An affordable AV receiver is always a good option to consider, so Yamaha RX-V479BL vs Pioneer VSX-1131 comparison definitely makes sense.
A significant difference between the receivers in the number of channels, Yamaha RX-V479BL has 5.1 versus 7.2 for Pioneer VSX-1131. Regarding power, then RX-V479BL has such a W/Ohm ratio - 80/8 when VSX-1131 has a power of 100/8, 170/6. The THD is 0.09% for the RX-V479BL but 0.08% for the VSX-1131.
Characteristics of digital to analog converter (DAC) are different, 192 KHz/24-bit for RX-V479BL 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.
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 RX-V479BL. Dolby Vision technology found support only on the VSX-1131.
The Yamaha RX-V479BL has 6/1 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. A voice control is not available. An ECO mode is only available for the RX-V479BL. Both RX-V479BL and VSX-1131 can be configured using the Setup assistant.
Only the VSX-1131 has a Dolby Atmos multichannel audio format support. A surround technology DTS:X is supported only by the VSX-1131.