Pioneer Av Receiver Vsx 922 Manual

AV behemoth is suited to all sources and backed upwardly by the all-time control app in the business

May saw Pioneer doing its traditional launch of a new range of AV receivers. As usual, the lower- and mid-range models break comprehend first – and the VSX-922 is one of the latter.

Final season's VSX-921 bagged the EISA award for best European Home Theatre Receiver, and the Japanese brand will hope the VSX-922 can be in the running for the same laurels. This new contender is not a radical departure, however. It's best described every bit just a lightly fettled and updated version of last year'due south receiver. If it ain't broke don't fix it.

The key premise of Pioneer's latest receivers is mating potent processing and beefy ability with seamless network integration. Not exactly a new concept, I grant you, but one which Pioneer has polished to perfection better than whatsoever other brand to date. It matters not whether yous want to use a standard HDMI input, AirPlay, an Apple tree i-device, USB or DLNA server – the VSX-922 treats them all similar normal inputs and brings them together nether its classy GUI, or the absolutely stunning 2012 version of the Pioneer iControlAV App.

HDMI upgrade

A quick browse of the features list might brand you call up the VSX-922's bodily hardware has inverse lilliputian, but what alterations accept been fabricated are of import. Pioneer has obviously taken criticism of the VSX-921 onboard and increased the HDMI input count from four to six (all v1.4 3D-compatible). This adds immediate flexibility and volition be a major bonus to about buyers.

The HDMI inputs are now each equipped with a stand up-by pass through mode, too, so you can view sources without having to power up the receiver. Both Denon and Yamaha offer this on their AVRs and it's good to meet Pioneer following accommodate – not only can it help save on your power beak, information technology means fewer angry yelps from technophobe family members who want to watch TV without having to work ii remote controls.

The VSX-922 has the same 7x150W claimed ability output and a cosmetic appearance that could be an identical twin to its predecessor. You even so get Pioneer's excellent MCACC room EQ with Standing Wave Command, you lot still go the naff plastic set-up mic, and the slow remote is as well well-nigh identical.

One major change is analogue connectivity. As a sign of the times, this has taken a nose dive. I have never seen a mid-priced AVR with and then few phono sockets on the dorsum. Does this matter to you? Probably not.

What has been upward revised for 2012 is predominantly in the performance and firmware. Upscaling is improved via Pioneer'south Advanced Video Conform suite, which includes 1080p24 video conversion every bit well as the brand's Stream Smoother. This enhances low chip-rate video sources, such equally YouTube footage. I put information technology to the test with said online service, and, sure enough, establish videos noticebably smoothed, making them easier on the eye with less artefacting.

The networking of the VSX-922 is simply seamless, connecting to any one of my five AirPlay sources (I've been Apple-ized), two DNLA servers or, using the supplied cable, the iPhone without so much every bit a stutter.

Render of the MCACC

Once I'd finished faffing effectually on my abode network, it was time to become into the fine-tuning and audio-visual tweakery that is Pioneer'southward MCACC, now with Phase Control and tuning for 1 or even 2 subwoofers. This receiver gets what is pretty much Pioneer'south top-of-the-line MCACC system complete with the 'pro' EQ setup. The process is rather long-winded compared to many of its rivals – each channel is fired up in sequence at to the lowest degree five times to test polarity, measure for the EQ, Phase and Standing Wave Command and so set channel levels.

That is pretty much information technology for setup via the GUI equally, for no easily explainable reason, a lot of features are just accessible from the fascia brandish. Pressing 'audio parameter' or 'video parameter' gets you to the lip-sync adjustment (auto and manual) and upscaling controls, for instance, which I would take thought were primary functions for the GUI.

Perhaps an answer to this is Pioneer's all-new 2012 iControl AV App. This is not an update on the old iControl AV versions (which won't work with 2012 models, confusingly) and requires you to download a whole new app. It's worth information technology, though. The iPad version of iControl AV 2012 is not only good, information technology is way, manner ahead of every other AV kit-maker on the planet in terms of its operation, advent, depth of command, usability and overall wow factor. Yep, all the usual operation features are in there, like selecting source and audio format, merely the app adds a layer of adjustments that tin can only otherwise exist tweaked from the forepart panel.

The innovative Sound Explorer tab offers a wealth of features, such every bit dialogue enhancement, phase control and virtual depth, presented as billowy balloons that lock and offer punch-like adjustments when pressed. At the time of writing there's a bug that closes the app if you lot effort to look at the MCACC EQ graphs but I'yard sure this will be sorted shortly. Actually, the iControl AV 2012 App is so cool you could spend all night playing with information technology and not spotter a movie. This is the template that other manufacturers should exist looking to replicate.

