The Pioneer XW-NAS5 is one of the most expensive iPod speaker docks we’ve laid eyes and ears on, but in return for that hefty wedge of cash we’re promised top notch sound quality and design. So does it deliver? Read our full Pioneer XW-NAS5 review to find out.
Haul it out of its box and the Pioneer XW-NAS5 is immediately impressive. Sleek, solid, curvy and coated in beautifully glossy automotive-style paint, it’s most definitely a winner in the style stakes. There’s not even an ugly iPod docking port to spoil the clean lines – you reveal it only when needed, by flipping open a hatch on top. All in all, it’s the best-looking speaker dock since the original B&W Zeppelin.
Around the back of the Pioneer XW-NAS5 you’ll find a handful of connections, including two different video outputs (composite and component) for hooking the dock up to a TV in order to view iPod video content. There’s also a phono stereo input for connecting different audio sources, and a slot for a Bluetooth adapter (more on that later).
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The Pioneer XW-NAS5 is compatible with all iPods from 2006 onwards, plus the iPhone. Whack your ‘pod in the docking port and you’ll get the usual battery charging business and of course the ability to listen to all your tunes and podcasts through the dock’s twin 15W speakers and 30W subwoofer. There’s a credit card-style remote too, but sadly it can’t be used to browse your iPod’s contents – you can pause and skip back or forward a track, but that’s it.
Sound quality is impressive for such a compact system. The Pioneer XW-NAS5 struggles to deliver clear stereo imaging, but it does succeed in pumping out a detailed, clearly discernable high-mid-bass range, with none of the elements drowning out the others. You can adjust bass and treble using the remote control, but we found it to be fairly spot-on out of the box.
There are a few bonuses in the form of an FM radio tuner, alarm clock and a selection of ambient “soundscapes” (which are pretty pointless), but perhaps the best extra feature of the Pioneer XW-NAS5 is its Bluetooth capability, allowing it to pair with any Bluetooth source and output its audio. We tried it with an iPod touch and MacBook Pro with decent results, although a close listener will notice the odd spot of crackly interference here and there.
Unfortunately the AS-BT100 Bluetooth adapter adds an extra £100 to an already expensive product, which leads us into our biggest issue with the Pioneer XW-NAS5: the price tag. Stylish and capable it may be, but we’re just not sure we’d be happy to shell out so much money for it – especially when the (admittedly less full-featured) B&W Zeppelin is cheaper.
