Pioneer N50 24-bit 192kHz?

[scoughlan]

Following the 5 star review in the May edition of WHF, I notice that the article mentions "24-bit/92kHz" (96kHz?) support for the front USB socket and "Facts & figures" at the end gives 24-bit file support as "up to 102kHz". Looking around the internet however, suggests that the N50 may support 24-bit/192kHz with the Pioneer downloadable drivers. Is anyone able to confirm this? If there is such support, especially if it's throught the rear asynchronous USB socket, then that would be very welcom indeed!

 

[Frank Harvey]

Yes, it'll be 192 - I'm assuming that'll be a typing error

 

[skippy]

Hi

Has anyone listened to this streamer? If so what amp/speakers were used and how does it compare to the Sonos or SB touch?

Thanks

 

[Frank Harvey]

You asked!

Its currently using its own internal DACs running through a Bryston BP6 pre-amp into a Bryston 4Bsst2 power amp which is driving KEF Blades. It's only temporary until our Bryston SP3 processor comes back off loan, then it'll be fed digitally into that.

Being used through such revealing gear, it sounded a little restrained in the higher frequencies, which is to be expected. I was quite surprised by the bass though, which was a tad soft, but plenty deep enough. It'll normally be used with more budget gear, so these issues I'm picking up on wouldn't be noticeable.

I've only ever used my Sonos through external DACs, so I can't really say how the Sonos would compare using its own internal DAC, but suffice to say, the Pioneer will stream HD whereas the Sonos won't. Bear in mind though, that the Pioneer won't give you Napster, Last.FM or Spotify. Other than that, the only drawback is the app, which needs some work.

 

[WishTree]

I have used the Pioneer N-50 in my gear (as per the signature). It is really nice and extremely neutral. Dynamics are a tad smaller and the music felt a bit constrained. As a streamer it is extremely good. As a DAC, I would rate it 3.5 out of 5 in that price range. I am sensitive to transformer noise in my equipment and the unit that I had was having the transfer hum (I can tolerate it on a Power Amp but not on a streamer). May be my piece had a problem.

I also have the Grant Fidelity TubeDAC 11 which is an awesome value for money (except for the rubbish support - purchased from HongKong via eBay). Sounds is very dynamic and the top end gets alot of attention, in a good way. Bass is little soft.

Also currently running in the Audiolab M-DAC which is a lot more deeper, tighter sounding and is still opening up (I hope one day all the HiFi manaufacture factory burn-in the speakers & electronics) so that we do not have to wait for the first 100 Hours or so to actually know how things will end in M-DAC is what I will be keeping.

 

[skippy]

Nice system Wishtree (had a peak at the photo), David, thanks for your comments...not hijacking the thread, but I've been doing a lot of research on this subject. I recently bought a D-Link NAS (bought a QNAP previously which was too complicated for me), I've ripped my music in FLAC (and around 150 movies) to the unit. I recently listened to the Naim ND5 and I've said before, impressed, but not blown away. With the entry level streamers there seems to be 2 to go for, the SB touch and the Sonos. Both seem to have a lot of good qualities. The Pioneer sounds like a nearly perfect midrange package, but is this worth paying double (here in Canada) the price over the SB/Sonos? I will at some stage be upgrading the amp to a Nait XS.

 

[Frank Harvey]

I think that'll depend in whether you're using an external DAC or not. If you aren't and are using the products own internal DACs, then yes, the Pioneer will be worth it. But if you are, the differences will be much smaller.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Online review now corrected and clarified, including changing an errant 'MHz' to the correct 'kHz' :type:

 

[Anonymous]

Does the internal DAC deal with the incoming signal via ethernet? All references I can find to the internal DAC relate to the USB inputs. I have lots of FLAC files on a stand alone WD MyBook server which would be connected via ethernet. Thanks