Pioneer VSX-831 vs Pioneer VSX-830-K

      Pioneer VSX-831

      Pioneer VSX-830-K
      78
      Image cannot be found
      71
      Image cannot be found
      North America Australia
      Asia
      USA
      Image cannot be found
      Image cannot be found
      Image cannot be found
      Image cannot be found

      Disclosure: We earn money from the affiliate links to products associated with content in this article.

      Overview

      Here we are comparing Pioneer VSX-831 to Pioneer VSX-830-K to reveal their common strengths and weaknesses as well as the differences between them which will help you in making a correct decision before the purchase. Both receivers have 5 channel and equally powerful amplifiers.


      Pioneer VSX-831 Pioneer VSX-830-K

      Pioneer VSX-831 was introduced in 2017. It is equipped with 5 channel amplifier with 80 W (8 Ω, 20 Hz - 20 kHz and 2 channel driven) power per channel and is capable of 5.1 maximum channel processing. It , passes 4K/60Hz and upscales up to 4K video signal.

      Pioneer VSX-830-K was introduced in 2015. It is equipped with 5 channel amplifier with 80 W (8 Ω, 20 Hz - 20 kHz and 2 channel driven) power per channel and is capable of 5.1 maximum channel processing. It , passes 4K/60Hz and upscales up to 4K video signal.

      Highlights

      • 5.2 Channels
      • 5.1 Channel Processing
      • 80 W (8 Ω, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 2 channel driven)
      • HDR10, Dolby Vision
      • 4K/60Hz Passthrough, 4K/30Hz Upscaling
      • Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet
      • Phono Input

      Highlights

      • 5.2 Channels
      • 5.1 Channel Processing
      • 80 W (8 Ω, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 2 channel driven)
      • 4K/60Hz Passthrough, 4K/30Hz Upscaling
      • Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet

      Table of Contents
      1. Overview
      2. Pros and Cons
      3. Advantage of Pioneer VSX-831
      4. Advantage of Pioneer VSX-830-K
      5. Common Strengths and Weaknesses
      6. Audio Section
      7. Video Section
      8. Inputs and Outputs
      9. Evaluations
      10. Specifications  

      Now that we've looked at the most essential specifications and gained a basic understanding of these receivers, we can delve into more details and see the differences between them.

      Pros and Cons

      In this section we present pros and cons of Pioneer VSX-831 and Pioneer VSX-830-K.

      PROS

      Pioneer VSX-831

      Pioneer VSX-830-K

      •   DSD via HDMI
      •   Auto Speaker Calibration System with Mic.
      •   HDR10
      •   Dolby Vision
      •   New HDCP Version
      •   Analog To HDMI Upconversion
      •   Wi-Fi
      •   Bluetooth
      •   Chromecast Built-In
      •   USB Input
      •   Phono Input
      •   Composite Video Inputs
      •   Ethernet
      •   Analog Tuner
      •   Pandora
      •   Spotify
      •   DSD via HDMI
      •   Auto Speaker Calibration System with Mic.
      •   New HDCP Version
      •   Analog To HDMI Upconversion
      •   Wi-Fi
      •   Bluetooth
      •   USB Input
      •   Composite Video Inputs
      •   Ethernet
      •   Analog Tuner
      •   Pandora
      •   Spotify

      CONS

      Pioneer VSX-831

      Pioneer VSX-830-K

      •   Few Channels - 5.2
      •   Low Power Output - 80 W
      •   5.1 Channel Processing
      •   No Dolby Atmos
      •   No Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization
      •   No DTS:X
      •   No IMAX Enhanced
      •   No Auro 3D with Auro-Matic Upmixer
      •   No HDR10+
      •   No eARC
      •   No 8K Passthrough
      •   Does not Work with Amazon Alexa
      •   1 HDMI Outputs
      •   0 8K Input
      •   Few RCA Line Inputs
      •   No RCA Pre-Outs
      •   No Zones
      •   No Digital Radio
      •   No Tidal
      •   Few Channels - 5.2
      •   Low Power Output - 80 W
      •   5.1 Channel Processing
      •   No Dolby Atmos
      •   No Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization
      •   No DTS:X
      •   No IMAX Enhanced
      •   No Auro 3D with Auro-Matic Upmixer
      •   No HDR10
      •   No HDR10+
      •   No Dolby Vision
      •   No eARC
      •   No 8K Passthrough
      •   Does not Work with Amazon Alexa
      •   1 HDMI Outputs
      •   0 8K Input
      •   Few RCA Line Inputs
      •   No Phono Input
      •   No RCA Pre-Outs
      •   No Zones
      •   No Digital Radio
      •   No Tidal
      •   Bluetooth 2․1 + EDR


