An AirPlay-friendly AV receiver stuffed with HDMI
The pitch for Pioneer's VSX-823-K ($400 street price) is straightforward: six HDMI inputs, built-in AirPlay, and not much else. That's more HDMI connectivity than the similarly AirPlay-equipped Denon AVR-E300 ($400) offers, and AirPlay gives it an edge against other receivers that offer six HDMI inputs at this price, like the Marantz NR1403 and Onkyo TX-NR525.
Where the VSX-823-K falls short is wireless connectivity. There's no built-in Wi-Fi or Bluetooth and adding those features later is pricey, with Pioneer charging over $100 for each of its accessories. The lack of wireless wouldn't be so glaring if it … Read more