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Author Topic: Does THX Matter Anymore??? Lyle Romer Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1400 From: Davie, FL, USA Registered: May 2002 posted 05-20-2005 11:45 AM                     For anybody in an area that still has THX certified theatres, do the patrons care anymore or has all the Home/PC THX stuff diminished the brand name? Do people go to an older THX certified theatre over a new megaplex?  |  IP: Logged Aaron Mehocic Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 804 From: New Castle, PA, USA Registered: Jun 99 posted 05-20-2005 12:54 PM                     To me as a film viewer, its never been an issue. In fact, in my area there was only one theater (Regal) who was THX certified. In 1996 during our first expansion/remodeling project it was suggested we redesign for certification, but that was quickly quashed when it came to the final budgeting process.  |  IP: Logged Mark Lensenmayer Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1605 From: Upper Arlington, OH Registered: Sep 1999 posted 05-20-2005 01:24 PM                     The early THX theatre here certainly did have superior sound. I was especially impressed with the quieter sounds and the wonderful musicallity of the system. Wow, did it sound good. Marcus installed 6 THX units in a multiplex. They advertised moderately. The theatres sounded very very good, but Marcus never used any of the sound system trailers, which was disappointing. They have now dropped THX certification, but the theatres continue to have excellent sound. We now have a downtown, independent 8-screen that proudly advertises being the only all-THX theatre in Ohio. They advertise this fact regularly ("See it in THX on a 62' screen!). These theaters are competing with huge chain multi-plexes, so they need SOMETHING to get people to drive downtown, driving past the moster-plexes. (Note that they also charge only $1 for parking in a very convenient location.)  |  IP: Logged Jesse Skeen Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1517 From: Sacramento, CA Registered: Aug 2000 posted 05-20-2005 01:30 PM                     A 16-screen theater here that supposedly has all auditoriums THX-Certified has been open for about 2 years, and so far it's been disappointing. Several times I have heard bass coming from the theater next door, and once I even heard noise from outside! Weren't these the main problems THX design was supposed to eliminate? It's painfully obvious that THX standards don't include competent booth personnel either. THX-certification for video releases is of course a COMPLETE joke.  |  IP: Logged John Walsh Film God Posts: 2490 From: Connecticut, USA, Earth, Milky Way Registered: Oct 1999 posted 05-20-2005 02:48 PM                     To answer Lyle's question, I feel patrons do care, but not *that* much. The THX brand name has diminished, partly because it's on too many products. People go to the theater playing the film they want to see, almost regardless of the quality. THX was a good idea, but no so necessary today. THX put many construction details on paper and tested equipment so they knew what an amp or speaker could really do. This looked at the construction of a theater as a whole system, and provided complete engineering data to build the best possible result. It was hard to do this 20 years ago, but is sort of easy today. Really, many people today semi-copy THX spec's they got from a previous job and apply them to their new job.  |  IP: Logged Darryl Spicer Film God Posts: 3250 From: Lexington, KY, USA Registered: Dec 2000 posted 05-20-2005 06:28 PM                    A couple of things that came out of the THX specifications, that I would say carried over to the current builds. Air conditioning units on the roof are now installed so that they are not directly over the auditoriums. The return vents, at least with cinemark, are now below the screens far away from the units and I have never noticed any noises coming from them.  |  IP: Logged Cam Jones Film Handler Posts: 35 From: Calgary, AB, Canada Registered: Sep 2004 posted 05-22-2005 02:23 AM                     THX seems like just another way for Lucas to make some money now, I have seen (or heard in this case) many non THX theatres that have better sound. The Lowes Sony Metreon in SF claims all of its theatres are THX, however when I went there I heard noise from the booth (projectors, people talking etc.)  |  IP: Logged Aaron Sisemore Flaming Ribs beat Reeses Peanut Butter Cups any day! Posts: 3061 From: Rockwall TX USA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 05-22-2005 02:42 AM                     quote: THX seems like just another way for Lucas to make some money now, Lucasfilm spun off the THX division a few years ago, it is now a totally independent privately held corporation. -Aaron  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 05-22-2005 09:34 AM                     quote: Aaron Sisemore Lucasfilm spun off the THX division a few years ago, it is now a totally independent privately held corporation. Aaron, Not totally true... They are owned by Creative Sound Labs... hence the foray into computer speakers and junk market stuff. Creative is really nothing more than a marketing company. Indeed they might have been better off had they been bought by someone important like Maytag..... My experience is that THX no longer matters at all. The public is today capable of recognizing really good sound reproduction and will typically frequent a cimema with excellent sound no matter whats playing down the street. In fact names like Dolby Digital and DTS are the more important names to advertise on today. In several cases where I was involved with one or two THX screens in a complex it actually caused a problem in which patrons would not buy a ticket UNLESS the film they wanted to see was playing in the THX house. Of course the best thing to come out of the THX technology was the R-2. Mark  |  IP: Logged Dave Macaulay Film God Posts: 2321 From: Toronto, Canada Registered: Apr 2001 posted 05-22-2005 01:15 PM                     THX is useful if you really want to build a good cinema and you're willing to pay what it costs. The "certification" passes the minimum standard which is rather low, but if you actually build to the THX specs you'll have a room with pretty good acoustics and pretty good isolation and with sound equipment capable of presenting digital sound at the proper level without anything breaking. You can build a better sounding and better isolated room without THX if you know what you're doing. From the new theatres I visit, the architects designing them don't know how... or they get building budgets that force them to avoid doing it right.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 05-22-2005 01:26 PM                     quote: Mark Gulbrandsen Of course the best thing to come out of the THX technology was the R-2. But Mark, you forget about the D-2.  |  IP: Logged Aaron Sisemore Flaming Ribs beat Reeses Peanut Butter Cups any day! Posts: 3061 From: Rockwall TX USA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 05-22-2005 05:25 PM                     I thought Creative Labs owned them, but I couldn't find any information to prove same. Thus I went with the release from THX's own site that specifies that they were independent from Lucasfilm. -Aaron  |  IP: Logged R. Andrew Diercks Expert Film Handler Posts: 232 From: Marion, Iowa (In the middle of everywhere) Registered: May 2003 posted 05-24-2005 10:42 AM                     Many customers believe that THX is a different type of digital sound and are surprised when I explain that the crossover is the only equipment difference. I have EX in my Star Wars auditoriums and we are not THX certified. I thought ours sounded better than the THX theatre that we had the trade screening. How often do you have to re-certify? If the theatre isn't properly maintained, it probably isn't always up to THX standards.  |  IP: Logged Steve Anderson Expert Film Handler Posts: 168 From: Nashville, TN Registered: Feb 2000 posted 05-25-2005 08:21 PM                        I know in Nashville THX doesn't mean I have been to several independent houses in small communities around here that puts the "Big Boys" to shame.  |  IP: Logged Aaron Garman Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1470 From: Toledo, OH USA Registered: Mar 2003 posted 05-26-2005 12:34 AM                     We have one THX screen locally at Notre Dame, and it certainly means something. The sound there is perfect, and the image extremely bright. I forget which kind of projectors, but the manager there said they were made in India. Sound is through a CP650, with Crown amps. Not sure about the speakers. They are having a mini movie festival here in June, and they are finally getting some films with amazing sound mixes. The cinema usually has indie fair, but this time, we get some cool blockbusters like Titanic and The Matrix. I'm stoked! AJG  |  IP: Logged

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