Atmos is an immersive-audio format from Dolby that uses object-based audio to create 3D soundscapes. One of the coolest things about the technology is that it's not limited to any particular number of speakers. In movie theaters, Atmos-based systems use dozens of speakers to generate a sense of immersion.

Less than a year ago, Dolby rolled out Atmos for home theater . Now, listeners can experience the same sense of envelopment found in Atmos-equipped movie theaters, in the comfort of their own homes. Plus, Atmos for the home includes a feature called Dolby Surround that upmixes 2-channel and 5.1 or 7.1 content into 3D immersive sound.

You need two things to add Dolby Atmos to your home: speakers and a surround processor. For its first foray into Atmos, Pioneer created three Elite AVRs and introduced a speaker system designed by Andrew Jones—its first new Elite speakers in a decade. The speakers take the reflected-sound approach with upfiring drivers on top of the floorstanding and bookshelf speakers.

Pioneer's new Elite speakers and AVRs combine to form a complete immersive-sound system that's engineered to work as one. There are three Atmos-enabled AVRs in Pioneer's Elite line: SC-85 ($1600), SC-87 ($2000), and SC-89 ($3000). The SC-85 serves as the company's entry point to 3D immersive audio, and it's the subject of this review.

When I was at CEDIA 2014, Pioneer's Atmos demo left a positive impression ; it was among the better-sounding systems I heard at the show. It used reflected sound produced by Pioneer's new Elite speakers ( reviewed here ) instead of in-ceiling speakers. At the time, I asked if it would be possible to get my hands on an Atmos-enabled system ASAP. In response, Pioneer sent me a 5.1.4 system consisting a SC-85 AVR and Elite speakers.

Features

The 33.5-pound SC-85 is a three-zone, UHD/4K-capable, 9.2-channel AV receiver sporting class-D amplification. It outputs 135 watts/channel into 8 ohms and it can drive 4-ohm speakers with up to 220 watts/channel of power.

Dolby Atmos is the top new feature on the SC-85, and ESS Sabre 32-bit DACs decode digital audio for nine channels. The SC-85 supports up to 24-bit/192 kHz audio, as well as 2.8 and 5.6 MHz DSD playback. It handles speaker configurations ranging from 2.0 to 9.2 as well as 5.2.2, 5.2.4, and 7.2.2 Atmos-enabled systems.

Eight HDMI 2.0 inputs and three HDMI 2.0 outputs provide plenty of AV connectivity. While the HDMI ports offer 18.2 Gbps of throughput, they lack support for HDCP 2.2. One of the HDMI ports doubles as a Roku-ready MHL 2.0 input. The SC-85 has five digital audio inputs including optical, coaxial, and USB.

On the analog side, it has a three stereo RCA inputs, but no accommodation for multi-channel analog audio. The SC-85 does have analog preamp-out connections for all nine channels and two subs. What is more, it has a stereo RCA analog output for zone 2 with its own dedicated subwoofer jack.

Network
connectivity via the built-in Ethernet connection or an optional Wi-Fi adapter includes support for Apple Airplay, iPhones and iPads, Android devices, Pandora, DLNA, and vTuner Internet radio. Pioneer's iControlAV5 app for Android and iOS devices offers a graphic interface and in-depth control over the AVR. As an aside, I'm baffled that any high-end AVR would not include Wi-Fi as a standard feature.

The SC-85 uses Pioneer's MCACC (Multi-Channel ACoustic Calibration) Pro room-correction system. It offers EQ, standing-wave control, phase and group delay adjustment, and automatic speaker level and distance calibration. This iteration of MCACC includes separate EQ controls for each subwoofer .

While support for Atmos is a headline feature, the receiver handles established channel-based audio formats
with aplomb. It decodes Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio, and Dolby Digital Plus along with all the older formats. It can process audio with DTS Neo:X and Dolby Surround upmixers, and it can even decode SACD over HDMI.

You can control the SC-85 with its included infrared remote or a dedicated smartphone app called iControlAV5. It also works with Crestron, Control4, AMX, and other home-automation systems using an IP or RS-232 connection. Speaking of automation, the SC-85 includes 12-volt triggers and IR in/out connections—it's ready to run sophisticated home-theater systems.

