An affordable AV receiver is always a good option to consider, so Onkyo TX-RZ730 vs Pioneer VSX-S520 comparison definitely makes sense.
A significant difference between the receivers in the number of channels, Onkyo TX-RZ730 has 9.2 versus 5.1 for Pioneer VSX-S520. Regarding power, then TX-RZ730 has such a W/Ohm ratio - 175/6 when VSX-S520 has a power of 50/4. The THD is 0.08% for the TX-RZ730 but 0.09% for the VSX-S520.
Characteristics of digital to analog converter (DAC) are different, AK4458 384 KHz/32-bit for TX-RZ730 and 192 KHz/24-bit for the VSX-S520. Only the TX-RZ730 supports Bi-amping feature. Each of the AV receivers can transmit an audio signal directly to the amplifier and bypasses any DSP processing.
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. Spotify can be used on each receiver. Deezer, TIDAL, TuneIn Radio - all of these streaming services have found application in each of the models. 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 TX-RZ730. The HDR standard - Dolby Vision is supported by these receivers.
The Onkyo TX-RZ730 has 7/2 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. An ECO mode is not present in each of the AV receivers. Both TX-RZ730 and VSX-S520 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.