      And here are some specifications which fall into average criteria and are neither in PROs nor in CONs category:

      AVERAGE

      Pioneer VSX-831

      Pioneer VSX-830-K

      •   6 HDMI Inputs
      •   Bluetooth 4․1 + LE
      •   6 HDMI Inputs

      Advantage of Pioneer VSX-831

      Pioneer VSX-831
      Image cannot be found
      Image cannot be found
      Image cannot be found

      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Pioneer VSX-831 over Pioneer VSX-830-K.

      Pioneer VSX-831 vs Pioneer VSX-830-K
      Higher DAC Specs 384 kHz/32 Bit vs 192 kHz/24 Bit
      More Tone Control Channels All Channels vs Front L/R Channels
      HDR10 vs
      BT.2020 color space vs
      Dolby Vision vs
      Chromecast Built-In vs
      More RCA Line Inputs 3 (1 front) vs 2
      Phono Input vs
      Front A/V Inputs USB, Mini-Jack vs USB
      Analog Tuner FM/AM with RDS vs FM/AM
      Higher S/N Ratio (Line, IHF-A) 106 dB vs 100 dB
      Higher DSD Sampling Rate via USB 5.6 MHz, 2.8 MHz vs 2.8 MHz
      Wi-Fi Standard IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n vs IEEE 802.11 b/g/n
      Newer Bluetooth Version 4․1 + LE vs 2․1 + EDR
      Wider AM Frequency Range 522/530 kHz - 1611/1710 kHz vs 530 kHz - 1700 kHz

      Check out other receivers which are frequently compared to Pioneer VSX-831.

      Yamaha RX-A750
      Image cannot be found

      7.2 channel

      90 W

      Onkyo TX-SR444
      Image cannot be found

      7.1 channel

      65 W

      Onkyo TX-SR494
      Image cannot be found

      7.2 channel

      80 W

      Pioneer VSX-LX303
      Image cannot be found

      9.2 channel

      100 W

      Pioneer VSX-90
      Image cannot be found

      7.2 channel

      100 W

      Pioneer SC-LX901
      Image cannot be found

      11.2 channel

      140 W

      Yamaha RX-A2010
      Image cannot be found

      9.2 channel

      140 W

      Advantage of Pioneer VSX-830-K

      Pioneer VSX-830-K
      Image cannot be found
      Image cannot be found
      Image cannot be found

      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Pioneer VSX-830-K over Pioneer VSX-831.

      Pioneer VSX-831 vs Pioneer VSX-830-K
      DTS-ES vs Discrete 6.1, Matrix 6.1
      DSD to PCM Converter vs
      Dialog Enhancement vs
      Sound Retriever Advanced (2-Channel) vs Advanced (Multi-Channel / Auto with ARC)
      Sound Retriever AIR vs
      Digital Noise Reduction vs
      Headphone Surround vs
      Virtual Speakers vs (Surround Back/Height/Wide)
      Higher MCACC Memory 1 vs 6
      Auto Phase Control Plus vs
      Standing Wave Control vs
      Distance Adjustment 0.1 feet vs 1/2 Inch
      Polarity Check vs
      Video Parameter Adjustments vs
      MHL Input vs 1 Rear (Version 2.0)
      DLNA 1.5 vs
      More Composite Video Outputs vs 1
      Speaker A/B vs
      AVNavigator vs Built-in
      Versatile Speaker Configuration vs 5.2 ch Front Bi-amp
      More Presets 40 vs 63
      Bigger Power Supply 390 W vs 450 W

      Check out other receivers which are frequently compared to Pioneer VSX-830-K.