When it comes to video, the SC-85 offers UHD/4K 60p video pass-through, support for 3D, and Marvell Qdeo video processing that includes a UHD/4K upscaler. It can convert analog component and composite video signals to HDMI.

Ergonomics

The SC-85 offers multiple methods of programming and operation. The AVR's faceplate features a monochrome text-only display that shows relevant information. Two large knobs flank the display; one is for volume and the other selects the source. Opening a flip-down door on the front reveals a collection of buttons that offer full control over the AVR. It also exposes the 1/4" headphone jack, a USB input, an HDMI input, and a jack for the calibration microphone.

Using the built-in display and the front-panel buttons is a kludgy way to program the SC-85, and while I appreciate having full control on the device itself, there are better ways to interact with the unit. Using the remote control is one option, and the iControlAV5 app is another.

I've used a Pioneer Elite SC-55 as my primary AVR for the past couple of years, and little has changed in terms of the infrared remote's layout or the on-screen menus. The remote itself is nothing special. It's plastic and feels overcrowded. But it gets the job done, and since you can control the SC-85 with a phone or tablet its mediocrity is not that important. Overall, it's on par with remotes I've used from other Japanese AVR manufacturers.

The app is another story. It's several versions newer than the app that controlled my SC-55, and it has evolved into a very responsive and useful tool. In fact, I'd argue that the iControlAV5 app is one of the best features of the SC-85 because it is the best way to control and explore the AVR's capabilities.

Here are some screenshots of the iCOntrolAV5 app..

The back panel is not as crowded with connections as some other AVRs I've seen at this price point. One reason is that Pioneer included only three stereo analog inputs and no multi-channel analog inputs.

The SC-85's back panel is not too crowded, and is well-organized.

Setup

The first thing I had to do with the SC-85 was upgrade the firmware. I received it a few months ago, and it required an update to add Atmos capability. The whole process took about half an hour and was relatively painless. Nevertheless, I'm glad current models ship with Atmos already enabled.

I hooked up two sources using HDMI: A DIY PC running Windows 8 64-bit and a Panasonic DMP-BDT460 Blu-ray player. I use my PC for almost all media playback except for streaming Vudu and watching Blu-rays—I use a Blu-ray player for that.

I needed to connect the SC-85 to a network. The AVR does not come with Wi-Fi built-in—it requires an optional module that costs $120 on Amazon . Instead, I set up my own Wi-Fi bridge using a Linksys Wireless-AC Universal Media Connector. Once the AVR was on the network, I connected the app to the receiver and I was good to go. In the future, I hope Pioneer considers including Wi-Fi as a standard feature on its AVRs.

Because of my familiarity with Pioneer Elite AVRs, the setup procedure was second nature—I could do it blindfolded. I connected the SC-85 to a 5.1.4 Elite Atmos-enabled speaker system in the same locations I typically use for 5.1 speaker systems. The main difference involved running two speaker cables to each of the four speakers that feature upfiring Atmos drivers.

Atmos-enabled speakers each use two separate sets of binding posts—one for the regular channel and one for the overhead channel. On the SC-85, I connected the Atmos-specific cables to the "surround back" and "front wide" terminals per Pioneer's instructions.

In my standard system layout, the front left and right speakers are each three feet from the back wall and two feet from the side walls of my 11' x '19' x 9' studio. The surrounds are on the sides and slightly behind my couch. The center channel sits on a shelf perched atop a Samsung PN64F8500 plasma.

I'm a stickler for great bass response, and the single sub Pioneer sent me was not enough to satisfy my craving for the deep stuff. The Elite sub is a sealed 10-incher that sounds good and plays tight. But, as bass aficionados say, "there's no replacement for displacement." I needed something that dug deeper—besides, two subs are always better than one—so I added a GoldenEar ForceField 5 sub to the mix. The second sub resulted in a 5.2.4 system with extension all the way down to 16 Hz, a full octave lower than it could manage with just the one Elite sub.

