PIONEERVSX921Black AV Receiver

When it comes to networking, the Pioneer VSX-921 is a class apart from its rivals. Factor in the impressive sound quality and it becomes a shortlist certainty.

As before, the VSX921 comes with a LAN connection for integration with your home network. What's new, however, is Apple AirPlay compatibility, DLNA streaming and an optional wi-fi dongle for wireless connectivity. In short, the VSX-921 is now one of the best connected AV receivers in its class. Apple's AirPlay lets you wirelessly stream music from any compatible Apple device - without the need for a separate home hub. DLNA streaming gets you access to music stored on your PC, laptop or NAS and plays it through the receiver. There's also access to Internet radio and music services, making the VSX-921 a fully comprehensive streamer.

In addition to offering multiple networking possibilities, the VSX921 keeps control better than ever. iControlAV2 lets you control all important receiver functions from your smartphone or tablet. Control playback, select an input, adjust listening modes and change sound balance and emphasis from one app. The Pioneer VSX921 is also compatible with Air Jam. Air Jam is a Bluetooth-based app that lets a group of people connect with their iPhones, iPod Touch or iPads and add their songs to the receiver playlist. In effect it's a local, social network for music and works well with the VSX-921.

When it comes to connecting more conventionally, the Pioneer VSX-921 has got what you need. 4 HDMI sockets offer full compatibility with 3D TV and ARC (Audio Return Channel) for a less cluttered cable connection. Also standard is an iPod Digital USB connection. This allows plug-and-play flexibility without the need for a further docking station. The sound quality will be better than many docks, too, as you're using the processing power of the Pioneer rather than the docks. Better still, Pioneer's Advanced Sound Retriever system enhances the typically compressed music from MP3/AAC systems and returns the sound to CD quality. As you'd expect, the Pioneer VSX921 also features all the latest digital decoders, including Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio and Pro-Logic IIz. Yet it's not just your HD sources that can benefit from being plugged in to the VSX921. Thanks to an upscaler, any source can now be upscaled to 1080p and outputted via HDMI.

Being a Pioneer, the VSX921 isn't just about features, but the quality of sound they help create. When connecting a Blu-ray player via HDMI, proprietary PQLS technology ensures a jitterless transmission. Essentially, this means that the resulting sound quality is smooth and natural and exactly as the film studio originally intended. Power is also up on before, with the VSX-921 now boasting an impressive 150 watts into 6 ohms.

Although comprehensively equipped, the Pioneer VSX921 is by no means intimidating to use. Pioneer's unique Advanced 9-band MCACC (Multi-Channel Acoustic Calibration) system will tune the amplifier to the size of listening room and speaker placement, at the touch of a button. Professional results no longer rely upon hours spent with a sound level meter and heavy study of the instruction manual! Finally, if you like the idea of high quality cinema sound, but simply don't have space for all the speakers around the room, then you'll be delighted to see Pioneer have fitted their Front Stage Surround Advance system. Simply place all the speakers by the TV, and let the Pioneer do the rest.

Connect with the Pioneer VSX921 and find yourself with an AV receiver that does more than most.