Getting in sync

Once I had located the lip-sync delay in the fascia menu I still struggled to get sync between sound and motion-picture show. The setting resulted in a delay quite a style from ideal and fabricated movies sound discrete and unwatchable. Some tweaking of the manual aligning was required, and by trial and mistake the audio and video came together. Manual lip-sync is not a huge issue and only has to be done the one time only on such a techy AVR information technology's a pain.

Moreover the sheer number of adjustments in the iControl AV 2012 App tin get y'all in all sorts of acoustic carp. By the time I had my real pinnacle channels mated with virtual wides and virtual surround back channels, engaged the standard MCACC EQ, boosted the dialogue enhancement, adjusted the virtual depth to max and tweaked the variable x-curve, I concluded up with a veritable dog's dinner. And Pedigree Chum information technology wasn't. The sound stage was massive, at least twice the size of my listening room, but presentation was phasey and unnatural.

Stripping everything back to nuts and leaving just the EQ engaged, the Pioneer ripped into movies and music with lightning speed and a feisty, upbeat presentation. The elevation-end was crisp and well extended and managed to go along just on the right side of ambitious. The bottom-cease was just too extended and with stereo music (no subwoofer) the LF response was rich and fulsome with keen attacking punch. Lana Del-Ray romped into the room with such authority I had to cheque the sub was non engaged.

But it is with movies that the VSX-922 really shines. Throughout the Conflicting Anthology (Blu-ray) information technology created a huge soundstage, epic bass furnishings and brought the extra-terrestrial atmosphere and tension to life. As the Alien head dribbled and breathed in big-screen close up, coming within inches of Ripley's head, the sound was intense and tangible. The VSX-922 all but urges you lot to shrink into the sofa and pull a cushion up over your face.

Stepping up the footstep even further with Super eight (Blu-ray), this AVR drove the railroad train crash into the room in an all-channel festival of effects. The main activity was pulled up to centre of the screen (thank you to the peak channels) and I was treated to a seamless 360-caste immersion. Sadly, the Pioneer's presentation does nothing to heighten the twee Spielbergisms that grate in an otherwise fine motion-picture show.

Inherent character

And then, playing with the many settings in the iControlAV 2012 App does add layers of enhancement, generally space to the soundstage, simply information technology is the Pioneer's inherent character of speed and clarity that really shine through. Some may discover it a lilliputian too clinical, too Far Eastern in its tuning, but that comes down to personal preference.

Regardless, this is clearly an AVR with a lot going for it. The actress HDMIs are welcome, the room EQ setup, though lengthy, is showtime-rate and the smart device control is blistering. I had a few awkward moments with information technology, but generally it's a slick performer. Worth an audition.

HCC VERDICT

Pioneer VSX-922
Price: £550 Approx

Highs: Packed with features; awesome app control; fast and heady sound
Lows: Can sound feisty with forward speakers; possibly besides many sound tweaks; limited GUI

Functioning: iv/five
Design: 4/5
Features: v/v
Overall: 4/v

Analysis

GUI: The VSX-922's onscreen menus are colourful and responsive, only annoyingly they don't cover all the tweaking options available. Yous have to use either the front panel brandish or the iControl AV app
Killer feature: Pioneer'due south new receiver effortlessly connects to AirPlay devices and DLNA servers – multimedia usability is high

Specifications

Dolby TrueHD: yes and Dolby Digital Plus
DTS-HD Master Audio: yep and DTS Neo:half-dozen
THX: no
Multichannel input: no
Multichannel output (claimed): 7 x 150W
Multiroom: yes 1 actress audio zone
AV inputs: yes iii ten blended; four x analogue stereo; 2 x digital audio (1 x optical and 1 x coaxial)
HDMI: aye six-in, 1-out v1.4
Video upscaling: yes to 1080p
Component video: yes ane x input
Dimensions: 435(w) x 363(d) x 168(h)mm
Weight: 10kg
Also featuring: iControlAV 2012 App; DLNA networking; AirPlay; Phase Control; Standing Wave control; iPod/iPhone integration; AVNavigator electronic interactive instruction manual; Bluetooth and Wi-Fi optional modules; Stream Smoother video processing; WAV and FLAC playback up to 192kHz/24-bit; transmission on CD