VisionMaster Max

For a large screen and HDR you are going to want as many lumens as you can get. The Valerion is super bright and sharp. The black levels are decent for a DLP projector and the laser light source is incredibly convenient when you’ve lived with bulb based projectors for so long. I have both the Valerion Visionmaster Max and an older JVC RS400. While I still prefer the black levels and the cinematic feel of the JVC image, everything else is just better on the Valerion. I think it has incredible value for the money and it still has 3D. I don’t think you can go wrong with it but I have not seen the other projectors on your list.

I did have a problem with it turning off on its own while watching content. There is a known fault with their older power supplies that causes them to overheat and cut the power. I communicated this with Valerion through their WhatsApp and email and they sent me a new power supply. So far for the last three weeks it has been working fine and not shutting off.

I've had the valerion max for 6 months and am happy with it. I got it for the Kickstarter price of 2500. It's higher now but frequently gets discounted or bundled.

I got the valerian max, and it is the greatest thing I ever bought stopped using my tv i dont think i can ever go back to s tv not gonna lie, I bought it at the kickstarter price.So if the sony is only a thousand dollars more, I probably would have went for that

As I sit here staring at a Valerion Max, I feel like your opinion on this is kinda crazy. For what it is worth, I can't stand sparkling, and do notice it when I see it. I'm also RBE sensitive, and I am capable of seeing it with this model, and it is incredibly low RBE compared to other models I have seen. If you just don't like DLP, then that has nothing to do with the light technology used.

I don't have any high pitched noise at all. The projector runs really quiet overall. I seriously have no idea if there has been any firmware update for RBE reduction, but I can tell you I just find RBE very hard to see on this one. Feels like an 8x or faster color wheel equivalent. I have to look for RBE, and even then, it's barely there. So, thumbs up to them on doing a great job. I see it way easier on my BenQ W1070, which I do find mildly irritating when watching a movie.

Just so you are aware, projectors basically never are useful at their maximum brightness, and the Horizon 20 Max is no exception. It is extremely noisy and has terrible colors at its maximum brightness. Real world is closer to 3,000 ISO Lumens. Which is likely more where your BenQ probably worked at. I do think that the major players are playing catch up. Epson, BenQ, and Optoma are way behind. Epson especially with their lamp-based projectors still on the market, while every other brand, for the same money, has gone to LED or laser setups. But, the lifestyle models from a long list of companies are doing a very good job of giving us the quality we should expect. I watch videos here for some of the best reviews: [www.youtube.com/thehookup](http://www.youtube.com/thehookup) I also read reviews and feedback from owners as best as my time allows to stay informed. Companies like JVC and Sony still do well at the high end with their laser driven LCoS projectors. But, those remain quite expensive and do require sources to be connected. But, that's what they were designed for. I've run into issues with control of a Valerion projector that doesn't power on/off when the Denon receiver it is connected to powers on and off. This is the type of headache that smaller brands like this deliver. It should not be that way, but it is the headache of these smaller companies as well.

I use a JVC DLA-X590 on a daily basis, but just installed the Valerion Max at my brother's home. I put the JVC up next to the Valerion and the Valerion was a great deal brighter and had a super punchy image. I would likely buy something like the Horizon 20 if I were looking to buy a new projector right now. I do think it's a really great buy.

In a proper dedicated theater, with dark paint on all the walls and ceiling, you just need a basic matte white screen. If you also are doing a decent audio setup, then a acoustic screen makes a lot of sense. The Silver Ticket WAB screens are a great way to go. Please look at your measurements. Seems like 200 feet viewing distance is more like a auditorium at a college, not a small dedicated space. 200cm (6.5 feet) is REALLY tiny. 200" is over 15 feet, so that's not really small either. Just not sure what your real measurements are. I agree with u/Tempoth on this. If you can get the XGimi Noir, and wait a few months on it being delivered, it is one of the best options you may have right now. Otherwise, I might go with the XGimi Horizon 20 series, or the Valerion models.

As did I. So, we will find out just how good this actually looks at the same time. Based on seeing the Valerion Max, I expect the Noir will do a really good job.

