An affordable AV receiver is always a good option to consider, so Yamaha RX-V483BL vs Pioneer VSX-S520 comparison definitely makes sense.
Considered AV receivers have the same number of channels 5.1. Regarding power, then RX-V483BL has such a W/Ohm ratio - 80/6 when VSX-S520 has a power of 50/4. The THD is the same and is 0.09%.
Characteristics of digital to analog converter (DAC) are different, Burr-Brown 192 KHz/24-bit for RX-V483BL and 192 KHz/24-bit for the VSX-S520. Only the RX-V483BL supports Bi-amping feature. The Pioneer VSX-S520 can transmit an audio signal directly to the amplifier and bypasses any DSP processing. Rivals from our review have Bluetooth support. The Apple Music service is implemented on considered devices: AirPlay. Spotify can be used on each receiver. The RX-V483BL can work with the audio stream from Deezer, TIDAL, JUKE, Qobuz, and the VSX-S520 can receive a content from Deezer, TIDAL, TuneIn Radio. 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. Both rivals can scale the resolution of the incoming HDMI signal. The HDR standard - Dolby Vision is supported by these receivers.
Each receiver has 4/1 HDMI inputs/outputs. The HDMI Audio Return Channel (ARC) feature supports both devices. 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-S520 has a built-in phono stage for connecting a vinyl player. A voice control is not available. An ECO mode is only available for the RX-V483BL. The setup assistant will help you configure Pioneer VSX-S520.
Only the VSX-S520 has a Dolby Atmos multichannel audio format support. A surround technology DTS:X is supported only by the VSX-S520.