Introduction
Being part of Pioneer’s in mint condition trial succession, the NAS3 represents the company’s no-compromise stance on digital tune playback. Outfitted with a rigid cabinet, premium lacquer, powerful amplifiers, proprietary drivers and Bluetooth wireless capability, the NAS3 seems to give birth to come again? It takes to compete with more or less of the more esoteric of the high-end iPod narrator waterfront unfilled at present. All the rage this examine we situate the NAS3 through its paces to set eyes on how its performance stacks up then to the competition.
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Out of the Box
Straight dated of the box we notice the NAS3’s heaviness to size ratio. While merely 8.3 x 16.5 x 5.8 inches, it comes in by a relatively beefy 12 pounds. Our estimate is with the intention of much of this heft is due to the “double isolated” cabinet – and come again? An charismatic cabinet it is! Our examine sample was finished in a glossy piano black lacquer with gently rounded edges with the intention of softens its form. The front and sides of the organization are covered in a jet-black question cloth with the intention of is so dark it is not easy to distinguish from the put of the cabinet. The top of the cabinet is reserved exceptionally clean with merely a only some recessed buttons intended for undertaking and a flip-up lid with the intention of hides the docking interface.
Included in the box with the NAS3 deduct is a power cable, remote control and user blue-collar. You can pick up the discretionary Bluetooth adapter mark intended for an very $99.
Features and Design
Pioneer did a horrible job of making the NAS3’s form both glossy and understated. We’ve recently reviewed more or less waterfront with the intention of looked more like weather balloons than audio equipment and can realize the NAS3’s straightforward, yet charismatic aesthetics.
Beneath its attractive shell, the NAS3 carries a serious arsenal of tools to support its no-compromise stance. Armed with two 15W amplifiers, two 2” drivers and a 4” down-firing subwoofer, this deduct seems to give birth to come again? It needs to yield more or less serious sound. On the rear of the organization we become aware of both composite and HD-capable module record outputs intended for displaying videos on your favorite watch, an peripheral audio input (1/8” “mini”) to allow playback of non-iPod diplomacy and a slot intended for Pioneer’s built-in Bluetooth mark.
The Bluetooth wireless capability appears to be a major promotion feature intended for the NAS3. Not merely does it allow iPhone owners to clutch their phone around with them while listening to tune wirelessly, it as well allows non-iPhones, laptop computers or at all other Bluetooth enabled audio device to propel a tune indicate to the NAS3 intended for playback.
We make sure of give birth to a team of design quibbles to reference: It would be polite to set eyes on more or less iPhone/iPod menu control integrated on the remote control. Perhaps this was missing dated due to the unit’s wireless audio facial appearance, but now and again you dearth to charge your phone and eavesdrop to tune by the same period. For persons moments, a little more control from the remote would be handy. Also, we found Pioneer’s claims with the intention of the NAS3 built-in bass and treble controls to be misleading. It turns dated with the intention of the merely tone controls unfilled are persons found in the connected iPhone or iPod and it’s a tad of a process to follow to them. An on-board, on-the-fly adjustment option would be polite since generally folks’ tune records can be assorted and beg intended for frequent adjustment.
Performance
After allowing the NAS3 to break in intended for roughly 50 hours, we began our listening tests. Per our usual trial process, we used the NAS 3 in a variety of environments and with a diverse selection of tune both compressed and uncompressed.
The NAS3’s soaring frequency reproduction was pleasantly subdued. This isn’t to say with the intention of it sounded roundabout or gentle; slightly, it simply steered patent of the “aggressive and annoying” treble with the intention of we’ve heard a luck of lately. Cymbals had sparkle and verve, but maintained a smoothness with the intention of was contributing to to long, fatigue-free listening sessions. Heavily compressed tracks, while evidently lesser to their uncompressed counterparts, did not sound quite as harsh or “warbly” as they give birth to on other high-end iPod narrator docs we’ve tested.
The NAS3’s midrange reproduction was related to its treble attributes-clear, clean and pleasant. While vocals were not particularly thaw or “open”, they did sound honestly natural and perhaps a little larger than we probable from such a compact organization. Generally speaking, the NAS3 reproduced highs and mids with the intention of did a horrible job of being musical exclusive of drawing excessive attention.
The same cannot be understood intended for the NAS3’s bass response. Right dated of the box, we noticed with the intention of bass seemed to be a little driving and the more we listened, the more the bass frequencies seemed to dominate the better musical picture. Initially, we considered with the intention of the NAS3’s close proximity to a wall might give birth to been boosting bass frequencies to an undesirable level, so we relocated it to a significant opportunity and placed it more than four feet from at all significant, flatly rise. Even like its relocation, the NAS3 still seemed a tad bass driving.
We looked to the NAS3 intended for tone control options and found (as previously noted) with the intention of the merely tone controls unfilled were surrounded by our iPod or iPhone diplomacy themselves. We chose a “flat” EQ option in our iPhone but did not notice a large amendment in the bass response. After more or less significant taxing and investigation, we surmised with the intention of the conspicuous bass output was not a moment ago an publication of relation level. All the rage statement, the tuning of the bass ports on the NAS3 seemed to emit a “one note” bass effect with the intention of dominated the opportunity as tune was being played. Bottom line: Low on this organization is a little boomy. If you dig deep, successful bass, after that the NAS3 will surrender it.
Outside of the tonal response, we found the NAS3 did a lovely job of satisfying a opportunity with sound. Its rigid cabinet held simultaneously well as we hard-pressed the volume to its limit (well clear of comfortable levels) and had a soundstage and stereo separation with the intention of were impressive intended for such a compact organization.
Next, we connected the built-in Bluetooth wireless audio adapter. Setting up the wireless adapter wasn’t particularly not easy, but it certainly wasn’t plug-and-play, either. Users will dearth to consult the NAS3 blue-collar (the Bluetooth blue-collar isn’t very helpful) in order to follow things solid up by the book. Once solid up and paired with our iPhone, we ran more or less of the same test tracks with the intention of we had used in our “hard-dock” audio taxing. What we found was with the intention of, by close range, the Bluetooth audio was decent. There was an FM telephone lines quality to the soaring frequencies with the intention of was noticeable but not distracting. Everything moreover seemed to sound very related until we tested the range of the wireless adapter. Given with the intention of here is a enormous variance in the amount of electrical interference someone will experience from lone local to an additional, we guessed the efficient range of the Bluetooth wireless adapter to be able 30 feet. At with the intention of distance, we ongoing getting incompatible results with the intention of seemed to be influenced by come again? Was station in involving the iPhone we used and the NAS3. We found with the intention of the indicate would either edit dated, or be so compromised with the intention of it was harsh to eavesdrop to. With a patent line of sight, we think with the intention of the adapter’s range may possibly stretch clear of 30 feet, but we aren’t yes come again? The quality of the indicate will sound like by with the intention of distance prearranged with the intention of our limit was 30 feet.
Conclusion
The NAS3 by Pioneer is a very talented, charismatic iPod narrator deduct. At $449.00 we would like to set eyes on a only some more convenience facial appearance and more or less more control larger than the sound, but we can’t argue with the statement with the intention of this deduct is exceptionally well constructed. Booming bass aside, the NAS3 sounds pretty fantastic-even by ridiculously loud volumes. Pioneer is certainly on to something at this time. Competing manufacturers may possibly continue to gather a event or two from Pioneer’s set about to the exceptionally general iPod narrator deduct.
Credits: Digital Trends
Credits: Digital Trends
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