The Three Best Home Theater Projector - Jvc, Sony, And Epson. We talk brightness vs Contrast. ALR 

This is the video I spent my entire day looking for. Everything I wanted to know wrapped up into one quick video! Thank you so much!

This is the video I’ve needed ! Thank you 🙏. I want to get a top tier projector for my birthday (it was May 6th) and Memorial Day or Labor Day is my shopping windows .. do you install in the concord, Ca. Area ?? Great looking installs in your showroom . It’s no wonder you won the awards ! You are the goat of HT!

Thanks for this i learned a lot expecially about the native 4k vs pixel shift 4k and the better brightness. Thanks you have got a subscriber. Finally what do you think aboutthe benq HT 4550i vs the LS 12000

Just subscribed. Awesome videos my friend. Keep up the great work 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

Great video, thank you. Which projector would you prefer: the Epson EB-PU1006W or the LS1200? It will be a dedicated cinema room without any distracting light sources. Room is 12 x 15,5 foot and i plan a 120 - 150 inch canvas. Thx in advance!

Thanks for a great video! Very informative. I don't know if you will answer me but I'll go for it: How does Sony (6000es) handles the differences in HDR (tone mapping) between movies to get the correct brightness?

I have been struggling to decide which projector to was next on my upgrade and the Epson just has so much VALUE!! Thanks for the knowledge!! Call me crazy but I currently own a Epson 5040 and one of things I love most is the motorized lens!! I think at the price point these all should have full motorized lenses.

Like the reviews you seem to know your stuff. Can you recommend a 4k laser projector for my home. It will be a dark basement and love gaming and Movies. Also want a large screen at 150 inch. But would like the option to have some soft lights on in the room sometimes. Can you suggest your top pick? Budget would be $5000 too $10000. Thanks 😊

Just the info i was looking for. Awesome review..

Wow! This SI Slate screen looks great but what's your take on the manufacture's recommendation of "Minimum Throw 1.5 x The Image Width"? I personally don't have an extra 17 inches of throw distance unless I drastically reduce my desired screen size... which would totally suck! Of course, the forums say that recommendation is to help avoid the ALR issues such as hot spotting, sparkle, and image uniformity. Thoughts?

Revisiting this thread after more time and observations. After rechecking the Brightness and Contrast settings of my 5050UB, and Adjusting the HDR Brightness slider in Natural mode, I am getting fully cinematic image and HDR content that is as "impressive" as it is on my calibrated OLED. Fan noise is not really an issue here. There are 3 projectors that David covered that should make the most sense (maybe only 2) for most consumers and me. 1. Epson LS12000. Yes, the right screen can improve contrast a bit, but given the brightness of the projector, 4k 120 for gaming, motorized lenses, and a laser engine, the value is just there. 2. Sony 5000ES. You do lose brightness, and a motorized lens, but you do gain a bit of sharpness and Sony image processing for a great picture. Also 1k more for the projector. It's truly a tossup between this and the Epson depending on how your main use would be. 3. JVC NP5 - Bulb based but otherwise getting you most of the NZ7 features. Again, not as bright as the Epson or the Sony. Calibrated this may not matter. 4k 120 and motorized lens, auto calibration. Is paying the same amount as a laser projector warranted? At this price, a laser based NP5 may have been a slam dunk. JVC, does not expect this to be your last projector at this price. I've not made a final decision yet, but the LS12000 may be back in the lead.

How is the contrast and black level of that Epson 1006? Epson website says that it has a 0.35 ultra short throw lens, a 0.65 - 0.78 and 0.87 - 1.05 short throw lens. Have you tried these lens? With MadVR, it can be a good option for a big screen in a room that are lacking in length.

Very helpful, thanks bro, I’m an Epson man myself . Where do you suggest buying replacement bulbs?

