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Although my computer is near state of the art with RDRAM, RAID 0, 7200 rpm drives, 140mhz bus speed overclocked.
*eek*
I hope you backup often...
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And I feel by getting THX I should have a minimum decent starting point. And I agree with Avi Greengart on this quote, "You may not agree with parts of the THX philosophy, or you may simply consider the THX logo, certification, and processing a poor value for the added cost (all licensing programs add to the cost of the product). There are undoubtedly a lot of products out there that equal or exceed the quality of their THX-certified competitors. Still, when you use THX-certified speakers with THX-certified processors, a lot of the interaction guesswork has been taken care of for you, and that can have a significant impact on the quality of your system. If you have the budget, go for it."
Then why aren't you looking at THX certified speakers? If you're willing to consider the potential of fabulous companies not willing to pay Lucas for his stamp of approval on speakers, why not extend the same consideration to receivers and DVD players?
I'm not saying THX is useless or crap. I just don't think it's should be used as THE measuring stick by anyone invested enough in the hobby to spend time researching components on an A/V bulletin board. However, clearly, you are exactly the kind of person THX was intended for. You want the reasurance it offers so more power to you. I don't mean to belittle your opinion at all, if that's how you're interpreting it. I just think everyone should be well educated on exactly what THX entails and what other options exist. That's the great thing about this hobby. It's totally subjective and will pay back to you in enjoyment exactly how much energy you put into it. You don't need to simply believe Lucas's staff.
I highly recommend you audition all the components that interest you, regardless of their certification, and determine if Lucas's opinion of what makes an enjoyable movie experience is the same as yours.
