An affordable AV receiver is always a good option to consider, so Pioneer VSX-S520 vs Yamaha RX-V475 comparison definitely makes sense.
Considered AV receivers have the same number of channels 5.1. Regarding power, then VSX-S520 has such a W/Ohm ratio - 50/4 when RX-V475 has a power of 80/6. The THD is the same and is 0.09%.
Characteristics of digital to analog converter (DAC) are different, 192 KHz/24-bit for VSX-S520 and Burr-Brown 192 KHz/24-bit for the RX-V475. 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. Spotify can be used on each receiver.
Only the Pioneer VSX-S520 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-S520 can scale the input HDMI signal, unlike the RX-V475. Dolby Vision technology found support only on the VSX-S520.
The Pioneer VSX-S520 has 4/1 HDMI inputs/outputs versus 5/1 HDMI connectors of the Yamaha RX-V475. 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-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-V475. 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.