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THX’s iconic tone just got upgraded for the 4K era

THX’s iconic tone just got upgraded for the 4K era

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It’s still an overpowering sound

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THX’s long-running “bwonnnnnnnnnnnnnng” Deep Tone sound that plays before movies just got a lavish new update.

It’s still recognizable to cinephiles, but the version heard in the trailer above is much crisper than the original tone that played before Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi in 1983. There have been more than 20 remixed versions of the tone since then, including special versions made for The Simpsons and Shrek. Everyone knows it! It’s a meme! People remix the tone into their songs because it’s universally understood.

As the company got older and the industry changed from digital to film — from VHS to DVD and beyond — the Deep Tone has managed to stay relevant. The newest iteration is here to celebrate the 4K era. We’re living in an age of astoundingly beautiful nature documentaries, stunning live sports events, and crystal clear close-ups of Hollywood’s beautiful elite. THX’s new trailer not only introduces the redone “bwonnnnnnnnnnnnnng,” but it also pairs it with ridiculously beautiful footage.

Look, maybe it’s a little silly to get hyped about a new THX sound, but this is where we’re at as a society. YouTubers are making compilation videos like this one, which just collects sounds from the early 2000s and appeals to people’s nostalgia. The THX Deep Tone is like that. It gives me goosebumps just listening to it — especially the Shrek version if I’m being honest.

The next time you’re watching a THX-certified movie, keep an ear out for the newer tone. Let it wash over you — or, as The Simpsons pointed out, let it blow you away.