Near-perfect image quality comes at a price

After a well-reviewed and successful Kickstarter campaign, Valerion’s 4K VisionMaster Max laser projector is finally here. It is the company’s new flagship model in the VisionMaster series, offering better image quality and ease of use than its other models. However, it is more expensive and has stiff competition from Anker’s Nebula X1 and XGIMI’s Horizon 20 Max.

I was curious to see how it compared to those genres and whether it would live up to Valerion’s promise of “pure cinema.” It offers better image quality, but the difference isn’t enough to justify the huge price jump for most users.

Features and design

The VisionMaster Max has a premium squarish design with a glossy black front and chrome aprons on the side that house two 12W speakers. It’s smaller and fits my decor better than Nebula’s tall, plasticky X1, although the latter is also designed for outdoor use. The VisionMaster Max has a similar form factor to XGIMI’s Horizon 20 Max, but that model pivots in place, while the Valerion uses kickstand-like support.

To set up, VisionMaster Max is flexible. It comes with a 0.9-1.5x optical zoom, so it can be installed between 7.8 and 13 feet with a 120 inch screen size, covering a wide range of situations. It also has a +/- 105 percent vertical adjustment option that helps you get the perfect screen fit without moving the projector or using digital “keystone” adjustments that affect image quality.

If that still doesn’t work, you can replace the included lens with a 0.9-2.0:1 long-throw option when it becomes available. The company has even promised an anamorphic lens for users with CinemaScope screens. Both of those items will be available for purchase separately with prices yet to be revealed.

In my space, I put the VisionMaster Max on a table about 12 feet from my 120-inch screen and set it up in the center since there is no horizontal switch option (it can also be mounted on the ceiling, of course). Then, I went to the default alignment setting, I made sure the inserted image was bigger than my screen and hit “initial alignment” to fit my screen properly. While it doesn’t have a motorized lens gimbal like the Nebula X1, the lens swap option offers the same flexibility, so setup was just as easy.

For inputs, the VisionMaster Max comes with three HDMI 2.1 ports, including one with eARC for the soundbar, as well as an S/PDIF output and a 3.5mm audio output. Surprisingly, it includes a gigabit ethernet connection so you can use it with a hardwired Internet connection or connect via Wi-Fi.

The VisionMaster Max doesn’t have liquid cooling like the Nebula X1, but Valerion claims the same fan noise level of 28db. When I compared them side by side, it was only a touch higher than the X1 and not bothersome at all.

Google TV has built-in streaming and projector control with a high-quality, slightly backlit remote control. It provides a large library of apps through Google Play and a standard user interface. You get certified versions of Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, Disney+, Max and more, as well as support for Chromecast and AirPlay, and Google Assistant for voice control. With 4GB of RAM and 128GB of ROM, the software felt more responsive than Google TV on the Nebula X1.

Image quality

VisionMaster Max has many features designed to improve image quality. It is one of the few consumer projectors with a dynamic iris and a feature called Enhanced Black Level (EBL) for improved contrast. It uses a triple RGB laser light source (rated for 25,000 hours) paired with a 0.47-inch DLP chip that produces traditional 1080p or 4K video with pixel switching. This same chip is used in almost all consumer-level 4K projectors, but XGIMI’s upcoming Titan Noir Max projector will pack a much larger 0.78-inch DMD chip that should deliver a sharper image.

VisionMaster Max also supports all HDR formats, including Dolby Vision and Samsung’s HDR10+, as well as Valerion’s HDR tonal setting. You can choose from seven picture modes for SDR, eight for HDR, three for Dolby Vision and four for HDR10+. The projector handled most HDR content well, although it sometimes lost detail in the brightest shots. However, that can be greatly adjusted using the manual color controls.

With all those features, the VisionMaster Max can output 4K 60 fps video at up to 3,500 ANSI lumens with a contrast ratio of 50,000:1, easily beating its biggest competitors. In addition, it promises an impressive 110 percent of the Rec.2020 HDR spectrum, with a delta E value (color accuracy) of less than 0.8 straight out of the box (any delta E less than 2 is invisible to the human eye). Another important feature is the reduction of the rainbow effect possible with a DLP projector.

After some maintenance that is often required with new projectors, I was very impressed with the image quality. The brightness was high enough in “normal” mode to watch content such as sports or TV shows without lowering the curtains, and can be increased if you don’t care about color accuracy.

When used in ideal conditions such as a dark room, the VisionMaster Max’s image quality is the best of any processor I’ve tested so far. In Filmmaker mode (EBL setting enabled), contrast levels are outstanding, with true blacks appearing in darkly lit scenes instead of the washed-out gray seen in most projectors. However, I kept the EBL mode to a minimum as I noticed that it caused some color shift in some levels. Dynamic iris projectors can cause excessive “pumping” or sudden changes in light levels, but after adjusting the iris to a neutral position, I saw no signs of that.

Color accuracy is outstanding straight out of the box in both HDR and non-HDR mode, especially, and in Filmmaker mode. Visually, I couldn’t see any anomalies when I looked at the color bars or other charts, although my Calibrite Color Checker told me that the gamut of hues was slightly lower than Valerion said (less than 100 percent of BT.2020).

However, the Max’s high color accuracy allowed me to see TV series and movies just as the filmmakers intended for HDR and non-HDR movies as well. The White Lotus season 3, Once upon a time in Hollywood, Andor again Dune 2. The projector’s excellent dynamic range and contrast reveal shadow details in it Game of Thrones‘ The Night King battle, with dark scenes that are hard to see on other TVs.

I’m a little sensitive to the “rainbow” effect, but the RBE Reduction feature effectively removed that visible artifact for me. However, it also introduced a small amount of noise, so I turned it off. The feature may be a godsend for some severely affected users, but it still needs further development.

Sound and performance

Of all the luxury projectors I’ve tested so far, the VisionMaster Max is the best for gaming — even compared to some dedicated models. It delivers latency as low as 4ms and a refresh rate of up to 240Hz at 1080p, and 15ms at 4K at 60Hz. I tested several PC titles including Cyberpunk 2077 again Hollow Knight: Silksong and I found them as responsive as I’ve seen them on any TV, but with more immersion thanks to the bigger, brighter and more color-accurate picture.

You can output audio via S/PDIF optical output, 3.5mm headphone jack, HDMI 2.1 port and even USB 3.0 Type A port. The built-in 12W stereo speakers are efficient and loud, so you can use them sparingly. However, since it supports both DTS:X and Dolby Atmos, you’ll want to connect it to a good home theater sound system with at least 5.1 surround sound support.

In comparison, the Nebula X1 does not have Dolby Atmos support, but it gives you the opportunity to buy and easily connect stereo Bluetooth speakers at a cheaper price. For about the same cost as the Valerion Max, Anker offers the Nebula X1 Pro which comes with a larger external sound system and supports Dolby Atmos.

Finish it

The Valerion VisionMaster Max is a high-performance home projector that offers the best image quality I’ve seen thanks to its powerful iris and Enhanced Black Level features. However, it is also more expensive than rival models at $5,000. It’s very hard to justify that extra money, unless you really object to image accuracy and gaming performance, or you need other features like a 1Gbps ethernet port.

Most buyers would be better off spending a lot less on Anker’s $2,699 VisionMaster Pro2, Anker’s $2,999 Nebula X1 or the $2,999 XGIMI Horizon 20 Max. Also, the difference in image quality is too small to justify the big price jump on the VisionMaster Max. You may also want to wait to see how much XGIMI’s Titan Noir Max 4K costs, as it offers a powerful iris but has a much larger DLP chip.