Pioneer Elite SC-LX701/801 & SC-LX901 Atmos/DTS:X AV Receivers Preview

In the 1980’s Pioneer launched a famous commercial whose musical refrain was “Catch the spirit of a true Pioneer.”  With the demise of Pioneer’s heralded Kuro Plasma lineup there were many in the AV industry who wondered if that spirit was dead.  Well, make no mistake. Pioneer’s newest Elite-series receivers shows that Pioneer more phoenix than ghost.

Pioneer’s newest Elite AV network receivers, the Elite SC-LX701 ($1,600), SC-LX801 ($2000) and SC-LX901 ($3,000) are potential monsters.  The SC-LX701 adopts a compact integrated IC. The directly coupled IC should reduce signal loss and provide better signal transmission. The SC-LX801/901 are equipped with dedicated ICs on the circuit board. The operational amplifier IC for processing small signal is set apart from the amplifying section to prevent mutual interference. This should allow for a clearer signal to be transmitted to the Direct Power FET. Additionally, the Rubycon chip film capacitor MU 25p should reduce the influence of residue noise from the high power section.

Pioneer's new network Atmos/DTS:X AV receivers on display at CEDIA

The new line of receivers also includes new ways to deal with excess heat. In addition to the upper-side heat dissipation from the heat sink, the circuit board’s heat radiation feature is also utilized for downward heat dissipation, this should provide efficient cooling for better performance. Steel plates shield the power amplifier block to reduce unwanted noise caused by mutual interference. The pre and power amplifier blocks are electrically separated, enabling better ground design for each block. With thorough clean grounding and reduction of interference between the circuits and load changes, the sound quality and performance is said to be equivalent to separate amplifiers combined within a single chassis.

Pioneer D3 Amplifier Section and Power Ratings

All three receivers feature Pioneer’s Class D3 (Direct Energy HD) amplifiers. The company has been using Class D amplifiers in its AV receivers for some time. Pioneer claims that its Class D3 amplifiers can output power simultaneously from all channels with no power loss though we've seen prior Class D amps to fall short of promises in the past (see Pioneer SC-07 with Class D ICE).  To achieve this, Pioneer says that, in part, they have optimized the patterning and layout of the circuit board to create the shortest and straight signal path, thus reducing potential level of noise. We are always reticent to accept such power claims at face value until we can get production units on our own test bench to verify those claims and we'll get into more detail below.

Pioneer SC-LX801 Network AV receiver front view.

Pioneer’s stated specs for each model are only with two channels driven—not all channels—and there are some other aspects of their power ratings that we'll explain.  Unfortunately, manufacturers don't give us specs with all channels driven and it doesn’t give us an true idea of how these units will really perform when stressed. So, on paper, the 9.1 channel SC-LX701 is rated to deliver 135 wpc into 8 ohms at 0.08% THD with two channels driven.  The 9.1 channel SC-LX801 delivers 140 wpc into 8 ohms at 0.08% THD with two channels driven.  The flagship 11.1 channel SC-LX901 sports the same specs as the LX801 (140 wpc at 0.08% THD with two channels driven) but has 11 on-board amplification channels instead of nine.

It's important to note that since AVRs started supporting Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, manufacturers are doing something with power specs that can be confusing (even deceiving) for some consumers. We're starting to see two power ratings—one at 8 ohms with two channels driven and one with 6 ohms with only one channel driven into a 6 ohm load at clipping (0.9%). Both power ratings are also at different levels of distortion.  As Gene DellaSala pointed out in his preview of Onkyo's new Atmos receivers, "Before Atmos, most receiver companies would at least give you a 2CH, full bandwidth power rating at a distortion level below clipping (usually 0.1% or less).  Now they all seem to be playing the numbers games in hopes the uninitiated consumer won't notice.  These latest Onkyo receivers are a prime example and as a result we are calling them out on it." 

For more information, see:  Power Manipulation in Dolby Atmos AV Receivers

Rear of the Pioneer SC-LX701 Network AV receiver at CEDIA

The same is true of the Pioneer Elite receivers which is no surprise since they have the same amplifier sections as their Onkyo counterparts. Pioneer is listing power ratings on the SC-LX701 as 185 wpc, the SC-LX801 as 200 wpc, and the SC-LX901 as 200 wpc.  However, these power ratings are at 6 ohms with only one channel driven and at .9% THD and only at 1kHz—not full bandwidth.  In other words, this is at a distortion level at or above clipping and doesn't represent how the amplifier section behaves at both ends of the frequency spectrum.  It's also important to note that high frequencies are typically tough on Class D amplifiers due to restrictions in their output filters and how the amp is tuned around it.  You can also get slew induced distortion at high power that you just don't see at the 1 kHz (or lower) measurements. The bottom line is that contrary to what you might read on Pioneer's web site and their marketing material (or Onkyo's or any other manufacturer's) these aren't 200 wpc or even 185 wpc receivers.  If you want that kind of power, invest in external amplification. Thankfully Pioneer offers multi-ch outputs for this very reason.

(As a side note, Onkyo finalized it's purchase of Pioneer in 2014.  It shouldn't come as a surprise that the power modules in the Pioneer AVRs are the same and Onkyo's and Integra's).

