THX and new receivers

[Addy]

hello, Addison here with a couple of Qs

im deciding over multiple new receivers and i was wondering if THX is really worth considering or is Dolby true HD relatively the same im considering denon avr-3808ci,yamaha rx-v1800-rx-v3800, onkyo TX-SR805 or even pioneer vsx-91thx the one reason i like denon is its usb and network features it also has the most capabilities out of all of them but it lacks THX certification along with the yamahas... wattage isnt a factor but i do like the fact that the onkyos are considerable cheaper but lacking some features i think. i was also wondering if i should wait till a new yamahas come out since i really liked the rx-v2600 model...hoping for your thoughts..and thank you

 

[MDS]

THX certification means many things. First and foremost it means that the amp section meets the THX guidelines for performance. It also means that the receiver includes TXH post-processing routines that can, in some cases, improve the audio experience.

THX certification is not the be-all, end-all, most important 'feature' of a receiver but you should not dismiss it out of hand. Many will say that THX is just a money grab (manufacturers must pay to obtain certifications) or that many recievers that are not certified meet the same basic criteria but that in itself is not sufficient. THX certification is valuable but does not necessarily mean that one receiver will be more suited to you requirements than another that lacks the certification.

 

[Johnd]

Ditto to what MDS wrote.

I think you need to make an intelligible purchase on your needs and wants...not some rubber stamp. THX standards are stringent, so understand that you will be paying for it. Also understand that you will generally not "hear" the benefit in a receiver with THX to a comparably priced non-rated receiver.

Finally, waiting til the next model comes out will most probably result in the "next, latest, greatest syndrome". Denon and Yamaha make some great receivers, and Onkyo is starting to get on the map, especially as a price point. If you cannot find a receiver now to satisfy your needs, I fear you will never satisfy your needs. Just a thought to consider.

 

[avliner]

Although I agree with the above mentioned comments, I also believe that some manufacturers preferes not to pay royalties just to have the THX badge printed on their products and that's the case of Denon & Yamaha.

I'm sure that either the Denon 3808 & the Yammi 2800 would get the THX approval without a itch and then comes the question:

why paying more? Well, that's my opinion anyway

 

[j_garcia]

Manufacturers DO NOT PAY for the THX certification. The only reason a THX cert would cost a manufacturer more money is if they grossly under designed their receiver. Manufacturers know the specs and know how to design to meet them at this point (nearly every manufacturer has at least 1 THX cert receiver) so I doubt you will see them needing to make a significant number of redesigns to meet cert.

In terms of amplification and features, it guarantees you a known level of performance. On the processing side, I don't use THX processing at all; and if you don't plan on having a setup that is geared toward THX processing (speakers that are cert, properly configured room, etc...), I suspect that most people won't use it either.

 

[avliner]

Very interesting Garcia,

I've always heard that the manufacturers must pay to get the THX cert...

If the above is not true and just out of curiosity, could you please tell me why then Yamaha had the THX badge on their previous RX-V2600 and the current RX-V2700 doesn't? I'd bet that the latter will pass the THX tests without breaking a sweat... kinda a non-sense, marketingwise, no??

Cheers!

 

[j_garcia]

There was an extensive article in HT mag covering what is tested and how it works, as well as the fact that the manufacturer's don't pay THX for the testing. I'm sure there are plenty of receivers out there that would pass the cert, but they choose not to send them through the process. Why? I don't know. It does mean they need to add the post processing and other features required, aside from just the amplification testing, so not having to add that could mean slightly lower cost. For the numbers they manufacture, having it or not having it probably won't affect the cost to produce significantly.

I think it only matters to a small percentage of the public (bragging rights?), considering the general public doesn't really even know what it truly represents. I'd say most know the name, but if you asked them to explain it, they wouldn't be able to.

 

[MDS]

THX licenses it's name to be attached to products that pass the certification tests. Licensing is not free.

For larger manufacturers that make millions of receivers the added expense is minimal but certainly not zero.

 

[j_garcia]

THX licenses it's name to be attached to products that pass the certification tests. Licensing is not free.

For larger manufacturers that make millions of receivers the added expense is minimal but certainly not zero.

The testing is free; yes, use of the logo is not, but the article said specifically it "not a significant factor in the cost to the consumer" for a large manufacturer who would be producing hundreds of thousands of units.

 

[Addy]

is yamaha a good receiver or should i go with onkyo or for the extra 500 just suck it up an buy a denon.. is the yamaha YPAO as good as denon and onkyos Audyssey MultEQ im using it for 50% music 50% movies and i think im just overkilling lol are they all pretty much the same and i should go for the cheapest i never really like onkyo much there early stuff that is, just a little overwhelming! ooo and thanks for the info on the THX stuff

 

[20Glove]

Denon 3808 and Onkyo

In my opinion the Denon 3808 is worth the jump in price. I had both at the house and listened to both of them to see which one I would like better.

I gave the edge to the Denon. I thought the audio set up was more accurate. I had to play with the settings on the onkyo to even get close to the denon. Onkyo sounded awesome in surround but just ok in stereo. Denon sounded awesome in surround but also awesome in stereo. I thought the Onkyo appeared louder but Denon appeared more crisp and clear (clarity). I thought the Onkyo pushed the Center channel which some people like.... and the denon appeared well balanced.

As far as the audio streaming and internet radio, that feature to me is awesome. It was so easy... hook up the ethernet... go to usb on the gui menu and bam you are there listening to internet radio... great feature, good job on Denon's behalf.

The video quality was equal on both the 805 and 3808. I thought the Onkyo was easier to set up and the layout on the back of the receiver was just Excellent. Denon on the other hand lacked in spacing of the speaker terminals at times hard to tighten the terminal but some people would not be affected by that since they use bannana plugs.

I took the Onkyo back and kept the Denon due to clarity in sound and more well balanced between movie surround and stereo cd. I just believe I could hear the more subtle sounds with the Denon but the Onkyo to me was louder (listen at less Db's) so I hope this helps.

 

[20Glove]

By the way pricing of the Onkyo 805 and Denon 3808

Shop around.....

I had 2 local dealers playing "I wanna gain your business" for the Denon and 2 other local dealers for the Onkyo.

I got as low as $750 on the Onkyo and final purchase price for the Denon was $1150 so a $400 price difference... just to let you know... shop around.

 

[avaserfi]

is yamaha a good receiver or should i go with onkyo or for the extra 500 just suck it up an buy a denon.. is the yamaha YPAO as good as denon and onkyos Audyssey MultEQ im using it for 50% music 50% movies and i think im just overkilling lol are they all pretty much the same and i should go for the cheapest i never really like onkyo much there early stuff that is, just a little overwhelming! ooo and thanks for the info on the THX stuff

From personal experience and reviews on this site I would say Audyssey has YPAO beat pretty well. I don't know about the newer generations, but on the past couple gens that has been what I have noticed.

 

[Addy]

wow thanks for the info 20glove i was leaning towards denon too and yes ive shopped around and got down to 1200 all this info really good thanks all!