Pioneer SC-LX901 vs Elite SC-99 Review [2018]

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Pioneer SC-LX901 vs. Pioneer Elite SC-99 compare both - choose the best one

Pioneer SC-LX901 vs. Pioneer Elite SC-99

Pioneer SC-LX901 an elite 11.2 channel Class D3 receiver

Pioneer SC-LX901 supports an 11.2 surround sound setup. It also features an upscaling function (1080p to 4K) and it supports HDCP 2.2. The MCACC auto-tuning technology will automatically tweak speakers to provide you with balanced sound. The required microphone is included. The Phase control technology eliminates any phase lag, which greatly improves the multi-channel sound. The Advanced Sound Retriever technology restores all details of the compressed audio files.

Pros of Pioneer SC-LX901:

Dolby Atmos and DTS:X provides you with clear and rich sound.
Built-in Chromecast lets you play content from iOS, Android, Windows and Chromebook devices.
Easy to setup due to a detailed step-by-step instruction.
The AirPlay function lets you play content from your iOS devices.
Devices can be connected using the FireConnect wireless protocol.

Pioneer SC-LX901 cons:

The Icontrolav5 application does not have some important functions.
Switching to another HDMI input a Smart TV application may come up.
HDMI inputs tend to drop out.

Pioneer SC-99 an elite 9.2 channel D3 class receiver

Pioneer SC-99 supports a 9.2 channel surround sound setup. It has such codecs as Dolby Atmos, Dolby, Dolby Digital Plus, etc. that provide you with perfectly clear sound. The HD pass-through supports HDCP 2.2. Pioneer SC-99 is customizable. You can program the unit’s inputs via the NAVI application. The dialogue enhancement function makes vocal crisp and clear. Also, the subwoofers can be adjusted independently. The MCACC configuration tool is very precise. It can adjust speakers to make sure the sound envelops you.

Pros of Pioneer SC-99:

The model is quite powerful - 200W per channel.
It supports the most popular audio file formats, like FLAC, ALAC, AIF, DSD, etc.
The fans do not produce much noise.
Multiple HDMI outputs.
The receiver has a phono amplifier.
It automatically switches to the right surround sound mode.
You can stream audio from online services, like Spotify.

Cons of Pioneer SC-99:

The NAVI application may crash when you try to reprogram inputs. The application crashes before changing anything.
The remote controller does not have a backlight.
The configuration UI looks outdated.

Pioneer SC-LX901 vs Pioneer Elite SC-99 receiver comparison - choose the right model

Both models are class D amplifiers and they have the same amount of the total power output – 850 W. However, there are some difference if we compare Pioneer SC-LX901 vs Elite SC-99.

The main advantage of Pioneer SC-LX901 is that it supports an 11.2 channel sound setup. While its main disadvantage is that HDMI inputs tend to drop out. Overall, it is a great device with many useful features.

The advantage of Pioneer Elite SC-99 is that you can adjust many parameters to make it sound as you wish. The main disadvantage of this model is that it has some issues with HDMI ports. Plus, firmware updating may be troublesome.

If we compare Pioneer Elite SC-99 vs Pioneer SC-LX901 we also see many common features, like Wi-Fi modules, support of modern standards, etc. However, they have a different number of HDMI ports – 8 in and 3 out for Pioneer Elite SC-99 vs SC-LX901 that has 7 in and 2 out. Therefore, if you have many devices to connect and you need a powerful amplifier that provides great sound, then choose Pioneer Elite SC-99, but if you want to build an 11.2 sound setup then go for Pioneer SC-LX901.

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Pioneer SC-LX901 review

Oct 01, 2018

A Pioneer is regarded as one of the most famous audio brands. Every new product is accompanied with a great attention and skepticism, so it was interesting for me to test such a creation, as an SC-LX...