Pioneer VSX-935 vs Yamaha RX-A8A review

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It makes sense comparing Pioneer VSX-935 vs Yamaha RX-A8A because they both are able to give some premium features.

Amplifier

A significant difference between the receivers in the number of channels, Pioneer VSX-935 has 7.2 versus 11.2 for Yamaha RX-A8A. Regarding power, then VSX-935 has such a W/Ohm ratio - 80/8, 170/6 when RX-A8A has a power of 150/8. The THD is 0.08% for the VSX-935 but 0.06% for the RX-A8A.

Audio features

Characteristics of digital to analog converter (DAC) are different, 192 KHz/24-bit for VSX-935 and 384 KHz/32-bit for the RX-A8A. Both the VSX-935 and the RX-A8A support Bi-amping. The Yamaha RX-A8A can transmit an audio signal directly to the amplifier and bypasses any DSP processing.

Connectivity

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, AirPlay 2. Spotify can be used on each receiver. Deezer, TIDAL, Pandora, SiriusXM, Napster, SoundCloud - all of these streaming services have found application in each of the models.

Video features

Both AV receivers support HDR10+ technology (High dynamic range). Compared AV receivers retain the quality of 4K/120Hz 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.

Extensive connections

The Pioneer VSX-935 has 6/2 HDMI inputs/outputs versus 7/3 HDMI connectors of the Yamaha RX-A8A. The HDMI Audio Return Channel (ARC) feature supports both devices. HDMI eARC is available in each model. Of the two receivers in our comparison, HDMI CEC is present only in the RX-A8A. Both models support the standard HDCP 2.3. These compared receivers have a built-in phono stage for connecting a vinyl player.

Additional features

The VSX-935 supports 2 Multi-room zones, versus 3 for the RX-A8A. Supported voice control technologies are identical - Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri, Josh.AI. An ECO mode is only available for the RX-A8A. Both VSX-935 and RX-A8A can be configured using the Setup assistant.

Multichannel surround

Both devices have support for Dolby Atmos multichannel audio format. The surround sound technology DTS:X is supported by devices under review.