The present review is aimed to compare two AV receivers - Sony STR-ZA810ES vs Pioneer VSX-LX102 that are meant to satisfy the needs of cinema and music lovers.
Considered AV receivers have the same number of channels 7.2. Regarding power, then STR-ZA810ES has such a W/Ohm ratio - 100/8 when VSX-LX102 has a power of 80/8, 170/6. The THD is 0.09% for the STR-ZA810ES but 0.08% for the VSX-LX102.
Characteristics of digital to analog converter (DAC) are different, 384 KHz/32-bit for STR-ZA810ES and AK4438 384 KHz/32-bit for the VSX-LX102. Both the STR-ZA810ES and the VSX-LX102 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.
Both AV receivers support HDR10 technology (High dynamic range). 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 Sony STR-ZA810ES has 6/2 HDMI inputs/outputs versus 4/1 HDMI connectors of the Pioneer VSX-LX102. The HDMI Audio Return Channel (ARC) feature supports both devices. The HDMI eARC is available only on the STR-ZA810ES. 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-LX102 has a built-in phono stage for connecting a vinyl player. An ECO mode is only available for the VSX-LX102. Both STR-ZA810ES and VSX-LX102 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.