1-on-1 Comparison
Side-by-Side Comparison
Pioneer VSX-834 (North American version)
Highlights
- 7.2 channels
- 7.1 channel processing
- 80 W (8 Ω, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 2 channel driven)
- Dolby Atmos, DTS:X capable
- HDR10, Dolby Vision, 4K Upscaling, 4K Passthrough
- Bluetooth
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Content
Overview
Pioneer VSX-834 was introduced in 2019. It is equipped with 7 channel amplifier with 80 W (8 Ω, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 2 channel driven) power per channel and is capable of 7.1 maximum channel processing. It supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, passes 4K/60Hz and upscales 1080p to 4K video signal.
We evaluated the a/v receiver and gave 77 overall score out of 100. Our ranking system is based on the amplifier specifications, audio and video features, connectivity, multizone capabilities, radio and many other details.
Pros and Cons
In this section we present pros and cons of Pioneer VSX-834.
PROS |
---|
Dolby Atmos |
Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization |
DTS:X |
DSD via HDMI |
Auto Speaker Calibration System with Mic. |
New HDCP Version |
HDR10 |
Dolby Vision |
4K or 8K Video Passthrough |
4K or 8K Signal Upscaling |
Bluetooth |
Zones |
Analog Tuner |
New Bluetooth Version |
CONS |
---|
No Front Wide Channel Support |
No IMAX Enhanced |
No Auro 3D with Auro-Matic Upmixer |
No eARC |
No HDR10+ |
No Chromecast Built-In |
Does not Work with Amazon Alexa |
No Ethernet |
No Wi-Fi |
Few HDMI Inputs |
Few HDMI Outputs |
Few 8K Inputs |
No USB Input |
Few RCA Line Inputs |
Few Optical Inputs |
No Composite Video Inputs |
No RCA Pre-Outs |
No Pandora |
No Spotify |
No Tidal |
Predecessor
Here we are comparing Pioneer VSX-834 to its predecessor VSX-832 and displaying the major changes.
UPGRADES | Pioneer VSX-834 | vs | Pioneer VSX-832 |
---|---|---|---|
More Channels | 7.2 | vs | 5.1 |
Bi-amp capability | vs | ||
More Channel Processing | 7.1 | vs | 5.1 |
Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization | vs | ||
DTS Virtual:X | vs | ||
DTS-ES | Discrete 6.1, Matrix 6.1 | vs | |
Dialog Enhancement | vs | ||
More Tone Control Channels | All Channels | vs | 2 Channel |
USB DC Out Port | vs | ||
More Speaker Terminals | 7 | vs | 5 |
Bigger Power Supply | 490 W | vs | 400 W |
Higher S/N Ratio (Line, IHF-A) | 109 dB | vs | 106 dB |
Newer Bluetooth Version | 4․2 | vs | 4․1 + LE |
DOWNGRADES | Pioneer VSX-834 | vs | Pioneer VSX-832 |
---|---|---|---|
Analog To HDMI Upconversion | vs | Composite | |
FlareConnect | vs | ||
Chromecast Built-In | vs | ||
DTS Play-Fi | vs | ||
AirPlay | vs | AirPlay | |
Ethernet | vs | ||
Wi-Fi | vs | ||
USB Input | vs | 2 (1 Front) | |
Less Composite Video Inputs | vs | 2 | |
Front A/V Inputs | vs | USB, Mini-Jack | |
Internet Radio | vs | TuneIn | |
Pandora | vs | ||
Spotify | vs | ||
Tidal | vs | ||
Deezer | vs | ||
More Large Speaker Terminals | 2 | vs | 5 |
For more detailed comparison between the models please visit Pioneer VSX-834 vs Pioneer VSX-832.
Audio Section
7 channel Direct Energy Amplifier
Pioneer VSX-834 features 7 channel power amplifier with Direct Energy design. It is rated at 80 W (8 Ω, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 2 channel driven) and is able to drive 4 ohm speakers.
Speaker Configurations
Pioneer VSX-834's 7 channel amplifier can be assigned for different speaker configurations.
- Dolby Atmos Configurations: The following speaker configurations are supported for Dolby Atmos:
- 5.2.2 with internal amplifier.
- DTS:X Configurations: The speaker configurations for DTS:X are the same as for Dolby Atmos:
- 5.2.2 with internal amplifier.
