Pioneer XDP-300R | Twin DAC ES9018K2M | Balanced Out | Android | MQA | 2x MicroSD | WiFi | AptX

[435279]

I'm not really sure what the latest Android version will add to be honest. Its just a music player at the end of the day. I switch it on, load up UAPP or the stock music app, listen to music and switch it off.

 

[sandman2575]

You can't blame them.

Many phone models will state that they will support one Android version update. Moto phones "guarantee" an amazing 2 Android version updates!

After that, the development teams move on to new models, they can't keep dedicating man hours to obsolete tech.


The 300r came out ~4 years ago, and is no longer in production.

We can't really expect Pioneer to put a team together to adapt Pie for a product they no longer sell.

If you got the chops, you could root the 300r and see if you can upgrade to Pie without disaster...

Fair points. And while the 300R is very new to me, like you say, it's a product that several years old now.

My main worry is with apps like Tidal and Spotify updating and then becoming unusable. I turned off auto-update, but Play Store still seems to want to update may apps.... I may be missing a setting.

I guess if the worst happens and I can no longer use Tidal, I'll try rooting it. But no need for me to take that step until necessary.

 

[sandman2575]

I switch it on, load up UAPP or the stock music app, listen to music and switch it off.

Steve -- can you explain what the advantages of using UAPP are if you are not outputting audio via the micro-usb port? I've used UAPP extensively with my Samsung tablet and think it's a terrific app. But I do output via the usb port with link to a Dragonfly Red in that case. If I'm listening to the 300R through the balanced output, does UAPP help?

 

[435279]

Steve -- can you explain what the advantages of using UAPP are if you are not outputting audio via the micro-usb port? I've used UAPP extensively with my Samsung tablet and think it's a terrific app. But I do output via the usb port with link to a Dragonfly Red in that case. If I'm listening to the 300R through the balanced output, does UAPP help?

It seems to, or at least it says it does, output Redbook audio bit-perfect. Can I tell a difference, sometimes I think I do but its probably a placebo.

UAPP, definitely plays Qobuz and Tidal better over their respective apps, but no offline mode.

On the 300r alone it may not be worth it, but I purchased it (and recently the MQA plugin) ages ago and use it on all my Android devices.

 

[sandman2575]

Just so I'm clear, you're using UAPP and still outputting through the 2.5/3.5mm jack, not the micro-usb, yes?

Steve -- I don't want to stir controversy ('cause I know it's very controversial in some circles) -- but what do you think of MQA? I have the MQA plug-in as well with UAPP. Can I hear the difference between MQA/"Master" and mere "Hi-Fi" on Tidal? Very doubtful.

 

[LightBlue77]

Yes, we mostly talk about analog output on device because în this case uapp does digital to analog conversion by directly accesing hires dac inside, if any.
Personally, i hear no difference between mqa vs hi-fi recording playing în 300r with Hifiman re2000 connected to SE output, 3.5mm. Maybe i'll notice something after i will have a balanced cable. I will also try on pc with an ifi micro idsd dac amp and lcd2 fazor headphones. But i doubt hearing anything extra on mqa.
I sometimes think my own cd rips are better than hi-fi tracks on tidal, we simply don't know how artist do their rips, what software they use. Now i do not buy albums anymore but years ago i was rippings cds using EAC with proper settings, provided the cd itself was of good quality, not all of them are.

 

[435279]

Just so I'm clear, you're using UAPP and still outputting through the 2.5/3.5mm jack, not the micro-usb, yes?

Steve -- I don't want to stir controversy ('cause I know it's very controversial in some circles) -- but what do you think of MQA? I have the MQA plug-in as well with UAPP. Can I hear the difference between MQA/"Master" and mere "Hi-Fi" on Tidal? Very doubtful.

Yes as @LightBlue77 has already confirmed, I'm using the analogue outputs from my 300r and USB sometimes to DRF, ifi Nano BL, Mojo, etc etc.

I like MQA personally, but won't comment further. As you say its a very divisive topic and there are other threads that discuss it, on this forum and elsewhere on the Internet.

 

[Hay2104]

So this may seem like a dead forum, but after having my xdp 300r for a year I can give some impressions.

It is a nifty little dac/amp.

Pros for me:
- nice clean sound
- clean volume pot without any noise
- expandable storage
- decent weight so it stays put on my desk

Cons
- the unit is aging a lot.
- software is a bit glitchy at times especially with updating.
- the balanced out is hard to use with larger 4 pin xlr headphones and adapters (3 adapters so far from different custom cable builders and all have reduced volume to the right channel on 2 of my headphones)
- incompatible with any dac amp. The unit will not connect to other sound sources.

Overall, I’m satisfied for the price I received it at.

 

[LightBlue77]

As along as UAPP is available for android 5.1.1, for me it is enough.
The one thing i didn't tried is balanced mode, i couldn't find a balanced cable for my headphones. There are plenty available online but without testing them it's hard to decide. i should eventually purchase one and hope it's improving the sound.

 

[Hay2104]

As along as UAPP is available for android 5.1.1, for me it is enough.
The one thing i didn't tried is balanced mode, i couldn't find a balanced cable for my headphones. There are plenty available online but without testing them it's hard to decide. i should eventually purchase one and hope it's improving the sound.

It will work so long as there is no imbalances in sound loudness in either left or right channel. Sound stage improves and bass tightness increases.

That’s been the problem with every adapter I’ve tried the left side is always louder than the right side through balanced. already cross tested it with a 4 pin xlr amp and single ended and both have an even left and right channel balanced with normal songs.

 

[435279]

It will work so long as there is no imbalances in sound loudness in either left or right channel. Sound stage improves and bass tightness increases.

That’s been the problem with every adapter I’ve tried the left side is always louder than the right side through balanced. already cross tested it with a 4 pin xlr amp and single ended and both have an even left and right channel balanced with normal songs.

That's strange, it may be an issue with your player. I've certainly never noticed a channel imbalance with mine.

 

[Hay2104]

That's strange, it may be an issue with your player. I've certainly never noticed a channel imbalance with mine.

My final adapter (and most reputable, pricy, etc) is showing up in a few days.

Hopefully it will resolve the issue.

If it doesn’t, then my balanced out is defective and I’ll have to get a separate amp since Pioneer customer support is borderline useless by email and incredibly rude on phone.

 

[WindowsX]

Finished ROM cooking with some fixes today. It took a long while to make flashing ROM update file that can be installed like Onkyo DP-X1. However, setting up driver that needs power user skills to install un-identified driver manually and USB debugging with OEM unlock.

Do you guys think I should publish this? I feel the responsible would be too great and even person who ported TWRP got comments about bricking reports.

Regards,
Keetakawee

 

[antdroid]

Finished ROM cooking with some fixes today. It took a long while to make flashing ROM update file that can be installed like Onkyo DP-X1. However, setting up driver that needs power user skills to install un-identified driver manually and USB debugging with OEM unlock.

Do you guys think I should publish this? I feel the responsible would be too great and even person who ported TWRP got comments about bricking reports.

Regards,
Keetakawee

I'll test it out if you want (I made the TWRP port).
The XDP-300R is no longer my daily DAP, so I can do whatever to it.

What is in this ROM?

 

[sandman2575]

Anyone using the 300R with Qobuz and UAPP?

I'm often getting error messages from UAPP about 'unable to decode in time' leading to incredibly annoying pauses in playback.

Anyone know of a setting in UAPP that might help that? I've fiddled with some of the buffering settings but anything I touch seems to introduce new problems of glitchy playback. : (