Puzzlingly, among the receiver’s literally dozens of speaker-setup options, a 5.1.4-channel Dolby Atmos layout (“5.2.4” in Pio-speak, since the SC-95 features two sub outs) was missing in action. (This required moving my surrounds from their usual high shelves to stands a bit behind and astride the listening position.) Here I encountered a problem. With the receiver up on my rack, I began by bundling nine speaker-wire pairs into position: the usual five channels of LCR and surrounds plus two pair of Atmos ceiling-bounce elevation modules plopped atop my everyday fronts and surrounds. The Pioneer’s is plastic but operates smoothly, and the unit’s overall finish and feel are crisp and reasonably elegant. The SC-95 is conventionally laid out, with the drop-down door on the front that has become all but universal regardless of brand. There’s a lot more, of course, including “hooks” for the most popular home-control systems, such as AMX, Control4, Crestron, and Savant. The long, long features list begins with Pioneer’s proprietary MCACC Pro auto-setup/EQ system and continues to high-end ESS Sabre 192/32 digital-to-analog conversion for all channels, both Bluetooth and Apple AirPlay wireless readiness (the receiver packs dual-band Wireless-b/g/n on board), and a full complement of network-audio streaming, including 2.8/5.6-megahertz DSD file playback. The SC-95’s stereo spec is 135 watts per channel. Pioneer claims up to 760 simultaneous watts (8 ohms, 1 kilohertz, 1 percent THD), which works out to, let’s see, two from six is four, carry the one, uh, 84.444 watts per channel with all channels driven-a pretty bold claim in my experience, but one that Pioneer’s efficient Class D power amps might be able to deliver (we’ll see what MJP finds in the lab). The SC-95 manual, supplied on a CD, includes 11 full pages just of speaker-wiring diagrams, many of which themselves have several options. It also means nine channels of amplifier power assignable to 11 speaker terminals, distributable among height speakers for Dolby Atmos (and DTS:X, with a promised firmware update) plus width speakers, rear surround speakers, Speakers B extension duty, HDZone and Zone-2/3 outputs, and biamplification options in a truly bewildering array. This means the latest in HDMI 2.0a fashion, i.e., HDCP 2.2, with Ultra HD HDR-readiness and 4K (2160p/60) passthrough plus video scaling to 4K. This address puts the new Pioneer squarely in what I consider the sweet spot of most receiver lines: far enough down to avoid the “every-feature-that’ll-stick” price penalty, but far enough up to ensure you get the important stuff at a fair price.

Happily, my task here today is not to make order out of Pioneer’s model nomenclature, but to examine one of the brand’s latest standard-bearers, the Elite range’s third-from-the-top SC-95.

Pioneer elite receiver remote