My opinion for what it's worth: Why should YOU (HK)pay someone else to say you meet (or exceed) THEIR standards/specs? THX used to be 1 standard. Now it's 3-Ultra & Select & now (as I heard a year ago) the 3rd is now called ULTRA2.(Not that I want to differ with Larry)THX home certification was based on 2 subwoofers for over 3000 square feet for home systems, also on the ability of the amps in the system to sustain equal & separate levels to each discreet channel (to name only 2 issues). I spec'd out the Select models of several lines & I see those Select models as NOT being as high a standard as ULTRA - yet it is being licensed anyway -what does that tell you? You can buy a CDN$400.00 Select! I can only assume Ultra2 is better than ULTRA.
The cash merry go round goes around & around.PL1 to PL2, DTS to DTSneo6, it will never end, just like the PC game! It has become an elitist club, nothing more. In choosing my Yam I read quite a bit & there is an awful lot of extremly high end equipment out there that is not labelled THX. I am not saying THX is not good quality I'm just saying there is a lot of stuff around that is equal to or even extremely beter than THX - speakers included. I remeber Addidas had to be on the shoe or you were not a good athelete, now I guess to be tops you gotta have Nike.
Tell you what my friend, get the specs on a THX amp & compare them to the one you are considering. If there appears to be an issue with what you want not coming close to the THX spec then shop around. Although if $ is a consideration then choose accordingly. The cost of putting a THX logo on a product is VERY high!
There are some basic specs any product should meet such as Total harmonic Distortion & others, Matt, Mike Larry & others around this site can give you those.
I sold my top of Kenwood's line THX Reciever - not a Select, not ULTRA, not ULTRA2, - just THX when there was only THX. The Yam is wonderfull & it out specs the Kenwood to Japan & back! If you want the hk avr520: HK is an extremely excellent brand with a legacy behind it. Read some reviews & reports on it on the net. I don't know much about that model but if it is an HK it's great at doing what it was designed for. Its got: MP3, Dolby Digital, DTS, ProLogic II, 7.1 Logic 7, DTS5.1, 6.1 ES Matrix, discrete and Neo processing plus HDCD decoding. - seems good & the price too. Is it upgradeable to PL3 to 9? DolbyX, Neo6 to 12? who gives a damn in 2 to 3 years we will Have DolbyX(squared),DTS NewNEO99, PLgoogleplex, & on & on -I think you get my point. Dom, if you like the HK get it & have fun - it will sound perfect, I'm sure.
Dogofthenorth (wishing tech advancement would be honest)


This message was edited by Dougofthenorth on 12/17/01 22:21.57.