Yamaha NX-70A review

Tom Petty once sang that “the waiting is the hardest part”, and we happen to agree, having waited a long time for Yamaha to release a new active wireless speaker system. As such, when we heard about the release of the NX-70A, we were keen to get them into our test rooms for a listen.

But we’ve had plenty of talented wireless systems to keep us occupied in the meantime. Among those producing wireless all-in-one systems, KEF has become something of a trailblazer, earning five-star reviews from the What Hi-Fi? review team for its premium LS Luxe (£3500 / $4000 / AU$6375) and LS50 Wireless II systems (£2199 / $3000 / AU$4000), the latter of which is a multiple What Hi-Fi? Award winner.

Falling between these two five-star options, at a price of £2590 / $3000 / AU$4799, the Yamaha NX-70A system is entering a highly competitive price bracket. The speakers’ dedicated SPS-70A stands cost an extra £517 / $500 / AU$799. While this isn’t an inconsiderable sum, it falls in line with the price of stands for their closest rivals.

The question on all of our minds: will this speaker system prove itself worth the wait?

Build & design

We are immediately struck by how smart and well-built the Yamaha NX-70A speakers are. The sleek, rounded rear of the cabinets kills two birds with one stone by looking suave while suppressing internal standing waves. A 5mm-thick, copper-accented aluminium top plate provides a robust feel with the added bonus of extra cabinet rigidity.

Our test pair arrives in a black finish, but a white option is also available.

The NX-70A measure a fairly conventional 33.3 x 18.9 x 23.4cm (hwd). The primary speaker (which houses all the physical inputs) weighs 5.7kg, while the secondary speaker weighs 5.4kg. So, these Yamaha speakers are not particularly heavy, even for their reasonable size.

We are pleased to find that the NX-70A screw into their SPS-70A stands, which are 66cm tall, for an even more integrated appearance. The speakers fit precisely, with no overflow from the stands, which we think is a satisfying touch. It is worth noting that you will have to assemble the stands yourself, but with the help of included instructions, the construction is straightforward.

A small display screen runs along the bottom of the speakers, showing the currently selected source, volume or connection status. The crisp, clean display is a welcome addition that most rivals don’t feature, but we would have liked it to be bigger, as the small text is hard to read from a comfortable listening distance.

As for the drivers, both use Yamaha’s ‘Harmonious Diaphragm’ material, which is a blend of Zylon (a strong, lightweight synthetic polymer) and the same spruce wood as used in the soundboards of the company’s grand pianos.

The 30mm dome tweeter and 13cm ported mid/bass unit are both driven by dedicated amplifiers providing 60W and 100W of Class D amplification, respectively. Despite their output rating, the active speakers run surprisingly cool and don’t heat up significantly during testing.

Features

The NX-70A's internal DAC supports music files up to 32-bit/384kHz PCM and DSD256, which should please anyone with a huge and varied digital music library.

However, the link between the speakers does limit the final resolution you hear. The two speakers can be connected to each other wirelessly, or with an included 3m cable. While the wireless connection offers more flexibility in terms of placement, its resolution limit is reportedly 24-bit/48kHz, while using the physical connection ups the limit to 24-bit/96kHz.

A host of wireless streaming options are accessible from Yamaha’s dedicated MusicCast platform, including Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect and Qobuz Connect, alongside access to internet radio and UPnP servers.

In terms of physical connections, Yamaha has included a 3.5mm stereo mini jack, optical, HDMI (eARC), USB-A (for firmware updates as well as music playback) and a microphone input for the brand’s built-in YPAO room equalisation system.

Outputs on the primary speaker include a subwoofer out, alongside the connection to the secondary speaker.

When setting up the speakers, we find the MusicCast control app works well, allowing source selection, playback controls, playlist creation and access to speaker settings, such as tonal and balance controls. The YPAO set-up is also done via the app (more on this later).

Searching through songs stored on our Naim Core server is simple and intuitive, and sound modification features, such as tonal controls, are sensitive enough to be useful, allowing for fine adjustments.

Notably, MusicCast doesn’t include the native search options that are available in native control apps, but offers to open the Tidal, Spotify or Qobuz apps when they are selected. Nonetheless, we encounter no difficulties streaming when we switch to Tidal Connect. If you are using other streaming services, worry not, because music can be sent via AirPlay 2 or Google Cast. The NX-70A system is also Roon Ready.

