The network player hangs with me via LAN to my router and includes the songs in FLAC format on the connected Synology NAS system. The device plays MP3 files without any problems, FLAC, even 96 kHz / 24-bit resolution. Other formats I have not tried. The player provides with me his signal analogue to an old Denon amplifier. The sound is indistinguishable from CD, at least not for my spoiled ears. High resolution music sounds a bit better - but that can also be imagination, after all, the higher costs for the FLAC files must indeed be justified.
The display of the Pioneer is a bit too small for my taste and could be better resolved, but sufficient to select the device directly songs to represent the disk / CD covers and some display song information.
The operation directly on the device is a bit cumbersome, especially when you have to Navigate through the hundreds of CDs and songs. There are only forward and backward buttons available here. The songs range from the remote control does not allow leaves, pre- eg 20 or 50 items or backward. This was solved on my> 20 years old Sony CD player better: There was a knob, with correspondingly fast turn could be quickly protruded on the desired song. Maybe a tip for the Fa. Pioneer, which incorporate in future devices!
Pressing during playback of a song, the forward or backward button, so you do not hear as CD players practice the song in fast-forward, but playback pauses briefly and then starts again at the new location. Again, I think it would be useful if the song would be heard in order to specifically locate a particular location. Perhaps this can be installed with a firmware update.
Operation via the Pioneer App (Android) works quite reasonable, the cover image is unfortunately appear on my Android tablet in poor resolution, although large as possible embedded in the songs and stored in the respective folder.
However, the highlights are other UPnP apps that allow you to stream game songs from tablet or smartphone and of course from the NAS to the network player. These apps are usually clearer and easier to use than the Pioneer App. For this purpose, the device must of course on the same network via LAN or WLAN and his DNLA-enabled.
As for me, the coffee table anyway lying around a tablet, it makes a lot of fun with this, by listening through an extensive music collection. Finally, the hassle of searching for the desired CD is over!
Internet radio is working properly, playing other devices via USB, Spotify and AirPlay I have not tried yet.
In sum: Easy deployment, network will be found automatically, very good sound. Smaller sacrificing usability on the device itself and the Pioneer app could also be improved! Here's even potential for the next firmware!
