CES 2019 News: Pioneer launches VSX-534, VSX-834 and VSX-934 AV receivers

All three receivers use Pioneer’s ‘Direct Energy’ circuit design and the VSX-834 and 934 deliver 165W per channel while the VSX-534 drops a small amount of power for 150W per channel.

Really? So those ratings aren't Pioneer's usual misleading at 1kHz with 1% THD @ 6ohm 1ch driven?

Yeah, they'll probably attain that if only ever driving one solitary 6 ohm speakers with a constant 1kHz signal going to it.
 
That's great for the low end models, but when are 2016's SC-LX701, 801 and 901 ever going to be replaced?
I assumed last year they are waiting for hdmi2.1 certification but will see whats announced this year...
 
Manufacturers usually launch the lower end models in the first half of the year and don't launch their upper tier models until later. I assume Pioneer (Onkyo) are the same as other manufacturers in this respect?
 
Please note both Apple AirPlay 2 in the VSX-934 and Dolby Atmos Height Virtualizer and DTS Virtual:X in all three models are not available out of the box and will be enabled in a future firmware update.

Now where have I heard that before!
 
No HDMI 2.1 on the VSX-934 :(

Am not going to be wasting my money upgrading my AV receiver unless the new AV receiver has HDMI 2.1

I was really hoping these pioneer new AV receivers would be getting HDMI 2.1
 
Manufacturers usually launch the lower end models in the first half of the year and don't launch their upper tier models until later. I assume Pioneer (Onkyo) are the same as other manufacturers in this respect?
They haven't announced any high end models since 2016.
They used to have new ones every year, but since the Onkyo takeover things seem to have changed...
 
Disappointed with no 2.1 so I will stick with 930 for now which is running colder than a bat in Iceland for the last two years. I do admit I miss the thump of the Onkyo but its cool.
 
I’d doesn’t say anywhere if it can be controlled via google home/ assistant like model it is replacing. Does it have this functionality?
 
No HDMI 2.1 on the VSX-934 :(

Am not going to be wasting my money upgrading my AV receiver unless the new AV receiver has HDMI 2.1

I was really hoping these pioneer new AV receivers would be getting HDMI 2.1
I was interested in this Receiver too your comment re the lack of HDMI 2.1 ports put me off but then I figured I could just plug and future devices directly into my Sony tv which has HDMI 2.2and then I can arc out and passthrough the sound to the receiver that should workaround the issue for me unless I'm missing something ???
 
No HDMI 2.1 on the VSX-934 :(

Am not going to be wasting my money upgrading my AV receiver unless the new AV receiver has HDMI 2.1

I was really hoping these pioneer new AV receivers would be getting HDMI 2.1
chapparal
according to the 934 manual it has 2.2
'
The HDMI jack of this unit conforms to the Revision 1.4 and Revision 2.2
standards of the HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection), a copy
protection system for digital video signals. Other devices connected to the unit
must also conform to the HDCP standards.
 
chapparal
according to the 934 manual it has 2.2
'
The HDMI jack of this unit conforms to the Revision 1.4 and Revision 2.2
standards of the HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection), a copy
protection system for digital video signals. Other devices connected to the unit
must also conform to the HDCP standards.


That's HDCP 2.2 and not HDMI. The actual curent version of HDCP is 2.3 and the most current version of HDMI is version 2.1. All HDMI 2.0 and higher equipped AV receivers are HDCP 2.2 compliant.

Some HDMI version 2.0b equipped devices are HDCP 2.3 compliant, but no AV receiver is as yet implemented with HDMI version 2.1.


HDMI and HDCP are not the same thing!


 
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thanks its pretty confusing but as thry pass HDR, Dolby vision and HLG through it should meet my requirements.
 
Just got a 934 yesterday , bit gutted that the IControlAV5 app doesn’t work with it. The new app doesn’t seem to have all the functions. Am8 missing something?
 
I havent installed the app yet but I dont think the app is meant to replace the remote fully. they usually allow additional features like streaming music content from a NAS and opening up multiroom functionality. for example Sonos speakers are compatible and can be used with this receiver.
 
Yeah that’s it... been looking at videos trying understand this new app. Being used to the IControlAV5 app for so long. Things I liked from the old app was you can see all the audio/video settings displayed on the app when you change them (not via the AVR or tv screen). And quick adjustments like sub on/off/plus, ARC on/off. and dialogue and bass adjustment finger eq. Need watch my first Atmos film soon, see how it sounds.
 
Yeah that’s it... been looking at videos trying understand this new app. Being used to the IControlAV5 app for so long. Things I liked from the old app was you can see all the audio/video settings displayed on the app when you change them (not via the AVR or tv screen). And quick adjustments like sub on/off/plus, ARC on/off. and dialogue and bass adjustment finger eq. Need watch my first Atmos film soon, see how it sounds.
there are so many modes and options that im not sure how an app could include them all plus if you've upgraded the firmware which you should as it adds DTS natural X and DTS Virtual X support too
 
btw the 934 isnt listed on the app's compatible list:iControlAV5 - Apps on Google Play
I know yeah.. When I opened it up to use with my 934 it stated not compatible and gave me the option to Download the pioneer control app instead. Had the 923 before which I was used to using it for.. There were some functions on the icontrolav5 that weren't on the 923's remote menu..
 
need a bit of help and advise. I've got the Pioneer vsx 934. I played some Atmos content last night but didnt get the options to select the virtual effects like DTS neural and virtual X. tried toggling the options for direct, mono and auto surround, but s till dint get options to select virtual modes only options were Dolby atmos front stage surround atmos 3.1 etc. I havent connected my rears yet but my understanding was that the virtual modes could create Hight and rears with object sound streams. have I got this wrong? it seems to only offer the virtual modes when it detects DTS content and not when the sound input is detected as DD.
 
need a bit of help and advise. I've got the Pioneer vsx 934. I played some Atmos content last night but didnt get the options to select the virtual effects like DTS neural and virtual X. tried toggling the options for direct, mono and auto surround, but s till dint get options to select virtual modes only options were Dolby atmos front stage surround atmos 3.1 etc. I havent connected my rears yet but my understanding was that the virtual modes could create Hight and rears with object sound streams. have I got this wrong? it seems to only offer the virtual modes when it detects DTS content and not when the sound input is detected as DD.
The unit is decoding the Atmos metadata and that cannot be re-mixed. If you want to use upmixing modes then you would have to select Dolby TrueHD on the discs audio option.
 

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