Thank you so much for this summary. It was fantastic with no bullcrap. I'm in Australia and the Sony 6000 is not available here only the 5000. Im building a full light controlled cinema 15ft deep. Anamorphic screen is something i love the look of. My screen will be AT with Krix speakers behind it. I have a feeling ill have to buy a lens as I don't want lose pixels or light for HDR. But that doubles the cost. I've been watching oleds Tvs for the last few years so black and contrast is something I appreciate see and appreciate. What am I choosing here? I am so over deciding... JVC - Blacks etc, but brightness from what I've seen is average. And I'm hearing our warranty in Aus is a nightmare to deal with. Months of wait times Sony - sharpness is great but blacks suffer compared to the JVC. Also the 5000 has no lens memory so cannot setup anamorphic lens memory and then get a panamoroh etc later Epson 12000 - bright but in a video it got DESTROYED for sharpness against the Sony 5000. It sort of ruined it for me. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-JdZMjrpXnmU.htmlsi=EwFeUtoKABk4358N What would you recommend. 90% movies only. No console...a F1 race once a fortnight. Can I move the lens out of the way automatically or is there a mode in the PJ? Thanks again. Is the 6000 only in US?

Very much considering an Epson ls12000 as well as changing out the screen since I would like my current one a little bigger and I want to change the color of the screen as well. I receive a TON of direct sunlight during the day. Would a dark screen suit me better? I think is have a SI white screen right now.

Thanks for your comparison on these projectors. I picked up the LS12000 a couple of months ago which replaced my BenQ W7000 I had for about 10 years. I'm currently very happy with the LS12000, but I am curious if I'm getting the most out of it with my current 120" white 1.1 gain Elite Screens pull down screen. Which screen would you go for with a light controlled room other than my white walls and ceilings with the ceilings having a slight slant on both sides? I've been considered either the fixed frame Elite Screen or Silver Ticket both in white. Thanks again for the down to earth video.

Many thanks for the advice. I currently have a 15 year old Sim3 which has seen better days. My screen is about 177 inches wide with a 33’ throw. Would the Epson PU 1006 do the job.

I had the ls12000 and unfortunately it failed 2 weeks after i got it and there was no stock in Australia so i was forced to get the jvc np5 and you can DEFINITELY see the sharpness difference in native vs pixel shift, its at least 10-15% sharper if i had to put money on it. I was happy woth the epson amd if it didnt fail on me i wouldnt of ever tried the np5, and im so glad that it did happen

I have an old Epson HC3700 that I love for its ability to handle warm colors well. Whenever I see a video comparing a laser projector to a bulb based one, the lasers seem to struggle with reds. The LS11000/LS12000 seem pretty good, but I'm still afraid of having that nasty green/blue push if I were to try an LS11000. Maybe it doesn't look like that in person, but I wanted to hear your thoughts. Would it be a worthy upgrade if I'm using a 110" white screen?

I have a 200 Inch projector screen. Would you recommend the Epson LS12000 for that setup or do I need to fork up the extra money for the EPSON PU1006 for my setup?

Everywhere I go I hear that JVC projectors are still superior when it comes to black level. I’ve also read that the lens on the Sony projector. Laser line are all made of acrylic and not glass. Is this not true? I was thinking of possibly purchasing the JVC’s NP5 for my 135 inch acoustically transparent screen. What’s your assessment on this lens? Memory is very important to me as I have a Cinemascope screen to get the Sony 6000 it’s a big Leap up in price I really enjoy your videos. Keep them coming.

nice one. love your review "Big 3 guy"

I switched from the XS5000 to the LS12000 and I‘m very happy about this decision. It‘s the better projector for my living room

I have the LS12000 and want to project to a 156" 2.40:1 screen Will it be bright enough for a Black diamond screen or should I stick with a 1.3 gain white screen? Total light controlled room.

Hi! Great content! What's your take on the contrast between the three option at 5k ( current budget )? All I hear is the higher ratio the better, and it should come before lumens "per say". I come from a long oled user and even tough the blacks will never be the same as oled what's your take on the best combo? Go high lumens and low gain and forget constrast (such as the 6.000 EPSON beast you've shown) or go with the higher contrast sony and just forget the rest?

I just recently got the Sony VPL-XW5000ES and it's one of the most spectacular projectors for the money. Although not as bright as the Epson, it does have a very crisp image and amazing black level and contrast performance. It is also brighter than my old LG hu810p laser projector that had 2700 lumens. Of course calibration killed most of the lumens on the DLP projector. But the Sony out of the box had better color and more accurate, so there was no loss in lumens. The 5000es has been measured to hit 2,180 lumens even though it's a 2,000 lumens projector.