      Pioneer VSX-933
      Image cannot be found

      7.2 channel

      80 W

      Onkyo TX-SR444
      Image cannot be found

      7.1 channel

      65 W

      Onkyo TX-SR494
      Image cannot be found

      7.2 channel

      80 W

      Pioneer VSX-523-K
      Image cannot be found

      5.1 channel

      80 W

      Pioneer VSX-1130-K
      Image cannot be found

      7.2 channel

      100 W

      Common Strengths and Weaknesses

      We already listed pros and cons of each model. However, you may also find useful to look at their common strengths and weaknesses shown side-by-side.

      STRENGTHS Pioneer VSX-831 Pioneer VSX-830-K
        DSD via HDMI 2-ch/Multi-ch Input 2-ch/Multi-ch Input
        Auto Speaker Calibration System with Mic. MCACC Advanced MCACC
        New HDCP Version2.22.2
        Analog To HDMI Upconversion Composite Composite
        Wi-Fi
        Bluetooth
        USB Input1 Front1 Front
        Composite Video Inputs22
        Ethernet
        Analog Tuner FM/AM with RDS FM/AM
        Pandora
        Spotify
      WEAKNESSES Pioneer VSX-831 Pioneer VSX-830-K
        Few Channels5.25.2
        Low Power Output80 W (8 Ω, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 2 channel driven)80 W (8 Ω, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 2 channel driven)
        Channel Processing5.15.1
        No Dolby Atmos
        No Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization
        No DTS:X
        No IMAX Enhanced
        No Auro 3D with Auro-Matic Upmixer
        No HDR10+
        No eARC
        No 8K Passthroughup to 4K/60p (4:4:4 24-bit)
      4K/60p (4:2:0 36-bit)
      4K/24p (4:4:4 36-bit)      		up to 4K/60p (4:4:4 24-bit)
      4K/60p (4:2:2 36-bit)
      4K/24p (4:4:4 36-bit)
        Does not Work with Amazon Alexa
        Few HDMI Outputs11
        Few 8K Inputs
        Few RCA Line Inputs3 (1 front)2
        No RCA Pre-Outs0.20.2
        No Zones11
        No Digital Radio
        No Tidal

      Audio Section

      Amplifier

      Pioneer VSX-831 Pioneer VSX-830-K

      5 channel Discrete Direct Energy Amplifier: Pioneer VSX-831 features 5 channel power amplifier with Discrete Direct Energy design. It is rated at 80 W (8 Ω, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 2 channel driven).

      5 channel Discrete Direct Energy Amplifier: Pioneer VSX-830-K features 5 channel power amplifier with Discrete Direct Energy design. It is rated at 80 W (8 Ω, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 2 channel driven).

        Speaker Configurations

        Pioneer VSX-831's and Pioneer VSX-830-K's amplifiers can be assigned for different speaker configurations.

        • Configurations: Available configurations are:
        • Pioneer VSX-831: 5.2 with internal amplifier.
        • Pioneer VSX-830-K: 5.2 with internal amplifier.
        • 2-ch Bi-Amp: Both models are able to bi-amp up to 2 main channels simultaneously. During bi-amplification two amplifiers are used for one speaker. One amplifier powers the midrange and tweeter section of the speaker and another amplifier powers the low frequency woofers. Each amplifier is less loaded and performs better. In order to use this feature speakers must have 2 pairs of connectors.

          • Sound Processing

          • Compressed Music Enhancer: Pioneer VSX-831 and Pioneer VSX-830-K feature Compressed Music Enhancer which enhances the quality of the music files with lossy compression.
          • Advanced Sound Retriever: Compressed music enhancement in Pioneer VSX-831 and Pioneer VSX-830-K is done by Pioneer’s Advanced Sound Retriever. Hear the detail, warmth and clarity, the way the artist intended it, from all of your highly compressed MP3 and WMA files stored on USB, Smartphone and portable media players. By restoring data that tend to get lost in the digital compression process, Pioneers Advanced Sound Retriever Technology enhances audio reproduction all the way upto 20 Khz frequencies.

