An affordable AV receiver is always a good option to consider, so Onkyo TX-RZ830 vs Pioneer VSX-1131 comparison definitely makes sense.
A significant difference between the receivers in the number of channels, Onkyo TX-RZ830 has 9.2 versus 7.2 for Pioneer VSX-1131. Regarding power, then TX-RZ830 has such a W/Ohm ratio - 180/6 when VSX-1131 has a power of 100/8, 170/6. The THD is the same and is 0.08%.
Competitors' digital to analog converter (DAC) is identical to AK4458 384 KHz/32-bit. Both the TX-RZ830 and the VSX-1131 support Bi-amping. Each of the AV receivers can transmit an audio signal directly to the amplifier and bypasses any DSP processing.
WI-FI modules have the same characteristics: 2.4/5GHz. 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 TX-RZ830 can work with the audio stream from Deezer, TIDAL, TuneIn Radio, and the VSX-1131 can receive a content from Deezer, TIDAL, Pandora, TuneIn Radio. 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 TX-RZ830. The HDR standard - Dolby Vision is supported by these receivers.
Each receiver has 7/2 HDMI inputs/outputs. 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.
The TX-RZ830 supports 3 Multi-room zones, versus 2 for the VSX-1131. An ECO mode is not present in each of the AV receivers. Both TX-RZ830 and VSX-1131 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.