Semi, I do not disagree with your final decision must be done with your ears. It's just that like many of us consumers that must weed out literally thousands of products, we need some sort of "standard" to at least go by for some minimum of quality assurance. I could easily go out and buy a $300.00 receiver that sounds decent but doesn't do HT well, which will be about 75% of my listening. You yourself said that if THX were free to get, then every cheap receiver would have it. As far as THX speakers go, I can't afford $3500.00 M&K's at the moment, but I know speakers are the most important part of the sound system, and my ears will be the final judge. Or at least the advice of much more knowledgeable users or reviewers than myself. That is how I found out about Axiom in the first place. However, I know I don't want to be shortchanged later if I happen to put in a movie and my receiver doesn't encode it properly. I just think that like Greenart said, with THX I should be at least assured some measure of protection in that area. I will in the end let my ears be the judge, but I also want to know my receiver is at least capable of all modern formats. But, admittely I am not very knowledgeable about all these new features out today. NEO:6, PLII, DTS-EX, I'm not even sure I know what these do...lol. But I don't want to be sitting later wishing I spent an extra $50-100 now to get it. I do have a question though for you Semi or any one else that knows. I notice these features prevalent on THX receivers :
- THX Adaptive Decorrelation
- THX Bass Peak Level Management
- THX Front-Channel Re-Equalization
- THX Loudspeaker Position Time Synchronization
- THX Select Certification
- THX Subwoofer Crossover
- THX Surround EX
- THX Timbre-Matching
Are these features I could find on a non-THX receiver for comparable money? I imagine THX finds them necessary for HT otherwise they wouldn't mention them. But I am trying to educate myself about it before I make my final decision. At least the best I can since THX is still a "secret" technology, they will not post the requirements publically.