Hi there Adjust the colors again in dynamic mode today, since it is the only one where the light source of the projector switches off to black. After yesterday's calibration, the projector is much more colorful, explosions and clouds are more vivid and realistic, before without calibration the projector was cool in terms of image compared to after. For me, the EPSOn LS 12000B is also a phenomenal projector of the high-end class, with Sony and JVC, which doesn't need to hide behind the 1000.00 EUR more expensive Sony 5000ES, better lens, better brightness, etc., quite the opposite when you Considering that you have to pay EUR 15,000.00 for a Sony with the same brightness, and natively or not, a lot has happened in 4K shifting. EPSON is up to date, my eyes don't see any difference to native 4K either. My values ​​after calibration: RGB level 10% = 0.3 ; 20% = 0.6 ; 30% = 1.5 ; 40% = 1.1 ; 50% = 0.9 ; 60% = 0.7 ; 70% = 0.6 ; 80% = 0.7 ; 90% = 0.2 ; 100% = 0.6 I paid more attention to a linear and balanced range here, and that things tend to get better rather than worse towards the back. More on that later. CIE color space BT 709 Red 0.6 Green 0.6 Blue 1.3 Yellow 0.5 Cyan 0.6 Magenta 0.5 White 0.6 You should all meet and are within the tolerance range. So, all parameters are fine, but of course it can always be improved, only I have set one picture mode, namely cinema, where I will give you the other settings for the way, so that you also have a better home cinema than cinema . The following applies: movie theater Hell.50 Ko55 Fasä58 Fato50 Sch14/14/14 white balance FaTemp.7 G-M4 Fri in low Liaus 75% Dyn Ko High Speed image opt. image template 1 intoxication 8th MPEG R. Low sup right Fine L. / soft focus 6/14 Auto Co. Withd. 12 Scenes Gamma adapt. 7 Dynamic range settings HDR10 8 image processing Fine Have fun The Basti

Hey, I just subscribed to your channel and I'm loving your content! You were talking about the Epson 5040, what do you think of the Epson UB5050?

what screen best goes with sony 5000es? Any advice please? in a light blocked room with black painted walls!

What’s your recommendation for a retractable screen with tension for the epson?

The Epson and Sony I like are currently the same price at my Best Buy... if I care the most about how good it is in the daytime are you saying the Epson is preferable? I think that's what I'm getting.

Thank you great video coverage. There is a larg lens old sony rating 5000 lumens VPL-VW5000ES Have a deal 10k will that projector do justice with HDR ?? How it's blacks and contrast? VPL-VW5000ES VS VPL-XW7000ES All used with a deal 12k who wins?

Sony 5000 or LS12000 for a dark light controlled theater room with 165inch screen? . Would the Sony be bright enough for that size screen?

Can you please elaborate on the black diamond not really going over 120"? I see they sell them bigger than that, so does quality drop or something? I was thinking 140" for me. Would you prefer slate at 140" or black diamond at 120"? Amazing content from this channel, thank you

One significant area you failed to discuss was tone mapping. Most viewers these days stream their 4k, and since no projector can meet HDR content, the tone mapping becomes even more important. The Sony and Epson projectors are not in the same class when streaming HDR content. Thanks for the information. I appreciate your efforts

Thoughts on Epson 3800 for the “under $2,000 budget projector”? P.S., I’m using an old 100” Stewart Firehawk screen, light control is pretty good. Had a JVC dla rs40u. Finally died. I am also cheap…..lol.

Can you do an Epson ls800 vs a comparable long throw Epson for streaming and gaming? Btw your channel is awesome! Deserves more subscribers

Legend. Videos are so to the point.

i heard you loose 30% after calibration with the Epson, so its pretty similar light output to the JVC..with JVC you get tonemapping. WHen is Epson going to get that?

I considered the Sony 6000ES but was dissuaded by some concerns I've heard about panel degradation issues I've read about. My previous projector was an Epson 6050 which I loved. When I was ready for a laser projector I really wanted to go with the LS12000 but Epson chose to drop 3D support, which ruled it out for me. I ended up going with the JVC NZ8 and have been extremely satisfied. I don't doubt the Sony has a better overall picture but doubt it's significant enough to matter in practice. Meanwhile the JVC's handling of HDR is unmatched and it wins the contrast battle in every shootout I've seen.

I have an Optima UHD 60 and it finally died, what do you suggest in 2-3K range?

