It makes sense comparing Marantz NR1508 vs Pioneer VSX-LX301 because they both are able to give some premium features.
A significant difference between the receivers in the number of channels, Marantz NR1508 has 5.2 versus 7.2 for Pioneer VSX-LX301. Regarding power, then NR1508 has such a W/Ohm ratio - 50/8 when VSX-LX301 has a power of 100/8, 170/6. The THD is the same and is 0.08%.
Characteristics of digital to analog converter (DAC) are different, 192 KHz/24-bit for NR1508 and AK4458 384 KHz/32-bit for the VSX-LX301. Only the VSX-LX301 supports Bi-amping feature. Each of the AV receivers can transmit an audio signal directly to the amplifier and bypasses any DSP processing.
WI-FI modules have the same characteristics: 2.4/5GHz. Rivals from our review have Bluetooth support. The Marantz NR1508 has support for AirPlay, AirPlay 2, and its competitor in our comparison - AirPlay. Spotify can be used on each receiver. The NR1508 can work with the audio stream from Deezer, TIDAL, Pandora, and the VSX-LX301 can receive a content from Deezer, TIDAL, Pandora, TuneIn Radio.
These units support HDR technology. Compared AV receivers retain the quality of 4K/60Hz signal when transmitting from a source to a TV or projector. HDMI signal transmission in standby mode is implemented in each of the devices. The VSX-LX301 can scale the input HDMI signal, unlike the NR1508. The HDR standard - Dolby Vision is supported by these receivers.
The Marantz NR1508 has 6/1 HDMI inputs/outputs versus 7/2 HDMI connectors of the Pioneer VSX-LX301. Only the VSX-LX301 supports HDMI Audio Return Channel (ARC). Unfortunately, HDMI eARC is not available on monitored devices. The Consumer Electronics Control (CEC) feature is present in most modern AV receivers and the models in our comparison are no exception. Both models support the standard HDCP 2.2. The VSX-LX301 has a built-in phono stage for connecting a vinyl player. An ECO mode is only available for the NR1508. Both NR1508 and VSX-LX301 can be configured using the Setup assistant.
Only the VSX-LX301 has a Dolby Atmos multichannel audio format support. A surround technology DTS:X is supported only by the VSX-LX301.