Sony STR DH550 vs Pioneer VSX-LX301 review

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It makes sense comparing Sony STR DH550 vs Pioneer VSX-LX301 because they both are able to give some premium features.

Amplifier

A significant difference between the receivers in the number of channels, Sony STR DH550 has 5.2 versus 7.2 for Pioneer VSX-LX301. Regarding power, then STR DH550 has such a W/Ohm ratio - 90/6 when VSX-LX301 has a power of 100/8, 170/6. The THD is 0.09% for the STR DH550 but 0.08% for the VSX-LX301.

Audio features

Characteristics of digital to analog converter (DAC) are different, 192 KHz/24-bit for STR DH550 and AK4458 384 KHz/32-bit for the VSX-LX301. Only the VSX-LX301 supports Bi-amping feature. The Pioneer VSX-LX301 can transmit an audio signal directly to the amplifier and bypasses any DSP processing. Only the VSX-LX301 has Bluetooth support. Only the VSX-LX301 supports Spotify.

Video features

Only the Pioneer VSX-LX301 has support for High dynamic range (HDR). Only the VSX-LX301 provides HDMI signal transmission in standby mode. The VSX-LX301 can scale the input HDMI signal, unlike the STR DH550. Dolby Vision technology found support only on the VSX-LX301.

Extensive connections

The Sony STR DH550 has 4/1 HDMI inputs/outputs versus 7/2 HDMI connectors of the Pioneer VSX-LX301. 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-LX301 has a built-in phono stage for connecting a vinyl player. A voice control is not available. An ECO mode is not present in each of the AV receivers. The setup assistant will help you configure Pioneer VSX-LX301.

Multichannel surround

Only the VSX-LX301 has a Dolby Atmos multichannel audio format support. A surround technology DTS:X is supported only by the VSX-LX301.