An affordable AV receiver is always a good option to consider, so Yamaha RX-V671 vs Pioneer VSX-S520 comparison definitely makes sense.
A significant difference between the receivers in the number of channels, Yamaha RX-V671 has 7.1 versus 5.1 for Pioneer VSX-S520. Regarding power, then RX-V671 has such a W/Ohm ratio - 90/8, 150/4 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 192 KHz/24-bit for RX-V671 and 192 KHz/24-bit for the VSX-S520. Only the RX-V671 supports Bi-amping feature. 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. Only the VSX-S520 supports Spotify. The RX-V671 can work with the audio stream from Napster, and the VSX-S520 can receive a content from Deezer, TIDAL, TuneIn Radio.
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. Both rivals can scale the resolution of the incoming HDMI signal. Dolby Vision technology found support only on the VSX-S520.
The Yamaha RX-V671 has 6/1 HDMI inputs/outputs versus 4/1 HDMI connectors of the Pioneer VSX-S520. 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. A voice control is not available. An ECO mode is not present in each of the AV receivers. 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.