Dolby, THX, Blueray, etc

[jcroasii]

I've been doing some research into THX and Dolby along with planning my home theater, but I have a couple questions that I can't seem to find the answers to.

On most DVD/Blueray discs, they have a THX logo on them. Does this mean that the movie was recorded to the THX standard and that in order to hear and see the movie as it was intended you should have THX equipment/room specs? Is is most apropriate to set the receiver to THX mode during the viewing of a THX movie?

Is this the same for Dolby?

I guess I'm trying to figure out if the setting on your receiver should change depending on the movie's certification? I've also heard that Dolby and THX have partnered to make THX HD Surround (or something like that).

Also, when a movie says THX on it, does the movie usually specify if it's THX surround, or something else?

Any guidance would be much appreciated.

Thank you

 

[markw]

The letters "THX" on stuff is more of a marketing necessity rather than an audio one.

Virtually all movies are recorded to a THX standard but to play them back it's not a necessity for great sound. They were set forth initially so that movie theaters could have some sort of uniformity in sound. Remember, movie theaters sole reason for existence is to show movies at their best.

Homes are generally not constructed for that purpose.

To meet a THX standard for home use, you would need THX certified speakers, place them in the THX approved locations, play it back at the THX specified levels, sit in THX specified locations, eat THX certified popcorn*, and so on and on and on... As you might suspect, this would require some very specific architecture and a serious commitment in money.

fortunately, for home use, it's a minimum performance standard that must be met and those units that proudly boast it pay a pretty penny to THX for the rights to license them, and you, the consumer, pay dearly for it. There may be a few "features" included but they are not mandatory for excellent sound.

Note I said "minimum". Many non-THX certified gear not only meets it but handily exceeds it. You can get excellent sound with non-THX certified electronics and speakers.

But, I digress. Just get the best you can afford, position it as best as you can, set it up as best as you can (and that's not all that difficult), and buy the best popcorn you can.

Blu-ray is real. It indicates a high definition DVD as opposed to a "normal" DVD, both of which can look amazingly good on a Hi-Def TV set. The Blu-ray will be a bit better, though.

Dolby is a method of recording sound for movies. It's a standard so all gear has it as part of it's basic architecture.

* that last one is a joke.

 

[jcroasii]

Virtually all movies are recorded to a THX standard but to play them back it's not a necessity for great sound. They were set forth initially so that movie theaters could have some sort of uniformity in sound. Remember, movie theaters sole reason for existence is to show movies at their best.

Homes are generally not constructed for that purpose.

To meet a THX standard for home use, you would need THX certified speakers, place them in the THX approved locations, play it back at the THX specified levels, sit in THX specified locations, eat THX certified popcorn*, and so on and on and on... As you might suspect, this would require some very specific architecture and a serious commitment in money.

fortunately, for home use, it's a minimum performance standard that must be met and those units that proudly boast it pay a pretty penny to THX for the rights to license them, and you, the consumer, pay dearly for it. There may be a few "features" included but they are not mandatory for excellent sound.

Note I said "minimum". Many non-THX certified gear not only meets it but handily exceeds it. You can get excellent sound with non-THX certified electronics and speakers.

But, I digress. Just get the best you can afford, position it as best as you can, ast it up as best as you can (and that's not all that difficult), and buy the best popcorn you can.

* that last one is a joke.

Thanks for the response. That makes sense. One of the important things I want to ensure of is to match the certification with the receiver settings. For example, if the Blueray is THX I want to set the receiver to THX.

One other question. Are most DVD/Blueray discs make use of 5.1? If a DVD is THX, does that mean it was recorded in 5.1?

Thanks

 

[markw]

Thanks for the response. That makes sense. One of the important things I want to ensure of is to match the certification with the receiver settings. For example, if the Blueray is THX I want to set the receiver to THX.

You really don't have much control over that. IT's all pretty much done already.

One other question. Are most DVD/Blueray discs make use of 5.1? If a DVD is THX, does that mean it was recorded in 5.1?

Pretty much, yes, but don't get too hung up on that THX thing. Again, it's all pretty much automatic. As you become more familiar with this stuff (and we'll help you), you'll quickly learn why.

 

[InTheIndustry]

I've been doing some research into THX and Dolby along with planning my home theater, but I have a couple questions that I can't seem to find the answers to.

On most DVD/Blueray discs, they have a THX logo on them. Does this mean that the movie was recorded to the THX standard and that in order to hear and see the movie as it was intended you should have THX equipment/room specs? Is is most apropriate to set the receiver to THX mode during the viewing of a THX movie?

