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Gift Guide: Yamaha AvantGrand N3 Piano

by Jon Chase on November 14, 2009 at 04:29 PM



Yamaha AvantGrand N3 (Creative, Cost No Object)

While we're tempted to think of Yamaha's latest invention as sort of the grandson of the keytar, that '80s rock staple that seemed the pinnacle of ebony and ivory awesomeness, in reality it's a whole new species. From afar the N3 looks like an especially mini baby grand, until you get up close and look under the hood, where suddenly you realize this beaut is a hybrid. Intended as a substitute for those who have neither the space (9.5 feet) or the cash (oh, about $150,000) for a concert grand piano, the N3 convincingly replicates the most important aspects of an acoustic model: the key and hammer movements as well as the pedals are the same as those in a regular piano, but the sound is all electronic and sampled from a top-of-the-line concert grand. And boy, is there sound, from the four subwoofers tucked into to the bottom panel to the four speakers up top facing the soundboard (with a dedicated amp for each). It sounds weird to be saying this about a $20,000 object, but at less than half the size of a grand and a fraction of the price, it's an incredible bargain.

Tags: avantgrand, piano, yamaha

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