DTS-MA Floodgates Open with New Pioneer Elite A/V Receivers

In what appears to be a coming-out party for DTS Master Lossless Audio, Pioneer has become the second electronics manufacturer in less than a week to announce new home theater receivers with DTS-MA decoding.

Pioneer has just unveiled initial details for its hotly-anticipated new line-up of A/V receivers. The top three models -- the VSX-91TXH, VSX-92TXH and VSX-94TXH -- will support HDMI V1.3a connectivity. These "high resolution powerhouses" will seamlessly pass 1080p video while also decoding the Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Lossless Audio formats.

"Pioneer continually answers the call from audio video enthusiasts seeking the ultimate in rich home theater design. Our new line of Elite A/V receivers with HDMI 1.3a connectivity allows consumers to enjoy the benefits of the new technologies being used on music and movie discs," said Dave Bales, marketing manager of audio products for the home entertainment division of Pioneer Electronics. "We're bringing the true essence of high definition emotion to the audience."

The company has set a June 2007 arrival for the VSX-91TXH at a suggested retail price of $1000. The VSX-92TXH and VSX-94TXH will follow in late August, with an MSRP of $1300 and $1600, respectively.

Pioneer's announcement comes only days after Onkyo revealed its plans to debut the first consumer receiver to support DTS-MA decoding. Until this sudden deluge of DTS-MA-capable receivers, there has been no way to enjoy DTS-HD soundtracks on Blu-ray and HD DVD discs at their full potential, as all current next-gen receivers and players have, at best, only been able to extract a standard DTS 1.5mpbs "core" audio stream from DTS-HD-encoded discs.

To check out further details on Pioneer's new line of high-end receivers, you can read the full press release here.