An affordable AV receiver is always a good option to consider, so Yamaha RX-V385 vs Pioneer VSX-1131 comparison definitely makes sense.
A significant difference between the receivers in the number of channels, Yamaha RX-V385 has 5.1 versus 7.2 for Pioneer VSX-1131. Regarding power, then RX-V385 has such a W/Ohm ratio - 70/6 when VSX-1131 has a power of 100/8, 170/6. The THD is 0.09% for the RX-V385 but 0.08% for the VSX-1131.
Characteristics of digital to analog converter (DAC) are different, Burr-Brown 384 KHz/32-bit for RX-V385 and AK4458 384 KHz/32-bit 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. The Apple Music service is implemented on considered devices: AirPlay. Only the VSX-1131 supports Spotify. 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 Yamaha RX-V385 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. The HDMI eARC is available only on the RX-V385. 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. A voice control is not available. An ECO mode is only available for the RX-V385. 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.