An affordable AV receiver is always a good option to consider, so Pioneer SC-LX801 vs Onkyo TX-RZ900 comparison definitely makes sense.
A significant difference between the receivers in the number of channels, Pioneer SC-LX801 has 9.2 versus 7.2 for Onkyo TX-RZ900. Regarding power, then SC-LX801 has such a W/Ohm ratio - 140/8, 200/6, 255/4 when TX-RZ900 has a power of 200/6. The THD is the same and is 0.08%.
Characteristics of digital to analog converter (DAC) are different, ESS SABRE32 Ultra 192 KHz/32-bit for SC-LX801 and Hi-Grade 384 KHz/32-bit for the TX-RZ900. Both the SC-LX801 and the TX-RZ900 support Bi-amping. Each of the AV receivers 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 SC-LX801 can work with the audio stream from Deezer, TIDAL, Pandora, and the TX-RZ900 can receive a content from Deezer, 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. The SC-LX801 can scale the input HDMI signal, unlike the TX-RZ900. Dolby Vision technology found support only on the SC-LX801.
Each receiver has 8/2 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. These compared receivers have a built-in phono stage for connecting a vinyl player.
The SC-LX801 supports 3 Multi-room zones, versus 2 for the TX-RZ900. A voice control is not available. An ECO mode is not present in each of the AV receivers. Both SC-LX801 and TX-RZ900 can be configured using the Setup assistant.
Both devices have support for Dolby Atmos multichannel audio format. The surround sound technology DTS:X is supported by devices under review.