Is this the same for Dolby?

I guess I'm trying to figure out if the setting on your receiver should change depending on the movie's certification? I've also heard that Dolby and THX have partnered to make THX HD Surround (or something like that).

Also, when a movie says THX on it, does the movie usually specify if it's THX surround, or something else?

Any guidance would be much appreciated.

Thank you

This one could get ugly fast so I will try to hop in quick and make things simple....

THX is a quality/spec standard... NOT a format.

Just because something is NOT THX certified doesn't mean that it cannot meet or exceed THX testing. The manufacturer chooses to go through the Lucasfilm testing process not the other way around.

The best system I have ever heard, Phase Technology dARTS, is NOT THX certified. However, it was/is the 1st & only system I know of to have the processing power to take full advantage of and implement another Tomlinson Holman project, Audyssey MultEQ XT to its full intentions. What's found in receivers today is a much less powerful, much less comprehensive version of Audyssey than what is found in dARTS. Receivers basically have a very dumbed down 100% commercialized version of what Audyssey engineers were going for when they invented the technology. If I recall what I was told a few years ago correctly, dARTS was used/is still used(?) on USC campus to do Audyssey testing and for film students to learn about multichannel sound.

You can read about Audyssey it here: http://ee.usc.edu/assets/005/56551.pdf . dARTS is mentioned on page 16 as a Best of CEDIA Loudspeaker. Variations of Audyssey are listed on page 15.

Point is: There is much more to a speaker system than being THX certified. Some people like THX modes on receivers, others do not. It tends to be warmer/softer sounding IMO.

- Yes, you are essentially correct in your idea of THX logo on movies. Some is for picture or sound. Some for both.

- Dolby is a sound format.... NOT a set of standards. Dolby Surround is a standard format. THX is a performance standard. They are totally different and unrelated. I would not be surprised to hear that Dolby or THX have partnered with anyone. If there's money in it.... companies will partner up. The two are not competitors.

- THX is NOT something to live or die by, but can be a good guideline in certain instances. Your system you were asking about is a good example. The reason I like THX, particularly with systems for people on a lower budget - in the 4 figure range, is because it's an easy way for me to see what a speaker will do for a given size room. Will speaker "ABC" priced at "HIJ" cleanly hit 105db without distorting in room size "XYZ"? If it says THX Select or Ultra you can say yes if you look at a few other numbers.

Notice on the specs of the Jamo D 500 I recommended to you: http://www.jamo.com/eu-en/products/d-500-lcr-specifications/ . See where it says it won't play lower than 80hz? That's because when used correctly and in the right sized room it doesn't need to. It will sound like crap if played in two channel at full range. But in a multi-channel movie system with some great subwoofers in a small-medium-large(ish) room this speaker is an outstanding performer. It does its job perfectly.

Lets look at something else..... The (slightly) more expensive THX Ultra II D 600 from Jamo: http://www.jamo.com/eu-en/products/d-600-lcr-specifications/ . See how it still only plays down to 80hz but has larger woofers and can handle more power? That's because it's meant to perform to those levels in larger rooms. It's NOT meant to sound "better", per se, than the D 500. But it is meant to sound better in a larger room where the D 500 would struggle.

That's why I like THX product a lot. It makes speaker selection from a capability stand point very easy for people on a budget. I have been incredibly excited to work with the new Jamo D series. These speakers are serious speakers that are too cheap for what they do, IMO. They are priced so low at $349 but are not toys like some other speakers in that price range. They are heavy and built extremely well. They were designed with a purpose and that is to play movies/games/TV accurately and with force. They can do that, but don't ask them to do 2 channel stereo without a good subwoofer setup. YIKES!

I put pictures up of some of them in a D 500 thread AH had a few weeks ago. See my post #6: http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=68310

 

[InTheIndustry]

Thanks for the response. That makes sense. One of the important things I want to ensure of is to match the certification with the receiver settings. For example, if the Blueray is THX I want to set the receiver to THX.

One other question. Are most DVD/Blueray discs make use of 5.1? If a DVD is THX, does that mean it was recorded in 5.1?

Thanks

These are very common questions that people have when 1st trying to figure out what THX is.

THX is an equipment spec standard, not a format. 5.1 is a format.

And you can listen in THX if you'd like... or not. it's all personal preference. I don't like to listen to TV or video games in THX. Just a preference thing. There's no right or wrong when it comes to THX listening mode.

