Product review: Pioneer VSX933 Atmos AV Receiver

Pioneer delivers a cinema-savy receiver that’s crammed with connections and features.

Home entertainment has begun to reach a point now that almost anybody can have high end cinema surround in their living space. As technology has progressed, what was once considered “high end” has now become standard. I’m here to talk about Pioneer’s latest mid-range AV receiver, the VSX933. Since absorbing Onkyo last year, Pioneer has really stepped up its AV game. The VSX933 boasts 7.2 channels at 135w offering more than enough power to fill most living spaces. Short of you building a dedicated full-sized cinema there’s not much this receiver won’t handle.

The VSX933 comes ready to handle all the latest standards of audio and video, such as 4K, HDR, HDR10 as well as some of the lesser known formats like Dolby vision and HLG. Wireless streaming is handled by DTS Play Fi, a universal multi-room system. Play music from any room in the house via the Play fi App once the receiver is connected to your internet via built in Wi-Fi or ethernet.

The unit also benefits from built in Google Chromecast, there’s also the option to take advantage of digital radio by downloading the dedicated Pioneer App. And should you have guests around that aren’t on your home network, they can always pair their device up via Bluetooth.

Connectivity is handled by 6 HDMI inputs all ready to handle 4K HDCP 2.2 and BT rec. 2020, as well as an HDMI output, handy if you should wish to introduce a projector further down the line. There’s a dedicated phono input should you wish to add a turntable to your system, as well as a hand full of analogue inputs and digital optical connection. Once powered up, the VSX933 set up wizard guides you though the initial calibration, using the dedicated mic that comes in the box. This maps out your room and set up your speaker configuration perfectly. Should you wish to make amendments or indeed take on the whole task yourself, then of course this is optional.

We paired the receiver with our trusty Oppo 203 Blu-ray player and Monitor Audio Radius speaker package in a Dolby Atmos 5.1.2 setup. My current Blu-ray test disc of choice is Spiderman: Homecoming, specifically the scene that sees a boat being torn in half on the high seas. The VSX933 did a fantastic job of handling the bigger, more dramatic sounds, but when it came to some of the finer details, I found myself having to tinker with the sound to get a little bit more clarity, which I did manage to attain.

The huge 135 watts of power really comes though with the VSX933 offering a very impressive sound stage giving the illusion you’re listening to a much larger system! If you’re in the market to elevate your movies to a whole new level, come in to your nearest Richer Sounds today and give this fantastic AV receiver a demo today.

Click to find out more about the Pioneer VSX933.

Author: Garrett, Plymouth store