Delivered on Friday and will be returning it tomorrow, Monday. Spent three days listening to the Pioneer and despite its many talents and now relatively reasonable price it does not warrant keeping.
I have the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 and though the Pioneer certainly sounds different and in some areas produces a superior sound stage the difference is so small it is not worth the hassle of carrying around a second unit to listen to music.
I have been buying hifi since the early 70's and have spent an embarrassing amount of cash on seperate's. Cables costing a fortune etc... About ten years ago I came to the realisation that if the source material is not their no matter what I use to reproduce it the result will be the same after spending a given platform of money.
Secondly, That goose bump feeling can be experienced at 1k set up and not at a 20k set up. After all these years I have stopped trying to find 'the best'. which is subjective at best, and look for that goose bump syndrome. In my office-den I have a cheap and cheerful 1k set up and it makes me smile every time I use it. The esoterica is boxed and in the loft.
Same applies to this DAP. Is it a good DAP? For what I now paid yes it is. At 320€ it is fine BUT not worth the burden of carting around a second device when I own the Note 8 that has a very good DAC and amp. Sure there is a difference but yet again its not worth the outlay and inconvenience of transporting it around.
Lastly. Until the hi res developers start to agree on what format they are going to use its a bloomin nightmare. Trying to find true hi res recordings is difficult and for those who are true portable audiophiles maybe worth the hassle. I am pleased to write those days are behind me and I pass such burdens on to the next generation to try and discover Nirvana. The secret is its not there! Find what give you the smile factor and keep with it. The Pioneer made me smile but so does the Note 8 so why have both devices?
I thought about the Oppo HA2 SE but I am not going to bother as long as the Note 8 keeps me smiling. After all this is portable sound and how often can we really enjoy such sound, a bus, train, aircraft....I think not. When at home put the hifi on and enjoy.
The Pioneer gets the thumbs up but its still not for me.
Ryland