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Pioneer Launches a Pair of Networked Audio Players
Mon Jan 09, 2012 at 10:00 AM ETTags: Pioneer, Streaming (all tags)
The N-30 and N-50 are compatible with lossless audio and offer plenty of streaming options.
Streaming music to your system is all well and good but so many devices that have the ability aren't compatible with the best sounding audio formats. Thanks to DLNA 1.5, Pioneer's new N-30 and N-50 networked audio players handle FLAC, WAV and Apple Lossless audio. Of course, you'll still be able to stream the old favorites like MP3, WMA and AAC.
Both players are capable of streaming music from internet radio and sources like Pandora and iHeartMusic and even feature AirPlay capability. You'll find a 2.5" LCD screen that displays the music currently playing and those that prefer can control the device through an iPhone, iPod touch, iPad or "certain Android devices".
The N-50 separates itself from the N-30 by utilizing twin EL transformers, gold RCA plugs and what Pioneer refers to as an armored chassis. It uses AIR to kick up the audio quality on compressed files and packs a DAC only mode for those without solid DACs already in their home theater setup.
The N-30 will run you $499 while the N-50 comes in at $699. As tends to be the case with Pioneer products, you'll have to shell out cash for separate Wi-Fi and Bluetooth adapters.
Source: Engadget
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Pioneer, Klipsch, Aperion and More Form Group to Promote Wireless Audio Standard
Mon Dec 19, 2011 at 02:00 PM ETTags: Aperion, Klipsch, Pioneer, Wireless Audio (all tags)
One standard would, of course, mean that all of your wireless audio devices would play nice together.
Is there an obscure holiday that we don't know about? Wireless Day maybe? Or maybe a name that's more clever. Point is, Intel and LG announced their wireless video plans at the same time as the WiSA Group formed to get a wireless audio standard to become, well, the standard.
The tech that WiSA is promoting is the Summit Wireless technology that's been utilized in prototypes by companies like Aperion Audio. Among the groups members are Pioneer, Aperion, Sharp, and DEI - the company that owns Polk and Definitive Technology.
The WiSA says that the sound coming through wirelessly is "virtually indistinguishable" from the quality you get through traditional means. They also say that interference and latency won't be an issue at all. Expect to see plenty of promotion of this new tech at CES next month.
Source: TWICE
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Pioneer Intros its New Flagship Elite Receiver
Tue Aug 09, 2011 at 12:00 PM ETTags: Pioneer, Receivers (all tags)
The SC-57 boasts a new amplifier, networking capabilities, and DTS Neo: X compatibility.
Pioneer has launched a pair of new receivers - the SC-55 and the SC-57, the latter of which is the flagship for the Elite line. The receivers are nearly identical in most respects, but the SC-57 boasts THX Ultra 2 Plus certification while the SC-55 does not.
Both receivers benefit from the brand new D3 amplifier architecture. This new tech allows the receivers to be more power efficient, and disperse heat better. You'll also find that the SC-55 and SC-57 have lower total harmonic distortion than previous modes, thanks in part to a new signal path that's a third shorter than the 2010 models.
Pioneer has packed AirPlay into its new receivers, which is becoming a regular if not required feature for new components. It also utilizes Air Jam, which lets you connect as many as four Bluetooth devices. You'll have to purchase Pioneer's Bluetooth adapter of course.
The SC-55 and SC-57, both of which offer Marvell Qdeo processing, are available now through authorized dealers. The 55 comes in at $1,600 while the 57 carries an MSRP of $2,000.
Source: Pioneer
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Pioneer Elite LCD TVs are Back!
Fri Aug 05, 2011 at 02:00 PM ETTags: Pioneer, Kuro, Sharp (all tags)
There's no plasma in sight, but Sharp and Pioneer hail their new LED backlit LCD as providing the best picture quality on the market today.
"Over the past 25 years the Elite brand has developed a loyal and avid fan base of audiophiles and videophiles," says Sharp marketing manager Tom Evans. He's right of course - Pioneer Elite is a well respected brand, especially when it comes to TVs like the legendary Kuro.
