Infrequently Asked Questions

•  Your reviews seem pretty harsh.

•  Isn't it a little unfair to compare an auditorium in a 12-screen megaplex, with that of a 1-screen independent?

•  What is THX Sound?
Q.  Your reviews seem pretty harsh.

A.  That's not a question. But yes, the reviews are harsh, because this site is about promoting technical brilliance, not technical okayness.

Q.   Isn't it a little unfair to compare an auditorium in a 12-screen megaplex, with that of a 1-screen independent?
A.  In many ways, yes it is unfair. But once again, I have to stress that this site is not about fairness, its about a discussion on the absolute technical performance of a theatre.

It could also be said that it's unfair to compare watching a film on a big screen at a cinema, to watching it at home. Well you can make a comparison - and I'd prefer to watch it in a cinema.

Similarly, I'd prefer to see a film in an auditorium with a great sound system, big screen and good projection standards. And whether that means going to a megaplex or independent is irrelevant in a discussion on purely technical grounds.

Q.   What is THX Sound?


A.  This one confuses everybody. Unlike Dolby SR, Dolby Digital, SDDS or dts, THX is not is sound a sound format. Instead it is a set of standards for cinemas to produce high quality audio reproduction.

This is often discussed in terms of A-chain and B-chain parts of the cinema. The A-chain refers to the first part of the audio system - the pick ups on the projector and the sound format decoders. Then there is the B-chain - the amplifiers and speakers. THX Certification ensures the quality of the B-Chain equipment. Thus a presentation can be advertised as in Dolby Digital and THX - they are different part of the audio presentation.

A THX Certified auditorium also meets certain standards regarding acoustics, materials used, background noise, etc.