Pioneer has officially launched the XDP-100R, its first high-resolution player with MQA support, available now for £500. MQA, or Master Quality Authenticated, is a music technology from Meridian which promises to package studio quality master files so they take up less space for hi-res streaming and downloads.
Pioneer already has high-res compatible music streamers and AV receivers at its disposal, but this is the first portable hi-res player from the company, and launches following an initial announcement back in September. MQA support, however, will come with a firmware update in early 2016.
The XDP-100R is a touchscreen device, with a 4.7in Full HD display. It runs on Android's Lollipop operating system, which means you can download services such as Tidal, Apple Music and BBC iPlayer Radio from the Google Play store and listen to them on the Pioneer.
In fact, music streaming apps Tidal, Spotify and Deezer will come pre-loaded on the XDP-100R.
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Format support is extensive and includes everything from low-res MP3s all the way up to DSD and 24-bit/384kHz FLAC/WAV files.
The player comes pre-loaded with the Onkyo Music online service, which gives you the ability to download high-res music without needing to connect to a computer. Pioneer's own X-DAP Link app allows you to transfer any other music files stored on a computer.
Out of the box storage is 32GB, but two microSD memory card slots (which can support up to 200GB each) mean the player can potentially be beefed up to 432GB. Plenty of space for your lossless library.
There's aptX Bluetooth and wi-fi support, and connectivity includes a micro USB output and 3.5mm auxiliary and headphone ports.
Pioneer claims that the player features a high-grade DAC and specially selected internal components to help reduce noise and improve audio quality. There's also built-in sound adjustment, such as 384kHz upsampling and realtime DSD conversion to 5.6MHz.
The Pioneer XDP-100R is available now in black or silver finishes for £500.
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