Yamaha NX-70A: The Powered Speaker That Rethinks Hi-Fi

There are speakers that want to be the center of attention in a room – and then there are those that blend in elegantly while still delivering excellent sound. The Yamaha NX-70A clearly belongs to the latter category. Yamaha has packed a complete Hi-Fi system into a pair of compact, wireless active speakers: amplifier, streaming, room calibration, TV connectivity, and app control are all included. A delicate yet surprisingly heavy speaker that demonstrates how uncomplicated good sound can be today.

We took a close look at the NX-70A – from its construction and technology to its connections – and assessed who this system is for.

Table of Contents

• Who is the Yamaha NX-70A for?
• Design & Craftsmanship
• Technology & Internals
• Room Calibration with YPAO
• Operation & App
• Connections & Connectivity
• Clever Subwoofer Management
• Scope of Delivery
• Price & Availability
• Technical Specifications
• Conclusion
• Introduction Video
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Who is the Yamaha NX-70A for?

The NX-70A is aimed at anyone who wants sophisticated Hi-Fi sound but doesn't want a stack of equipment or cable clutter in their living room. Two speakers, one app – and everything works. The system is particularly interesting for those who want to upgrade their TV sound (thanks to HDMI eARC) while also looking for a full-featured streaming speaker. If you want a system that integrates discreetly into your living room and can be operated immediately by even less tech-savvy users, this is the perfect choice.

Design & Craftsmanship

Even at first touch, it's clear: no expense was spared here. The cabinet feels solid, and the knock test is accordingly unspectacularly solid. Yamaha has equipped the top with a 5 mm thick aluminum plate, which is firmly screwed and connects the cabinet to a single, rigid structure. In addition, the rounded, slightly tapered shape towards the rear avoids parallel surfaces, thus suppressing internal standing waves. The goal: a stable foundation for clear and focused sound.

Visually, the subtle bronze accents stand out, noticeably enhancing the speaker and giving it a high-quality touch. For necessary cooling, small ventilation areas are integrated at the top and bottom, allowing cool air to flow in – cleanly integrated into the design. The NX-70A is available in black and white.

Technology & Internals

Each speaker features a 3 cm tweeter and a 13 cm woofer/midrange driver in a 2-way bass-reflex design. What's special: Both drivers use the same diaphragm, the so-called Harmonious Diaphragm. For the diaphragm, Yamaha combines the extremely stable PBO fiber ZYLON with spruce wood – the same wood used for the soundboards in Yamaha grand pianos. The result is a lightweight, highly rigid diaphragm that keeps distortion low and reproduces instruments and voices naturally. Because the tweeter and woofer/midrange driver are made of the same material, they work together particularly harmoniously and phase-coherently.

Each speaker is actively powered: 100 watts for the woofer/midrange driver and 60 watts for the tweeter. The core is Yamaha's Synergistic Drive – a concept where amplifier and drivers are precisely matched. Through direct connection, the system precisely controls current flow and thus minimizes distortion that would otherwise arise in the interaction of conventional amplifiers and speakers. Such an approach is only possible when amplifiers and speakers are developed as a unit – and fully leverages Yamaha's experience as a manufacturer of both components.

Room Calibration with YPAO

No two listening rooms are alike – room shape, wall materials, and placement all affect how sound reaches the ear. This is where YPAO (Yamaha Parametric Room Acoustic Optimizer), Yamaha's in-house automatic calibration, comes in. You plug in the included measurement microphone, place it at your listening position with the supplied cardboard holder, and the system measures the listening environment and precisely adjusts playback to the room. In the NX-70A, YPAO uses Reflected Sound Control (R.S.C.) to specifically address early reflections that impair stereo clarity, while a high-precision EQ fine-tunes the tonal balance. This ensures the system sounds balanced regardless of placement.

Operation & App

The NX-70A is designed for simple operation. A small display on the front shows volume, current track, and selected input – deliberately kept simple. Everything can be controlled via remote control with classic functions as well as three preset buttons for quick access to radio stations or playlists.

The central control platform is the MusicCast app. This allows you to conveniently access streaming services, music from your smartphone, or your own music files, and integrate the NX-70A into a MusicCast multi-room system to transmit music and TV sound to other MusicCast devices in your home. Initial setup is refreshingly straightforward: A quick press of the connection button, and the speaker is immediately and reliably recognized in the app.