As is often the case right now, if you have the budget for the XGimi Titan Noir Max, then you have a projector that makes a ton of sense. It has lens shift and can work from the back wall just fine. With 9' lens to screen (back wall mounting) it can give you a 62"-126" diagonal image. That's exactly what you want. [https://www.projectorcentral.com/xgimi-titan\_noir\_max-projection-calculator-pro.htm](https://www.projectorcentral.com/xgimi-titan_noir_max-projection-calculator-pro.htm) The duct placement is tough as it puts the projector more like 7.5' throw distance (lens to screen). That puts you squarely in short throw projector territory, which is extremely rare on projectors that look really good. Recently the Titan Noir was compared to models like the Valerion Visionmaster Max, and was rated as having higher performance overall. This was written by The Hook Up in response to a question as to which is better, I don't think a visual comparison video was made, but he has done a fair bit of testing with a demo unit he currently has... [https://www.youtube.com/@thehookupextras/videos](https://www.youtube.com/@thehookupextras/videos) That said, the Valerion Visionmaster Max is a very solid product as well. This is a model I recently installed into a client's home. I got the chance to compare it directly to my JVC projector, which I've enjoyed for years, and I found the Valerion was a significant step up in overall image quality. Shockingly better. Especially in brightness which is great for HDR 4K content. The Valerion was paired with a Silver Ticket WAB acoustic woven screen and looks amazing. I would think the WVS material would be just as strong. Woven screens are tested to have far less laser speckle than solid screens. This is something I can not say is true or not personally. I did all my testing on the woven screen. Not sure if you've dealt with audio in the room yet or not, but good audio is 100% as important as good video. Plan accordingly.

I have read, heavily, reviews. I have personally seen the 5050UB, I have a JVC DLA-X590R which is generally considered better than the 5050UB. I have seen the Valerion Max, myself, and put it up against my JVC, and was thoroughly blown away by how much better the Valerion performs compared to the JVC. Any number of reviewers have been disappointed by the LS11000 in that it doesn't match the contrast of the 5050UB which is years older. It is between the 4010 and the 5050UB in terms of contrast, and yes, contrast is king. Considering the Valerion Max has been put up against the current JVC models, which are several steps better than the LS11000, and the Titan Noir Max is compared better, from trusted reviewers than the Valerion Max, it once again, makes it a no-brainer. It's less money and looks better and sharper than the LS12000. Why would you spend even more money on the LS11000 to get a drop in quality? When I say better, I mean for HDR performance. For contrast. For motion handling. For color accuracy. Placement flexibility goes to Epson almost every day of the week. For good reason. But, the Titan Noir comes closest of any sub $3,000 DLP projector. Far better than the competing BenQ models or Valerion Pro. It's not an all-or-nothing scenario. Epson will have wins. No RBE on Epson, that's massive for people who are RBE sensitive. But, a step down in contrast from the 7 year old 5050UB is a slap in the face to consumers. Yeah, I'm informed. I do my homework. I own multiple projectors. I've seen many different models. I don't think the LS11000 is crap. It is a very solid $2,500 (maybe $3,000) projector. It is a very overpriced $4,000 projector. The competition it has is very real and the only reason to spend that type of money is because someone is seriously RBE sensitive.

Dammit man! :-) The issue with Epson is that their modern lamp models aren't modern. They are over half a decade out of date. Epson typically would refresh their models once every 2 years. Maybe 3 years. But, the 5050UB has been in production for about 7 years now. It's insanely out of date. It looks good, but it is lacking basic features and support that is showing up in all the competing models. If they just kept the 5050UB the way it is, but switched to laser, it would be good, but it is still lacking support for new formats that others are supporting, and the brightness is okay, at best. A big reason laser/led is so good is that it doesn't dim the way lamps do. I mean, yeah, if you leave it on nonstop for a couple of years, you will get some dimming. But, a few hours a day, and it will be many years. I have lost a ton of respect for Epson and what they are doing to their customer base. Their entire mid-tier lineup needs to be updated. From the 2350 to the 5050UB. It's not just about dropping a solid state light engine into these products, it is about actually updating them to keep up with the competitors. Epson knows this. They just don't give a damn. That's a problem. On their website, they have 2 UST models that are under $3,000. Those are far easier to recommend than any of their long throw home theater models. It's insane! Their lamp-based models also haven't moved their pricing since they were released half a decade ago. Where every other technology has been competing and dropping prices, the 5050UB is the same $3,000 it has cost for the last 7 years. The 4010, which was typically $2,000, is now $2,500. WHAT? Their 4050, which is the Pro version of the 4010, is $2,400. Once again, the 4010 is $2,500, while the upgrade model is $2,400. Help it make sense!?!? Note the 4050 is identical to the 4010 but it is black. It does come with a 3-year warranty instead of a 2-year warranty. It also includes a ceiling mount, plus a spare lamp. Much better deal. But, still, buying a lamp-based projector that is years out of date.

