I just had the opportunity to test it out at a local audio store in Singapore and I must say I came away impressed.
Unfortunately I will have to abstain from giving any detailed impressions owing to not having my own SD card with tracks that I'm familiar with.
What I can say is that the build quality of the device is absolutely superb, on the level of the new generation AK players. The buttons are well machined and the layout is obviously well thought out with good physical ergonomics.
The UI of the device is impressive to say the least. I've been following the Onkyo thread closely and it seems that the UI is pretty crap. No such problems for the Pioneer. The display screen is at or at least near the level of my iPhone 5, whilst the interface itself is very responsive, with minimal lag time. It took some getting used it coming from an iPhone minimalist UI, but it didn't take more than 5 mins to get the hang of basic functions. I took a bit of time to compare with the DX80 which was also available for audition, and I believe it comes down to preferences. The DX80 has a very simple UI geared towards solely music playback. The Pioneer has many more 'layers' and can obviously run a myriad of different apps, both audio and non-audio.
SQ wise it is pretty phenomenal. I came to the store with only my wallet and phone, and hence requested for the Campfire Audio Jupiter to audition. Before I got started, i benchmarked the Jupiter against my iPhone 5 running Tidal and found the overall signature to be slightly on the warmish side with a slight emphasis on the bass and with tremendous extensions on both ends (more on that in the Jupiter thread later on).
Back on topic, the Pioneer has a very musical sound signature, with excellent clarity and detail, further emphasized with an aggressive and upfront presentation. The only reference track I could use (wasn't familiar with any other track on the SD card) was Hotel California by the Eagles (sidetrack but im not sure why every single SD card at every single audio store I've been to during an audition session seems to have Hotel California preloaded on it) and the bridge before the final chorus was perhaps the best showcase of the overall sound signature. Whilst the DX80 had a more organic sound signature, with very good detail and clarity in its own regard, it was less pronounced and presented more 'towards the back'.
I could see the Pioneer actually being slightly too aggressive for those who prefer a more natural sound presentation, to which the DX80 would be a truly excellent choice. The Pioneer though would be a terrific choice for those seeking a vivid, musical DAP.
To be perfectly honest, I came to the shop not intending to purchase anything at all (my wallet was in fact with my girlfriend who was doing a rather expensive manicure, ouch). But the DX80 and Pioneer both impressed my suitably enough to make me seriously think of leaving with either of them on the spot. Mercifully, I was spared having to make a decision because the Pioneer had run out of stock. I now have some time to make careful deliberation before making my choice.
I will definitely be going back to the shop to audition both the DX80 and the Pioneer again over the weekend. Will make sure to bring my own IEMs and SD card with me and do more extensive testing and report back here again.
If anyone wants a specific track for me to test (on either the DX80 or the Pioneer), I can bring along an AK120II to do a thorough AB. Just drop me a PM and I'll see if I can help you out.
Hope this post is useful
