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There’s a new family member to the Yamaha AvantGrand series. The NU1 X. I came across an article in ‘prweb’. Let’s hope the N1 and N2 will soon follow with an X version as well.

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2017/08/prweb14637862.htm

https://usa.yamaha.com/products/musical_instruments/pianos/avantgrand/nu1x/index.html

Of interest:



It sounds like there isn't a mechanical change to the action, but there are sensor improvements? And I'm assuming they're not claiming that NU1X is more grand-like in its response than the actual AvantGrands?

Speaking of which, I feel the NU1 should really be part of a separate AvantUpright product line, but that doesn't have the same ring to it

Looks like a spec bump and will replace the NU1. Binaural sampling that's in the N3X and Silent-SH has been added to the NU1X, small tweaks to the action, speakers are up from 160W to 180W, and it's now available in a glossy white finish.

Manual, MIDI reference, software

https://usa.yamaha.com/products/mus...ntgrand/nu1x/downloads.html#product-tabs

Spec comparison

https://usa.yamaha.com/products/musical_instruments/pianos/avantgrand/nu1x/specs.html#product-tabs

Interesting.. more competition for kawai novus nv10! Very excited to try it out!!

One question: why does Yamaha choose upright action for avantgrand? If there are no strings, wouldn't grand action be better?

Thanks
Osho

They don't - all Avant Grands have a grand action. The Yamaha NU isn't an Avant Grand - the U refers to Upright.

According to the Avant Grand page of Yamaha, the NU1X is an Avand Grand :

https://usa.yamaha.com/products/musical_instruments/pianos/avantgrand/

(Even if it seems weird to have the Avand Grand name without the grand action.

I was very close to buying a NU1 some time ago but the well known problem of sudden loud notes stopped me. Yamaha has described this is normal in their manual so I need to see whether they have fixed this in the NU1X and this might be my next instrument. I was really impressed with NU1 in the store but I managed to produce this bug without even trying, in the course of regular 10 minutes playing

What bothers me though is NU1 was around €4400 if my memory serves me well and the NU1X is more than $7000 and paradoxically they will just replace the US dollar sign with the Euro sign as they usually do although the US dollar is currently very weak compared to the Euro.

I have an NU1 which I've been very happy with. It has never shown the sudden loud note problem in my playing, but even so it's not clear if they have added the under key sensor that exists on the N1/2/3. One of the videos suggests they have but the specs remain quiet, although the features description talks of improved grand like touch.

Bluetooth is new, but I already have that via the MD BT01.

10 more voices added including VRM enhancements, hmmm, or ho hum, when I can easily get more with my iPad.

Better acoustic projection. I used a sub at one stage, but day to day practice,who cares.

So, I'm a little underwhelmed at the moment based on a just looking at the release information. Would I change my mind after playing the NU1X in person!?

A lot of marketing bla bla.
As long as there are no facts concerning mechanical or technical changes, I think it's just an upgrade to be up to date.

I just bought my N1 4 weeks ago. I hope they don't update it as well. But this would then explain the good price I paid for it....

Hmmm, you're right, it seems they're fudging their own category now...

This is a new development - prior to the NU1X, the NU1 was not part of the AG lineup. It did not carry the AG tag at all. I think they are bringing it into the fold so that it has a home among a family of similar instruments. Obviously it isn't a grand action, but they clearly have decided that it's close enough - having the same sound engine and features, just with an upright action. When Yamaha began the AG concept, they certainly were pushing the idea that the grand idea was to do with the authentic grand action along with the grand multichannel samples.

If they are going to include uprights in the range, they should rebrand the whole series without the word 'grand' in it. In any case, the 'avant' part is daft, outdated and inappropriate. Marketing should put their thinking caps on.

I think I understand your reasoning based on the AG series having a grand key action. However, to counter, the NU1 already had, and now the NU1X has too and more, some grand voices. Maybe that's their justification? But whatever sells sells and confusion might help!

Well, that's true, but what about the 'Avant' bit? It's not very good, is it? Japanese marketing departments do better with numbers than names for branding. DX7 sounds pretty good but Avant Grand sounds silly.....like some of the car names: Datsun Cherry, Nisan Sunny, Daihatsu Applause and the Mitsubishi Toppo - they manage to miss the mark somehow, no matter how well designed, engineered and built they may be.

offtopic, but could this be language dependent or a cultural thing? Since English is not my native language, I don't see anything wrong in Datsun Cherry, Nissan Sunny and Daihatsu Applause And as a similar example, the Spanish brand SEAT name their cars after cities. While the actual Spanish city names sound kind of OK to me, it's a common joke theme between me and my friends to come up with some imaginary car names that are after Bulgarian cities because most of Bulgarian city names sound like something very stupid, rural, redneck, etc. Which I guess might not be felt this way by a foreigner...

Thanks. Good to know - I missed that other AvantGrands are real grand actions.

I think this is a bit misleading to call NU series "anything Grand" without the Grand action. Buyer beware!

Osho

There's nothing wrong with these names exactly. It's just funny because so much investment goes into getting the image right with high profile brands, but your average aspirational car driver in the UK is not going to feel better about himself if he has to tell his friends that he drives a 'Cherry' a 'Sunny' or an 'Applause'. It's all cultural as you say, but those names just sound so wide of the mark. Mind you, Renault were stretching it with 'Twingo' but they got away with it, presumably on the grounds of gallic panache. The British did well to bags Jaguar when they did.

I await with not-so-bated breath a car (USA = automobile) named after other big cats: A Tiger, a Lion (or Lioness, we mustn't be sexist in PW), a Leopard, an Ocelot, a Cheetah, a Puma, a Cougar.....hold on, the last two have been used.

OK, how about a Chevvy Cat?

I'd be surprised if they hadn't all been used already one way or another in the auto industry. Felines are such an obvious winner: power, form, elegance, streamline, sexiness, danger. Etc.

Feline is a good name: Ford Feline. Could be worth billions.

PS I like Chevy Cat......very chunky, sounds like a line for an urban 4x4........we should go into the image consultancy business.

What's wrong wi British town/place names? Ideal for cars, babies, pianos . . . "Hemel Hempstead Boudoir", (cheap grand) or, "Barrow in Furness Pub Classic " (upright, minus the front panel with a dummy pint of beer and fag end stuck to what remains of the case). . . . . . . .

I won't mention Hampstead Heath . . .