To THX or not to THX that is the?

[braminator]

I sense that THX is a gimmick from reaction by the forum? Please help me too understand.

 

[pikers]

I sense that THX is a gimmick from reaction by the forum? Please help me too understand.

I sense that if people didn't feel like they had a "scam" or "conspiracy" to uncover on the net, there wouldn't be an internet at all.

It is, for the 303289570923840298529385th time, a certification. That's all. If anyone thinks they are paying for this label such that it dramatically affects the price, they are wrong.

I would not purchase/not purchase based on this alone, when there are so many other considerations involved with a product selection. Just look at it as another badge on the front, which is what it is in terms of affecting cost.

 

[Jase]

Bit more to it than just a gimmick.

http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_13_1/feature-article-thx-1-2006-part-1.html

 

[j_garcia]

There's already an extensive thread on this in the general discussions forum.

 

[johsti]

From my understanding, THX is only a certification that the product meets a certain standard. The downside to it is the manufacturer has to pay for this certification. That means there are plenty of receivers that meet the requirements, but don't pay to have the THX certification. I really don't think it's a gimmick, but I also wouldn't make THX select a strong reason for buying any particular receiver.

 

[The13thGryphon]

THX is designed to ensure that what you hear in your home theater is as close to what the sound engineer heard when mixing the soundtrack as is possible.

That doesn't mean that you can't have a good home theater without THX equipment. But there is a certain comfort in knowing that your system is optimized to reproduce the soundtrack as it was intended to be heard, through a very precise set of specifications. THX certified equipment has a better chance of achieving that, in my opinion, given that it has to meet very close tollerances for frequency response deviation, dynamic range, input and output voltage, distortion levels, crosstalk, etc., etc.

So, to me, it's not an absolute requirement, and I wouldn't make it my only determining factor in a purchase, but I would give the nod to THX certified equipment if I was looking at two pieces that otherwise were relatively equal.

 

[mtrycrafts]

THX is designed to ensure that what you hear in your home theater is as close to what the sound engineer heard when mixing the soundtrack as is possible.

That doesn't mean that you can't have a good home theater without THX equipment. But there is a certain comfort in knowing that your system is optimized to reproduce the soundtrack as it was intended to be heard, through a very precise set of specifications. THX certified equipment has a better chance of achieving that, in my opinion, given that it has to meet very close tollerances for frequency response deviation, dynamic range, input and output voltage, distortion levels, crosstalk, etc., etc.

So, to me, it's not an absolute requirement, and I wouldn't make it my only determining factor in a purchase, but I would give the nod to THX certified equipment if I was looking at two pieces that otherwise were relatively equal.

We agree Just one item. The THX chain is very long, so one cannot expect the recording studio sound just by getting a THX amp or receiver. The speakers and even the room needs to meet those standards. Probably the big items.

 

[Daz3d&Confus3d]

I think THX cert. is great for the individual who wants good sound and that HT feel without having to spend a ton of time doing research!

 

[Daz3d&Confus3d]

Of course I remember reading "Home Theater for Everyone" by Robert Harley and though the book was insightful seemed to be alittle to THX crazy.....maybe it's due to the fact that Tomlinson Holman wrote the forward for the book....lol.

I liked the book ....I just got tired of hearing thx this-thx that!....got old after awhile.....still not a bad read though

 

[The13thGryphon]

We agree Just one item. The THX chain is very long, so one cannot expect the recording studio sound just by getting a THX amp or receiver. The speakers and even the room needs to meet those standards. Probably the big items.

The two of us agreed on something? I'm shocked!

What is this world coming to?

You are absolutely correct that the speakers and room would also need to be THX certified to ensure that what you are hearing is as close to what was intended as is possible. The equipment is just one link in the chain, as it were.

Also, the video display system and lighting levels would need to meet THX standards to ensure that what you were viewing was as close to what was intended as possible, if one were really trying to replicate the theater experience to the Nth degree.

Then, of course, you'd need those "value added" extras that aren't included in the THX specifications, such as floors sticky from spilled coke, stale popcorn between the seats, the baby who won't stop fussing, the kid in the row behind you who keeps kicking your chair, and most importantly, the annoying jerk who insists on telling his friend what's about to happen before every scene.

 

[braminator]

With so many debates on actual power a product pushes (watts) all channels driven etc.. Would it be safe to assume buying a THX certified product gives more realistic and accurate performance numbers?

 

[MDS]

With so many debates on actual power a product pushes (watts) all channels driven etc.. Would it be safe to assume buying a THX certified product gives more realistic and accurate performance numbers?

It will be accurate according to the THX test methodology. Non-THX receivers are accurate to their own test methodology as well but the arguments start because of the interpretation of the results. If you read and understand how they were tested, you will see that they don't lie; if you don't agree with the test methodology or impose your own viewpoint on how it should be done then nothing will convince you that the figures are accurate.

 

[braminator]

IMO I buy what appeals to my ears and eyes. But I also try to understand the techinical end of it to see how it changes my views when I understand what I am looking for.

 

[mtrycrafts]

But I also try to understand the techinical end of it to see how it changes my views when I understand what I am looking for.

A good place to come for this side of your understanding Not much bs will be passed on.

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

I voted yes because I've yet to see a bad THX certified AVR. It sets a bar, and takes away some of the questions newbies may have when seeing the proverbial "100 watts" logo on every receiver in sight.

A few years ago, THX had an "unofficial" floor of 33lbs for an approved AVR. It's dropped to around 29lbs on some Onkyo units - although I'm not holding that against them (I've not demo'd the new Onkyo's yet).

THX has come up with some new classes to let the little guys in, but from the specs I'm seeing on their approved units, I still think all of them are high quality. I'm still perplexed as to why Denon refuses to put their 2 and 3 series through the tests, when the 4 and 5 series make the grade. The same goes for HK. There must be some economic fences we don't know about. It doesn't seem to bother Onkyo and Kenwood.

 

[j_garcia]

If they put THX on their lower models, it doesn't lend to the exclusivity (if they're all THX, it starts to mean very little) or differentiation of the higher models. They also figure people who are going to be buying the 4 and 5 series are looking for something more significant than the 3 and lower models.

 

[zing010]

keep in mind the best speakers and components in the world are not THX certified. In fact, at Skywalker Sound and Abbey Road Studios both use equipment that is not THX certified, and they're the ones responsible for mixing the soundtracks to a lot of the THX movies in the first place.

So no I don't think THX certification is important.

 

[bpape]

Exactly.

There are a ton of excellent products out there that will blow away some THX spec'd ones. So why aren't they certified? Money. It costs a ton, especially for smaller manufacturers to get their product certified - which would just drive the price up farther.

If it has a THX cert, that means it meets a certain set of criteria - doesn't mean it does or doesn't sound good. If it ISN'T certified, doesn't mean it's good or bad - just not certified.

Also, the THX spec for home equipment is different than for full size theaters - though they're very secretive about what exactly the spec is. It has to do with SPL, dispersion of speakers, noise levels, etc. But they won't say exactly what.

On another note, I saw something recently, might have been here, that said there was going to be a THX cert program for HTIB's. I seriously doubt that ANY THX certified HTIB is going to compete with something like an Outlaw amp/processor driving an HSU VTF-3 and 7 Ascend 170's or 340's - and none of those are THX certified.