- Configurations without height channels: There are also other speaker configurations available which do not include height channels:
- 5.2, 7.2 with internal amplifier.
- 2-ch Bi-Amp: Pioneer VSX-834 allows you 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.
Dolby Atmos
Pioneer VSX-834 supports Dolby Atmos. It is a cinematic audio format in which sounds exist as individual entities, called audio objects. In Dolby Atmos, any sound can exist as an independent audio object, free of channel restrictions. They can be precisely placed and moved anywhere in your room, including overhead, to flow above and around you in three-dimensional space. Through the use of audio objects, overhead sound, and all the richness, clarity, and power of Dolby sound, Dolby Atmos turns your room into an amazing place for entertainment. The format supports up to 128 simultaneous independent audio objects in a mix for rich, realistic, and breathtaking sound. It recreates the director's original concept through descriptive metadata to provide customized playback for home theater and delivers sounds above you through overhead speakers, special upward-firing Dolby Atmos speakers, or a Dolby Atmos enabled sound bar.
- Dolby Surround Upmixer: If the content is not mixed in Dolby Atmos then the Dolby surround upmixer will expand the audio to all channels including ceiling speakers. The upmixer has replaced the Dolby Pro Logic II family with improved upmixing algorithms.
- Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization: Dolby Atmos height virtualization is a digital signal processing solution that leverages Dolby's deep understanding of human audio perception to create the sensation of overhead sound from the listener-level speakers.
DTS:X
Pioneer VSX-834 supports DTS:X. A technique used in DTS:X is similar to the one used in Dolby Atmos. Instead of a fixed number of channels, DTS:X defines object locations from the listener in polar coordinates. An a/v receiver then dynamically renders sound according to the current speaker configuration. The speaker layout employed by DTS:X is the sum of Dolby Atmos and Auro-3D. It has standard 7.1 channel base layer, a 5 channel height layer above the base layer on the front and side walls, and 3 rows of speakers on the ceiling.
- DTS Neural:X: DTS Neural:X is an advanced upmixer that can take non DTS:X content and upmix it to the DTS:X speaker layout. It has replaced the DTS Neo family with improved flexibility.
- DTS Virtual:X: DTS Virtual:X bridges the gap between DTS:X codec and the reality of so many consumers' homes, allowing you to enjoy multi-dimensional sound regardless of room size, layout, or speaker configuration. If you have a limited speaker setup you will miss a full immersive potential of your entertainment system. DTS Virtual:X adds height and surround audio effect to your system without adding height speakers. It works with multiple configurations and delivers immersive sound experience out of 5.1 or even 2.1 speaker layouts.
- DTS Dialog Control: This function adjusts the dialog levels during playback of the DTS:X stream. It allows you to separately increase the dialog levels in contrast with the background sound and hear dialog easily even under noisy circumstances.
Sound Processing
- Advanced Sound Retriever: Compressed music enhancement in Pioneer VSX-834 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-834 comes with MCACC room correction system and includes the calibration microphone.
- 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-834 features 4 HDMI inputs. It has 1 output.
- 4K/60Hz Passthrough: All inputs pass up to 4K/60p (YCbCr 4:4:4) video signal.
- 4K Upscaling: Pioneer VSX-834 can upscale 1080p to 4K from HDMI sources.
- 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%.
- HDCP 2.2 Copy Protection: All inputs and outputs are HDCP 2.2 compliant which is a requirement for 4K/HDR copy-protected content transmission.
- 3D Ready: Pioneer VSX-834 is able to pass 3D video through HDMI.
HDR (High Dynamic Range)
Pioneer VSX-834 supports HDR (high dynamic range) video formats such as HDR10, Dolby Vision and Hybrid Log-Gamma. 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.
- Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG): The Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG) is a transfer function developed mainly for HDR live video feed and over-the-air broadcasts. It is an HDR format that uses BT.2020 color primaries and a bitdepth of 10-bit. It is backward compatible with the transfer function of SDR and is designed to be better-suited for television broadcasting, where the metadata required for other HDR formats is not backward compatible with non-HDR displays. HLG defines a non-linear optical-electro transfer function, in which the lower half of the signal values use a gamma curve and the upper half of the signal values use a logarithmic curve.
Inputs and Outputs
Audio
- Analog Line Inputs: There are 3 line inputs for analog audio connection.
- Digital Inputs and Outputs: 0 optical input, 1 optical output and 1 coaxial input are available for digital audio connection.
