Pioneer Elite VSX-LX503 (North American version)

•   Overview
•   Pros and Cons
•   Predecessor
•   Audio Section
•   Video Section
•   Multi-zone Playback
•   Inputs and Outputs
•   Specifications
•   Successor

Pioneer Elite VSX-LX503 was introduced in 2018. It is equipped with 9 channel amplifier with 120 W (8 Ω, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 2 channel driven) power per channel and is capable of 11.1 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 90 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.

In this section we present pros and cons of Pioneer Elite VSX-LX503.

Here we are comparing Pioneer Elite VSX-LX503 to its predecessor SC-LX502 and displaying the major changes.

UPGRADES	Pioneer Elite VSX-LX503	vs	Pioneer Elite SC-LX502
More Channels	9.2	vs	7.2
More Channel Processing	11.1	vs	7.1
Works with SONOS		vs
USB Input	2 (1 Front)	vs	1 Front
More RCA Pre-Outs	11.2	vs	0.2
More Zones	3	vs	2
More Powered Zones	2 and 3	vs	2
More Speaker Terminals	11	vs	9
More Large Speaker Terminals	11	vs	9
Bigger Power Supply	850 W	vs	250 W
Higher Power Output (6 Ω, 1 kHz, 1 channel driven, JEITA)	230 W (10% THD)	vs	225 W (10% THD)
Higher Rated Headphone Power Output	85 mW (32 Ω, 1 kHz, 10% THD)	vs	55 mW (32 Ω, 1 kHz, 10% THD)
Higher S/N Ratio (Line, IHF-A)	106 dB	vs	105 dB
Higher DSD Sampling Rate via HDMI	2.8 MHz (2-ch/multi-ch), 5.6 MHz (2-ch)	vs	2.8 MHz

DOWNGRADES	Pioneer Elite VSX-LX503	vs	Pioneer Elite SC-LX502
Lower DAC Specs	384 kHz/32 Bit	vs	768 kHz/32 Bit

For more detailed comparison between the models please visit Pioneer Elite VSX-LX503 vs Pioneer Elite SC-LX502.

9 channel Direct Energy Amplifier

Pioneer Elite VSX-LX503 features 9 channel power amplifier with Direct Energy design. It is rated at 120 W (8 Ω, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 2 channel driven) and is able to drive 4 ohm speakers.

Speaker Configurations

Pioneer Elite VSX-LX503's 9 channel amplifier can be assigned for different speaker configurations.

• Dolby Atmos Configurations: The following speaker configurations are supported for Dolby Atmos:
5.2.2, 5.2.4, 7.2.2 with internal amplifier.
7.2.4 with addition of external 2 channel amplifier.
• DTS:X Configurations: The speaker configurations for DTS:X are the same as for Dolby Atmos:
5.2.2, 5.2.4, 7.2.2 with internal amplifier.
7.2.4 with addition of external 2 channel 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 Elite VSX-LX503 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 Elite VSX-LX503 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.

DTS:X

Pioneer Elite VSX-LX503 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 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 Elite VSX-LX503 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 Elite VSX-LX503 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.

HDMI

Pioneer Elite VSX-LX503 features 7 HDMI inputs. It has 2 outputs: 1 MAIN and 1 SUB/ZONE 2.

• 4K/60Hz Passthrough: All inputs pass up to 4K/60p (YCbCr 4:4:4) video signal.
• 4K Upscaling: Pioneer Elite VSX-LX503 can upscale 1080p to 4K from HDMI and analog sources.
• Analog To HDMI Upconversion: The a/v receiver supports video upconversion, so you can connect your analog Component and Composite video sources and Pioneer Elite VSX-LX503 will output them 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%.
• 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 Elite VSX-LX503 is able to pass 3D video through HDMI.

HDR (High Dynamic Range)

Pioneer Elite VSX-LX503 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.

Pioneer Elite VSX-LX503 offers multi-zone playback which allows you to play different input sources in 3 different rooms.

Zone 2

• Powered Zone 2: You can use the unit's 2 amplifier channels by connecting Zone 2 speakers directly to the speaker terminals. The remaining 7 channels will be left for main zone amplification.
• HDMI Output: Pioneer Elite VSX-LX503 offers HDMI output for Zone 2. This means that it can send two different HDMI signals to two displays.
• Audio Pre/Line Output: If you have a dedicated amplifier for Zone 2 you can connect it to the a/v receiver via pre/line outs and use "pre out" option to control volume from the a/v receiver or use "line out" option - send fixed signal and then control volume on the Zone 2 amplifier.

