Sony STR-DH590 vs Pioneer VSX-LX303

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Votes 1 1
Rating 5 5

STR-DH590 vs VSX-LX303 comparison chart

Sony STR-DH590 vs Pioneer VSX-LX303 review

Sony STR-DH590
vs
Pioneer VSX-LX303

Let's make the Sony STR-DH590 versus Pioneer VSX-LX303 comparison. According to the results of our review, Sony STR-DH590 received 4.2 points out of 10 possible, and Pioneer VSX-LX303 was rated 8.2 points. Both AV receivers were introduced in 2018. After comparison, it will become clear that among these two devices, the VSX-LX303 is more suitable for the role of the heart of home theater system.

Main advantages Sony STR-DH590 over Pioneer VSX-LX303

  • We do not know advantages

Main advantages Pioneer VSX-LX303 over Sony STR-DH590

  • More channels, namely 9, makes this receiver more profitable than its 5-channel competitor.
  • Thanks to 3 multi-room zones support, VSX-LX303 bypasses its competitor without multizone support.
  • There is WI-Fi support.
  • The Spotify support is an exclusive advantage.
  • There is support for Apple AirPlay.
  • Surround sound ensures the availability of Dolby Atmos.
  • Object-oriented sound ensures the availability of DTS:X.

Amplifiers

For the built-in amplifier, the devices received different marks - 6 and 9, respectively, on a 10-point scale.

STR-DH590
6
VSX-LX303
9

The number of channels is equal to the number of possible connected speakers. The Sony STR-DH590 supports 5.2-channels sound, but Pioneer VSX-LX303 supports a 9.2-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 VSX-LX303 this value is 200/6 W/Ohm, and for the STR-DH590 it is 145/6 W/Ohm.

STR-DH590 VSX-LX303
Channels5.29.2
Stereo power (RMS), W/Ohm145/6100/8, 200/6
Output impedance, Ohm68, 6
Frequency response10Hz-100KHz10Hz-100KHz
THD in stereo, %0.090.08

Audio features

After reviewing the audio features of each model, we can rate the STR-DH590 5 out of 10, and the VSX-LX303 - 9.

STR-DH590
5
VSX-LX303
9

Bi-amping is the amplification of one speaker with two amplifiers. This amplification method has a positive effect on sound quality. Bi-amping is possible on the VSX-LX303.

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.

STR-DH590 VSX-LX303
Digital to analog converter (DAC)192 KHz/32-bitAK4458 384 KHz/32-bit
Bi-amping
Pure direct (straight)
Auto speaker calibrationDCACMCACC
Speaker A/B switching
Other audio featureshas notAdvanced Sound Retriever, Hi-Res audio, Reflex Optimizer

Connectivity

The connectivity of competitors in our comparison is markedly different, Sony STR-DH590 scored 5, and Pioneer VSX-LX303 scored 8 out of 10.

STR-DH590
5
VSX-LX303
8

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

Wired internet connection via RJ45 allows receiver faster connection than wireless or even use NAS storages. Wired connection via RJ45 is possible in the VSX-LX303 only.

STR-DH590 VSX-LX303
Wi-Fi2.4/5GHz
USB1 (USB 2.0)1 (USB 2.0)
Bluetooth
Ethernet (RJ45)1
DLNA
MHL

Streaming services

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

STR-DH590 VSX-LX303
Apple Music (AirPlay)AirPlay
Amazon Music
Spotify
Other streaming serviceshas notDeezer, TIDAL, Pandora, TuneIn Radio

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, Sony STR-DH590 got 6 points, but Pioneer VSX-LX303 received 8 points.

STR-DH590
6
VSX-LX303
8

Sony STR-DH590 is equipped with 4/1 HDMI inputs and outputs, and Pioneer VSX-LX303 has 7/2 HDMI inputs and outputs.

Connecting a vinyl player or phonograph is possible using a Phono input which is represented by mini-jack or RCA connectors. Only the VSX-LX303 has a Phono interface.

STR-DH590 VSX-LX303
HDMI input/output4/17/2
HDMI ARC (Audio Return Channel)
HDMI eARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel)
HDMI CEC
Digital content protection (HDCP)HDCP 2.2HDCP 2.2
Subwoofer output (LFE)22
Headphone output1 x 6.31 x 6.3
Optical digital input12
Coaxial digital input11
Composite input02
Component input/output0/01/0
Phono (MM) input
Front panel connectorsphones, setup micUSB, HDMI, phones, setup mic, AUX
Multi channel preamp output

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 STR-DH590 were rated 6 out of 10 against the 10 for the VSX-LX303.

STR-DH590
6
VSX-LX303
10

Most of the AV receivers have a video scaling function, it is the process of reformatting the video signal to a higher resolution without losing the quality of the image. Upscaling the video signal resolution is possible with Pioneer VSX-LX303.

STR-DH590 VSX-LX303
HDR (High Dynamic Range)HDR10HDR10
4K signal pass-through4K/60Hz4K/60Hz
8K signal pass-through
HDMI signal pass-through
3D signal pass-through
HDMI pass-through in standby mode
Video conversionanalog to HDMI
Analog to HDMI scaling
HDMI to HDMI scaling
Dolby Vision
Other video featuresHLGDeepColor, x.v.Color, HLG

Additional features

In terms of evaluating additional features, the STR-DH590 got 4 points, but the VSX-LX303 has 9.

STR-DH590
4
VSX-LX303
9

Voice control allows you to control the basic functions of the receiver through a smartphone, smart speaker or using the microphone that comes with the kit. The VSX-LX303 can be controlled by voice via Google Assistant.

STR-DH590 VSX-LX303
Voice controlGoogle Assistant
App controliPhone, iPad, iPod, Android
Displayfluorescentcolour OSD
TunerAM, FMAM, FM
Sleep timer
Auto power off
ECO mode
Graphical user interface (GUI)
Setup assistant
Firmware updateUSBnetwork, USB
Other additional featureshas notIP Control

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.

STR-DH590 VSX-LX303
Multi-room zoneshas not3
Zone audio outputhas notspeaker, preout
Zone HDMI outputhas not
Multi-room controlhas notFlareConnect
RS-23201
Remote control input/output (IR)0/01/1
DC trigger output (12V)02

Multichannel surround

Sony STR-DH590 got 5 points for the multichannel surround sound and Pioneer VSX-LX303 got 7.

STR-DH590
5
VSX-LX303
7

Dolby Atmos' particularity is that this is the object-oriented sound format, that is, each audio signal object is independently sounded and connected to its spatial position. Pioneer VSX-LX303 can create 3D sound due to the Dolby Atmos support.

DTS:X is an algorithm used by the processor to create sound scenes, where sounds connected directly to objects rather than channels, and to determine the optimum sound output distribution in space. Surround sound with DTS:X is available on the VSX-LX303.

STR-DH590 VSX-LX303
Dolby Atmos
Dolby TrueHD
Dolby Surround
Dolby (other)Dolby DigitalDolby Digital Plus
DTS:X
DTS HD Master
DTS Virtual:X
DTS Neural:X
DTS (other)DTS 96/24DTS 96/24, DTS-HD, DTS-EXPRESS
Auro-3D
IMAX Enhanced
Multichannel stereo
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