THX vs. DTS

There are MANY receivers in the used dept, here. Lots of good prices. I have a stand alone Meridian processor. It is thx, dd, & dts compatible. I have had dts for 8years /Before dvd even came out. Few discs are in dts. I rent a lot. In some systems it may make a dif. in mine it just plain don't.-- In mine; "It's all good". Other members and their systems may not have the same results/opinions. Just about all the "top 'o the line" stuff has thx/dts. That doesn't mean all else is less. Everybody decides how much they want to spend and what features they "need".--Get what you can afford with what features you 'have' to have. As far as the new dts ex pro logic2 and such--who knows where they are heading. --Not many discs 'here' either.

THX is simply a set of standards, The THX logo implies that the component or disc has met these standards (and paid all fee's to the THX group). Many components meet and exceed these standards even though they do not fly the THX flag. THX disc's do seem to sound better than non THX disc's, could be my imagenation?

Dolby digital and DTS: All dvd movies contain DD soundtrack, some also have in addition to DD soundtrack, a DTS soundtrack. I have yet to discover which sounds best as I have found that the sound quality is disc dependent and can swing both ways to my ear.

Dave

The THX logo carries a pretty hefty licensing fee (see previous posts on the topic). I have an older Lexicon unit with a Sunfire amp and the differences among the various formats is a question of taste. They all have different sounds, with IMO the THX sound being "bassier" throughout the spectrum. But we normally listen to DTS because we like it better -- the mids are clearer so dialog is easier to discern. I didn't think the premium was 2-4x. If it is, I'd be happy to use the money elsewhere and buy a lower costing unit that sounds great but does not have the THX logo. As always, try before you buy and/or make sure the unit can be returned if you don't like it. Good luck.

I've got a good pre-amp/processer (Bryston) and can enable/disable THX processing. I hadn't noticed but currently it's disabled. Bryston says that it may enhance playback for content designed for large theatres. Not sure what that means. Anyway check out the manual on the Bryston site http://www.bryston.ca/pdfs/SP17_owners.pdf - the appendix B has lots of information on THX processing and how it relates to DTS and Dolby Pro Logic. Maybe it's just too much information. And I might actually start enabling THX processing to see if it makes a difference.

Depending on the component, THX is not just a set of standards or certification. For speakers and amplifiers that is true, however for a processors/receiver to obtain THX certification, they must provide the THX decorrelation and EQ post processing. It's intent is to make the sound, particularly center channel dialog, similar to a THX certified commercial theater.

Dave