Venova YVS-120/YVS-140 Casual Wind Instruments, YH-L700A Headphones Chosen for iF DESIGN AWARD 2022

Yamaha Corporation announces that two of its designs were selected to receive the iF DESIGN AWARD 2022: namely, the Venova™ YVS-120/YVS-140 casual wind instruments and the YH-L700A wireless headphones. Both awards were won in the Product Design discipline. Furthermore, both products were also selected to receive the Red Dot Award: Product Design 2022 and the most prestigious Red Dot: Best of the Best award*1, making them both winners of two world-renowned design awards.

The iF DESIGN AWARD, organized by Hannover-based iF International Forum Design GmbH, is recognized as an arbiter of quality for exceptional design and is one of the most important design prizes in the world. Each year, it honors design achievements in all manufacturing product disciplines. This year, the winners were chosen from almost 11,000 entries submitted from 57 countries for careful consideration by a 132-member jury, made up of independent experts from all over the world.

Since 1999, Yamaha has received the iF DESIGN AWARD for 19 of its designs, and these two new awards now bring the total to 21.

The Venova is a completely new type of acoustic wind instrument that was developed to allow players to enjoy an authentic sound and rich expressiveness with ease. The innovative branched-pipe structure and meandering shape allows the instrument to be played with simple fingering resembling that of a recorder, making getting started easy even for players who are new to wind instruments, while still providing a satisfying playing experience for established wind instrument players. The ABS plastic body of the instrument is lightweight yet exceptionally durable and can be cleaned with water, making regular use and maintenance easy. Due to its compact size, the Venova can be taken virtually anywhere, allowing players to enjoy music easily in a variety of settings ranging from the outdoors to casual music sessions. In addition to the YVS-120 alto model and YVS-140 tenor model, the full lineup also includes a soprano model, for a total of three models to satisfy a variety of player needs.

YVS-120 Alto Venova (top) and YVS-140 Tenor Venova (bottom)

YVS-140 Tenor Venova (top), YVS-120 Alto Venova (center), and YVS-100 Venova (bottom; soprano model for reference)

YH-L700A wireless headphones adapt to the media and the user's listening environment to embody "True Sound," that express the expression of every sound as the artist intended.

Yamaha's original "3D Sound Field" technology allows the user to select a three-dimensional space, or "sound field," that complements the audiovisual content. This is ideal for not only listening to music, but also watching movies and TV shows on streaming services, as well as short clips on video sharing services. Other unique features include "Listening Optimizer," an exclusive Yamaha technology that optimizes sound in real time based on the size and shape of the listener's ears and head. The simple, distinctive rectangular silhouette of the headphones is the inevitable result of the designers' pursuit of intuitive operation and uncompromising comfort. Fabric and leather materials are used throughout to create a luxurious feel that gently embraces the user. The result is a pair of wireless headphones that provide an immersive sound experience, in terms of both function and design.

Yamaha Design Official Website:

iF Design Award Official Website:

*1 Related News Release:

Venova YVS-120/YVS-140 Casual Wind Instruments, YH-L700A Headphones Chosen for Red Dot: Best of the Best Award(March 31, 2022)