Pioneer N-50

emcc_3

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Just wondering if anyone knows when this item is due out? Also does anyone at What Hi-fi know if you will be reviewing this item and when? Looks from the specification that it could blow the Marantz Na7004 out of the wtare in that price range of the streamer market.
 

Crocodile

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emcc_3 said:
Looks from the specification that it could blow the Marantz NA7004 out of the water in that price range of the streamer market.
In what way? (ignoring for the moment that it's currently around £130 more than the Marantz).
 

Frank Harvey

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It'll be down to the DAC as to how good these streamers will sound when plugged directly via analogue connections into any system. An A/B comparison will be the way to find out. They look good though, and I assume Pioneer will have a decent app to control them, as with their AV receivers.
 

emcc_3

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I think one of the retailers. Peter Tyson are advertising it at £499. So roughly in the same price bracket. Frank do you know if you need to buy the branded pioneer network bridge for wireless or could you use something else thats a little cheaper? Just seems a little steep to pay £80 for the bridge to take advantage of the wireless.
 

emcc_3

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It is already out. First thing that gets you is the build quality - it is surprisingly high for a product at this price.

Thats what struck me about it in the first place it looked like it was built like a tank. Any idea on sound charteristics? Is it neutral, Warm or Bright?
 

Crocodile

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emcc_3 said:
I think one of the retailers. Peter Tyson are advertising it at £499. So roughly in the same price bracket.
Not really as the Marantz is readily available around £370, including from PT.

But I'm still curious as to why you think it will potentially better the Marantz?

Edit - David doesn't like being called Frank... ;)
 

emcc_3

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Apologies David assumed your name was Frank from the name. The reason I think the pioneer could be better than the Marantz is due to the fact that it has wireless capability and the pioneer seems to have more features and functionality built in to the product. It also looks better as well!
 

TheHomeCinemaCentre

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The NA7004 has the benefit of DAB Radio which gives it an advantage. The Pioneer has build quality, a better interface and control app.

Soundwise I prefer the Pioneer and swapped out my NA7004 for it but I could see why you may like the Marantz. To me the Pioneer has more bottom end weight and a high end silence to the sound.
 
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the record spot

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Nick, always wondered what your system at home must be like. You're a bit spoiled for choice all things considered...!
 

Cypher

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TheHomeCinemaCentre said:
The NA7004 has the benefit of DAB Radio which gives it an advantage. The Pioneer has build quality, a better interface and control app.

Soundwise I prefer the Pioneer and swapped out my NA7004 for it but I could see why you may like the Marantz. To me the Pioneer has more bottom end weight and a high end silence to the sound.

Did you hear the N-30 ? It's cheaper than the N-50 but it should be good.
 

TheHomeCinemaCentre

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the record spot said:
Nick, always wondered what your system at home must be like. You're a bit spoiled for choice all things considered...!

I am spoilt for choice but I have spent years chopping and changing so suspect I will keep what I have for a while. Unless I can persuade the other half that the KEF Blades will work in our room I am set. I do have a third space on my rack that I use to test equipment for longer periods that I can in the shop. The Pioneer is there now and should be for a while - until the next new thing...
 

Crocodile

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TheHomeCinemaCentre said:
The Pioneer is there now and should be for a while - until the next new thing...
I'll ask the same old question as it isn't referenced anywhere in the specs or manual: does it do gapless playback of FLAC?
 

Crocodile

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TheHomeCinemaCentre said:
Just tested the one in the shop and it wont do it from USB or over the network.
Thanks.

As a reseller, what are your thoughts on this? I've said before that I find it amazing that so many of these products have this shortcoming. I can undertsand manufacturers not wanting to shout it from the rooftops but I'd have thought it warranted a mention in the proverbial small print at least. Likewise with reviews, never a mention. Not even from a publication majoring on classical works where it's most likely to be an issue. :?

But having said that many users of such devices report that it's a non issue for them.
 

Cypher

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TheHomeCinemaCentre said:
It is already out. First thing that gets you is the build quality - it is surprisingly high for a product at this price.

So it sounds good Nick ? I'm not familiar with the 'pioneer sound' (if it exists) but I really like the look of the N-50.

It doesn't play gapless flac but that doesn't bother me at all.

Thanks for your first impressions ;)
 

michael hoy

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emcc_3 said:
I think one of the retailers. Peter Tyson are advertising it at £499. So roughly in the same price bracket. Frank do you know if you need to buy the branded pioneer network bridge for wireless or could you use something else thats a little cheaper? Just seems a little steep to pay £80 for the bridge to take advantage of the wireless.

I'm not Frank or David
smiley-laughing.gif
but you can use any bridge, I connect my LX85 to a non Pioneer bridge.
 
A

Anonymous

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FrankHarveyHiFi said:
It'll be down to the DAC as to how good these streamers will sound when plugged directly via analogue connections into any system. An A/B comparison will be the way to find out. They look good though, and I assume Pioneer will have a decent app to control them, as with their AV receivers.

Sorry to say it, but if you haven't tried the iOS app, it is crap. Browsing is a joke since you only get four rows at a time and you can't really scroll. It's one screen at the time (4 rows at the time).

There's also no way to fast forward in the tracks. I.E. if you have a 20:00 minute long song, you have to listan through 18:00 minutes to hear the last good 2:00 minutes.. This can't be a normal use...?

The sound howoever is good, but controlling the player is a joke.

There's also a bugg to pause a track if you use any Linux software on your NAS. What I'm saying is that you can't pause... And since you can't fast forward. Stopping is not something you would like to do...
 

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