You’ll be amazed at the genuinely
cinema-like quality you can get from an entry-level AV receiver. Try one of
these three and you won’t go far wrong…
An AV receiver is one of the most important
parts of a home cinema setup, working as the messenger between the speakers and
their audio source. It directs the speakers to do the right things at the right
time, puts the much-needed oomph into your system when required, and picks out
the finer details that are lost when a soundtrack is played through a TV’s
built-in speakers.
But not many of us have laces to spend on a
home cinema setup. Luckily the affordable end of the market is getting ever
more competitive, with pricier options sharing more and more of their features
with far cheaper models.
It’s this constant pushing of the bar that
makes the sub-$889 sector so interesting, not to mention constantly changing.
On test we have the Sony DTR-DH820, a 2011 Award winner for Best Budget Home
Cinema Amplifier, the Yamaha RX-V373 – the product that knocked the Sony from
its Award perch last year and the Pioneer VSX-922, a mid-range amp that can be
had at a bargain.
Pioneer VSX-922
Price: $764
Rating: 5/5
When we first reviewed the VSX-922 last
year, it scored a respectable four stars. That dropped to three towards the end
of the year as competition stiffened. But now it’s available at bargain prices
in the market, and it’s become a mid-level amp in an entry-level market. We
need to take another look.
Pioneer
VSX-922
For, of course, the 922 is packed with
features not usually seen in amps made for this price point. A seven-channel
amp with a claimed 105W of power per channel, it also offers dual subwoofer
outputs, giving you extra flexibility for your setup.
Network connectivity is possible via wired
Ethernet connection or Pioneer’s optional USB Wi-Fi dongle. Then you’re able to
take advantage of internet radio capability, AirPlay compatibility for Apple
devices, or DLNA for streaming from any DLNA-supported gadget in your home. It
will even stream high-res 24 bit/192kHz files should you have any stored on
your computer or NAS drive.
This
Pioneer has seen its price slashed in half and it’s a serious contender as a
result
As for inputs, you get a generous six HDMI
ports and two USB ports one for the Wi-Fi dongle, a second for connecting an
external iDevice or USB key.
Speaker setup is easy enough with the
included microphone. The auto calibration procedure is easily the most thorough
on test, lasting around 10 minutes and making for a very accurate setup.
There’s also a free-to-download app that can help you – among other things make
sound field adjustments, switch between connected sources, control bass and treble
levels and adjust video parameters. It’s a clear and easy-to-use app and,
should you wish, can largely make the included remote redundant.
Excellent power for the price
At the price, we wanted a more powerful
sound from the VSX-922, but in this test it sounds much bigger than its
competition. In the sand storm scene of Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol, the
sound of the sand whips up all around you with an impressive level of detail,
putting you right in the middle of the storm. Sound spreads naturally
throughout the room, jumping between the speakers with a striking level of
accuracy, and delivering an experience that sounds all the more realistic
because of it.
The Kremlin explosion scene is also a great
way of showing off what this amp can do. There’s real force and precision
behind every one of the blasts, and even when things get busy and rubble
showers down around you, the VSX-922 remains focused and composed.
Music
is also delivered with great timing and precision, be it a movie soundtrack or CD.
The treble is crisp, dialogue is clear and well defined, and there’s real oomph
in the lower frequencies
Music is also delivered with great timing
and precision, be it a movie soundtrack or CD. The treble is crisp, dialogue is
clear and well defined, and there’s real oomph in the lower frequencies. It’s
not the last word in excitement – the Yamaha probably pips it when it comes to conveying
more subtle dynamics but its performance in most other areas goes a long way to
make up for this.
It’s hard not to keep referring to this
Pioneer’s price drop. At its original price point it was being far outclassed
by its competitors; but when considered in this lot, this is a seriously
impressive package with so much to like.
Auto calibration
MCACC (Multichannel Acoustic Calibration
System) is Pioneer’s auto-set-up software. It’s been developed with the help of
Air Studios in London. The system not only sets speaker sizes, distance and
level, but can also equalize the output from each channel. The process takes
several minutes but is pretty accurate.
Rating: 5/5
For: Feature-packed; network functionality;
detailed, powerful, accurately placed sound
Against: It doesn’t have the very last word
in dynamics or subtlety
Verdict: A highly specified all-round
performer that excels at this level
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Pioneer
VSX-922 specs
·
Channels/power: 7/105W
·
HDMI in/out: 6/1
·
Component in/out: 1/1
·
Optical digital in: 1
·
Ethernet/Wi-Fi: Yes/optional
·
Tuner/presets: FM/ MW/internet/63
·
Video Up conversion: Yes
·
Auto set-up: Yes
·
3D/4K capable: Yes/No
·
Weight: 9.8kg
·
Dimensions (H x W x D): 17 x 44 x 36cm
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