Earlier this month, Pioneer released the VSX-993, providing home theater enthusiasts with a pretty complete package that even handled high-resolution audio for less than $500. Now the company has turned its eye to the midrange with the new Elite VSX-LX303, which has all of the features of that model, with a heaping portion of multiroom audio features as well.
The Pioneer Elite VSX-LX303 is a 9.2-channel model, rated at 100 watts per channel. The receiver supports object-based surround sound via both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, running in either 5.2.4-channel or 7.2.2-channel layouts. To breath new life into your older films, Dolby Surround and DTS Neural:X will upmix the audio, taking advantage of the higher channel count and adding a new layer of immersion. Finally, like the VSX-993, high-resolution audio is supported with an AKM AK4458 384/32-bit DAC and support for FLAC, WAV, AIFF, and ALAC at 192 kHz / 24-bit, as well as DSD 5.6 MHz / 2.8 MHz.
When it comes to the audio, the Elite VSX-LX303 has everything you could possibly need to take advantage of your new TV. The HDMI ports pass through 4K/60p video with support for 24-bit, 4:4:4, and BT.2020. High dynamic range (HDR) is well supported as well, with HDR10, Dolby Vision, and Hybrid Log Gamma. The onboard Super Resolution 4K will upscale HD content to near-4K quality.
The receiver features dual-band Wi-Fi, which powers the multiroom wireless audio. You have options, with both DTS Play-Fi and FlareConnect support. FlareConnect lets you play vinyl records or CDs via multiroom, alongside the built-in streaming solutions. Chromecast streaming is supported, so any device with Google Assistant lets you easily control music on the VSX-LX303 with your voice. A number of streaming services are built-in as well, including Spotify, Pandora, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Tidal, and Deezer.
Setting up and calibrating an A/V receiver for the first time can be tough, but fortunately the Elite VSX-LX303 has a solution for that. The MCACC (Multi-Channel Acoustic Calibration System) was developed with the help of professional recording studios, and automatically adjusts settings based on your room, speaker sizes, and other factors.
The Elite VSX-LX303 is shipping now, and retails for $900. For more information, see the Pioneer website, and to make sure the receiver you buy is perfect for you, take a look at our A/V receiver buying guide.
Instagram is making its way to yet another screen, and this time, Apple TV is getting a taste of the Reels rabbit hole. The company has launched a dedicated Instagram app for Apple TV, bringing Reels, longer videos, and live shows to the big screen. So, if watching one quick clip on a phone somehow turns into an hour of scrolling, there's now a much larger screen for that.
Instagram brings Reels and more to Apple TV
Audio-Technica, a brand well known for making some of the best studio and professional headphones on the market, has just come out with the ATH-AWX7000, which the company itself claims to be its "finest headphones ever." The new flagship closed-back headphone has debuted at an eye-watering price of $3,799. It combines hand-finished Japanese woodwork with a newly developed 58mm driver.
The earcups are made from Kiso cypress, a prized wood historically used for Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. Each housing is finished by hand with traditional Echizen lacquer, which brings out the grain and is expected to darken over time. The frame and sliders are finished in a deep navy kachi-iro shade traditionally associated with samurai.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
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