THX Receivers....

[msmith855]

I'm in the market for a new receiver and I'm torn between two Yamaha models. Essentially the difference between the two is about 200 watts (which in my house is probably overkill anyway... but it would be cool to have just for bragging purposes) and THX processing for an extra $175. Normally I would just splurge but with my HiFi spending already a sore spot with the wife I want to make sure the extras are worth the aggravation I am sure to receive.

So the questions is this, in anyone's experience... are the receivers with THX processing worth the extra expense, or are you really just paying for the name printed on the front plate?

 

[MDS]

Well I hope this question doesn't devolve into another war where one side says 'THX is just a money grab with no real benefits' and the other side says its the greatest thing since sliced bread.

The truth lies somewhere in the middle. True, manufacturers pay for the certification but certification ensures the receiver meets some fairly stringent criteria. Many non-certified receivers can meet the requirements even though they haven't been certified so IMO the choice comes down to whether or not you think the THX specific post-processing routines will be of any use to you (re-eq, timbre matching, adaptive decorrelation and THX-EX (5.1->6.1).

If you can handle the price difference it might be useful to go for the THX certified receiver so you would have those features and can try them out to see if they make any difference to your ears in your room. The extra power can't hurt either. So is slightly more power and thx post-processing worth an extra $175? That is something you will have to think about...

 

[msmith855]

So it sounds like I stepped right into the middle of one of those personal preference wars that's difficult to declare a black & white winner either way from the sound of it. I appreciate the quick response...

(as the debate in my head continues lol)

 

[dm_4u]

So it sounds like I stepped right into the middle of one of those personal preference wars that's difficult to declare a black & white winner either way from the sound of it. I appreciate the quick response...

(as the debate in my head continues lol)

Well...if you are planning on keeping the unit for 5-6 years...then get the THX, if you are planning on turning over the receiver within the next few years, then even if you wait...it won't be very long...