Valerion's VisionMaster Max projector is here, riding the wave of hype from its successful Kickstarter campaign. It promises 'pure cinema' with its 4K laser projection, but at a staggering $5,000, does it deliver enough to justify the premium? I put it through its paces to see if it earns its flagship status, or if you're better off with the competition.
Design and Features: Flexibility is Key
The VisionMaster Max sports a sleek, squarish design with a glossy black front and chrome accents. It’s compact enough to blend into most home setups, unlike some of its bulkier rivals. Setup is remarkably flexible, offering a 0.9-1.5x optical zoom and a +/- 105 percent vertical shift. This allows for precise screen alignment without resorting to digital keystone adjustments that can degrade image quality.
Valerion even plans to offer optional long-throw and anamorphic lenses, catering to serious cinephiles. For connectivity, it boasts three HDMI 2.1 ports (one with eARC), S/PDIF optical, a 3.5mm audio jack, and, impressively, a gigabit ethernet port. "For my space, I placed the VisionMaster Max on a table about 12 feet from my 120-inch screen," writes Engadget, noting the ease of setup despite lacking a motorized lens gimbal.
Built-in Google TV provides a familiar streaming experience, with certified apps for Netflix, YouTube, and more. The software felt snappy, thanks to 4GB of RAM and 128GB of ROM. Fan noise is a claimed 28db, which I found to be only slightly louder than Anker's Nebula X1 and not at all bothersome.
Image Quality: Near Perfection, But at What Cost?
The VisionMaster Max is packed with features aimed at maximizing image quality. It employs a dynamic iris and 'Enhanced Black Level' (EBL) for improved contrast, along with an RGB triple-laser light source rated for 25,000 hours. It also supports every HDR format, including Dolby Vision and HDR10+.
Valerion claims an impressive 110 percent of the Rec.2020 HDR color spectrum. After calibration, I was indeed impressed. Brightness is sufficient for daytime viewing in 'standard' mode, and in a dark room, the image quality is exceptional. Blacks are deep and true, especially in Filmmaker mode with EBL enabled.
Color accuracy is outstanding out of the box, rendering movies and TV shows as the creators intended. Even the notoriously dark battle scene in Game of Thrones was clearly visible, a testament to the projector's dynamic range and contrast. "With all those features, the VisionMaster Max can output 4K 60 fps video at up to 3,500 ANSI lumens with a 50,000:1 contrast ratio, easily besting its main rivals," Engadget reports.
The 'rainbow effect' common in DLP projectors is mitigated by an RBE Reduction feature, though I found it introduced some slight noise. However, XGIMI is stepping up the game: "XGIMI’s upcoming Titan Noir Max projector will pack a much larger 0.78-inch DMD chip that should deliver a sharper picture," according to Engadget.
"For now, the VisionMaster Max is a luxury projector with a luxury price, leaving most consumers better off exploring other options."
— Automatica PressGaming and Audio: A Surprising Edge
Surprisingly, the VisionMaster Max excels at gaming, offering latency as low as 4ms at 1080p and 15ms at 4K/60Hz. This rivals even some dedicated gaming projectors, making for a responsive and immersive experience. The built-in 12W speakers are adequate in a pinch, but the projector supports DTS:X and Dolby Atmos, making it ideal for a proper home theater setup.
Ultimately, the Valerion VisionMaster Max delivers near-perfect image quality, but the $5,000 price tag is a major sticking point. Unless you absolutely demand the best possible picture accuracy and gaming performance, or need the extra connectivity options, there are more cost-effective alternatives. Valerion's own VisionMaster Pro2, Anker's Nebula X1, and XGIMI's Horizon 20 Max offer similar performance at significantly lower prices. Keep an eye on XGIMI's upcoming Titan Noir Max, which could shake up the market with its larger DLP chip. For now, the VisionMaster Max is a luxury projector with a luxury price, leaving most consumers better off exploring other options.