Thx certification (1 Viewer)

Have never heard a home theater with a THX certified receiver and speakers, only at the cinema. Was looking at the Onkyo TX-NR5010 9.2 THX Ultra2 certified and the Klipsch Ultra2 Speakers but not sure if it's worth it. I imagine the sound is awesome, but is THX worth all the extra money?

THX Ltd. has been certifying speakers and receivers since 1991. Video certification started in 2006.

I am confident you will get lots of opinions on your question.

MarkUnit said:

I imagine the sound is awesome, but is THX worth all the extra money?

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Only you can decide for yourself if it's worth the extra money. As Gregg stated, everyone has an opinion on the matter.

Two things to keep in mind with THX certification:

[*]The company that produces the product(s) pays a fee to THX for conducting the certification and for displaying the THX logo on the product and the packaging, etc.. A product that has the logo is guaranteed to have been certified (obviously!), but just because a product doesn't have the badge, doesn't necessarily mean it wouldn't be certified had the manufacturers sought out THX's blessing. The added cost to the manufacturer for certification is eventually passed down to the consumer. In other words, you can't just assume that a product that is branded THX is superior to a non-branded product. You need to compare them both yourself.
[*]THX is a set of quality standards and benchmarks. It is not a "sound format" or anything of the sort. You don't listen to something "in THX". Any "THX mode" in a display is simply a factory pre-set option that is intended to be as close as possible to a "reference" image (i.e. with artificial enhancements disabled, etc.)
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Like beat to death for 20 years...and mentioned above...After the certification, the CEM gets to add the sticker and add in some sound modes.There is more than one cert level as well. The AVR noted here has the highest cert. But every other similarly priced(short list,Anthem 700, Denon 4520, Yamaha 3010 and a NAD) AVR will perform similarly.

Sorry guys, I must be way out of the loop on this subject. So just because an AVR does not have the THX certification badge does not mean it wont pass the THX testing process? Or not as good?

^^^Correct.

I concluded THX was worthless about 15 years ago when I started seeing THX-certified cheap computer speakers.
http://www.amazon.com/New-Z623-Speakers-Logitech-980-000402/dp/B004A5TMG4/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1369269572&sr=8-6&keywords=computer+speakers+thx
I don't know if the standards have gone back up for speakers. And a THX logo seems standard for $500+ receiver.

DaveF said:

I concluded THX was worthless about 15 years ago when I started seeing THX-certified cheap computer speakers.http://www.amazon.com/New-Z623-Speakers-Logitech-980-000402/dp/B004A5TMG4/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1369269572&sr=8-6&keywords=computer+speakers+thxI don't know if the standards have gone back up for speakers. And a THX logo seems standard for $500+ receiver.

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THX now has certifications based on their intended use.

The computer speakers are certified under THX Certified Multimedia Products
"THX Certified Multimedia Products are designed and engineered for PC gaming and multimedia on the desktop."

The next level up is THX I/S Plus systems of which the only known certified system is the Onkyo HT-S9400 THX with an MSRP of $999 (Can be found much cheaper online.)
http://www.onkyousa.com/Products/model.php?m=HT-S9400THX&class=Systems&source=prodClass
"Certified Systems (AV Receiver + Speaker Bundle) have the power to fill a small home theater or dorm room where the viewing distance from the screen is 6-8 feet."

Next up is THX Select 2
Many AV receivers have select 2 certification, but I can't seem to find speaker systems available in the US.
"THX Select2 Certified products are for medium sized rooms, up to 2,000 cubic feet in size, with a 10-12 foot viewing distance from the screen."

Finally we get to the big one. THX Ultra 2.
http://www.klipsch.com/thx-ultra2-home-theater-system
for the low price of $12,999.91
"THX Ultra2 Certified products bring the cinematic experience to larger home theaters, 3,000 cubic feet in size, with a viewing distance of 12 feet or greater from the screen."

The I/S, Select, and Ultra systems all have to meet the same standards but for their room sizes.

I consider THX certifications to be proof that a product meets a list of minimum standards for the product's intended usage but that doesn't mean that non certified systems can't match or exceed the performance of certified systems.

It is a guarantee that if properly used the product doesn't suck.