Pioneer this week introduced two new AirPlay audio systems that can play audio wirelessly from the listener’s iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.
The company unveiled the $499 N-30 and the $699 N-50 networked audio players on Wednesday. In addition to the AirPlay feature, both models include a 2.5-inch LCD screen to display music information—including album artwork—and both can be remotely controlled from your iOS device using Pioneer’s free iControl app. Both are Wi-Fi-ready and Bluetooth-enabled to allow playback from music libraries on any compatible computer.
In addition to those basic capabilities, the pricier N-50 also includes gold RCA jacks for improved sound reproduction, along with two features—Advanced Sound Retriever and Sound Retriever AIR—designed to offer a song’s full sound even when played from compressed digital formats like MP3 or Internet radio.
A year after its introduction by Apple, AirPlay has finally become widely available in new products by audio manufacturing companies. Pioneer jumped in with both feet last spring, introducing its first line of AirPlay-compatible receivers while the market was otherwise taking its time getting up to speed.
Both the N-30 and N-50—part of Pioneer’s “Elite” line of receivers—are now available.