Onkyo Ships Next-Gen THX HTiB

By Joseph Palenchar -- TWICE, 10/28/2008

Upper Saddle River, N.J. — Onkyo began shipping a second-generation THX-certified home theater in a box (HTiB) system that adds multiple new features and technologies compared to its predecessor.

The $1,099-suggested HT-S9100THX packages an A/V receiver, seven speakers and a powered subwoofer.

The new model adds decoding of all authorized Blu-ray surround formats, HDMI 1.3 connections, THX

Onkyo’s $1,099-suggested HT-S9100THX is the industry’s only THX-certified HTiB.

Loudness Plus, 1080i up-scaling, Audyssey 2EQ automatic room-EQ calibration and Audyssey's Dynamic EQ.

Two years ago, Onkyo introduced the industry’s first HTiB conforming to THX’s certification standards for integrated systems. To date, Onkyo is the only company offering a THX-certified HTiB, THX said.

Other system features include 7x130-watt embedded amp; 12-inch subwoofer with integrated 290-watt amp; seven two-way speakers; Deep Color support; and Faroudja DCDi Edge technology to up-convert and upscale all component, composite and S-Video sources to 1080i resolution over HDMI.

The company’s Music Optimizer technology enhances the sound quality of compressed music, including music stored on an iPod and docked in a compatible RI (remote interactive) iPod dock/charger.

Under THX’s HTiB certification program, certification is based on overall system design and performance because all components are optimized to work together, a THX spokesman said. THX’s other audio certification set standards for individual components such as A/V receivers, in-room speakers and in-wall speakers.