THX receivers: what are the least expensive? (1 Viewer)

[GordonL]

Checking out some of the more popular amplifier manufacturers, Parasound, Bryston, Lexicon and Adcom to name a few

Also B&K, NAD, Arcam, Integra Research, Rotel (kinda of an odd situation here - their amps are certified but their pre-pro is not. What's up with that?), Proceed, Denon, and Marantz. Funny thing is, Richard admits to owning a THX certified Marantz! Oh, the irony....

 

[Luis C]

Not odd at all since what they have done is determine whether the outlandish licensing fee attached to each individual product makes a marketing difference or not. The licensing fees for amps are FAR lower than for a pre-pro since amps just have to meet a series of (god forbid!) specs in order to "qualify" for the badge. A pre-pro (with its assorted processing software) is FAR more complex and costly to get certified. They simply decided that the cost does not justify the return. You will find this happening more and more in the future, believe me.

 

[RichardMA]

Checking out some of the more popular amplifier manufacturers, Parasound, Bryston, Lexicon and Adcom to name a few, all offer THX certification throughout their amplifier lines. I will even venture to say that if you want to get the higher models in many lines, they will many times be THX certified. Have you ever thought that maybe a piece of equipment costs more then a non-certified component because to gain THX certification requires better construction?

Yes, those amps are popular. But do you know how many
companies make power amps? How many are THX?
As for a non-certified that require better construction
to be THX? Bryston rep told me there is NO difference
between their THX and non-THX amps. But, if you know
of a power amp out there that won't meet THX specs that is
in the same league as Parasound, Bryston, Lexicon (Bryston)
or Adcom, tell me which one it is? How could you possibly
devine that as a reason when we don't KNOW what a THX amp standard is!

 

[Lewis Besze]

The fact that it can be turned off in some processors means that THX doesn't care if you turn it on or off, it just has to be available to be part of the standard.

Then maybe it should be part of the standard then!

 

[GordonL]

Then maybe it should be part of the standard then!

I suspect that will be the case as more and more DVDs become available with HT mixes.

 

[GordonL]

You will find this happening more and more in the future, believe me.

Well, I don't have a crystal ball, wish I did. While I don't know what the future looks like, I do know that what you're suggesting is not whats happening today. For example, Anthem and Krell were never THX licensees in the past but recently jumped on board with their THX pre-pros. And they chose not to certify their amps. Bryston has reduced their number of certified amps to just one but their pre-pro is certified. Classe, Tag Mclaren, Meridian, Mark Levinsion, Proceed, and probably a whole lot more, all have THX pre-pros but little or no certified amps. Contrary to what you believe, it is the sheer complexity of the pre-pros that almost requires manufacturers to get certified. Look at what happened to poor Outlaw for not using an outside organization (not necessarily THX) to certify the 950. In my mind, that was a pretty disasterous product launch.

 

[Lewis Besze]

Look at what happened to poor Outlaw for not using an outside organization (not necessarily THX) to certify the 950. In my mind, that was a pretty disastrous product launch

Your assessment is quiet laughable,and I leave it at that!

 

[Luis C]

Nuff said about this...
and nuff about THX, now back to work!...

 

[Matt AFA]

I am curious who THX is forcing or shoving these "standards" to. Don't these manufacturers have a choice in submitting these products in for certification? Certainly, many existing companies that are already involved with THX can say that THX is a bunch of hogwash and discontinue their allegiance.

From what I understand, THX is really only a staff of about 40 people or less--hardly a financial giant that threatens monopolizing the industry. I know you will say it was a division of Lucasfilm, but it was a small one and they were treated as a separate entity all along.

So wouldn't Dolby Digital being the DVD audio standard also be considered a monopoly in a similar fashion?

I do not need to know the exact ingredients and breakdown of Coca Cola to know that I like it. It is a personal choice and the choice is mine to make without judgement or persecution.

 

[JackS]

THX- A marketing opinion created by a panel who now own a very recognizable logo. Wish I'd thought of it and had the where with all to do something about it. Nice job if you can get it.

 

[Lewis Besze]

I am curious who THX is forcing or shoving these "standards" to.

What he meant by this is that the public is "lead to belive" that in order to get a "best" quality theatre experience at home you need THX.
Naturally many companies complied on their own,and many from the high end who had to venture to HT to "survive" had not much choice but to go with the flow.
It's not about the size of the company but it's influence on the industry and market.The fact that they could display the Lucasfilm logo[till recently]didn't hurt either.