Zone 3

• Powered Zone 3: You can use the unit's 2 amplifier channels by connecting Zone 3 speakers directly to the speaker terminals. The remaining 7 channels will be left for main zone amplification.
• Audio Pre/Line Output: If you have a dedicated amplifier for Zone 2 you can connect it to the a/v receiver via pre/line outs and use "pre out" option to control volume from the a/v receiver or use "line out" option - send fixed signal and then control volume on the Zone 3 amplifier.

Audio

• Analog Pre-Outs: Pioneer Elite VSX-LX503 has 11.2 preamplifier outputs which allow you to connect the a/v receiver to the external power amplifier. You may want to use a high quality external amplifier for certain channels, usually for front L/R and center, and use the a/v receiver to power the rest. Also, Pioneer Elite VSX-LX503 has 11 channel processing but has only 9 channel amplifier, so it needs the external amplifier connected to the analog pre-outs in order to reach the maximum speaker configuration.
• Analog Line Inputs: There are 4 line inputs for analog audio connection.
• Digital Inputs and Outputs: 1 optical input, 2 optical outputs 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: 7 (1 front)   Outputs: 2 (1 MAIN, 1 SUB/ZONE 2)
8K Inputs: 0
• Composite Video: Connect you VCR, Laserdisc player and other old video equipment with composite video cables.
Inputs: 2   Outputs: 0
• Component Video: Component video connection gives you the higher quality video compared to the composite video connection. So in case your old DVD player and other equipment do not have an HDMI output but have Component video output use this connection over the composite one. Pioneer Elite VSX-LX503 supports up to 480i/576i resolution on Component video connectors.
Inputs: 1   Outputs: 0

Here we list all the available features and specifications of Pioneer Elite VSX-LX503.

BASICS
Brand	Pioneer
Series	Elite
Model	VSX-LX503
Type	A/V Receiver
Country	North America
Release Year	2018

AMPLIFIER
Channels	9.2
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) + Aureus™ Floating-Point DSP (TI)
DAC	AKM AK4458 & TI PCM5101
DAC Specs	384 kHz/32 Bit
Maximum Channel Processing	11.1
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
Music Playback via USB	MP3, WMA, AAC, Apple Lossless, WAV, FLAC, AIFF, DSD, Dolby TrueHD
High Resolution Music Playback via USB and/or Network	64, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192 kHz/24 bit
High Resolution Audio Formats via USB	Apple Lossless, WAV, FLAC, AIFF, AAC, DSD, Dolby TrueHD
Gapless Playback
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	Multiple
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
Symmetric EQ
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	Component**, Composite
Component Video Upscaling
Analog to Analog Video conversion
Component Video Maximum Resolution	480i/576i
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
Works with SONOS
AirPlay	AirPlay
Apple Product Connection	Made for iPhone, iPod and iPad (Airplay only)
Remote App	Pioneer Remote App
InstaPrevue Input Source Prevue
Ethernet
Ethernet Switch
Wi-Fi
Bluetooth	SBC, AAC
HDBaseT Compatible
HDMI Inputs	7 (1 front)
HDMI Outputs	2 (1 MAIN, 1 SUB/ZONE 2)
8K Inputs
USB Input	2 (1 Front)
USB DC Out Port
RCA Line Input	4
RCA Line Output
XLR Line Inputs
Phono Input
Optical Inputs	2
Optical Outputs
Coaxial Inputs	1
Composite Video Input	2
Composite Video Output
S-Video Input
S-Video Output
Component Video Input	1
Component Video Output
PC In
Multi-Channel Input
RCA Pre-Outs	11.2
XLR Pre-outs
Front A/V Inputs	HDMI, USB
Speaker A/B
Headphone Out	6.3 mm (1/4")

ZONES
Zones	3
Powered Zones	2 and 3
Zone 2 Outs	HDMI, RCA Pre/Line Out
Zone 3 Outs	RCA Pre/Line Out
RS-232C Interface
+12V Trigger Output	2 (A: 100 mA, B: 25 mA)
Remote (IR) Input/Output	1 / 1

MISC
GUI Languages	7
AVNavigator
IP Control for CI
PreAmp Mode
Versatile Speaker Configuration	FRONT, CENTER, SURROUND, HEIGHT 1/Bi-AMP/ZONE 2, SURROUND BACK/HEIGHT 2/ZONE 3
FL Dimmer
Function Rename
Remote Controller	[a] User-Friendly Simple Remote Control
Detachable Power Cord
adapterport

