PIONEER SCLX88

Product Description

“A staggeringly powerful and entertaining amp that’s unrivalled at this price”. What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision magazine, 5-star review and Group Test Winner. Tested at £2200.

Superior construction quality
Just picking up the Pioneer SCLX88 gives a good indication of its engineering quality. Weighing in at 18.1kg, the Pioneer features Rigid Trans-Stabilizer, 3D Space Frame construction and an Insulated Dual Chassis. It’s this intensive attention to detail that gives the electronics inside the best possible start in the fight against electrical and mechanical interference.

AIR Studios Monitor Certification
Pioneer hasn’t skimped with the quality of the internal electronics either. There’s a low leakage flux power transformer for class-leading dynamic punch, while the high efficiency digital Class D amplifier produces a mighty 220W per channel (6 ohms). The circuit design features short signal paths and quality components for the most accurate and detailed sound. The result is AIR Studios Monitor Certification. Based in London and set up by Sir George Martin, they’ve the highest standards for professional audio, and to win approval, audio standards have to be amongst the very best.

192kHz/32-bit USB DAC for the best for your stored music
Also standard with this range-topping Pioneer AV receiver is a rear-mounted USB socket. Perfect for connecting up your PC, Mac or laptop, it links directly to an ESS Sabre 32 192 kHz/32-bit DAC with asynchronous connectivity. One of the very best DACs available, it enables music streaming from your digital collection at the very highest standard. With streaming quality this good, now could be the time to skip discs and build a high resolution digital audio library instead.

High definition sound
For the CLX88, high definition sound means many things. For starters, it’s compatible with many high res formats; AIFF and Apple Lossless audio files, plus multi-channel WAV and FLAC audio files. By using high-end Sabre 32 192 kHz/32-bit Ultra DAC and Hi-Bit 32 Audio signal processing, the SCLX88 puts precision first, with even the most subtle nuances being picked up. Switch to Hi-bit 32 mode for digital stereo music and the sound picks up another notch. Connect a compatible Blu-ray player via HDMI and the Pioneer ensures a jitterless transmission from CD for a sound that’s smooth, natural and lifelike.

4K-equipped
Going one stage further than conventional 1080p, the Pioneer SCLX88 is fully equipped for the future of 4K. With 4K60p, 4:4:4, and 24-bit pass-through, the SCLX88 is able to get the very best from this Ultra-High Definition format. In addition, a powerful upscaler also scales up SD and HD resolution video to 4K – giving you the best possible image quality with all your video sources, on your 4K TV.

Optimised video
With Advanced Video Adjustment, the Pioneer SCLX88K optimises the video signal according to the type of screen or projector used. It uses information from its MCACC Pro calibration system and even adjusts image quality according to how far you sit from the screen. In addition, the SC-LX88K also features Stream Smoother. Used with low resolution video from online sites, this improves the grainy quality, making it more acceptable to watch on a big screen.

Comprehensive networking with AirPlay and Bluetooth
The SCLX88K has near universal network streaming. It’s equipped with Apple AirPlay, Bluetooth, DLNA for streaming over Wi-Fi or Ethernet, HTC Connect, internet radio and Windows 8.1 compatibility. In short, the Pioneer SCLX88 has pretty much got the lot! Apple’s AirPlay lets you wirelessly stream music from your iTunes library on your Apple device, while the Bluetooth receiver supports aptX for the highest quality streaming from your Bluetooth source. DLNA streaming gets you access to music stored on your laptop or NAS, plus there are internet radio and music services.

HTC Connect
HTC Connect lets you use your compatible HTC phone to wirelessly stream high quality music, video and photos. Easy to use and one of the higher quality streaming systems, it’s an especially good way of playing your smartphone’s music library through your home cinema system.

Spotify Connect
This Pioneer also has the advantage of offering Spotify Connect. Spotify Connect uses your existing Spotify account but seamlessly transfers it between sources. So, for example, you might be listening to Spotify on your mobile device then, when you arrive home, transfer it to your Pioneer home system. Wherever you use 3G or 4G, Wi-Fi or LAN, AirPlay, Bluetooth or UPnP, Spotify Connect simply keeps the music following.

Huge range of connections
When it comes to conventional connections, the Pioneer SCLX88 offers plenty of choice. Eight HDMI inputs offer full compatibility with 3D TV and have ARC (Audio Return Channel) for less clutter. Two HDMI outputs within the main zone make the Pioneer ideal for a twin screen or 3D system, while a third HDMI output is for a second zone. An iPod Digital USB connection allows plug-and-play flexibility without a docking station. By using the processing power of the Pioneer rather than the dock’s, you’ll get a better sound, with Advanced Sound Retriever enhancing the compressed music MP3/AAC files to CD quality.

Offering reference construction, sound, video and networking, the Pioneer SCLX88 is all the AV receiver you’ll ever need.