An affordable AV receiver is always a good option to consider, so Denon HEOS AVR vs Pioneer VSX-1131 comparison definitely makes sense.
A significant difference between the receivers in the number of channels, Denon HEOS AVR has 5.1 versus 7.2 for Pioneer VSX-1131. Regarding power, then HEOS AVR has such a W/Ohm ratio - 50/8, 65/6 when VSX-1131 has a power of 100/8, 170/6. The THD is 0.05% for the HEOS AVR but 0.08% for the VSX-1131. Only the VSX-1131 supports Bi-amping feature. 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. Spotify can be used on each receiver. The HEOS AVR can work with the audio stream from Deezer, TIDAL, Pandora, Napster, SiriusXM, TuneIn Radio, iHeart Radio, Sound Cloud, and the VSX-1131 can receive a content from Deezer, TIDAL, Pandora, TuneIn Radio.
Only the Pioneer VSX-1131 has support for High dynamic range (HDR). 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-1131 can scale the input HDMI signal, unlike the HEOS AVR. Dolby Vision technology found support only on the VSX-1131.
The Denon HEOS AVR has 4/1 HDMI inputs/outputs versus 7/2 HDMI connectors of the Pioneer VSX-1131. 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-1131 has a built-in phono stage for connecting a vinyl player. An ECO mode is not present in each of the AV receivers. The setup assistant will help you configure Pioneer VSX-1131.
Only the VSX-1131 has a Dolby Atmos multichannel audio format support. A surround technology DTS:X is supported only by the VSX-1131.