RADIO
Analog Tuner	FM/AM
Presets	40
Digital Radio
Internet Radio	TuneIn
Pandora
Spotify
Tidal
Deezer
Napster
SiriusXM Internet Radio

CONSTRUCTION
Front Panel	Brushed
Solid Aluminum Front
Speaker Terminals	11
Large Speaker Terminals	11
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	850 W
No Sound Power	70 W
Standby Power	0.15 W

GENERAL
Dimensions (W x H x D)	435 mm x 185 mm x 386 mm 17-1/8" x 7-5/16" x 15-3/16"
Weight	13.0 kg (28.7 lbs)
Warranty	3 Years

SPECS
Power Output (8 Ω, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 2	120 W (0.08% THD)
Maximum Effective Power Output (6 Ω, 1 kHz, 1 channel driven, JEITA)	230 W (10% THD)
Dynamic Power per Channel (3 Ω, Front)	250 W
Dynamic Power per Channel (4 Ω, Front)	220 W
Dynamic Power per Channel (8 Ω, Front)	130 W
THD	0.08% (20 Hz - 20 kHz, half power)
Input Sensitivity and Impedance (Line)	200 mV/47 kΩ
Input Sensitivity and Impedance (Phono MM)	3.5 mV/47 kΩ
Rated Preout Level and Impedance	1 V/470 Ω
Rated Headphone Jack Output Level and Impedance	8 Ω - 600 Ω
Rated Headphone Power Output	85 mW (32 Ω, 1 kHz, 10% THD)
Phono Overload	70 mV (MM, 1 kHz 0.5%)
S/N Ratio (Line, IHF-A)	106 dB
S/N Ratio (Phono MM, IHF-A)	80 dB
Frequency Response (Analog In)	5 Hz - 100 kHz/+1 dB, -3 dB (Direct/Pure Audio)
DSD Sampling Rates via HDMI	2.8 MHz (2-ch/multi-ch), 5.6 MHz (2-ch)
DSD Sampling Rates via USB	2.8 MHz, 5.6 MHz, 11.2 MHz
Video Input Sensitivity/Output Level and Impedance	1 Vp-p/75 Ω (Component Y) 0.7 Vp-p/75 Ω (Component PB/CB, PR/CR) 1 Vp-p/75 Ω (Composite)
Ethernet Standard	10BASE-T/100BASE-TX
Wi-Fi Standard	IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n
Wi-Fi Terminal Frequency	5 GHz, 2.4 GHz
Bluetooth Version	4․1 + LE
Bluetooth Frequency	2.4 GHz
USB Terminal	Ver. 2.0, 5 V, 500 mA
Extension Terminal
FM Frequency	87.5 MHz - 107.9 MHz
FM 50 dB Quiet Sensitivity (IHF, 1 kHz, 100% MOD.)	Mono: 1.56 µV (15.0 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

In 2019 Pioneer Elite VSX-LX503 was replaced by VSX-LX504. Let us now have a look at some important changes that the successor brought.

UPGRADES	Pioneer Elite VSX-LX504	vs	Pioneer Elite VSX-LX503
Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization		vs
IMAX Enhanced		vs
Dialog Enhancement		vs
Standing Wave Control	Multi-Point	vs
Newer HDCP Version	2.3	vs	2.2
AirPlay	AirPlay 2	vs	AirPlay
Higher S/N Ratio (Line, IHF-A)	106 dB	vs	106 dB
Higher S/N Ratio (Phono MM, IHF-A)	80 dB	vs	80 dB
Newer Bluetooth Version	4․2	vs	4․1 + LE

DOWNGRADES	Pioneer Elite VSX-LX504	vs	Pioneer Elite VSX-LX503
Music Playback via USB	MP3, WMA, AAC, Apple Lossless, WAV, FLAC, AIFF, DSD	vs	MP3, WMA, AAC, Apple Lossless, WAV, FLAC, AIFF, DSD, Dolby TrueHD
High Resolution Audio Formats via USB	Apple Lossless, WAV, FLAC, AIFF, AAC, DSD	vs	Apple Lossless, WAV, FLAC, AIFF, AAC, DSD, Dolby TrueHD
Less Optical Outputs		vs
Speaker A/B		vs
Lower Rated Headphone Power Output	85 mW (32 Ω, 1 kHz, 10% THD)	vs	85 mW (32 Ω, 1 kHz, 10% THD)
Lower DSD Sampling Rate via HDMI	2.8 MHz	vs	2.8 MHz (2-ch/multi-ch), 5.6 MHz (2-ch)

For more detailed comparison between the models please visit Pioneer Elite VSX-LX503 vs Pioneer Elite VSX-LX504.