Lowest price THX certified processor (1 Viewer)

[David Barteaux]

What is the lowest price THX certified processor avaliable?

 

[Brae]

Just a processor, or an integrated receiver, too? Also, are we talking about Select or Ultra2 certification?

 

[David Barteaux]

Lowest priced THX Select reciever. Lowest priced THX Ultra processor.
I am looking to upgrade my Denon 3801. I want a THX certified product to be used with my Rotel-1095 amp. I am using M&K 850 speakers.

 

[Brae]

Well, according to the Pioneer website the VSX-43TX is their least expensive integrated receiver with THX Select certification and lists for $1200, but likely well under $1K on the street.

Another method to attact this would be to go here and select 'Product: Receiver' to get a starting list of THX Certified receivers that is current to THX. Unfortunately, their list is somewhat behind the times.

 

[Babek]

kenwood vr6070-very cheap

don't expect sheer quality from it though

go with better thx receivers from the ones listed above

 

[Andy_SB]

kenwood vr6070-very cheap

don't expect sheer quality from it though

I've actually read tons of positive comments from owners of the VR-6070 on this board and several others. They rave about this receiver, especially since the street price is around $400-450. It does have a few drawbacks, but if you really want THX, nothing else comes close price-wise.

- Andy

 

[David James]

I'm very happy with the 6070. I wouldn't suggest for a minute it would compare with a receive 2 or 3 times it's price. But for $418 delivered, I'm very happy.

 

[Babek]

obviously I said it because of it's price and reviewers rave about it because of its price

now if you were to compare it's thx sound to another thx receiver sound, there would be significant difference, that's what I've heard.

I actually went for a non thx receiver over the kenwood vr6070, simply because it sounded better

 

[ChrisWiggles]

What's with the THX? It's all great and everything, but it doesn't really DO anything useful except look cool. If all you want is the badge, the 6070 would do as just a processor, but there are better things to be had too, that may not THX certified. Mots dedicated processors that I see are anyway, but if you wanna use a receiver as one, don't worry about the thx.

 

[David James]

"What's with the THX? It's all great and everything, but it doesn't really DO anything useful except look cool"

THX DOES do something. This has been discussed a lot lately, but obviously not enough

From this article:

http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/art...ber=1&preview=

"To receive certification, receivers and controllers (preamp/processors) must include THX's patented Re-Equalization (ReEQ), Timbre Matching, and Decorrelation features. Since soundtracks are mixed to allow for the acoustics of a typical theater, the ReEQ circuitry compensates for smaller home spaces by rolling off the treble to keep the sound from becoming overly bright. Timbre Matching uses equalization to correct for uneven sound pans from left to right and from front to back. Decorrelation creates a stereo surround effect, which heightens the sense of spaciousness when you're playing older Dolby Surround soundtracks that have a mono surround channel."

So it's more than just something that looks "cool". Of course you may not like it, but that's okay. Audio preference is a subjective thing.

 

[Phil*K]

My two cents worth,

Many of the recievers that are not certified THX offer the same features as THX but in their own way. I had an Onkyo DS797--THX certified and now own a Denon 3803 and IMO the way the Denon handles DDEX sounds better than the Onkyo. The ReEQ in the Denon was renamed cinema EQ. My advice is to buy what sounds the best and not worry about whether its THX.

Phil

 

[David G Greene]

Kenwood VR-6070 is the way to go.

 

[Brae]

THX certification is not limited to features but also performance. For instance, I'd hate to find I bought an amplifier and the rated power was well below the stated or advertised value. At least with some sort of certification on the performance, the lame, as well as the educated, can make at least an attempt to resolve concerns of the rebustness of what they are purchasing.

Does this mean I consider non-certified equipment as be worthless, performing below their advertised specification, etc.? No, but then again who is watching, and evaluating, them?

 

[StephenL]

Unfortunately there is a lot of ignorance and misinformation about THX. Here are the facts:

THX home page:
http://www.thx.com/

Sound & Vision magazine: THX Certified
http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/art...&page_number=1

Sound & Vision magazine: Behind The Numbers: Digital Sound Receivers (includes THX crossover spec)

http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/art...&page_number=1

AVS Forum thread: THX certification process
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...hreadid=122172

What is THX Home Cinema?
http://membres.lycos.fr/tessier/thx.htm

How THX works (theaters)
http://www.howstuffworks.com/thx.htm

Lucasfilm THX & Dolby Pro Logic Frequency Response Plots
http://www.cybertheater.com/Tech_Arc..._pro_freq.html

Tom Holman interview
http://www.mel-lambert.com/Writer/In...om_Holman.html

 

[David Barteaux]

I have THX speakers that are designed to have a 2nd order roll-off at 80Hz called for by a THX certified bass management crossover.

