Onkyo TX-SR494 vs Pioneer VSX-932

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Votes 1 1
Rating 5 5

TX-SR494 vs VSX-932 comparison chart

Onkyo TX-SR494 vs Pioneer VSX-932 review

Onkyo TX-SR494
vs
Pioneer VSX-932

The Onkyo TX-SR494 versus Pioneer VSX-932 comparison makes clear all pros and cons of AV receivers. According to the results of our review, Onkyo TX-SR494 received 5.5 points out of 10 possible, and Pioneer VSX-932 was rated 6.7 points. The release date of TX-SR494 is 2019, and VSX-932 is 2017. Identified advantages have shown that VSX-932 is better over TX-SR494 mainly as a home theater processor.

Main advantages Onkyo TX-SR494 over Pioneer VSX-932

  • Thanks to 2 multi-room zones support, TX-SR494 bypasses its competitor without multizone support.

Main advantages Pioneer VSX-932 over Onkyo TX-SR494

  • There is WI-Fi support.
  • The Spotify support is an exclusive advantage.
  • There is support for Apple AirPlay.

Amplifiers

For the built-in amplifier, the models have rated 7 points out of 10.

TX-SR494
7
VSX-932
7

The number of channels is equal to the number of possible connected speakers. Both receivers can handle the 7.2-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-932 this value is 140/6 W/Ohm, and for the TX-SR494 it is 135/6 W/Ohm.

TX-SR494 VSX-932
Channels7.27.2
Stereo power (RMS), W/Ohm135/680/8, 140/6
Output impedance, Ohm68, 6
Frequency response10Hz-100KHz10Hz-100KHz
THD in stereo, %0.080.08

Audio features

The score for audio features is 9 of 10 for both receivers.

TX-SR494
9
VSX-932
9

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.

TX-SR494 VSX-932
Digital to analog converter (DAC)AKM 384 KHz/32-bitAK4438 384 KHz/32-bit
Bi-amping
Pure direct (straight)
Auto speaker calibrationAccuEQMCACC
Speaker A/B switching
Other audio featuresAdvanced Music Optimizer, Hi-Res audioAdvanced Sound Retriever, Hi-Res audio, Reflex Optimizer

Connectivity

The connectivity of competitors in our comparison is markedly different, Onkyo TX-SR494 scored 5, and Pioneer VSX-932 scored 8 out of 10.

TX-SR494
5
VSX-932
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-932 only.

TX-SR494 VSX-932
Wi-Fi2.4/5GHz
USB1 (USB 2.0)2 (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.

TX-SR494 VSX-932
Apple Music (AirPlay)AirPlay
Amazon Music
Spotify
Other streaming serviceshas notDeezer, TIDAL, Pandora

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, both receivers got 6 points on our 10-point scale.

TX-SR494
6
VSX-932
6

Competitors in our review have 4/1 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-932 has a Phono interface.

TX-SR494 VSX-932
HDMI input/output4/14/1
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 input11
Coaxial digital input11
Composite input02
Component input/output0/00/0
Phono (MM) input
Front panel connectorsUSB, phonesUSB, 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 TX-SR494 were rated 6 out of 10 against the 10 for the VSX-932.

TX-SR494
6
VSX-932
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-932.

TX-SR494 VSX-932
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 featuresDeepColor, x.v.Color, HLG, BT.2020DeepColor, x.v.Color, HLG, BT.2020

Additional features

In terms of evaluating additional features, the TX-SR494 got 6 points, but the VSX-932 has 7.

TX-SR494
6
VSX-932
7

TX-SR494 VSX-932
Voice control
App controliPhone, iPad, iPod, AndroidiPhone, 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 nothas not

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.

TX-SR494 VSX-932
Multi-room zones2has not
Zone audio outputspeakerhas not
Zone HDMI outputhas not
Multi-room controlhas nothas not
RS-23200
Remote control input/output (IR)0/00/0
DC trigger output (12V)00

Multichannel surround

For the ability to create multichannel surround sound, each of the receivers received 7 points out of 10.

TX-SR494
7
VSX-932
7

TX-SR494 VSX-932
Dolby Atmos
Dolby TrueHD
Dolby Surround
Dolby (other)Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Atmos Height VirtualizationDolby Digital Plus
DTS:X
DTS HD Master
DTS Virtual:X
DTS Neural:X
DTS (other)DTS-ES, DTS 96/24, DTS-HD, DTS-EXPRESSDTS-ES, DTS 96/24, DTS-HD, DTS-EXPRESS
Auro-3D
IMAX Enhanced
Multichannel stereo
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