The question is not whether or not THX has promulgated specs. Obviously, they have. Thanks for quoting them to us.

The question is whether or not, particularly in the are of cables, if these specs measurably contribute to better sound quality or not, and if cables that do NOT have the THX certification, but otherwise have the same basic characteristics, are just as good, and perhaps a better price value.

Keta: The actual costs for THX certification are a closely guarded bit of information, but it likely varies to product category, presumably with an overall licensing fee to "buy in" and whatever the costs are to actually cover the certification testing. The hardest thing to determine would be if anything has changed since the ownership of the THX program was shifted from 100% by Lucasfilm, Ltd. to a jointly held venture that is majority owned by a manufacturer.

Like anything else, a large part of the value add is whether or not seeing the logo gives you a feeling of confidence that the product DOES meet a certain spec, rather than believing any one manufacturers' marketing spin. If it does, it's worth it; if it doesn't so be it.

Remember, that as with many consumer electronics products, there are only a limited number of companies and factories capable of manufacturing interconnects at the spec level required by THX. A factory that OEMs for one brand may make very similar cables for others that WOULD meet the THX specs if submitted, but for a variety of reasons might never be put in for test.

Interesting to note that over time, the "cable and interconnect" category is the one where THX has gotten the least amount of traction. Some of the earlier adherents have dropped off. To be honest, I haven't checked lately, but there is may be only one other company with certified cables, and they are not sold widely, if at all, through retail outlets (installer channel, mostly). The dynamics of the cable market are such that others may simply feel that Monster is, well, such a MONSTER, that getting THX isn't that much of a marketing advantage so they choose to differentiate themselves in different ways than applying for THX cert.