Pioneer electronics makes some of the best AV receivers money can buy, and its flagship Pioneer Elite brand is about to push that envelope further with the announcement of its latest AVR , the Elite VSX-LX805. The 11.2.4-channel network receiver will be available this Spring for a premium $2,999, but that big price gets you big power at 150 watts per channel, a new 32-bit digital audio converter, some AI-driven room calibration, and some audiophile upgrades.
Building from Pioneer Elite’s previous models in its VSX range, the VSX-LX805 usurps them all with its 150 watts per channel that powers 11 channels with powerful Class AB amplifiers that are kept cool and managed by newly-designed aluminum anti-resonant heat sinks and capacitors.
Among the connections of the LX805 are six HDMI 2.1 inputs that deliver 8K/4K resolution images at up to 40Gbps, which means you’ll be able to enjoy HDMI 2.1’s higher resolutions and refresh rates on content and gaming consoles that support it, and three HDMI eARC outputs. There are also four RCA inputs, including one for phono, three optical inputs, two digital audio inputs, and a set of balanced XLR inputs, too.
For an AVR of this caliber and price point, it’ll be no surprise that the VSX-LX805 supports Dolby Atmos, Dolby Atmos Music, Dolby Surround, DTS:X, Neural:X, and IMAX Enhanced surround sound formats, and with a firmware update scheduled for June 2023, the Atmos rival Auro 3D sound will be available as well. And if this thing wasn’t already stacked enough, the LX805 also has support for Chromecast, AirPlay 2, Spotify, Pandora, TuneIn, and coming with a firmware update in September 2023.
Dirac calibration - $349 for a single subwoofer and $499 for multiple subs. That's insane.