Thx cinema

[asere]

I am new to THX my current receiver has the THX Cinema mode. The issue is when I am watching a movie in dolby digital if I turn on the THX Cinema the mains are not as loud and the surrounds seem to disappear some along with the LFE.

My system was set up using Audyssey XT and afterwards used an spl meter to test all the speakers and they read 75db.

Is that the way THX is suppose to sound?

 

[Adam]

That's not my experience with THX modes, but I have a Pioneer VSX-23 that used MCACC and not Audyssey.

With Audyssey, do you have Dynamic EQ and/or Dynamic Volume on? I've never used an Audyssey receiver with THX, and I'm wondering if the THX mode disengages those.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I've tried THX modes. Hated it. Didn't sound right to me. Turned it off. Forever.

These days I just do Audyssey Bypass L/R + Dynamic EQ and no Dynamic Volume.

 

[fuzz092888]

That's not my experience with THX modes, but I have a Pioneer VSX-23 that used MCACC and not Audyssey.

With Audyssey, do you have Dynamic EQ and/or Dynamic Volume on? I've never used an Audyssey receiver with THX, and I'm wondering if the THX mode disengages those.

IIRC you had to switch on "Preserve THX settings" for THX to override dynamic EQ. I could be mistaken on that though.

 

[ReUpRo]

The only thing THX mode does is, change all crossovers to 80Hz and slopes 24dB/octave for speaker HPF and 12dB/octave for sub LPF. It is assumed that one will use THX certified speakers since they are designed to work specifically with those digital processing settings. I'm sure THX Cinema then adds some EQ to the system, akin to Audyssey vs Audyssey Flat or a house curve folks create in manual EQ.

So, your system should not sound drastically different when switching Audyssey off and THX mode on.

Try a movie mastered for THX mode, for example, Finding Nemo.

 

[asere]

That's not my experience with THX modes, but I have a Pioneer VSX-23 that used MCACC and not Audyssey.

With Audyssey, do you have Dynamic EQ and/or Dynamic Volume on? I've never used an Audyssey receiver with THX, and I'm wondering if the THX mode disengages those.

No you can use Audyssey and THX at the same time. My receiver has Audyssey XT but no DV nor DEQ. It is the Tx SR805 model.

 

[fuzz092888]

The only thing THX mode does is, change all crossovers to 80Hz and slopes 24dB/octave for speaker HPF and 12dB/octave for sub LPF. It is assumed that one will use THX certified speakers since they are designed to work specifically with those digital processing settings. I'm sure THX Cinema then adds some EQ to the system, akin to Audyssey vs Audyssey Flat or a house curve folks create in manual EQ.

So, your system should not sound drastically different when switching Audyssey off and THX mode on.

Try a movie mastered for THX mode, for example, Finding Nemo.

THX listening modes don't do anything to your crossover settings. The THX listening modes add extra DSP to the signal in order make it sound a certain way depending if you're listening to the movie, music or game mode. It does not do the same thing as audyssey at all in terms of EQ.

 

[anamorphic96]

THX listening modes don't do anything to your crossover settings. The THX listening modes add extra DSP to the signal in order make it sound a certain way depending if you're listening to the movie, music or game mode. It does not do the same thing as audyssey at all in terms of EQ.

Are you sure. From my understanding they both apply a roll off in the HF similar to commercial cinemas. Granted Audyssey offers a FLAT mode but the Audyssey mode does apply a roll off.

 

[asere]

I contacted THX and they said the sound from the mains should not be less loud and surrounds are not suppose to disappear. He asked me for my set up and now I am waiting to hear back.

 

[fuzz092888]

Are you sure. From my understanding they both apply a roll off in the HF similar to commercial cinemas. Granted Audyssey offers a FLAT mode but the Audyssey mode does apply a roll off.

Unless I'm mistaken, that's only when THX RE-EQ is engaged.

 

[pdxrealtor]

I just measured auto surround and THX cinema using HDMI input from my laptop with REW as the source. Full range. The ONLY difference is THX rolled off starting at 2khz.

Same thing can be accomplished using the x-curve setting, which is disabled if you enable THX cinema mode.

Now, when not at reference volume, or 0.... whatever, and THX loudness plus is selected in the setup portion of your receiver then when in THX cinema mode below reference there will be adjustments made to raise the bass and surround effects to compensate for the lower listening volume.

I did not measure the latter scenario using REW, only at reference.

I myself find that after all of the room treatments and dialing in of my system I have done that reference levels are definitely doable without getting fatigued. Whether auto surround or THX cinema mode.

I'm still experimenting with both, but so far for movies at reference I like THX cinema mode and the roll off it applies to the high frequencies.