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  Pioneer XC-HM70DAB micro system reviewed at The Bristol Show 2012
The Pioneer XC-HM70DAB gives access to thousands of internet radio and DAB digital radio stations out of the box. It's also in a convenient hi-fi form, without a multitude of cable connections of a full separates system to worry about. | Pioneer XC-HM70DAB tunes up DAB & internet radio Sporting a micro hi-fi monicker, the Pioneer XC-HM70DAB is a system complete with matching speakers. The X-HM70DAB receiver unit (available separately), as its name suggests, tunes in to DAB radio stations. Internet radio, accessed by via the Vtuner portal, which delivers the right feed to the hi-fi, increases the station count to epic proportions, putting literally thousands of pop, talk, jazz and rock broadcasts at your fingertips. There's an iPod-compatible dock on top of the unit and the system is capable of streaming music wirelessly over a home network, thanks to its support for the PC-friendly DNLA standard. Unfortunately, Apple use a different standard called AirPlay, so if you want streaming via your 'phone you'll have to dock your 'phone or look elsewhere. Build quality is up to the usual Pioneer high standards, with a USB port, headphone and audio in sockets on the front of the unit. A source button flicks through radio tuner, CD, and USB/iPod inputs, while video out sockets (for content stored on your Apple device), sub pre-out, RCA phono sockets, ethernet socket, speaker cable binding posts (that also take banana plugs) and a combined FM/DAB external aerial socket are all present on the back panel. There's even a 5V powered USB socket. The display is clear and readable and the decidedly busy remote control looks after station and track selection. Clean lines are the order of the day on the HM70DAB, the minimalist styling of the main unit obscuring what is an excellent all-round component, more than capable of delving into digital radio and servicing your desire to play music from your PC or attached disk drive. The Pioneer XC-HM70DAB is priced around £300 in silver or black, without speakers. |
