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THX Question

Snake Doctor

Active Member
Now that I have my amp back I decided to go through and reset my prepro mostly fine tuning the audio. I got into the settings for THX and decided why not? So I activated it, however there was one question I didn't understand why it was there.......do you have a THX sub? What is that? I bought my subwoofer in the late 90's, THX was developed in the early to mid 80's but I do not know when it became available for home theaters, so how do I know if it is THX? What does it matter if my sub is THX?

There has to a crossover for THX that is different then a non THX sub? How would that affect the sound?
 
The whole deal with THX was that it was intended to be something that if your home theater was all THX certified and such, your experience at home would meet a certain baseline that would relatively faithfully reproduce the movie theater experience.

For amplifiers, it meant certain power requirements. Crossovers also had their own set points (IIRC, a THX certified subwoofer crossover was 80Hz... I tend to set mine higher at 120Hz). Ultimately, each piece of THX certified gear had some cash going to THX (owned by Lucasfilm) for their trouble. So it was really only on higher end stuff, but it would be notable by its absence if the competing equipment was THX certified.

Basically, it didn't mean a ton. You had the capability to have non-THX gear that was actually better than THX-certified stuff because they put the money into the hardware instead of George Lucas' bank account. That wasn't always the case, but it did happen. Now it's not that big a deal, but it's still around (I think my Integra receiver is THX-certified).

Some of these guys can give more detail or correct me, but IIRC, this is a not-inaccurate summary.
 
I haven‘t kept up on the THX specifications over the years, but if you had a THX certified sub you’d know it for sure as it would have the THX logo right on the front of it. It may very well meet or exceed the requirements but the MFR didn’t choose to get certified for whatever reason...
 
The whole deal with THX was that it was intended to be something that if your home theater was all THX certified and such, your experience at home would meet a certain baseline that would relatively faithfully reproduce the movie theater experience.

For amplifiers, it meant certain power requirements. Crossovers also had their own set points (IIRC, a THX certified subwoofer crossover was 80Hz... I tend to set mine higher at 120Hz). Ultimately, each piece of THX certified gear had some cash going to THX (owned by Lucasfilm) for their trouble. So it was really only on higher end stuff, but it would be notable by its absence if the competing equipment was THX certified.

Basically, it didn't mean a ton. You had the capability to have non-THX gear that was actually better than THX-certified stuff because they put the money into the hardware instead of George Lucas' bank account. That wasn't always the case, but it did happen. Now it's not that big a deal, but it's still around (I think my Integra receiver is THX-certified).

Some of these guys can give more detail or correct me, but IIRC, this is a not-inaccurate summary.
I have an Integra also, that is where I came across the THX setting. What settings do you use? I am attempting find the best all around settings for home theater, when I listen to music I just switch to stereo most of the time.
 
My guess is it had as much to do with the THX recommended 80 Hz crossover setting as anything.

Try answering yes and no and see what happens.

If you answer yes, I am guessing it is going to set the crossover point at 80 Hz and if you say no it may ask you where you want it set.
 
I have an Integra also, that is where I came across the THX setting. What settings do you use? I am attempting find the best all around settings for home theater, when I listen to music I just switch to stereo most of the time.

I don't even remember seeing the THX setting on mine (I have a 4.3). I used the room calibration tool, then adjusted using a SPL meter and for personal preference. One of the things I did was set my sub crossover to 120Hz while also sending the bass to the mains. I just prefer how it blends things a bit more when I do that.
 
One of the things I did was set my sub crossover to 120Hz while also sending the bass to the mains. I just prefer how it blends things a bit more when I do that.

And its yours and yo can do whatever the hell you want with it. People get to hung up on what 'they" say you should do.

If you like the way it sounds Enjoy it. Life is short.
 
And its yours and yo can do whatever the hell you want with it. People get to hung up on what 'they" say you should do.

If you like the way it sounds Enjoy it. Life is short.
Your right, my problem is I want it to be perfect - PERFECT and so I keep fiddling with it. Then I get it all screwed up and wonder what happened. So I am going to use the Audyssey Dyanmic EQ setup then tweak with my sound meter. Then I will do my best to not screw with it again. At least not for a few days.
 
And its yours and yo can do whatever the hell you want with it. People get to hung up on what 'they" say you should do.

If you like the way it sounds Enjoy it. Life is short.

Yeah, it's possible to get WAY too hung up on "how it is SUPPOSED" to sound. Director's (or musician's) intent and all that. That's fine, they can listen to it that way in their own homes and cars. Honestly, I suspect that at least half of the settings don't do one thing that most of us can pick out. My ears aren't what they used to be and they never were trained to distinguish tiny differences.

Get it to where you like it and let there be rock.
 
Your right, my problem is I want it to be perfect - PERFECT and so I keep fiddling with it. Then I get it all screwed up and wonder what happened. So I am going to use the Audyssey Dyanmic EQ setup then tweak with my sound meter. Then I will do my best to not screw with it again. At least not for a few days.

I have fallen down that slippery slope of striving for perfection on just about everything, including this hobby........

It is a destructive personality trait and can hurt the bank account also!
 
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I have fallen down that slipper slope of striving for perfection on just about everything, including this hobby........

It is a destructive personality trait and can hurt the bank account also!

If we end up building instead of buying and we leave the basement unfinished, my next room my closely resemble yours. If you don't mind, that is.
 
If we end up building instead of buying and we leave the basement unfinished, my next room my closely resemble yours. If you don't mind, that is.

ABSOLUTELY!!!!!

We may be moving in 2 years and I may be able to offer you some sweet deals of some fantastic equipment......... Just Sayin'
 
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ABSOLUTELY!!!!!

We may be moving in 2 years and I may be able to offer you some sweet deals of some fantastic equipment......... Just Sayin'

I was really thinking more along the lines of design inspiration but maybe we can work something out.

I need to figure where the hell me and tha BTB are gonna live first.
 
I was really thinking more along the lines of design inspiration but maybe we can work something out.

I need to figure where the hell me and tha BTB are gonna live first.

I knew that, I thought I would add a possible option....
 
I have fallen down that slippery slope of striving for perfection on just about everything, including this hobby........

It is a destructive personality trait and can hurt the bank account also!
I do the same, my wife pointed out that I was a perfectionist, I disagreed. Then started paying attention to how much effort I would spend on something and when I was finished it didn’t change anything that anyone noticed. Except me.

You are right it is a destructive trait that waste time and it can put a dent in the bank account.
 
You missed your chance. You coulda said, "That's why I married you", and then bought an XL Big Green Egg, and maybe a Ferrari, and gotten away with it.
But you missed it. :p
You are right I will try it if the opportunity presents itself again. And I am sure it will.

So, tonight I am watching a show and everything was going great, the picture was good, the sound right on, but wait.............I think it could be just a little better. There is a little more dialog coming out of that speaker then there should have been and the other behind me should have picked up what? No use denying it, I grab the remote and start changing listening modes, surround, stereo, THX, Dolby then all variations. Now the sound is screwed up again. Damn, I completed the setup by noon Thursday....went out Friday so it doesn't count....now it is 8:30 (2030 hours for you military guys) Saturday and I have screwed it up again. After working with it for a few minutes I turn everything off, then back on..............The sound is back as it was before I started trying to make it better.

It is about 9:00pm (2100 hours) and I am going to try not to touch it until Tuesday. Is there a rehab center in NC?
 
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