Pioneer has just launched its own versions of an AirPlay-equipped system, and they’re characteristically bigger and badder than the rest of the crowd.
The Pioneer X-SMC3-S Music Tap ($399, pictured above) is AirPlay and DNLA equipped, sports a 2.5-inch color LCD screen and comes with an Internet-radio tuner (in addition to the old-school FM tuner). It also supports Apple Lossless and FLAC audio formats, unusual in a home system at this price.
The X-SMC4-K Elite Music Tap ($479) is pretty similar except for the addition of Bluetooth connectivity. Both allow users to create collaborative playlists using Pioneer’s Air Jam app.
When he was eight, Eli Milchman came home from frolicking in the Veld one day and was given an Atari 400. Since then, his fascination with technology has made him an intrepid early adopter of whatever charming new contraption crosses his path. He calls San Francisco home, where he works as a journalist and photographer. Eli has contributed to the pages of Wired.com and BIKE Magazine, among others. Hang with him on Twitter.
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