An affordable AV receiver is always a good option to consider, so Yamaha RX-V385 vs Pioneer VSX-S520 comparison definitely makes sense.
Considered AV receivers have the same number of channels 5.1. Regarding power, then RX-V385 has such a W/Ohm ratio - 70/6 when VSX-S520 has a power of 50/4. The THD is the same and is 0.09%.
Characteristics of digital to analog converter (DAC) are different, Burr-Brown 384 KHz/32-bit for RX-V385 and 192 KHz/24-bit for the VSX-S520. None of the models 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. Only the VSX-S520 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.
Each receiver has 4/1 HDMI inputs/outputs. 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-S520 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-S520.
Only the VSX-S520 has a Dolby Atmos multichannel audio format support. A surround technology DTS:X is supported only by the VSX-S520.