Pioneer today unveilled its range-topping SC-LX83, SC-LX73 (available from August) and the VSX-LX53 and VSX-2020 (available today) AV receivers.
The flagship SC-LX83 and SC-LX73 integrate Pioneer's Direct Energy HD amplification concept, to accurately reproduce the full dynamics of high resolution uncompressed sound formats such as Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio. Leading HD video formats are supported, including 3D, and upscaling transforms standard video to high quality.
The receivers are compatible with all key interfaces and content formats and also provide Bluetooth music streaming and LAN connectivity (for internet radio). They can be operated by a remote control option using Pioneer's iControlAV app for iPhone and iPod touch.
The SC-LX83 and SC-LX73 feature Pioneer's Direct Energy HD Amplifier design ? built on ICEpower analogue Class D technology, whereas the VSX-LX53 and VSX-2020 are built around the company's Advanced Direct Energy amplifiers.
All systems feature a black aluminium front panel (except the VSX-2020) and subtle blue LED lighting for the display.
Pioneer's original implementation of ICEpower analogue Class D technology is now at its fourth generation and delivers overwhelming power (a multi-channel continuous power output of 770 watts over 7 channels in the SC-LX83) free from any distortion.
The Direct Energy HD design has earned the coveted THX Ultra 2 Plus (SC-LX83) / THX select 2 Plus (SC-LX73) certification, making it the first Class D implementation to be THX certified. Additional certification comes from the world renowned AIR Studios. Its engineers were actively involved in the tuning of the receivers to assure that they can recreate the studio experience in the home.
Pioneer's Precision Quartz Lock System (PQLS) used in combination with a compatible Pioneer Blu-ray Disc player eliminates audio distortion caused by timing errors. On the SC-LX83 this technology now also covers bitstream transfers in addition to PCM data.
Movies will be more engaging than ever with the inclusion of Dolby Pro Logic IIz processing technology.
The Advanced Sound Retriever (ASR) compensates the quality of lossy compressed audio such as MP3, AAC or WMA and conventional multi-channel soundtracks such as Dolby Digital or DTS. This Pioneer original technology works with any compressed digital sound source (portable audio and disc players, digital broadcast sources, etc) to return depth and vibrancy to audio lost in compression.
Similar benefits are achieved by Sound Retriever Air, the first quality improvement technology for Bluetooth which restores sound pressure and density while reducing transmission noise.
The systems also include our Phase Control Technology to overcome phase lag between channels and significantly improve multi-channel sound. Moreover, the SC-LX83 provides Full Band Phase Control to compensate for phase shifting that occurs in multi-channel speaker networks. It ensures audio arrives at the listening position in perfect synchronisation.
Key audio technologies are rounded off by our celebrated Advanced Multi-Channel Acoustic Calibration (MCACC). It operates in the same way as a professional sound stage, enabling you to automatically adjust speaker set-ups and fine-tune your system to the unique dynamics of your space.
Resolution of 1080p true 24-frames per second is complemented by 36-bit HDMI Deep Colour support. A video upscaler is included to automatically up-rate standard definition video to 1080p. Compatibility with HDMI version 1.4a ensures that 3D content from broadcasting, games to home cinema can be processed with resolutions of up to 1080p.
The receivers can connect up to six HDMI sources and play all key video and audio formats. iPhone and iPod touch users can simply stream music using the Bluetooth adapter which connects to the back of the AV receiver. For the ultimate iPhone or iPod experience, a specialist cable is supplied providing a complete video and digital audio connection.
A front USB slot is provided to play various music and photo content, while you can also stream audio from your PC using Bluetooth and on the SC-LX83 connect to DNLA compliant network sources.
The LAN connection also allows you to enjoy internet radio with compliant track and artist information presented on the display: 24 pre-sets can be memorised on all models, with the SC-LX83 featuring vTuner portal support.
By downloading the free iControlAV app from the App Store, you can control volume, inputs, zones, output balance, and much more through the innovative Multi-Touch user interface and accelerometer on iPhone or iPod touch.
An RF remote comes standard with the SC-LX83 providing a full range of functions and is easily programmable to act as a universal remote for other systems. The RF remote signal transmits through walls and floors, making it ideally suited for controlling equipment inside a cabinet or in another room.