THX is an acronym for “Tomlinson Holman’s eXperiment.” Holman created THX while working with Lucasfilm studio to devise a new standard for audio reproduction. This standard ensures quality and uniformity across all theater systems that play the company’s audio.
THX certifies that an audio system follows strict rules for ultra-high-quality digital sound playback. These systems can be professional theater or cinema sound systems, surround sound setups, simple home theater systems, or surround sound systems for a PC.
THX Certification establishes a rigorous set of industry standards for audio reproduction. The certification means that the sound coming out of a 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound system or any other speaker is precisely as the audio engineer intended while recording and mixing it.
Purpose of THX Certification
When you own a THX Certified sound system, you can be assured that you’ll hear the best sound possible, particularly if the DVD or video game you’re playing is also THX certified. However, that isn’t a requirement for THX to make a difference in your multimedia experience.
When a manufacturer achieves THX Certification, its customers know that their speaker systems reproduce professional-quality sound exactly as the audio engineer intended for a film or video game.
Impact on Home Theater Systems
Many films and video games carry the THX brand and logo to prove their worth as high-quality audio or video sources. However, THX Certification is most important for the speaker system that produces the sound because THX source audio matters only when it is played on a system capable of reproducing it. This is why a THX Certified surround sound system is thought of as the Holy Grail for home theater enthusiasts.
Recording Format Compatibility
THX Certified sound reproduction does not require the audio to be recorded in any particular format; whether it’s Dolby Digital sound or otherwise. Rather, THX is most important at the moment the sound is played by a speaker system.
THX Certified surround sound systems such as 7.1, 5.1, or 2.1 multimedia surround sound home theater systems play THX Certified sound from computers, televisions, and video game systems.
THX Certification Isn’t Free
Manufacturers of speaker systems must pay for product evaluation with THX Certification. Because the certification is expensive, usually only high-end products are tested for certification. Some companies—even ones with high-end products—may not choose to pay for the certification evaluation. As a result, although THX sound systems are high-quality speakers, there may be others on the market without the certification that are just as good.
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