A THX certified crossover is one that has a 4th order low pass filter on the sub with a corner frequency of 80hz and a 2nd order high pass filter on the mains with a corner frequency of 80hz. Combine the 2nd order roll off of the mains with the 2nd order high pass filter and you get a 4th order filter that matches the 4th order low pass on the sub.

Other recievers & processors have this type of crossover but others don't, which is uaually not specified. So, if you have THX certified speakers, it makes sense to get a THX certified processor for this reason.

 

[RonJ]

THX is in business to sell their little stickers not really do anything for anyone. Any amplifier above the bottom end is going to meet their so-called standards. Kenwood is some of the crappiest audio components I've ever heard. I had one of their components once and had to return it because it was so horrible. If their low end garbage can pass THX's certification process the almost anything can. THX is a marketing tool nothing more. Yes there are some specifications the amplifier supposedly has to meet but they're not very high.

 

[ChrisWiggles]

I don't wish to bash THX, but I really don't care one way or another. And I didn't mean to say that THX does NOTHING, but it doesn't really do anything useful that you can't get otherwise. The main thing it does(besides certification), is re-eq. Re-eq IS a very important feature, however, almost all receivers have this anyway, so it's kind of an expensive proposition to get that thx badge just for something you'd get anyway. Decorrelation is moot ever since PLII, neo6, logic 7 etc. etc. Tibre matching in a way is important, but more in your selection of speakers. Good speakers that are designed to be matched will match timbre anyway, so unless you are getting totally mismatche speakers, this band-aid solution isn't useful either.

As for their certification, it seems more stringent in the professional world. Yes, I do enjoy going to a THX certified movie theater, and it is audibly better than another average theater. In home systems though, the certification seems to have lost its merit. Many great components are not certified, and a few bad components are. I'm with Ron, that a decent receiver will outdo a thx kenwood any day. A comparable Marantz 5300, which is not thx will easily smash the kenwood in terms of sound quality, and probably power too.

I've seen and heard the 6070 in a fairly nice setup, and while it surprised me how hefty the power supply was for a kenwood, it made sense because of the thx badge on the front. That being said, it was dastardly annoying to set up, and just wasn't up to snuff in the sound department, especially in music, and very hissy. So my point is, take thx with a spoonful of salt. It really doesn't GET you anything useful, and may raise the cost of the unit, and really doesn't guarantee how good your unit is overall. Let the sound be the ultimate factor, plain and simple. If it comes with thx, great. If it doesnt, great.

FYI, I beleive thx has been sold to Altec Lansing, which raises even more doubts in my mind. Also, they don't release their "demanding specs", so we really don't know what they are testing specifically anyway. If anything it's more worth it to buy movies that have been thx certified, because those intros are soooo awesome.

 

[Steven Simon]

Ronj,

I was at Skwalker ranch this past September, and visited the offices of THX. What your saying is completely off base and wrong.... THX does some excellent work.... While there certification program is expensive, they do extensive testing on gear and hardware.... The engineers working there are some of the best on the world....


I first hand saw them flunking hardware items that didn't meet there specs. Also, when a product fails certification, they do work with the manufacturer to better the product, and bring it up to specs....


They DO NOT just pass anything!!!!

 

[David James]

"My advice is to buy what sounds the best and not worry about whether its THX"

Excellent advice.

"Let the sound be the ultimate factor, plain and simple. If it comes with thx, great. If it doesnt, great."

Again, excellent advice.

"dastardly", "crappiest", "horrible" "low end garbage", "smash the kenwood",

It's always satisfying to read reasoned and articulate opinions. :rolleyes

 

[Andy_SB]

Kenwood is some of the crappiest audio components I've ever heard. I had one of their components once and had to return it because it was so horrible. If their low end garbage can pass THX's certification process the almost anything can.

I don't think one bad experience should cause you to condemn a company for the rest of their existence...