Audio Video News

Pioneer Announces Affordable Atmos AV Receivers

Bob Ankosko  |  Mar 24, 2015

Pioneer today announced that four new AV receivers, ranging in price from $400 to $700, will hit stores in April. The announcement marks the first products to be released under the new Pioneer & Onkyo U.S.A. corporate umbrella.

The 5.2-channel VSX-45 ($450) and 7.2-channel VSX-90 ($700) are the latest additions to the Elite series, while the 5.2-channel VSX-830 ($400) and 7.2-channel VSX-1130 ($600) join the regular line.

All models support HDMI 2.0 and HDCP 2.2, high-resolution music playback, and have built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

The Elite VSX-90 and VSX-1130 include Dolby Atmos surround processing for 5.1.2 applications and a refined 192-kHz/24-bit ES9006S DAC. The VSX-90 takes it up a notch with Control4 and Crestron compatibility, two-way RS-232C-over-IP control with the ability to receive metadata from the network and Apple devices, and three-zone capability, one powered with a digital audio signal for Internet streaming sources and one with an HDMI video signal.

Other key features across the line include 4K passthrough (up to 60 fps to an HDMI 2.0-compatible TV), built-in access to Spotify, Pandora, and vTuner Internet radio, and several Pioneer exclusives: AVNavigator for quick setup, MCACC Pro calibration, and the iControlAV5 app.

COMMENTS
utopianemo's picture
Submitted by utopianemo on March 25, 2015 - 9:41am

Thanks for the heads-up, Bob. Any news on whether any of these models use class-D amplification? And the bigger question(to me): Has there been any announcement as to whether this year's Elite models will all be HDCP 2.2?

Thank you,
Nathan Daniels
Portland, OR

Bob Ankosko's picture
Submitted by Bob Ankosko on March 27, 2015 - 8:20pm
All of the new models use Class AB amplification and, yes, they do support HDCP 2.2. Pioneer says Class D amplification starts with the Elite SC-81.
mwelters's picture
Submitted by mwelters on March 25, 2015 - 1:33pm

I just checked their website for the same thing, and found that at least some of the new products listed above have THREE HMDI inputs that are HDCP 2.2 compliant, which I think is the critical number for future proofing.

I would like to upgrade to a new receiver but I'm holding out for a receiver that has 3 HDCP 2.2 compliant HDMI inputs, Dolby Atmos, and the ability to power 7.1.2 in an Atmos set-up. Unfortunately, none of these appears capable of 7.1.2 notwithstanding 9 sets of speaker terminals; they only seem to do 5.1.2 at best. I hope I'm wrong, but that's what I've so far been able to discern from the on-line manuals.

mwelters's picture
Submitted by mwelters on March 25, 2015 - 2:37pm

Moreover, on the VSX-90, the manual states that there is a mode whereby the receiver will automatically switch between a 7.2 and 5.2.2 depending on the source - presumably Atmos triggering the latter setting. It states that only 7 speakers will be powered. It's too bad. Almost the perfect upgrade receiver.

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