It is like a 7 year old computer. It still works, but it should not command the same high price is did when it was new. Technology moves forward. The 5050UB isn't crap, but it is significantly outclassed by models like the Valerion Visionmaster. By a fair bit. I've put my JVC DLA-X590R, which is arguably better than the 5050UB up against the Valerion Max and it wasn't even close really. The Valerion just bested the JVC by a fair bit. Most notably was the significant jump in brightness and quality for HDR content that the JVC simply couldn't keep up with. I can't speak to how long Valerion, or AWOL, or Soundcore (Anker), or XGimi will truly stay in business. BenQ has been around for years and is a strong company. But, companies like XGimi aren't brand new. I mean, BenQ has been around over 40 years. So, strong stuff. But, XGimi is only 13 years old. That's still nothing to ignore. As well, you don't see Pioneer TVs on shelves. Nor Sharp. Nor RCA. These brands which were massive are just gone. Licensing their names rather than delivering what they used to directly. This matters because the ability for companies to actually succeed is by innovating and delivering quality products at a reasonable price. Vizio made this happen for many years. Hisense has come out of almost nowhere (they bought Sharp I believe), and they are now one of the largest producer of TVs in the world. In reality, they started 50 years ago. But only entered the US about 25 years ago. Hard to imagine that was 2001. My point being that RCA didn't stay on top of innovating and moving forward. Optoma has struggled similarly. BenQ isn't quite keeping up, but they do keep innovating. XGimi/Valerion/etc. are all innovating and delivering the latest DLP products for reasonable prices to consumers. Right now, to get the latest DLP chip? XGimi and AWOL have products. Nobody else has anything else yet that I'm aware of. Certainly not Optoma or BenQ. But, when the .47" chip was having significant issues, BenQ tilted to the larger .65" chip. Optoma hasn't budged. What about Epson? LS11000. LS12000. QB series. They are making reasonably priced UST projectors. So, why not a mid-tier standard throw laser model that's updated? Take a look at their business models on their website. They have half a dozen laser projectors under $3,000 on the business market. The fact that they have ZERO proper home theater models in that price range that are standard throw is a choice by Epson. A shitty fuck you to consumers choice that Epson has made. The LS12000 is very good looking, but they are flat out ignoring a massive market that still wants and needs mid-tier LCD projectors. Fuck you is what Epson is saying to those consumers. Not even sure they realize it. But, I expect they are quite aware. They simply don't give a damn.

As good as it is, the 5050UB is the obvious newer version of the 5040. Unfortunately, it is 7 years since it was introduced, which is ridiculous. Epson is long overdue for updating their entire mid-tier product lineup to laser-based models. So, I don't recommend it, even though it looks good. Instead, I would recommend the XGimi Titan Noir on Kickstarter. It is in the same quality class as the Valerion Visionmaster Max, but has a better price point. It also has a lot of zoom range and optical lens shift, which will make it easier to drop into the place of your existing 5040UB. The Epson has about the most zoom and lens shift on the market, so if you don't want to move your mount, you need to ensure that what you are getting actually works from where you intend to put it. This takes CAREFUL and fairly exact measurement. Within about an inch on all measurements. Screen to lens. Ceiling to center of lens. Ceiling to top of screen. Screen diagonal. Assuming a 16:9 screen. The Titan Noir is very well reviewed, and is said to perform better than the Valerion Max. I have put the Valerion Max against my JVC DLA-X590R, and the jump in quality is pretty darn significant. The Titan being better? I ordered one.

BenQ is a high quality brand. Their projectors, out of the box, often are very color accurate. They have a full support system and repair centers in place that many manufacturers don't have. They have been at it for years and have been pretty consistent with reliable products for ages now. I would say the same is true of Epson, but Epson projectors that are still using lamps are significantly outdated. They aren't bad, but Epson knows they are screwing you over with those products and they have abandoned their mid-tier lineup at this point. As a choice. So, they aren't ideal. You have Optoma that has struggled with quality in the last ten years. Getting worse instead of better and making poor choices. Other brands tend to loosely play in the projector market. Acer. Viewsonic. etc. Then you get a long list of new players in the projector arena that are really challenging the stalwarts. XGimi, Dangbei, Nexigo, Valerion, Soundcore, and several others. But, BenQ is still doing its best to keep up with the challengers and doing a fair job along the way. It also still maintains a long lineup of projectors that are really designed for home theater instead of lifestyle models. If anything has been a knock against the new players it is that they almost exclusively live in the lifestyle projector category. It is only XGimi with their Titan Noir that is putting out a more traditional home theater projector. Frankly, to very high praise. Now, you still have fanboys of specific brands. If Epson had a replacement to the 5050UB that was in the same price class, but updated a fair bit and similar contrast, then I would recommend that. If the Valerion Max was in the needed price range, then that's a good option. But, the Titan Noir is what I'm going with right now. If I were looking at BenQ, their 4100i is a strong option... [https://www.benq.com/en-us/projector/cinema/w4100i.html](https://www.benq.com/en-us/projector/cinema/w4100i.html) As is often the case, it is well reviewed by those who actually know projectors. [https://www.projectorreviews.com/benq/benq-w4100i-4k-4led-home-theater-projector-review/](https://www.projectorreviews.com/benq/benq-w4100i-4k-4led-home-theater-projector-review/) The rub is that at that price point, the XGimi Titan Noir is a solid step up in overall quality, in almost every category.

