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@tristan34849:

It doesn't make a difference really. The NV5 offers much more compared to the NU1X that it doesn't really noticable.

It's tricky, then. This forum has good information, but also a lot of posts where people are "hyping" what they own in order to feel validated. Since you don't play, you'll probably just get used to whatever action you buy. A couple years down the road, you are more likely to develop your preferences for touch. As far as tone is concerned, you can develop those preferences now, which are perfectly valid-- listen to some good acoustic pianos and see how they measure up against the hybrid vertical pianos. The control interfaces are, of course, different, and that may have a bearing on what you like better (in my case, I'd just find the settings I like initially and pretty much never change anything).

I do agree with Tyr and Mac that the "features list" from the marketing department is not what should make the decision, rather your eyes, ears, fingers, and checkbook...

In comparing these two models I had a definite preference for the pedal mechanism of one, while I preferred the action of the other. I was unable to compare the sound quality in a useful way, at least to this point.

From my own experience I can tell you, that I didn't get any helpful advice pre-purchase of my first DP, neither on the Internet nor in shops. The echo chambers tried to get me on the path of buying MIDI controllers and PC software, while the stores tried to hook me on Casio keyboards.

I made a pretty good choice by accident by comparing specs from the "Comparison of Portable Digital Pianos under 1000 US$ - Buying Guide" which by pure luck lead to avoiding the worst actions and tone generators in that price segment. But only with years of experience playing various pianos I can now properly discern digital instruments and make informed choices.

So trial and error ist the process you have to go through as well. You can't trust anything.

@Tyr @MacMacMac @terminaldegree @JoeT
thanks a lot Guys, I really do appreciate your advices

so which action do you prefer and why?? is it heavier or lighter etc??

AHHHHHHH I've had my NU1 for 6 months now and I'm about ready to upgrade to one of these NV5s as soon as this whole pandemic mess is over. (It took me 6 months for the shorter note decay to start bothering me.) All of the reviews are so good!

Hi Tristan! This is probably a little late but if you don't even know how to play you're not going to notice the difference between these two pianos for like a year or two. Personally, I would start with something in the $500 to $800 range until you're sure you want to keep playing rather than sink in several thousand right off the bat as the resale market on these tends to be very small. (I like the Casio Privia range for beginners).

Unless you live near me. In which case, please buy the NV5 and lmk if you're re-selling if you decide this hobby is not for you =P.

A very mundane question to NV5 (and NU1X) owners: are the front legs of the NV5 (NU1X) adjustable? Thanks, nbpf

Adjustable? How so (what would you be looking to adjust)?

With enough force, i'd say yes they probably are.

Legs must be adjusted to the right length. They have to be long enough to reach the floor.
(I think Abe Lincoln was quoted as saying that about his own legs.)

Their length, to cope with uneven floors. I live in an old flat and need a difference of about 15mm between the front and the back spikes of my floor standing speakers. My wife would like to to buy an nv5 or a nu1x and I anticipate that we will need adjustable legs to compensate for the uneven floor.

Ah, thanks for that. I'm not aware of ANY piano that has such a feature...I suspect you'll need to use a cushioned foot pad, caster cup or spacer?

That much difference?If you had said 1.5 mm ... okay.
But 15 mm over a span of the speaker spikes? Outrageous.
Fix the house! That's way out of spec.

It reminds me of the old nursery rhyme:

Interesting, thanks! I never owned or played a piano and thus I am completely ignorant on this subject. I understand that grand pianos typically have three legs and therefore no need for adjustable feet. But I would have expected upright pianos to have at least one adjustable leg. Many string instruments require a well defined contact with the floor, thus I thought pianos would be no exception. For speakers, adjustable spikes are mandatory. Depending on the floor, people use spikes, anti-spikes or something in between.

I agree that 15 mm across 50 cm is outrageous but that's how it is! The slope decreases as the distance from the wall increases, as one would expect. It's not my house and getting a straight floor in ancient buildings is probably nearly impossible and/or terribly expensive. It's anyway not going to happen, hence my question.

I would be grateful if those of you who have tried both the NV5 and the NU1X could elaborate a bit on the differences in the sound signature through the speakers.

As I mentioned in a previous post, my wife is about to buy a NV5 or an NU1X. She should be able to arrange an NV5 demo but she might be unable to compare NV5 and NU1X side-by-side.

I have watched a couple of NV5 videos with mic recordings lately. In some NV5 recording, I had the impression that the bass range was overpowered and that the mid range was a bit confused. I remember that I had the same impression when I listened to a Kawai digital piano with soundboard last year, I think it was a CS11 or a CA98. In that occasion, both my wife and myself found the sound a bit unnatural. Some video recordings of the NU1X suggest (to me) a more incisive sound, perhaps less rich but perhaps cleaner.

I am not a piano player myself, thus, please, take my remarks with a grain of salt. I understand that Kawai and Yamaha might have very different sound signatures and that any judgement about the sound quality of instruments very much reflects subjective preferences. I'm sure that my wife will be able to make up her mind. I am just trying to figure out whether the NV5 and the NU1X are trying to reproduce very different sound signatures or whether, according to your personal experience, one should rather expect to hear minor differences between the two. Thanks for your feedback, nbpf

I owned the NU1X before. It has a fantastic Speaker Setup. The Sampling sounds a bit dated and very clean. The mids are thin and you have to play much louder against the Bass. This is some imbalance which can be optimised via App.

The NV5 Sound System is different due to the Soundboard. It creates a more natural and warmer Sound. The Bass is a bit muffled by default, which can changed via VT. In general the NV5 Sampling is much more detailed and has a lot of different voices to fiddle around with which gives more flexibility.

Last but not least: The key action of the NV5 is miles ahead to the NU1X one. Better Sensors, better balance. I forget it's an Upright Action (which has its limits in very fast repetition passages).

All I can say is: If affordable then go for the NV5. When not it's not a mistake to go for the NU1X. Both are perfectly fine but the NV5 has more to offer.

Thanks for your feedback!

This Saturday I was in the shop, actually because I wanted to test and buy a Kawai CA99.
But the sound was unbalanced between bass and treble, analogous to your description and much too weak for a slightly larger room.
So I played the NU1X which has a audibly better better speaker system. The NU was near a real acustic piano, bit IMHO with a little to clean sound. BUT then I tried the nv5 and was blown away. Believe me, this sound can't be transported in a video.
The whole cabinet vibrates and fills the room with sound. So I agree with Tyr 100%.
And yes I bought one.