          Room Calibration

          Pioneer VSX-831 comes with MCACC and Pioneer VSX-830-K comes with Advanced MCACC room correction system.

          • MCACC: Pioneer’s exclusive Multi-Channel Acoustic Calibration System (MCACC) delivers an easy-to-use, automatic sound adjustment system to precision-tune your Pioneer and Pioneer Elite receivers with minimal effort. Every MCACC system comes with a microphone to measure and analyze reverb characteristics. The equalizer optimally adjusts sound parameters to fit the size and shape of your home environment while maintaining the integrity of high-resolution playback without any degradation to the quality of your music.

        Video Section

        HDMI

        Pioneer VSX-831 and Pioneer VSX-830-K come with 6 HDMI inputs. It has 1 output.

        • 4K/60Hz Passthrough: On both receivers all inputs pass up to 4K/60p (4:4:4 24-bit)
          4K/60p (4:2:0 36-bit)
          4K/24p (4:4:4 36-bit) video signal.
        • 4K Upscaling: Both receivers can upscale up to 4K from HDMI and analog sources.
        • Analog To HDMI Upconversion: Both receivers support analog to HDMI Upconversion, so you can input your analog video sources and output them digitally via HDMI. This means that you will need only one HDMI cable to connect to your TV.
        • BT.2020 Color Space: BT.2020 or Rec. 2020 is a color standard which delivers a wider color gamut compared to Rec. 709. It covers approximately 75% of the total visual spectrum while the Rec. 709 covers only 35% (available on Pioneer VSX-831 only).
        • HDCP 2.2.0 Copy Protection: Both receivers are HDCP 2.2.0 compliant which is a requirement for 4K/HDR copy-protected content transmission.
        • 3D Ready: Both receivers are able to pass 3D video through HDMI.

        HDR (High Dynamic Range)

        Pioneer VSX-831 supports HDR10 and Dolby Vision.

        Pioneer VSX-830-K does not support HDR.

        High dynamic range video has greater dynamic range than standard dynamic range (SDR) video with brighter whites and deeper blacks. The result is greater contrast and more details in dark and bright areas, better color and depth.

        • HDR10: HDR10 uses the wide-gamut Rec. 2020 color space. It sends static metadata via video stream to the TV which calibrates its screen brightness and color according to that. HDR10 supports 10-bit color which corresponds to 1024 shades of the primary RGB colors. It is technically limited to a maximum of 10,000 nits peak brightness, however common HDR10 contents are mastered with peak brightness from 1,000 to 4,000 nits.
        • Dolby Vision: Dolby Vision is a set of technologies developed by Dolby Laboratories for high dynamic range (HDR) video. It covers content creation, distribution, and playback. Like HDR10+, it includes dynamic metadata that are used to adjust and optimize each frame of the HDR video to the consumer display's capabilities in a way specified by the content creator. Dolby Vision allows for a maximum resolution of 8K up to 12-bit color depth, maximum peak brightness of 10,000 nits and a color gamut up to Rec. 2020. It uses Dolby's proprietary dynamic metadata defined in SMPTE ST 2094-10.

        Inputs and Outputs

        Audio

        • Phono Input: There is an MM phono input on Pioneer VSX-831 with built-in phono stage for connecting the moving magnet cartridge output of the turntable directly to the receiver.
        • Analog Line Inputs: There are 3 pair of line inputs on Pioneer VSX-831 and 2 pair of line inputs on Pioneer VSX-830-K for connecting sources with analog outputs.
        • Digital Inputs: 1 optical input and 1 coaxial input are available for digital audio connections on both receivers.
        • Headphone Output: There is a 6.3 mm (1/4") headphone output jack on the front panel of each receiver.

        Video

        • HDMI:
        • Pioneer VSX-831
          Inputs:           6   Outputs: 1
          8K Inputs: 0.
        • Pioneer VSX-830-K
          Inputs:           6   Outputs: 1
          8K Inputs: 0.
        • Composite Video: Connect you VCR, Laserdisc player and other old video equipment with composite video cables.
        • Pioneer VSX-831
          Inputs:           2   Outputs: 0.
        • Pioneer VSX-830-K
          Inputs:           2   Outputs: 1.