All models support 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos and DTS:X formats.  However, while the SC-LX701 and SC-LX801 require external amplification for two of the 11 channels, that’s not the case with the flagship SC-LX901. The LX901 can power a 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos or DTS:X setup without needing to resort to any supplementary amplification.  As of this year’s CEDIA, we are now starting to see a company’s flagship receiver come with 11 channels of on-board amplification for the first time. (In case you’re wondering, there’s no Auro-3D support on the Elites. Marantz and Denon remain the only mainstream AVR manufacturers to support Auro-3D as an optional, paid upgrade in select models).

Pioneer SC-LX801 Network AV receiver rear view

As a nod to their performance caliber, Pioneer says that the two top Elite models, the SC-LX801 and SC-LX901 have been certified at London’s legendary AIR Studios, whose pedigree includes included award-winning motion picture soundtracks as well as recording and mastering.

Network features & High Resolution Audio Support

All three Elite AV network receiver models have a Powered Zone 2/3 and Zone 2/3 Line Out.  You'll be able to stream pretty much any connected source —from LP’s to network streaming services—wirelessly to different rooms with Blackfire’s FireConnect technology.  FireConnect is a wireless protocol that mirrors a receiver’s audio sources connected to compatible FireConnect speaker. FireConnect support will be forthcoming via a future firmware update.  Just take note that Pioneer isn’t guaranteeing that the LX901 will be able to support other devices that incorporate FireConnect. FireConnect compatible Wi-Fi speakers aren’t yet on the market.  They are scheduled for release sometime in December, 2016.

You can tell these Elite models are geared for hi-res music and wireless streaming. All models feature ESS SABRE32 Ultra DACs. Hi-res music files (192 kHz / 24-bit) in FLAC, WAV, AIFF and Apple lossless file formats are support as are DSD (2.8/5.6/11.2 MHz) and Dolby TrueHD files. Pioneer has made no mention of native or future MQA support in the new models. MQA seems to be gathering some momentum but hasn’t been broadly adopted in this year’s latest crop of network AVRs.

Pioneer SC-LX901 Network AV receiver at CEDIA

Pioneer says that the new Elite models have a new, Pioneer-developed jitter reduction system. Called Precision Quartz File-based Audio (PQFA), Pioneers says that PQFA applies high-accuracy clock control to drastically reduce “jitter” which occurs during network audio signal processing. Pioneer claims that PQFA is effective for every audio signal, including audio via wired network; hi-res audio via USB; streaming audio via internet and internet radio. It’s also effective for wireless networks such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

Speaking of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, both are standard. With Bluetooth and dual band 5 GHz (11a/n) and 2.4 GHz (11b/g/n) Wi-Fi you have the freedom of how you want to play your music. Apple-friendly AirPlay is included. And, If you’re a online music streamer, then take heart as the new Elite models support Internet radio stations and the major on-line music services, including Pandora, Spotify, TuneIn, TIDAL, and DEEZER. Google Cast support will be coming with a future firmware update.

Pioneer SC-LX701 Network AV receiver rear view

Room Correction and 4K/UHD Video Support

Pioneer continues to use its own flavor of room correction. The three Elite receivers use MCACC (Multi-Channel Acoustic Calibration) Pro.  Pioneer says that MCACC Pro has been updated to support immersive audio speaker layouts for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. Pioneer claims that MCACC Pro’s Full-Band Phase Control technology eliminates phase lag between speaker units inside of cabinet to precisely control sound locations for ideal stereo and multi-channel sound reproduction.  Pioneer also says that the new Reflex Optimizer feature was designed to maximize object-based audio reproduction with Dolby Atmos-enabled speakers and generate the best sound experience from stand alone and/or add-on speakers.

We want to remind our readers that while Atmos-enabled speakers should be viewed as a last ditch solution. There’s simply no substitute for discreet height speakers for the best immersive audio reproduction.

On the video front, the SC-LX701, SC-LX801 and SC-LX901 bring the lineup on par with the competition.  HDMI 2.0a is standard as is support for 4K/UHD 60p/4:4:4 24-bit video signals with HDCP 2.2 copy protection. HDR and BT.2020 support are likewise standard. You can also upscale legacy SD and HD content with Pioneer’s “Super Resolution,” 4K/UHD upscaler, which is integrated in the SC-LX701, SC-LX801 and SC-LX901. There are even two old-school composite video inputs in case you have any legacy devices.

Custom installers should take note that there are two HDMI outputs and no HD-BaseT port. RS-232, IR repeater ports and dual 12v trigger outputs are standard and will help you integrate the new Elite AVrs into any home automation system.

The Bottom Line

Pioneer's spirit is alive and well in their new lineup. Pioneer’s Elite AVRs have always been about sonic performance and build quality, not piling on every feature plus the kitchen sink. That remains true here. These new Elite-series receivers put  Pioneer on pace with the rest of the pack in terms of features, but if you love the sound, performance, and build of Pioneer’s Elite AVRs, then you'll want to give these new models a serious look.

Unless otherwise indicated, this is a preview article for the featured product. A formal review may or may not follow in the future.