 

[Luis C]

Matt,
My reference was to point out that because they control so much of the pre and post processing and software development process/system, a manufacturer that wants their product to be "sonically compatible" must submit to buying exhorbitantly priced licensing for the various THX algorithms or not have the pre-pro play back the medium "correctly". The problem is in the correctly statement... who is THX to determine this? DD is slightly different in that they are simply licensing the process by which recording engineers "steer" sounds and then license the algorithms that decode these signals. They do not determine the sound engineering or the end result of the recorded sounds. DD has been a great leap forward (by NO means perfect) in HT audio reproduction, which must people won't say about THX. Again, I am ONLY referring to audio, not video.
It is a control issue and I agree with JackS... everyone wishes they had this kind of control...

 

[Justin Lane]

Question for all of the anti-THX posters here... If a thread is asking about receivers with THX certification, why even waste your time trolling with anti-THX sentiment, if THX certification is not worth the money or your time?

J

 

[GordonL]

Quote:

I have to echo Matt's comment. Surely the manufacturers have enough intelligence to see thru THX's claims. Outlaw and Rotel seem to, are you all suggesting they are smarter than Anthem, Lexicon, Parasound, Bryston, et al? Collectively, all the manufacturers have to do is say "NO", and THX will disappear.

 

[GordonL]

Question for all of the anti-THX posters here... If a thread is asking about receivers with THX certification, why even waste your time trolling with anti-THX sentiment, if THX certification is not worth the money or your time?

That is a reasonable question. If THX is so bad, providing accurate facts and teaching us would be far more effective in getting us to agree with you than spewing out opinions and backing them up with lies and mis-information, or just as bad, spewing out opinions and not providing any facts to back them up.

 

[Luis C]

As for this... I'm not here to "prove" anything to you... simply provide you with food for thought/research. As far as "incorrect comments", , well we'll just leave that alone. And my "opinions" are formed from being in the audio industry for 26 yrs now, with the last 10 in manufacturing and with currently having to specifically deal with this very topic in product development/production/manufacturing and marketing so I would gather that I do have "some" knowledge about it.
And as far as the rest of your post, just go back and re-read my many previous "comments" about THX with an open mind... I think you'll get more out of them that way.
Well, hope all of you have great success in your HT experience!

 

[GordonL]

You missed the whole point of my comments here

Luis,
I got your point and if you've read my response
in post #29 I actually agreed with your general statement. The difference between my post and yours is, you made an opinion but didn't back it up with a valid reason why. Newbies (and I) who are reading this thread want to know why you (others) feel THX provides no value. To argue that it's simply marketing and only to line the pockets of George Lucas is not sufficient (besides, that's an opinion, and not fact). To state an opinion without the facts just because you have "experience" doesn't cut it. There has to be valid technical/logical/psychological/whatever reasons why you feel THX provides no value. If you state the facts accurately, there can be no way to refute your argument. Only when one is presented with the truth can one draw the correct conclusion.
What really irked me was the fact that you were so quick to agree with Richard's anti-THX diatribe without really examining what he had to say, without separating the truth from the mis-information. When someone who is as experienced as you claim to be, agrees with information that is blatantly false, well, I have to question your opinions. We are all here to learn and we can do without the lies and mis-information.
Ok, time to get off my soapbox. You guys have worn me out!

 

[Yee-Ming]

while I have a THX Select-certified receiver (Marantz SR8200), it wasn't a major consideration when I bought it; I had been contemplating the non-certified 7200, but ultimately went with the higher model.

what I want to know, with some concrete figures, is what it costs to get something THX certified. a figure of $1.25 million was thrown out several posts ago, but without any context, this is a meaningless figure. it's like saying "I spent $10,000 on HT gear" without itemising what's been bought.

another figure I recall said THX certification added around $10 to the price of each item. that's a bit better, at least some context and if that's really all it costs I would ask why is everyone bashing THX/Lucasfilm, it's not that expensive in the context of $1,000 receivers (or more).

but I guess this is one of those "great divides", those on one side will never agree with those on the other. oh well.

 

[Luis C]

Amen to that Gordon!
And I have about a thousand things to work on (including **gulp** THX cert issues!) before I can rest... sooooo...
Have fun ya'll!!

 

[GordonL]

Luis,
If this is your first time going through the THX process, perhaps when you are done with the complete cycle, you can come back and enlighten us with the facts and lets us draw our conclusions from your first-hand experience.
Richard,

As for a non-certified that require better construction to be THX?

I think you are preaching to the choir when you make the case for amps in the same general price class. Here is an example where I can make a case for THX. Take the Denon 4802 (THX) and 3802 (not THX) receivers. On paper, their amp section specs are similar. In practice, in a room of about 3000 cubic ft, the 4802 will handle much harder loads, provide higher SPLs before clipping, and be able to sustain it for all 5 channels, even though they have similar specs. That is guaranteed by virtue of being certified by THX. The 3802 might be able to do it if one were to base it on specs alone, but we cannot know with 100% certainty because it has not been certified. Do you get my point?
Yee Ming,
The same comment above can be applied to the Marantz 8200/7200 but in a 2000 cubic ft room. That is the difference between THX Ultra and Select.