Yamaha NX-70A: Active bookshelf speakers with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and HDMI eARC

Visually, the Yamaha NX-70A speakers feature clean, sophisticated lines. The cabinet is distinguished by its rounded shapes, designed to avoid parallel surfaces and dampen internal standing waves, combined with a rigid, one-piece structure reinforced by a 5mm aluminum plate screwed to the top. In terms of ergonomics, the front panel of the main speaker includes a display (showing, among other things, the MC Link status) for more intuitive everyday use. Conveniently, the connection between the main speaker (right) and the secondary speaker (left) can be made wirelessly to simplify placement in the room, although a wired connection remains possible via the included 3m Ethernet cable to extend the bandwidth. Yamaha NX-70A, Harmonious Diaphragm Acoustic Design and Synergistic Drive. Technically, the Yamaha NX-70A is a two-way bass-reflex speaker. It is equipped with a 3cm cone tweeter and a 13cm woofer. Its unique feature is the use of Harmonious Diaphragm technology across all drivers to ensure perfect tonal homogeneity. The diaphragm is thus made from a blend of PBO Zylon fibers and spruce wood, the latter being directly derived from the soundboards of the brand's grand pianos. For amplification, Yamaha introduces the Synergistic Drive unified circuit. By directly connecting the speakers to the amplifier circuit, the system optimizes current flow to reduce distortion. Total power is generous at 160 W per speaker, distributed via bi-amplification: 100 W for the woofer and 60 W for the tweeter. Furthermore, the system incorporates the renowned proprietary YPAO RSC (Reflected Sound Control) acoustic optimization process, which, via a supplied microphone, adapts the speakers' response to the acoustics of the listening room. Yamaha NX-70A: HDMI eARC, MusicCast, AirPlay 2 and Google Cast connectivity. Connectivity is particularly comprehensive. For use with a living room television, the NX-70A includes an HDMI eARC/ARC port compatible with CEC. Wired connectivity is complemented by an optical input, a stereo mini-jack input, a USB Type-A port, an Ethernet port, and an LFE subwoofer output on RCA to enhance the low end. On the network side, the MusicCast ecosystem is in charge. It provides access to Apple AirPlay 2 and Google Cast (formerly Chromecast (integrated)) protocols, as well as Roon Ready certification. Direct compatibility with Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect is included, as is Bluetooth (SBC/AAC codecs). High-resolution audio files (WAV, FLAC, ALAC, AIFF, DSD) stored on a local server or a NAS are fully supported. Optional dedicated stands, priced at the time of writing and listed as Yamaha SPS-70A, are also available. Availability is announced in two colors, white or black, for the end of July. Suggested retail price: €2,999. Speakers: • Type: Two-way • Tweeter(s): 1 x 3 cm cone, Harmonious Diaphragm technology • Woofer(s): 1 x 13 cm cone, Harmonious Diaphragm technology • Enclosure: Bass-reflex • Power: 160 W • Sensitivity: Not specified • Connectivity: 1 x 3.5 mm mini-jack auxiliary input, 1 x HDMI, 1 x optical output, 1 x LFE output, 1 x USB Host port, 1 x Ethernet port, 1 x YPAO microphone input • Other: MusicCast • Certification: Hi-Res Audio • Audio file compatibility: MP3 WMA audio file(s)

• AAC audio file(s) compatibility

• AIFF audio file(s) compatibility

• WAV audio file(s) compatibility

• DSD 2.8/5.6 MHz audio file(s) compatibility

• FLAC audio file(s) compatibility up to 192 kHz/24-bit

• ALAC audio file(s) compatibility up to 192 kHz/24-bit

• WAV audio file(s) compatibility up to 192 kHz/24-bit

• Frequency response: 50 Hz - 21 kHz (-10 dB, wireless connection), 50 Hz - 35 kHz (-10 dB, wired connection)

• Wi-Fi compatibility • AirPlay 2 compatibility; • Spotify Connect compatibility; • Bluetooth compatibility; • Roon Ready compatibility; • Chromecast (built-in) compatibility; • Tidal Connect compatibility; • 192 kHz/24-bit DAC; • Multiroom: Yes via MusicCast module; • Dimensions (W x D x H): 189 x 333 x 234 mm; • Weight: 5.7 kg (main) + 5.4 kg (secondary); • Power consumption: Not specified (2 W standby)