        Front A/V Inputs

        • Pioneer VSX-831: USB, Mini-Jack
        • Pioneer VSX-830-K: USB

        Pioneer VSX-831

        Image cannot be found Image cannot be found

        Pioneer VSX-830-K

        Image cannot be found Image cannot be found

        Evaluations

        We evaluate Pioneer VSX-831 and Pioneer VSX-830-K and give them scores of 78 and 71 out of 100 recpectively. We also give separate scores for 7 different categories according to the available features and specifications some of which are listed below. These evaluations are relative and may change each time a new receiver is added to the database.


        Pioneer VSX-831

        Pioneer VSX-830-K

        OVERALL
        78
        OVERALL
        71

        Amplifier

        Pioneer VSX-831

        Pioneer VSX-830-K

        GOOD
        77
        •   Few Channels - 5.2
        •   Low Power Output - 80 W
        GOOD
        71
        •   Few Channels - 5.2
        •   Low Power Output - 80 W

        Audio Features

        Pioneer VSX-831

        Pioneer VSX-830-K

        GOOD
        71
        •   Few Channels - 5.2
        •   5.1 Channel Processing
        •   No Dolby Atmos
        •   No Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization
        •   No DTS:X
        •   No IMAX Enhanced
        •   No Auro 3D with Auro-Matic Upmixer
        •   DSD via HDMI
        AVERAGE
        68
        •   Few Channels - 5.2
        •   5.1 Channel Processing
        •   No Dolby Atmos
        •   No Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization
        •   No DTS:X
        •   No IMAX Enhanced
        •   No Auro 3D with Auro-Matic Upmixer
        •   DSD via HDMI

        Video Features

        Pioneer VSX-831

        Pioneer VSX-830-K

        EXCELLENT
        92
        •   HDR10
        •   No HDR10+
        •   Dolby Vision
        •   No 8K Passthrough
        •   Analog To HDMI Upconversion
        GOOD
        71
        •   No HDR10
        •   No HDR10+
        •   No Dolby Vision
        •   No 8K Passthrough
        •   Analog To HDMI Upconversion

        Connectivity

        Pioneer VSX-831

        Pioneer VSX-830-K

        GOOD
        80
        •   No eARC
        •   New HDCP Version
        •   Wi-Fi
        •   Bluetooth
        •   Does not Work with Amazon Alexa
        •   Chromecast Built-In
        •   6 HDMI Inputs
        •   1 HDMI Outputs
        •   0 8K Input
        •   USB Input
        •   Few RCA Line Inputs
        •   Phono Input
        •   No RCA Pre-Outs
        •   Composite Video Inputs
        •   Ethernet
        •   Bluetooth 4․1 + LE
        GOOD
        78
        •   No eARC
        •   New HDCP Version
        •   Wi-Fi
        •   Bluetooth
        •   Does not Work with Amazon Alexa
        •   6 HDMI Inputs
        •   1 HDMI Outputs
        •   0 8K Input
        •   USB Input
        •   Few RCA Line Inputs
        •   No Phono Input
        •   No RCA Pre-Outs
        •   Composite Video Inputs
        •   Ethernet
        •   Bluetooth 2․1 + EDR

        Zones

        Pioneer VSX-831

        Pioneer VSX-830-K

        AVERAGE
        55
        •   No Zones
        AVERAGE
        55
        •   No Zones

        Radio

        Pioneer VSX-831

        Pioneer VSX-830-K

        EXCELLENT
        88
        •   Analog Tuner
        •   Pandora
        •   Spotify
        •   No Tidal
        EXCELLENT
        85
        •   Analog Tuner
        •   Pandora
        •   Spotify
        •   No Tidal


        For a full specification list please go to the specifications page:

        Amazon Affiliate Disclosure

        ZKelectronics is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for website owners to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon (.com, .co.uk, .ca, etc) and any other websites that may be affiliated with Amazon Service LLC Associates Program.