Connections & Connectivity

The primary speaker carries most of the connections: an HDMI input with eARC/ARC (including CEC, allowing you to turn the system on and off and control the volume via your TV remote), an optical input, a stereo mini-jack input, LAN (Ethernet), and a USB Type-A port for music playback from USB storage devices or for firmware updates. In addition, there is the YPAO microphone input. The second speaker comes with significantly fewer connections – essentially the LAN connection for wired coupling and the power connection.

Both speakers can be connected wirelessly, which makes placement maximally flexible: No cable between left and right, each speaker stands where it fits best visually and acoustically. For the highest resolution, you can alternatively connect the two via LAN cable – then the signal is transmitted without downsampling and thus with a higher sampling rate.

Wirelessly, the NX-70A supports Bluetooth (SBC/AAC), Apple AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, Google Cast, and Roon Ready, as well as Net Radio. Qobuz Connect is not yet on board at launch but is expected to follow via update. Outputs include an RCA subwoofer output and LAN coupling.

Clever Subwoofer Management

A detail rarely found in this class: Not only levels but also delays can be adjusted in the app – individually for the front speakers and for the subwoofer. This sounds technical but has a very audible benefit. With many stereo systems, the subwoofer simply arrives too late because its signal still passes through the amplifier and DSP. The timing is never quite right, and the subwoofer acts like a foreign body instead of a natural extension of the front speakers downwards. This is exactly what can be compensated for here: Via the delay setting, subwoofer and speakers merge into a single unit – as if the compact speakers had simply been turned into larger floor-standing speakers.

Scope of Delivery

Everything is already prepared in the box: remote control including batteries, two power cables (2 m) for both speakers, a 2 m HDMI cable for TV connection, a 3 m LAN cable for wired L/R coupling, the YPAO measurement microphone (6 m) including cardboard holder, as well as a quick start guide and safety instructions.

Price & Availability

The NX-70A speaker pair costs €2,949. The matching, specially developed stands SPS-70A are available for €599 a pair. The NX-70A is available in black and white and can be shipped from our shop. If you would like to listen to them before buying, please contact us – we will be happy to present them to you at your leisure, also in direct comparison.

[IMAGE SUGGESTION: 1) Product tile "Order NX-70A now" with shop link 2) NX-70A with SPS-70A stands as a set 3) Button/banner for booking a consultation appointment]

Technical Specifications

Conclusion

The Yamaha NX-70A gets a lot right. It combines serious Hi-Fi technology – Synergistic Drive, the elaborate Harmonious Diaphragm, powerful active amplifiers – with an everyday usability rarely found so thoughtfully designed in this class. The wireless L/R connection ensures maximum setup flexibility, YPAO gets the best out of the room, and the MusicCast App conveniently brings everything together. The fact that even delays for front and subwoofer can be finely adjusted is the icing on the cake for anyone who wants a truly coherent sound. If you're looking for a high-quality, uncomplicated active speaker that combines Hi-Fi, TV, and streaming, you should definitely put the NX-70A on your list.

Introduction Video

We also introduced the Yamaha NX-70A in a video for you – feel free to watch and see the new active speaker for yourself.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the Yamaha NX-70A?
The NX-70A is a wireless active speaker pair from Yamaha that integrates amplification, streaming, room calibration, and TV connectivity – a complete Hi-Fi system in two speakers.

Do I need to connect the two speakers with a cable?
No. Left and right communicate wirelessly, which makes placement very flexible. For the highest resolution, you can alternatively connect them via LAN cable – then the transmission is without downsampling.

Which streaming services does the NX-70A support?
Among others, AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, Google Cast, and Roon Ready, as well as Net Radio. Qobuz Connect is not yet included at launch but is expected to follow via update.

Can I connect my TV?
Yes, via the HDMI input with eARC/ARC and CEC. This allows you to conveniently control the system with your TV remote control.

Are there matching stands?
Yes, the SPS-70A stands, specially developed for the NX-70A, are available as accessories (€599 / pair).

Order Now

Want to have the new Yamaha NX-70A at home? Then order it conveniently in our online shop. We would also be happy to advise you personally and let you listen to the NX-70A at your leisure in our showroom – just contact us or order directly online.

An article by Eric Schmidt