- Headphone Output: There is a 6.3 mm (1/4") headphone output jack on the front panel.
Video
- HDMI:
- Inputs: 4 Outputs: 1
8K Inputs: 0


Specifications
Here we list all the available features and specifications of Pioneer VSX-834.
BASICS | |
---|---|
Brand | Pioneer |
Model | VSX-834 |
Type | A/V Receiver |
Country | North America |
Release Year | 2019 |
AMPLIFIER | |
---|---|
Channels | 7.2 |
Front Wide Channel Support | |
Amplifier | Direct Energy |
THX™ Certification | |
Continuous 6 Ω Rated | |
Certified 4 Ω Performance | |
Bi-amp Capability |
AUDIO | |
---|---|
Digital Signal Processing (DSP) Engine | Digital Quad-Core 32-bit DSP (Cirrus Logic) |
DAC | AKM AK4438 |
DAC Specs | 384 kHz/32 Bit |
Maximum Channel Processing | 7.1 |
Air Studios Monitor Certification | |
Dolby Atmos | |
Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization | |
Dolby Atmos Music | |
Dolby TrueHD | |
Dolby Digital Plus | |
Dolby Surround Upmixer | |
Dolby Pro Logic | |
Dolby Digital EX | |
Surround EX | |
DTS:X | |
DTS Neural:X | |
DTS Virtual:X | |
DTS Neo | |
DTS-HD Master Audio | |
DTS-HD High Resolution Audio | |
DTS 96/24 | |
DTS Express | |
DTS-ES | Discrete 6.1, Matrix 6.1 |
IMAX Enhanced | |
Auro 3D with Auro-Matic Upmixer | |
PCM | 2-ch/Multi-ch Input |
DSD via HDMI | 2-ch/Multi-ch Input |
DSD via USB | 2-ch Input |
DSD to PCM Converter | |
USB DAC | |
Jitter Reduction | |
DTS Dialog Control | |
Dialog Enhancement | |
Dialog Normalization | |
Dialogue Lift | |
Sound Retriever | Advanced |
Sound Retriever AIR | |
Digital Noise Reduction | |
Tone Control | All Channels |
Compressed Music Enhancer | Advanced Sound Retriever |
High-resolution Music Enhancer | |
Audyssey Dynamic EQ | |
Audyssey Dynamic Volume | |
Audyssey LFC | |
Audyssey Sub EQ HT | |
Audyssey DSX | |
Direct Mode | |
Pure Direct Mode | |
Auto Surround | |
Optimum Surround | |
Advanced Surround | 10 + 1 |
Wide Surround | |
Front Stage Surround Advance | |
Headphone Surround | |
Virtual Speakers | |
Virtual Depth |
CALIBRATION | |
---|---|
Auto Speaker Calibration System with Mic. | MCACC |
Manual MCACC | |
MCACC Memory | 1 |
Reflex Optimizer | |
Phase Control | |
Full Band Phase Control | |
Standing Wave Control | |
EQ Bands | 9-Band |
Symmetric EQ | |
Distance Adjustment | 0.1 feet |
Precision Distance | |
Polarity Check | |
Auto Subwoofer Crossover |
VIDEO | |
---|---|
Enhanced ARC | |
HDCP Version | 2.2 |
HDR10 | |
HDR10+ | |
Dynamic HDR | |
Dolby Vision | |
HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma) | |
BT.2020 color space | |
QMS (Quick Media Switching) | |
ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) | |
VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) | |
QFT (Quick Frame transport) | |
3-D Ready | |
Video Signal Passthrough | up to 4K/60p (YCbCr 4:4:4) |
Video Signal Upscaling | 1080p to 4K |
Analog To HDMI Upconversion | |
Stream Smoother | |
Pure Cinema | |
Video Parameter Adjustments | |
Super Resolution | |
isf Certified Calibration Control |
CONNECTIVITY | |
---|---|
MHL Input | |
DLNA 1.5 | |
FireConnect | |
FlareConnect | |
Chromecast Built-In | |
DTS Play-Fi | |
Works with Amazon Alexa | |
Google assistant | |
Apple Siri | |
