An affordable AV receiver is always a good option to consider, so Pioneer VSX-1131 vs Yamaha RX-A870BL comparison definitely makes sense.
Considered AV receivers have the same number of channels 7.2. Regarding power, then VSX-1131 has such a W/Ohm ratio - 100/8, 170/6 when RX-A870BL has a power of 100/8. The THD is 0.08% for the VSX-1131 but 0.06% for the RX-A870BL.
Characteristics of digital to analog converter (DAC) are different, AK4458 384 KHz/32-bit for VSX-1131 and Burr-Brown 192 KHz/24-bit for the RX-A870BL. Both the VSX-1131 and the RX-A870BL 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 VSX-1131 can work with the audio stream from Deezer, TIDAL, Pandora, TuneIn Radio, and the RX-A870BL can receive a content from Deezer, TIDAL, Pandora, Napster, SiriusXM. 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.
The Pioneer VSX-1131 has 7/2 HDMI inputs/outputs versus 8/2 HDMI connectors of the Yamaha RX-A870BL. 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.
Each of the AV receivers from our review supports 2 Multi-room zones. An ECO mode is only available for the RX-A870BL. Both VSX-1131 and RX-A870BL 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.