Fans of Pioneer Elite sets may be a bit disappointed that there's no plasma, but Sharp is confident that you'll be blown away by what their LCD set has to offer. It boasts full LED backlighting, local dimming, a yellow sub-pixel, video streaming and everything else you'd expect to find in one of Sharp's high-end sets.
The new Elite is THX certified and can be adjusted via Elite Pure Mode to replicate the look of an older Pioneer Elite set. It also offers Elite Advantage LiveSM which lets you connect directly to a personal advisor who can help you with calibration, picture adjustment or just basic setups.
The true test of the displays will be what they look like when you sit down in front of them though. You'll be able to get a look at the $5,999, 60 inch model when it hits high-end retailers next week. By the end of the month, those same shops will have the 70 inch, $8,499 model for your consideration.
Source: Engadget
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Sharp is Bringing Back Pioneer's Elite TVs
Mon Jan 31, 2011 at 02:00 PM ETTags: Sharp, Pioneer, LCD (all tags)
But will the quality live up to the name? We'll have to wait to find out.
HDTV enthusiasts remember the Pioneer Elite line fondly - especially the Kuro, which is still held up as one of the best ever on the market. Sharp knows this, and has licensed the Elite brand from Pioneer to market a new TV line.
Sharp says that the new Elite televisions will be among the company's premium offerings, and will consist of high-quality large-screen TVs. What you might not have expected is that all of Sharp's Elite TVs will be LCD.
"Adding a line of high-end flat panel TVs fills a market need in the industry and will help reinforce the strength of a complete Elite home theater offering," says Pioneer's Russ Johnston. "With its cutting edge LCD technology and unmatched production capabilities, Sharp is an important strategic collaborator that will deliver a whole new dimension to the large-screen home theater experience."
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Pioneer Ships 3D Blu-ray Players
Tue Dec 28, 2010 at 10:00 AM ETTags: Pioneer, Blu-ray Players, 3D (all tags)
Announced back at CEDIA, Pioneer's 3D Blu-ray players are shipping now.
A few months back, Pioneer announced its foray into 3D Blu-ray players with the BDP-430 and a pair of Elite models, the BDP-41FD and BDP-43FD. Today those players are ready to ship.
The BDP-430 comes in at $299 and offers, of course, the ability to play back 3D Blu-ray discs. It's not a one trick pony though, Pioneer has also equipped it with Netflix, YouTube and Pandora streaming capabilities. You can go wireless with it too, but you'll need an adapter that's sold separately.
Pioneer's BDP-41FD offers the same features as the non-Elite version, but adds an RS-232 port for custom installation controls. You can pick it up for $399.
At the high end is the BDP-43FD, which upgrades the player to an armored chassis with a center loading tray, shock absorbers and an insulating plate to help keep both vibrations and electrical interference out. It also boasts upgraded internals, like gold plated HDMI terminals.
Source: Pioneer
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Pioneer's BDXL Writer Ships in the US at $199
Thu Dec 16, 2010 at 12:00 PM ETTags: BDXL, Pioneer (all tags)
It records up to 128GB of data on a disc and it's available now.
When we first heard about BDXL recordable discs, we assumed this was something that wouldn't be hitting the states any time soon. After all, we're not exactly the biggest buyers when it comes to recordable optical media.
Imagine our surprise then, to find out that Pioneer's BDXL internal drive is available today at an unexpectedly reasonable $199. Not too shabby.
The BDR-206MBK BDXL writer is capable of handling both 100GB triple layer discs and 128GB quadruple layer discs. It can, of course, play back CDs, DVDs and Blu-rays. The press release is a bit unclear, but it sounds like you'll be getting 3D Blu-ray playback as well.
You can pick up Pioneer's new BDR-206MBK BDXL for $199 now at Fry's Electronics and at Pioneer's website.
Source: Pioneer (via Engadget)
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Pioneer Launches New Entry-Level Speakers
Wed Sep 08, 2010 at 02:00 PM ETTags: Pioneer, Speakers (all tags)
Pricing starts as low as $79 and as goes up to $199.
