While the THX logo and, more notably, its trailer have undergone an innumerous number of transformations, their typographic core remained the same.
The earliest version, released in 1983, already has everything what makes this logotype recognizable. The horizontal bar on the letter “T” extends over the “H” and “X”, while below the wordmark, there is another horizontal bar. The logo is fading in an out. The original trailer, nicknamed “Wings” (after the Oscar-winning movie of the same name), was being shown before the start of a film in theatres
Since then, the trailer has appeared on millions of THX-certified DVDs and VHS tapes. There have been over 20 variants varying by visual effects, the color scheme, music, text etc.
The trailer is based on the so-called Deep Note, an audio trademark developed by Dr. James A. Moorer. It is a synthesized (and rather ominous) crescendo moving from a low rumble to a high pitch.
The logotype features a sans serif typeface created for the company from scratch.
In the trailers, the “THX” lettering has appeared in a variety of colors and shades. In most cases, shades of silver have been used to create a shiny effect.