The Titan has been compared, head to head, with other products. This has happened, and the product has gone into the hands of professional reviewers that know their shit and are NOT being paid by XGimi for the reviews. It is almost unheard of for release models to be worse than the demo models sent out for review. It is not speculation. Come on Kiran. You can go out and look at these reviews yourself. You're not usually so cynical. XGimi has the Titan listed at $4,000 MSRP. It likely will drop some after it has been out for a while. This is NORMAL behavior for most manufacturers. JMGO has really been pushing their pricing down. BenQ, has seen the X500i drop from nearly $2,000 down to $1,500. Normal. So, the early price on the XGimi Noir Max won't be around again for a while I expect, but we will likely get them in the long run. If you look at pricing on the Horizon 20 series, you'll see that pricing has dropped from when it was released. But, someone buying now, should get a Valerion if they want the best looking DLP projector right this second. The Max is a very strong recommendation. But, the Titan Noir is coming out next month according to XGimi (who knows their stuff) so jumping on the price right now shouldn't be a wait of five months to get a step up on the Valerion. I will be comparing the Noir to the V Max. But, The Hook Up has already made this comparison.

This is a terrible list. There are tons of projectors which are FAR better than those listed. Even from BenQ. The contrast figure you use is holding this list back. Because there is no > option for contrast so models with super high contrast can't be included. Plus 10,000:1 is WELL beyond what the HT3560, TK850, and TK860i is capable of. Dynamic? Maybe. But not native. So, it's not accurate at all. This list is far more accurate... [https://www.projectorcentral.com/projectors.cfm?g=2&r=1017&br=2000&br=10000<g=101&p=500&p=4000&oop=1#list](https://www.projectorcentral.com/projectors.cfm?g=2&r=1017&br=2000&br=10000<g=101&p=500&p=4000&oop=1#list) I've limited it to JUST solid state projectors (laser/LED) and you can see just how extensive this list actually is. Contrast is a bullshit claim by manufacturers. You MUST read reviews to find out how the contrast of any specific model actually performs. The BenQ GP520, for example, claims 200,000:1 dynamic contrast. In reality it only delivers 470:1 native contrast and 1503:1 dynamic contrast. Per The Hook Up... [https://youtu.be/F6mFV7XQC3o?si=yjRe6hNc3p3csS4a](https://youtu.be/F6mFV7XQC3o?si=yjRe6hNc3p3csS4a) The video I just linked also highlights just how strong the competition really is. BenQ, in head to head testing, ranked near the bottom. That's not good for them. I do believe that BenQ is playing a bit of a game of catch up right now with these other manufacturers. But, they do still have very strong models like the W4100i which I wouldn't have any problems recommending overall, but it lacks the zoom range that is likely needed and isn't nearly the value right now that the Titan Noir is on Kickstarter.

Lifestyle models are basically taking over the home theater market in that price range. But, there are models which absolutely trash the old home theater models. Xgimi with their Horizon 20, the Valerion Visionmaster models, the Nexigo Trivision Ultra. These are all a different box around the projector, but the image quality they are delivering is really exceptional. Yeah, I've had issues with the format as well, but it is what the industry is doing at this point. More lifestyle models, less home theater specific models. The BenQ HT2060 is a solid 1080p LED projector, but for the money, there is just no chance I would purchase it.

