Pioneer Elite SC-LX904 vs Marantz CINEMA 50

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Being able to compare Pioneer Elite SC-LX904 and Marantz CINEMA 50 gave us an insight into what of them would be better for home theater configuration. According to the results of our review, Pioneer Elite SC-LX904 received 9.2 points out of 10 possible, and Marantz CINEMA 50 was rated 8.6 points. The release date of Elite SC-LX904 is 2019, and CINEMA 50 is 2022. Elite SC-LX904 is more performable in terms of audio broadcast than the CINEMA 50.

Main advantages Pioneer Elite SC-LX904 over Marantz CINEMA 50

Main advantages Marantz CINEMA 50 over Pioneer Elite SC-LX904

Amplifiers

For the built-in amplifier, the devices received different marks - 10 and 8, respectively, on a 10-point scale.

The number of channels is equal to the number of possible connected speakers. The Pioneer Elite SC-LX904 supports 11.2-channels sound, but Marantz CINEMA 50 supports a 9.4-channels configuration.

RMS stands for the actual power of the receiver. The higher this value, the louder the sound can be produced. The differences between the models in terms of RMS power are significant - for the Elite SC-LX904 this value is 140/8 W/Ohm, and for the CINEMA 50 it is 110/8 W/Ohm.

Audio features

After reviewing the audio features of each model, we can rate the Elite SC-LX904 10 out of 10, and the CINEMA 50 - 7.

Most receivers now come with a microphone included. It is with the help of this microphone that the auto-calibration system functions, which adjusts the sound of the receiver to the room.

Connectivity

The connectivity of competitors in our comparison is markedly different, Pioneer Elite SC-LX904 scored 8, and Marantz CINEMA 50 scored 9 out of 10.

Bluetooth connection is now one of the main communication protocols for the receiver's control or even music broadcasting.

DLNA is the perfect way to use your local cloud storage to stream movies and music directly to a TV. You can use the DLNA protocol only with Marantz CINEMA 50.

Streaming services

Now music streaming services are gaining more and more popularity. They allow users to listen to millions of songs by subscription.

Extensive connections

The presence of many connectors makes the receiver more versatile. But there are also narrowly targeted models, the number of connectors which are limited to a certain area of use. And when choosing their own receiver, users need to consider exactly your goals for using the receiver. For extensive connection, Pioneer Elite SC-LX904 got 9 points, but Marantz CINEMA 50 received 8 points.

Pioneer Elite SC-LX904 is equipped with 7/3 HDMI inputs and outputs, and Marantz CINEMA 50 has 6/3 HDMI inputs and outputs.

Video features

The AV receiver is the heart of the home theater. And in this case, support for all current video formats ensures the best user experience, so it is very important to consider this when choosing a device. Video features of the Elite SC-LX904 were rated 10 out of 10 against the 8 for the CINEMA 50.

With the 4K pass-through feature, the AV receiver sends "native" 4K signals to a 4K TV from a video source without any processing. The Elite SC-LX904 works with the 4K/60Hz video, and the CINEMA 50 has the 4K/120Hz.

The AV receiver passes "native" 8K signals from a video source to 8K TV without any encoding, with the 8k pass-through features. The 8K path-through is available on Marantz CINEMA 50.

Additional features

In terms of evaluating additional features, the Elite SC-LX904 got 9 points, but the CINEMA 50 has 10.

Marantz CINEMA 50 has the ECO mode.

Multi-room

As the center of a home media system, each multichannel receiver has an additional set of terminals for connecting the second set of speakers to create additional audio space in Zone 2 or even Zone 3 where audio can have the separate source.

Multichannel surround

Pioneer Elite SC-LX904 got 8 points for the multichannel surround sound and Marantz CINEMA 50 got 10.

Auro 3D gives a bit more versatility than Dolby Atmos or DTS:X and provides a hemispherical sound and enables a receiver to produce 3D sound stages. Marantz CINEMA 50 has Auro-3D on its feature list.

Rivals in this competition licensed by IMAX.