The NX-70A also has Bluetooth 5.3, but only supports the standard SBC and AAC codecs. Given the price of this system, it’s a shame that Yamaha hasn’t included higher-quality aptX support, but we note that the KEF rival doesn’t include it either. At this level, some manufacturers view Bluetooth as a fallback, and, indeed, with the breadth of listening options available, we don’t find ourselves using the feature often.

YPAO is Yamaha’s Parametric Room Acoustic Optimizer, which uses an included microphone to measure the room’s sonic characteristics and counteract any unwanted effects. The process is simple, guided by step-by-step instructions in the app, and involves plugging in an included microphone and running test tones. The entire process only takes a few minutes.

In our acoustically treated test room, engaging the YPAO setting makes for a more controlled and precise bass, effectively countering low-frequency dominance when placing the speakers close to a rear wall. These gains come at the cost of midrange detail and an overall sense of high-frequency refinement, however, so we ultimately opt to leave the setting off.

Sound

While these speakers are small enough to be used on a desk, they don’t shine brightest when used there, losing a degree of balance and dynamic expression. For the best results, we recommend sticking to their dedicated SPS-70A stands.

Experimenting with positioning, we find that the speaker system can sound perfectly comfortable close to a rear wall, with plenty of tonal adjustment available via the app to balance things out should bass dominate. We also angle the speakers in a little towards the listening position, where we find they provide the best stereo image.

We listen to the NX-70A system wired and wirelessly, and find it has a greater sense of air and clarity with a wired connection. As such, we used the physical connection throughout testing, kicking off with some hi-res wireless streaming via Tidal Connect.

Our immediate impression of this Yamaha speaker system is one of composure and poise. Music feels pleasantly balanced, with a healthy portion of low-end that provides punch when it is needed, without becoming overwhelming.

Listening to The First Disciple by Tamino, guitar parts are delivered with warmth and clarity. The leading edge of plucked strings is pleasingly rendered and gives way to the full-bodied, hearty resonance of each note. Later in the song, when bass and percussion come in, the NX-70A has no trouble providing the low-frequency depth and textural clarity necessary to bring the woozy, swirling arrangement to life.

This speaker system reaches somewhat deeper and is more authoritative in the bass than rivals such as the KEF LS50 Wireless II. Low frequencies are substantial and punchy, while remaining nicely defined and seamlessly blended into the overall sonic balance.

Switching up the tempo, we stream YHWH Nailgun’s Ballerina from our Naim server. Again, the NX-70A provides all the clarity and power we were hoping for. Compared with the steady rhythmic grip of the LS50 Wireless II, however, we find the Yamaha leaves us feeling a little lost in the song’s chaotic momentum, with a weaker sense of drive.

To hear how the Yamaha fares with classical music, we listen to Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No.5 in E Minor, Op. 64, TH. 29: II. Andante cantabile con alcuna licenza - Moderato con anima. Here, the NX-70A offers striking impact and weight to the strings, alongside pillowy, yet well-contoured brass. Dynamically, the system keeps pace with the undulating banks of strings, conveying the piece’s most ferocious and delicate moments with equal maturity and grace.

We are particularly pleased with the way the NX-70A communicates spatial qualities, and truly get a sense of the acoustic environment the piece was recorded in. Closing our eyes, the listening experience feels quite transportative. We also notice just how fluidly the Yamaha system transitions between quiet and loud sections.

Across genres, the NX-70A puts in a commanding, full-bodied performance. While it isn’t quite up to the standards of the Award-winning LS50 Wireless II in terms of subtlety and fine-grained nuance, the Yamaha speaker system is, nonetheless, a highly engaging and enjoyable listen.

We work through the range of physical inputs on the NX-70A, using our reference Cyrus CDi player as a source. Using the optical input, we were pleased with the way the system retains its positive sonic characteristics, but we find there is a slight loss in clarity and dynamic distinction while using the 3.5mm stereo aux connection.

Generally speaking, Bluetooth wouldn’t be our chosen connection when sound quality is paramount. This rings true here, as we found that using the Bluetooth connection results in decreased rhythmic drive and textual detail, but we do appreciate the added convenience that the feature offers.

Verdict

The Yamaha NX-70A is a sonically talented and highly adaptable wireless all-in-one speaker system. While it might not be an outright class leader, this system is nonetheless worthy of serious attention for its expansive feature set, heaps of aesthetic panache and mature, expressive sound.

SCORES

• Sound 4
• Build 5
• Features 5

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