Looks like that is a $1,300 projector. That's not 'cheap' for sure. It's a solid budget for a first time projector, and a model like that wouldn't be a bad way to go, but there are better options. JMGO has stuff at similar price. But, I would more likely try to get the Valerion VisionMaster or the XGimi Horizon 20. The XGimi is especially nice because it has a fair bit of zoom range as well as lens shift that can help you really dial in the image exactly without needing to use any digital correction. Digital correction should be avoided if at all possible. If I were more strict on my budget, then the Nexigo Trivsion Ultra has refurb units from $1,100 on Amazon that would be a really strong choice and that model is really well reviewed. Pull down screens suck. If you can get a fixed frame screen instead, then that is a MUCH better choice. There are a number of used fixed frame screens I always see on FB Marketplace nearby me for around $100 that are much better than any pull down screen could hope to be.

Valerion Visionmaster, XGimi Horizon 20. There are newer and newer models which have dynamic tone mapping and more advanced features and support for HDR content built in along with better brightness and better control for HDR content. They have a wider color gamut and can deliver the full DCI-P3 color space without problem. BenQ continues to be a very good performer in this price range as well. All of them have solid state light sources which already is an improvement and is 'better' than the sub-$3,000 5+ year old offerings from Epson at this price point as well. I don't hate Epson, and if you have to get a 5050UB, then it's not a piece of shit. It's just a fuck you to consumers from Epson. They know it's out of date. They know that the competition has moved to solid state projectors. They know if they just dropped a solid state light source into these models with some small firmware tweaks, that they would be incredibly popular and would undercut their super expensive new models. It's not that the 5050UB sucks, it's that Epson is giving all consumers the middle finger at this point.

Elite Screens has some 'Yardmaster' series of screens designed for outdoor use. Be aware, it will struggle during the daytime, if it is usable at all. The sky is crazy bright, and projectors, even bright projectors are not able to compete. The Valerion models, and XGimi Horizon 20 series of projectors are solid choices. I like the Horizon 20 a great deal due to their inclusion of optical zoom and optical lens shift. Almost unheard of from any other model at this price point. Watch this video as it will help you get an understanding of what is around your price point... [https://youtu.be/9QqnfJ0-I\_s?si=p88bCpfragTgla8S](https://youtu.be/9QqnfJ0-I_s?si=p88bCpfragTgla8S)

JVC is the way I would go, every day of the week. They are both bright enough for SDR viewing, and neither is appreciably brighter than the other. Relatively speaking, they are really going to be, at best, okay for HDR content. As with most projectors, they just lack the brightness to really punch on HDR content. Modern models which are getting a lot of traction, like the Valerion or XGimi models are brighter, but still aren't incredibly bright with HDR content. They just handle the larger screen sizes more easily. But, as you said, they lack the contrast of the LCoS models. This can be problematic for people who have issues with DLP as well. Your eye can't tell the difference between a 10% difference in light output, so visually, you would get very little in terms of brightness between the two models. JVC has a much greater overall focus on front projection compared to Sony. But, both companies make good products.

I would strongly recommend investing in a screen. An entry level unit projecting onto a screen will usually outperform a mid tier unit projecting onto an untreated wall. You’ll want a motorized drop down screen with tab tensioning. The tab tensioning is important for avoiding ripples in your screen down the line. Regarding your choice of unit: the Titan noir Kickstarter is currently the best deal in projectors. At $3k it outperforms the Valerion Max, which retails for a couple grand more. I believe that you have until 15 June to order from the Kickstarter. For a less expensive option I’d investigate a secondhand or discounted Valerion Pro2. That unit is also tri-laser and can often be found at a discount as Valerion sent many out to buyers of the Max to use while they waited for the company to finish the Max’s manufacturing. The Max has now been released so there are a number of barely used secondhand Pro2s on the market. If you’re uncomfortable buying secondhand (or can’t find a well priced Pro2) you might also investigate the Nexigo TriVision Ultra, the Xgimi Horizon 20, or the Valerion Streammaster, all of which use laser or hybrid-laser light sources for brightness and gamut that often significantly outperform comparably priced units that use lamp or LED light sources. The Nexigo uses a hybrid laser-LED light source, which is a worse performer than pure laser but avoids the speckling issue inherent to current laser tech to which some users are sensitive. You should also consider whether or not your mount point would benefit from a unit with optical zoom or lens shift. A ceiling mounted projector must mount to your joists (unless you live in an apartment with concrete framing). Depending on where your joists are vis a vis your projection area you might need zoom in order to hit the size at which you’re aiming or lens shift in order to hit your target area with minimal digital keystone, which cuts your resolution if used. Many entry level units lack those features.

The Titan noir Max on Kickstarter is the best performing unit at that price. Don’t be discouraged by the folks on here with five figure setups. I’m sure that JVC unit is great. I switched to a Valerion projector from an LG OLED, though, and find that for me the larger screen matters a lot more than perfect blacks.