THX question

[Hotblack Desiato]

Completely new to THX, and only dipping my toe in the water even now with a Pioneer 2011. Just a few questions...



Setting the amp to THX Cinema (EX) i'm assuming is invoking THX Post processing...fairly simple.

But the amp also allows THX processing to be applied to a DTS source. I'd always thought of THX as tied to Dolby Digital...so am not sure if i should really be using THX in these circumstances.

Lastly i read that LOTR has been equalised for home cinema and that such THX post processing shouldn't be used. Just wondered if someone could confirm this, or better still point me in the direction of how i derive such information from the DVD case.

[juboy]

I have a Pioneer 2011 and am also unsure on this. As I understand it, when the amp isn't decoding a Dolby Digital or DTS soundtrack you can choose to apply the 'THX Cinema' mode/processing to one of four options (from the system set-up, I keep the default, which is DLII).



What I wasn't sure about is when you play, say a DTS disc, you can still switch to THX Cinema. The same as you tyefi, I am then unsure whether I'm hearing the DTS soundtrack, the DTS soundtrack with THX processing applied or DPLII with THX processing applied!



The manual is no help with this, I've read it over and over to see if I've missed anything but it really just skims over this subject, even though it devotes a whole page to TXH processing and what it is/does.

[Hotblack Desiato]

Yes i too assumed the THX setting in the set-up menu applied THX if selected processing (DPL11 by default) was selected.



Regarding DTS... i assumed it was DTS with THX post processing. While there's nothing obvious in the manual i came to this conclusion mainly because with a DTS ES disc like Gladiator the display actually goes from something like "DTS 6.1 Discrete" to "DTS Discrete + THX".



It's still not really clear to me if this is some i should strictly be doing. Or how i'm supposed to know when not to apply THX, as seems to be the case with LOTR.

[Jase]

Certainly on my Denon you can apply THX to any mode, Dolby, Dolby EX, DTS, DTS ES Discrete etc and indicates exactly what format the source is in. Another clue as to what it's doing is what it's displaying. THX Surround EX can be used for Dolby EX or DTS ES (both flavours). THX 5.1 is for either Dolby or DTS 5.1 tracks. THX Home Cinema is usually displayed when it's being applied to a PL or PL2 track and you can select which decoder you want to use incl. DTS Neo 6.1.



THX Ultra 2 (cine & music) can only be applied to Dolby/EX/DTS/ES tracks. It won't work with PL or PL2 and can only be used if both surround back speakers are connected.

[Jase]

You can apply THX as and when you want, there are no hard & fast rules, just depends whether you prefer the sound of it or not. :)~:-)~:smile:

[Jase]

Another way of checking is to feed it different signals e.g 2ch, 5.1 etc and see what it displays each time you switch THX processing on. It should differ depending on the signal format.

[juboy]

Cheers Jase, I think I'm going to have to experiement a little more with the amp and various formats, although I'm pretty sure mine just displays, say, Dolby Digital, when fed that source and you have to go in an manually switch to THX Cinema, hence my worry that I was actually switching from DD without THX over to DPLII with THX :?~:-?~:???:

[Jase]

It shouldn't switch itself back to another format (unless it's a bit odd) as engaging THX applies post processing to whatever signal source the amp is receiving. The only time that THX ever did something like that was for DTS ES Discrete tracks, engaging THX would drop back into matrix processing for the surround back channels and the THX Surround EX mode. This has now been rectified with the later amps and the surround backs are left as a discrete channel/s.

[Steve.EX]

Gents.



FYI, the latest incarnation/version of THX post-processing only very recently "ratified" as i understand it (certainly available on the next Tag software up-date V3.08/v4.08) has removed decorrelation on the rear channels of PL2.In the days of yore i had wondered on occasion as to whether this was "an odd way of going about things" given PL2's rear channel status and obviously the chaps at THX have decided that it is now not required for whatever reason.

THX processing was for me preferable in the day of sit-up-and-beg PL but with the advent of PL2 and the wider bandwidth/pseudo stereo rear channels it is more likely a matter of taste/choice.

It owuld be nice to specify whether we require the re-eq trim as standard, then you could apply THX to anything, we do not as such require re-eq for the 10.00 o'clock news/Eastender's/whatever.

DVD film replay i personally advocate the usage of THX (but many do not like it) where-ever required, (but not usually for DTS)

As is stated above it would be useful even if not on the packaging to have a source of information as to what soundtracks have been "tinkered" with for home replay.

I would say why sodding "tinker" with them at all, this is not how the track was originally passed and is this a dumming down for the "Sherwood" masses??

Then again i am often called a "twat"



Regards



Steve.

[Hotblack Desiato]

Thanks, all, for the info.

Juboy regarding the Pioneer from recollection i think it displays

"THX Cinema" if used listening to analogue stereo/PL soundtracks.

"THX Cinema" if used listening to DD/DTS5.1

"THX Surr EX" if used when surround back decoding is switched on.

"6.1 Matrix/Discrete + THX" if used when listening to extended DTS.

Similarly i use PL11 when watching TV so i guess by default THX is being used here too.



Edited after rechecking what the display said...

[Uncle Eric]

THX processing was for me preferable in the day of sit-up-and-beg PL but with the advent of PL2 and the wider bandwidth/pseudo stereo rear channels it is more likely a matter of taste/choice.

It owuld be nice to specify whether we require the re-eq trim as standard, then you could apply THX to anything, we do not as such require re-eq for the 10.00 o'clock news/Eastender's/whatever.

DVD film replay i personally advocate the usage of THX (but many do not like it) where-ever required, (but not usually for DTS)

As is stated above it would be useful even if not on the packaging to have a source of information as to what soundtracks have been "tinkered" with for home replay.

I would say why sodding "tinker" with them at all, this is not how the track was originally passed and is this a dumming down for the "Sherwood" masses??




I agree with Steve here.

In short, I never use THX processing in a room with decent acoustical properties. In rooms that are fairly live, it's a little more acceptable as I find taking a little edge off in these circumstances improves things a little. However, as Steve says, it's a no go using it for all sources.

[ricdiggle]

I always try it (adding the THX processing) with new discs but as yet, the only time I've ever really liked it and felt the benefit was with the R2 version of Boogie Nights. The soundtrack is incredibly harsh sounding and without the THX I found it very hard to listen to. It's still dreadful with the THX, but at least your ears don't bleed so much! :(



Richard