 

[InTheIndustry]

Virtually all movies are recorded to a THX standard but to play them back it's not a necessity for great sound. They were set forth initially so that movie theaters could have some sort of uniformity in sound. Remember, movie theaters sole reason for existence is to show movies at their best.

Homes are generally not constructed for that purpose.

To meet a THX standard for home use, you would need THX certified speakers, place them in the THX approved locations, play it back at the THX specified levels, sit in THX specified locations, eat THX certified popcorn*, and so on and on and on... As you might suspect, this would require some very specific architecture and a serious commitment in money.

fortunately, for home use, it's a minimum performance standard that must be met and those units that proudly boast it pay a pretty penny to THX for the rights to license them, and you, the consumer, pay dearly for it. There may be a few "features" included but they are not mandatory for excellent sound.

Note I said "minimum". Many non-THX certified gear not only meets it but handily exceeds it. You can get excellent sound with non-THX certified electronics and speakers.

But, I digress. Just get the best you can afford, position it as best as you can, set it up as best as you can (and that's not all that difficult), and buy the best popcorn you can.

Blu-ray is real. It indicates a high definition DVD as opposed to a "normal" DVD, both of which can look amazingly good on a Hi-Def TV set. The Blu-ray will be a bit better, though.

Dolby is a method of recording sound for movies. It's a standard so all gear has it as part of it's basic architecture.

* that last one is a joke.

I agree with almost everything you've lined out but come on.....

The BOLDED remark is inaccurate, a bit sensationalist, and about 10 years past its prime. There is a ton of THX gear today that is budget friendly to all but the most budget conscious person. "Pay dearly for it"? Onkyo has a receiver that lists at $600 & can be had for under $500. The Jamos I listed are $349 each, which is cheap for good speakers. Hell, Onkyo has an entire THX system for $1000. Subwoofers are the priciest things to find with THX on them and for good reason. Other than that, the gear is available all across the price spectrum. The amount of $ that a THX speaker is market up for being so by a manufacturer is nearly next to nothing. Hell, even Monster Cable has THX interconnects that can be found for $20 or less. None of that stuff is THAT expensive.

If those prices are "dearly" to someone I don't think they should be buying speakers..... they should be buying groceries. Come on, man.

 

[sptrout]

Here is a link to a very good essay about THX Certification; what it is, and how it is obtained. http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/technical-articles/165-what-it-means-and-how-to-use-it.html

You will read that each piece of equipment in a THX system can be Certified, and for each of the major pieces there are lists of tests that equipment must meet or exceed. THX specifictions are all company "confidential" and therefore, are known only to THX insiders and manufacturers. Following is a copy & paste from page 6:

"As romantic as it sounds, manufacturers do not simply submit a product to THX for testing and then get a yea or nay. A THX product starts with the manufacturer purchasing the expensive and confidential THX Design Manual for the product in question. THX products are designed to be THX products. The manufacturer knows what they have to do from square one. Once they have a working sample, it is sent to THX where it is tested, for a fee, and either checks out and a license granted, or it is sent back with a report on what needs to be addressed. THX tells us that they have yet to receive a product which got everything 100% right on the first try.

Licensees then pay a small per-unit license fee for the manufactured product.

I hope everyone can appreciate why, to this day, the particulars of THX's criteria are not public. They are a business like any other and they need to protect their intellectual property. If everything was out in the open, people could just say, "It meets or beats the THX criteria", and THX would get nothing. They'd fold, and we'd never get all the benefits they've brought this industry over the years.

When asked why their product is not THX certified, some manufacturers have told us its because they "wanted to do things THX does not allow". In terms of speakers, there is indeed not a whole lot of latitude (no full-range models for example), but when it comes to electronics, that's nonsense. THX requires that a piece perform to their spec (or exceed it) and that it do what it is supposed to do when the THX mode is engaged. Manufacturers are free to offer exotic decoding schemes, try innovative things like room EQ (such as the Audyssey system in some recent THX receivers), or offer crossover options other than the standard THX (because not every customer is going to have THX speakers). Lack of THX certification in higher-end electronics (where cost is supposed to be no object) may be an indication that the manufacturer is not willing to make a competent product, or that they just don't feel their customer is interested in certification."

 

[jostenmeat]

Just me, but if I could have THX with only one component, it would probably with a display. I'd want it with my audio processor too, but hmm.

AFAIK, THX mode will always be the most accurate picture mode on a given display. I have been told that any professional calibrator will always start with THX mode, if available on the display.

If I had THX mode with my projector, I probably wouldn't pine for a colorimeter and CMS nearly as much. If this would prove true, getting that THX mode would save me from a $1000 purchase (if not more).