Pioneer's new speaker line isn't going to blow you away. In fact, if you already own a speaker system for your own home theater, you've almost certainly got the equivalent or better. When Pioneer says entry level, they mean entry level.
But for the price, the lineup isn't bad. Take the 31 inch floorstanding SP-FS51-LR for a start. It features a trio of 5.25 inch woofers with oversized magnets. It's got a frequency range from 45Hz on up to 20kHz and a maximum power rating of 130 watts. The bookshelf and center channel speakers share similar specs, but with more limited frequency ranges.
Pioneer's SW-8 subwoofer is a bit of a letdown, featuring a frequency range of 38Hz to 150Hz, just a bit under the range of the floorstanding speakers.
Source: eCoustics
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Pioneer Launches New SACD Players and Amps
Mon Aug 09, 2010 at 10:00 AM ETTags: Pioneer, Amplifiers (all tags)
The new Elite products cater directly to audiophiles.
While the rest of the world is dealing with low-quality compressed audio and cheap earbud headphones, you're cranking out pristine audio from your CD and SACDs. You're a guy who cares about his audio, and you're the target of Pioneer's new Elite G-Clef line.
Both players – the PD-D6MK2 and PD-D9MK2 – consist of the same basic components, but the higher end model gets everything kicked up a notch. The D9MK2 has an isolated power supply, for example, a stainless steel CD mechanism and Wolfson DACs instead of Burr-Brown.
The SX-A6MK2 and SX-A9MK2 amplifiers are made to match the players. As you might imagine, the A9MK2 carries a few added benefits. It's got a motorized volume control, USB input, headphone and preamp outs, and a honeycomb chassis.
You'll be able to pick up the full G-Clef line later this month.
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Pioneer's New Elite Receivers Live Up To Their Name
Tue Jun 29, 2010 at 12:00 PM ETTags: Pioneer, Receivers (all tags)
At the top of the line, a 7.1 channel receiver with THX Ultra2 Plus processing and an RF remote.
If you're looking to get into Pioneer's new Elite line of A/V Receivers this year, you've got a wide range of options when it comes to capabilities and pricing.
At the entry level is the VSX-30. It's got 7.1 channel output, it's 3D ready, and it sports a total of four HDMI inputs. It uses THX Select2 Plus audio processing and an Anchor Bay scaler for video. You can control it from the included remote, from an iPhone, or an RS-232 compatible device.
The SC-37 is at the high end. It's the flagship receiver for the Elite line this year and with good reason. The Anchor Bay scaler is dropped for a Marvell scaler and the THX Select2 is replaced by THX Ultra2 Plus audio processing.
A Class D amplifier is used in the SC-37 to provide improved response accuracy. And of course, it's housed separately within the unit.
You'll be able to pick up Pioneer's Elite receivers soon, with prices ranging from $550 for the VSX-30 to $2,200 for the SC-37.
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MORE HIGH-DEF DISC NEWS TAGGED "PIONEER":
- Pioneer's New iPod Dock Upscales DVDs to 1080p Apr 29, 2010
- Pioneer’s New Receivers Coming in May Mar 29, 2010
- Pioneer Debuts Low Cost Receivers Mar 02, 2010
- Pioneer Debuts Low Cost Receivers Mar 02, 2010
- Pioneer Outlines Future Strategies “Post Plasma” Aug 19, 2009
- Pioneer’s Legendary Kuro Brand Not Completely Dead Jul 15, 2009
- Pioneer’s Legendary Kuro Brand Not Completely Dead Jul 15, 2009
- CEDIA: Pioneer Unveils New Elite Blu-ray Player for October Sep 06, 2007
- DTS-MA Floodgates Open with New Pioneer Elite A/V Receivers May 10, 2007
- Pioneer Announces Second-Gen Blu-ray Player May 10, 2007
- Pioneer Blu-ray Player Still Not Ready for Primetime Nov 01, 2006
- Pioneer Drops Out of DVD Business, Focuses on Blu-Ray Jun 07, 2006
- Pioneer Delays First Blu-ray Player Jun 07, 2006
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