During the setup, I chose a 5.2.4 speaker configuration and ran the MCACC Pro room-calibration utility. Setting the EQ option to "all channels adjust," I let it go. When the process completed, I checked the channel levels using a UMIK-1 and Room EQ Wizard (REW) software and speaker distances with a tape measure.

MCACC Pro offers a plethora of automatic and manual setup options. You can choose the type of EQ and which corrections MCACC applies. I chose to run the manual advanced EQ function with multi-position measurement. The result was a significant improvement in bass smoothness in the three spots that it accounted for.

The SC-85 accurately measured the speaker distance for all eleven channels, including to the ceiling and back for the Atmos-enabled channels. I left the speaker levels alone; I knew they were accurate since I confirmed the AVR's measurements with measurement mic and REW software. One change I made was to boost the level of both subwoofers  by 3dB—a personal preference. All told, the SC-85's automatic setup was precise and effective.

I also changed the speaker-size and crossover settings. MCACC set the front and surround speakers to "Large" and chose a 100 Hz crossover to the subs for the rest of the speakers. I changed the speaker setting for all channels to "Small" and manually set the crossover to 80 Hz—I prefer THX-style speaker settings.

Before I started listening to the system, I made one tweak to the Dolby Surround upmixer—I turned the "Center Spread" feature on, which produces what I call "music-friendly mode." I also made sure that a genuine Atmos soundtrack registered as such; I tested it with Transformers: Age of Extinction, and the front panel display on the SC-85 automatically changed from "Dolby Surround" to "Dolby Atmos." Success!

For all my tests, I left the SC-85's built-in video processing off. I see little value in using the SC-85s video upscaler or any of the other "enhancements" it provides. I prefer to use HDMI video pass-through and let the TV handle those tasks.

Performance

As I mentioned earlier, Dolby Atmos is one of the defining features of the SC-85. Without Atmos, this AVR is not that different from my SC-55, a three-year-old edition of the same model. It's a great-sounding AVR by any measure, but when you add Atmos to the mix, the SC-85 performs at a level that the older model cannot match.

Pioneer's efficient class-D amps are a notable highlight. They feed a lot of current into 4-ohm loads, and they do so with finesse. If you use 4-ohm speakers—like the new Atmos-enabled Elites or the M&K S-150—the SC-85 outputs almost twice the power as compared to 8-ohm speakers.

I compared the SC-85's built-in amps to a Crestron Proamp 7x250 using the AVR's preamp outputs. The Crestron has a THD of 0.01% and a mere 0.1 dB of deviation from flat frequency response between 20 Hz and 20 kHz. It's 115dB A-weighted S/N ratio is a full 16 dB higher than the SC-85's rating—it is very transparent and serves as my reference.

I used a Crestron Procise Proamp-7x250 as a reference to judge the transparency of the SC-85s class D amplification.

During my listening, I found no easily discernable difference between the sound of the Crestron amp and the Pioneer. The Proamp produces at least twice the power per channel compared with the SC-85; the result is a 3 dB boost in output. If I had used speakers that could handle the extra power, that headroom could make an audible difference. In the system I reviewed, the SC-85 provided all the power the speakers needed.

I concluded that the subjective quality of the SC-85's amplification is excellent. Instead, the factor that most directly affects perceived sound quality in an AVR is the DSP processing—including the room correction system—not the amps.

In fact, during my listening sessions, I never fully depleted the SC-85's power reserves. I used a Kill-a-Watt power meter  to confirm that crazy-loud levels from all nine channels drew only 100 watts or so from the wall. I also tried the SC-85 with several other speaker systems—SVS Prime towers, GoldenEar Triton Sevens, and Behringer B215XLs . In each case, the SC-85 was up to the task of driving the speakers to their full potential.

I found that the MCACC Pro room correction was remarkably effective when used in conjunction with the Elite Atmos-enabled speaker system. I used to be a skeptic regarding auto calibration, but MCACC Pro worked as it should. The time-aligned and timbre-matched sound produced hyper-accurate imaging that made sounds seem real. The SC-85 renders seamlessly immersive audio when you feed it the right content.

