kHz recesses vocal presence, and sub-bass below 60 Hz is about 4.6 dB low. The deviation of 2.4 dB is among the least even in its group.

Full Yamaha RH5Ma review and specifications →

Back	Closed
Connection	Wired
Deviation From Target	2.44 dB standard deviation
Driver Type	Dynamic
Drivers	1 x 40mm dynamic
Form Factor	Over-ear
Frequency Response	20Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified)
Harman Preference Score	82 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ)
Impedance	32 ohms
Sensitivity	98 dB/mW
Sub-bass Extension	Falls 6 dB below target at 32 Hz (-6.8 dB at 30 Hz)
Tonal Tilt	+0.12 (negative is warmer, positive brighter)
Weight	0.4 lbs (163 g)

EQ preset to match the Harman target

Set a preamp of -6.8 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.

Filter	Frequency	Gain	Q
Low shelf	105 Hz	+7.8 dB	0.70
Peak	77 Hz	-5.9 dB	0.62
Peak	863 Hz	+4.6 dB	2.37
Peak	8,259 Hz	-4.7 dB	2.01
Peak	2,447 Hz	+2.1 dB	2.39
High shelf	10,000 Hz	+2.4 dB	0.70
Peak	4,968 Hz	-3.5 dB	6.00
Peak	4,244 Hz	+2.5 dB	6.00
Peak	444 Hz	-1.8 dB	4.31
Peak	329 Hz	+0.5 dB	2.10

• Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
  • AutoEQ results for the Yamaha RH5Ma (oratory1990 measurement)
• Head-to-Head Comparisons
  • Yamaha RH5Ma vs Sony MDR-ZX310
  • Yamaha RH5Ma vs Mackie MC-250

Philips SHP9500: $94.99 Amazon eBay

Pros: A preference score of 80 and a deviation of only 2.2 dB make the open back response smooth for the money, with bass from 60 to 200 Hz and the lower mids within half a dB of target. It is very easy to drive at 32 ohms and 101 dB sensitivity, so a phone runs it fine, and it weighs just 320 g. It costs far less than most headphones with a comparable score.

Cons: Sub-bass is about 9 dB below target under 60 Hz, so electronic and cinematic bass lacks rumble and slam. Presence is lifted about 2.3 dB, and a 6.7 dB peak near 6.2 kHz followed by a 4 dB dip near 7.7 kHz adds some edge to vocals and cymbals. The open back leaks sound and gives no isolation.

Full Philips SHP9500 review and specifications →

Back	Open
Connection	Wired
Deviation From Target	2.17 dB standard deviation
Driver Type	Dynamic
Drivers	1 x 50mm dynamic
Form Factor	Over-ear
Frequency Response	12Hz - 35kHz (Manufacturer specified)
Harman Preference Score	80 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ)
Impedance	32 ohms
Sensitivity	101 dB
Sub-bass Extension	Falls 6 dB below target at 47 Hz (-10.3 dB at 30 Hz)
Tonal Tilt	+0.47 (negative is warmer, positive brighter)
Weight	0.7 lbs (320 g)

EQ preset to match the Harman target

Set a preamp of -6.4 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.

Filter	Frequency	Gain	Q
Low shelf	105 Hz	+6.5 dB	0.70
Peak	5,734 Hz	-5.7 dB	2.84
Peak	110 Hz	-3.0 dB	0.81
Peak	2,130 Hz	+3.7 dB	2.76
Peak	412 Hz	+1.0 dB	1.39
High shelf	10,000 Hz	-2.4 dB	0.70
Peak	1,113 Hz	-0.6 dB	2.07
Peak	7,370 Hz	+2.1 dB	5.98
Peak	4,477 Hz	-1.7 dB	6.00
Peak	3,566 Hz	+1.3 dB	6.00

• Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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