Having successfully created one of the most iconic TV ranges in history and having cemented its powerful mark on the AV market, it was going to be tricky for Pioneer to pull a new rabbit out of the hat. It would seem that they have some magicians at Pioneer that are capable of pulling off tricks that both Houdini and Dynamo would be proud of.
The VSX930 is, on the outside at least, a carbon copy of the looks you could have seen from many of their AV receivers of old. With the same casing design, and relatively unchanged input selector and volume knob size; but it always comes down to the guts of an AV system to find where the critical differences lie.
Within the VSX930 you will find some impressively powerful Direct energy amps, spewing out 105W per channel at 8 ohms and can handle up to a traditional 7.2 speaker system for a great surround sound experience. This will also reduce the length of the signal path, and thus ensures a purer more dynamic listening experience for both home cinema and regular hi-fi use.
The VSX930 is packed with inputs.
But enough talk (As Arnie said in his film ‘Conan’) let’s get to the biggest improvement in the manufacturing giant’s latest AV offering. This is the first budget amp by Pioneer to feature Dolby Atmos. Hook up a pair of dedicated Dolby Atmos speakers and you’ll be thrust into a fully immersive 360° sound experience that is being heralded as the biggest advance in surround sound for 20 years.
We hooked our demo model up to the dedicated Pioneer designed Dolby Atmos speakers (S-Fs73a & S-Bs73a, SC73a) and a copy of Transformers Age of Extinction. Immediately you feel engulfed by a huge wave of sound that travels over you as if you were right there in the middle of the action. The power is more than capable of punching out some serious bottom end from our Rel T7 sub alongside the full 7 speaker configuration we have in our demo room, and the experience was certainly breathtaking. A word of warning to anyone hearing this setup, you may never want to go back after experiencing this!
This amp comes fully equipped with the future in mind, with all the HDMI ports being 2.0 and HDCP 2.2 compatible it is ready to be hooked up directly to a 4K television. The Pioneer’s upscaling chip will also work in conjunction with the TV to get as close to a 4K image as possible when 4K content isn’t available. The other clever feature lies in the HDMI port, with the inclusion of MHL (Mobile High Definition Link) that allows you to replicate the image from your smartphone or tablet onto your big screen – that really is smart.
This receiver is also completely networked and ready to be incorporated to your streaming needs with Apple Airplay, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi all built in.
If you’re new to setting up a complex system such as this, they have made this easy for all by including the latest version of their MCACC (Multi Channel Acoustic Calibration) Pro system microphone that pinpoints your exact position in the room and will setup the speakers to work for you in the most optimal way. Easy right?
With the great quality this amp demonstrates in all areas, the only thing limiting the VSX930 is the range of 4K content currently available. But with the newest film being American Sniper that has helicopters flying overhead, bullets whistling past your ear and explosions at almost every turn, I cannot wait to see this list grow and this brilliant amp come into its own.
10/10
Author – Andrew, Weybridge store
