Installation

Setting up the D5 is thankfully easier than any other Bluetooth device we have used in recent times. Once everything is out of the box and set in place, the next job is to connect the small transmitter to your mobile device and then to initiate a conversation between the two. This is done by pressing the small button on the transmitter until a link is made between the two devices.

Once there is a successful pairing between the two devices, playback should follow pretty closely. In fact, the first time we used the system there was not even a need to press the pairing button; all we did was press play and music filled the room.

On later uses we did find it necessary to press the pairing button as initially instructed by the product manual. The ZiiSound D5 also allows the portable devices to use their built-in volume controls to directly interface with the unit, which is a really cool feature out and out... when it works.

Unfortunately several times during testing we found that the volume control inside the device would either freeze, lag or not show up at all until successive pairings were made. Now, we are not sure whether this was a glitch with the portable or the device, so no figures are being pointed here.

We also had issues with the volume control on our test device popping up without request, sometimes when the transmitter was fitted and the devices linked.

There is also a warning to be headed about the inherent sensitivity of the touch volume slider atop the unit, which seems to have a mind of its own being somewhat partial to exploding towards its topmost reaches on a whim. But there is every possibility of that being attributed to our feebleness and not the D5 unit.

Overall, though, those slight issues aside, we had the ZiiSound D5 up and running in no time flat. It takes our informal 'fastest Bluetooth pairing award' right off the line. In fact, right out of the box would probably be more apt, or maybe we should be saying Apt-X from here on.