Works with SONOS | |
AirPlay | |
Apple Product Connection | |
InstaPrevue Input Source Prevue | |
Ethernet | |
Ethernet Switch | |
Wi-Fi | |
Bluetooth | SBC, AAC |
HDBaseT Compatible | |
HDMI Inputs | 4 |
HDMI Outputs | 1 |
8K Inputs | |
USB Input | |
USB DC Out Port | |
RCA Line Input | 3 |
RCA Line Output | |
XLR Line Inputs | |
Phono Input | |
Optical Inputs | 1 |
Optical Outputs | |
Coaxial Inputs | 1 |
Composite Video Input | |
Composite Video Output | |
S-Video Input | |
S-Video Output | |
Component Video Input | |
Component Video Output | |
PC In | |
Multi-Channel Input | |
RCA Pre-Outs | 0.2 |
XLR Pre-outs | |
Front A/V Inputs | |
Speaker A/B | |
Headphone Out | 6.3 mm (1/4") |
ZONES | |
---|---|
Zones | 1 |
RS-232C Interface | |
+12V Trigger Output | |
Remote (IR) Input/Output | 0 / 0 |
MISC | |
---|---|
On-Screen Display | User-Friendly GUI with System Setup Menu |
GUI Languages | 7 |
AVNavigator | |
IP Control for CI | |
PreAmp Mode | |
Versatile Speaker Configuration | Speaker 7ch Out (FRONT, CENTER, SURROUND, SURROUND BACK/HEIGHT, Bi-AMP/ZONE B) |
FL Dimmer | |
Detachable Power Cord | |
adapterport |
RADIO | |
---|---|
Analog Tuner | FM/AM |
Presets | 40 |
Digital Radio | |
Internet Radio | |
Pandora | |
Spotify | |
Tidal | |
Deezer | |
Napster | |
SiriusXM Internet Radio |
CONSTRUCTION | |
---|---|
Front Panel | Brushed |
Solid Aluminum Front | |
Speaker Terminals | 7 |
Large Speaker Terminals | 2 |
Color-Coded Speaker Terminals | |
Transparent High-Grade Speaker Terminals | |
Ceramic Speaker Terminals | |
3D Space Frame Construction | |
Gold plated RCA terminals |
POWER | |
---|---|
Power Supply | AC 120 V, 60 Hz |
Low Leakage Flux Power Transformer | |
Transformer Stabilizer | |
Power Consumption | 490 W |
No Sound Power | 43.2 W |
Standby Power | 0.1 W |
GENERAL | |
---|---|
Dimensions (W x H x D) | 435 mm x 148 mm x 321 mm 17-1/8" x 5-13/16" x 12-5/8" |
Dimensions of Package (W x H x D) | 525 mm x 230 mm x 390 mm 20-11/16" x 9-1/16" x 15-3/8" |
Weight | 8 kg (17.6 lbs) |
Weight of Package | 10.5 kg (23.1 lbs) |
Warranty | 1 Year Parts & Labor |
SPECS | |
---|---|
Power Output (8 Ω, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 2 | 80 W (0.08% THD) |
Maximum Effective Power Output (6 Ω, 1 kHz, 1 channel driven, JEITA) | 165 W (10% THD) |
Dynamic Power per Channel (3 Ω, Front) | 160 W |
Dynamic Power per Channel (4 Ω, Front) | 125 W |
Dynamic Power per Channel (8 Ω, Front) | 85 W |
THD | 0.08% (20 Hz - 20 kHz, half power) |
Input Sensitivity and Impedance (Line) | 200 mV/47 kΩ |
Rated Headphone Jack Output Level and Impedance | 8 Ω - 600 Ω |
Rated Headphone Power Output | 80 mW (32 Ω, 1 kHz, 10% THD) |
S/N Ratio (Line, IHF-A) | 109 dB |
Frequency Response (Analog In) | 10 Hz - 100 kHz/+1 dB, -3 dB (Pure Audio) |
DSD Sampling Rates via HDMI | 2.8 MHz |
Bluetooth Version | 4․2 |
Bluetooth Frequency | 2.4 GHz |
Extension Terminal | |
FM Frequency | 87.5 MHz - 107.9 MHz |
FM 50 dB Quiet Sensitivity (IHF, 1 kHz, 100% MOD.) | Mono: 1.0 µV (11.2 dBf) |
AM Frequency | 530 kHz - 1710 kHz |
* - 480i/576i and 480p/576p only
** - 480i/576i only
*** - no 1080p/24 upconversion
**** - 1080p signal is not converted