Rank #5 in Best AV Receiver 2026: 10 Ranked, and the Wattage Numbers That Don't Add Up
Pioneer VSX-933 7.2-Channel AV Receiver
Price and rating as shown on Amazon when we collected them. Both change.
The Pioneer VSX-933(B) sits at number five in this guide. It is a 7.2-channel network AV receiver priced at £306.61, rated 4.4 out of 5 across 323 ratings, and it is cheaper than both units whose prices the guide's introduction names — the £449 model and the £877.72 model. Its headline claim is 135 W per channel, and the listing prints the conditions next to it: 6 Ohm, 1 kHz, 1.0% THD, one channel driven, IEC.
The number that does not hold is the channel count. The product name says 7.2, the surround sound configuration says 7.2, and the first bullet describes seven power amplifiers each of 135 W — yet a separate spec field reads "Number of Channels: 9". The same table carries a second power figure of its own: "Wattage: 450 watts", sitting a few rows away from "Output Power: 135 Watts" and "Output Wattage: 135 Watts". So the two power numbers in one table differ by 315 W, and the 135 W figure only applies with one channel driven, not all seven at once. Everything on this page comes from the Amazon listing for the Pioneer VSX-933(B); we have not measured the receiver ourselves, so these are the advert's figures, not our test results.
How those 323 ratings break down
An average hides its own shape. This is the spread behind the 4.4 stars.
Specification
Exactly as published on the Amazon listing, field for field.
| Price | £306.61 |
|---|---|
| Customer rating | 4.4 out of 5 from 323 ratings |
| Quoted output | 135 W per channel (6 Ohm, 1 kHz, THD 1.0%, one channel driven, IEC) |
| Channels in the product name | 7.2, described as seven power amplifiers |
| Number of Channels (spec field) | 9 (as listed) |
| Wattage (spec field) | 450 watts (as listed) |
| Total HDMI Port | 6 |
| Compatible Devices (spec field) | Unkown (as listed) |
What buyers actually say
Quoted from customer reviews on Amazon
Verified purchase“I love everything about the amp it's a great amp and I strongly recommend this amp it's easy to use/setup and it's sounds amazingI use my Amplifire all day everyday as it's my main TVs sound source”
Verified purchase“My remote control has stopped working put mew batteries into it, the red lights coming on when i press a button but it dowsnt change the box”
What it is up against
The rivals it was ranked against in Best AV Receiver 2026: 10 Ranked, and the Wattage Numbers That Don't Add Up.
Questions people ask
How many channels does the Pioneer VSX-933 have?
The product name and the surround sound channel configuration both say 7.2, and the listing describes seven power amplifiers. A separate spec field says 9 channels, which matches neither of those.
What is the quoted power output?
The Pioneer VSX-933 is quoted at 135 W per channel at 6 Ohm, 1 kHz, 1.0% THD with one channel driven (IEC). The same table also lists "Wattage: 450 watts", which is a different figure.
How many HDMI inputs does it have?
The spec table lists a total of six HDMI ports.
What can it stream?
The listing names Spotify, TIDAL, Deezer, Amazon Music, Amazon Prime Video and TuneIn internet radio, plus FlareConnect, DTS Play-Fi and Apple AirPlay, over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.
What is in the box?
The Pioneer VSX-933 receiver, a remote control, AAA batteries, a measuring microphone for speaker setup, an FM antenna, an AM frame antenna and the operating instructions.
Does it support Dolby Atmos and 4K?
The listing names Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, DTS Neural:X, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS-HD Master Audio and DTS-HD High Resolution Audio, along with 4K Ultra HD and Dolby Vision.
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