I used Dolby's Atmos demo disc from CEDIA 2014 to judge the cohesiveness of the 3D soundfield. I'm deeply familiar with all the content on that disc; I've heard it played in over fifteen separate demo systems in the past year. Playing those clips in my studio confirmed that the system works properly—it matched some of the better-sounding Atmos demos I've attended.

Speaking of content, I used the SC-85 along with the Elite speaker system to review the Atmos soundtracks of  Transformers: Age of Extinction and Expendables 3 . In both cases, I preferred the Atmos presentation to 7.1 surround sound. I also watched Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in Atmos, and it left the same impression. During one scene, the Ninja Turtles barrel down a snowy mountain inside—and occasionally outside—an 18-wheeler. It's an impressive scene that I've adopted as a standard reference that I plan to use in future reviews. At one point, the turtles carry on a conversation while ducking underneath the truck's flailing trailer, and the sound made the scene really immersive.

On the music side of things, I listened to Pink Floyd's The Endless River using Dolby Surround . I also listened to both the stereo and 5.1 versions through the upmixer and compared those experiences to the native 5.1 mix and the stereo mix. To my surprise, I liked the upmixed stereo version best.

One of the more notable audio-related improvements in the SC-85 is the inclusion of parametric EQ for each of the two subs. It noticeably improved bass linearity versus my older Pioneer AVR, and it managed to match the timbre of the two disparate subs that I used in the system. The result was bass that never overwhelmed the rest of the music or movie sound, but it also had real guts to it—when content called for it, the effect was intense.

I used the SC-85 in stereo "Pure Direct" mode for a recent review of the SVS Prime tower speakers . In that review, I also included the Elite towers—running in stereo and without EQ—as a point of reference. The experience offered a great insight into how the SC-85 performs when you use it as an integrated amplifier with no EQ or other processing. It aced the task, revealing the differences between the two speaker systems without calling attention to itself—it was essentially transparent.

During the performance evaluations, I liked using the iControlAV5 app to switch between different audio modes and toggle different parts of the MCACC Pro room correction on and off. I found the app responsive and quite helpful for getting the most out of the system.

Conclusion

Modern AV receivers pack an astounding number of features inside their boxy enclosures. The Pioneer Elite SC-85 is no exception, and the iControlAV5 app brings that power and flexibility to your fingertips. It succeeds thanks to a number of factors—for example, MCACC Pro room correction works as it should, and the Atmos-enabled Elite speakers are a perfect match for the SC-85's class-D amps, which are more than up to the task of driving a 5.2.4 system to very satisfying levels.

Inside every modern AVR resides a powerful DSP, which is basically a dedicated computer. As with all computers, the software makes or breaks the user experience. In that sense, Atmos is a game changer. Its ability to envelop you in an aural illusion contributes greatly to suspension of disbelief, which is the ultimate goal of the home-theater experience. In addition, the Dolby Surround upmixer quickly became my favorite way to listen to music. Ultimately, I confess that I am hopelessly addicted to 3D immersive sound. Fortunately, the Pioneer Elite SC-85 provides the perfect fix for that craving—thanks to Dolby Atmos.

REVIEW SYSTEM

Sources

DIY PC ( Windows 8 ) running Tidal and iTunes
Panasonic DMP-BDT460 Blu-ray player
Oppo BDP-103 universal disc player

Amplification

Crestron Proamp 7x250W power amp

Speakers & Subs

Pioneer Elite SP-EFS73 towers
Pioneer Elite SP-EBS73-LR bookshelf speakers
Pioneer Elite SP-EC73 center channel
Pioneer Elite SW-E10 sub
GoldenEar ForceField 5 subwoofer
SVS Prime towers
GoldenEar Triton Seven towers
Behringer B215XL

Cables

Monoprice 12-gauge OFC speaker cables
Monoprice 3ft Premier Series XLR male to RCA male cables
Mediabridge Ultra Series subwoofer cable
Mediabridge Ultra Series HDMI cable