Hi building a home theatre with no window and minimal lighting. Room is 15x18 and was leaving towards the JVC NZ 7/8. Was told about the Epson but not sure if I'd like the lower black quality. Will probably have madvr. Was not considering Sony, would you still recommend Sony over JVC?

Since I got my SONY VW1000, I've only bought a couple of times the original bare 330 Watt Philips lamp and within 15 minutes I install the replacement lamp, and so a new lamp only costs me 150 euros instead of 600 euros (including the module) plus I'm a non-smoker and don't have any Pets and every two or three years I open the housing and vacuum the built-in fans inside and out.

I agree with you on the Epson for value and that would probably be my next projector for a big screen. I currently have a JVC and I love the blacks but doesn't have the lumens for a larger screen. I love the way the Epson looks on that black diamond screen but it is way over my budget, what screen would you recommend with the Epson that is more affordable than the Black Diamond ? I appreciate your advice...

Can someone tell me is JVC home projector superior than Barco home theater projector. Is there any other projector brand better than JVC?

I have a 3500 lumen Panasonic 1080p laser projector on a 135-inch Silver Ticket grey screen and I'm pretty happy with it; it's got a great picture. Can't afford any of this high end stuff, lol.

I love this guys authenticity! Non of that BS. Just straight to the point! You have yourself a new sub my man! Keep up the good work and knowledge!

Is True 4k the same as Native 4k? Some manufacturers claim True 4k but are not Native 4k.

So. Help me choose. I can’t buy a second hand JVC NP5 with 100 hours, no guarantee for 5,5 k$, an Epson lS12000 for 5 k$ or an Epson LS11000+with a Vroom (yada yada that will handle tone mapping sorry can’t remember name) all projected on a 128” ARL screen for 2.5t€ in a decent but not light controlled room. TIA!

I have chance ti buy JVC DLA-X35 for 500$ with 3 reserve lamps! .It cost about 3500$ new. Is it worth that much money and is it really a good cinema projector?I have Epson EB U04 the colors have become pale and the contrast is weak. It is possible that the lamp has worn out..I want that JVC DLA X35B Thanx

Right now ..The best value to performance is the new Benq ht 4550i, 4 led..3200 ansi lumens..both ways lens shift..

is a cheap DLA-X 5000 *JVC Rs400 ) , a banger for 2024_? is its lower price then a 9300 epson(

Wow, great, you included top-notch brands like Epson, Sony and more.... of course, you have to pay the price to get them.....

Do black diamond screens suffer of hot spotting?

Hi do you have a video on RU-vid for home cinemas made with a budget of10-15-20 k

@theateradvice the LS12000 is newer, so it will have more features. LS12000 has 8.3 million pixels, EB-PU has 4.6 million pixels. LS12000 can do 4K/120Hz, EB-PU can do 4K/60 Hz. Now the next generation EB-PQ projectors (8.3 million pixels) will be more like the LS12000 but with lumens like the EB-PU.

Picture quality aside, the things I am looking for from a projector are laser (for lifespan), low fan noise, auto picture mode switching, and best obtainable picture quality. I have a 5050ub at the moment and the fan noise is horrendous and so is having to manually switch between SDR and hdr settings. I do think the Sony 6000es is a strong contender but the NZ7 is very close due to auto calibration and 8k future proofing. I find myself going back and forth between the two and thankfully have a few months to make that decision.

Good video

Has Sony fixed their panel degradation issues?

From my experience, talking with clients and HT enthusiasts, JVC is the cream of the crop.

You have a new sub. I am looking at upgrading from my JVC X35. I am torn between the LS12000 and the 5000es. I redid my room and went with a faux wall build. My screen is a 16.9 140 UF centerstage material. The room is dark and light controlled. Which projector would you go with? Thanks again.

Where is your show room located

The Sony 7000 ES has terrible black levels, I own one. Watching the night part of "Zero Dark Thirty", about 75% of the picture is missing completely! I'm considering selling if for the jvc n9 because I hear they have better black levels than others.

Hi Guys I am new to home cinema and have followings doubts. 1) Is it okay to watch movies in 16:9 aspect ratio at 150" 2) Even many projector have 4k but any projector support multiple vedio formats like HDR 10+, DOLBY VISION, etc.,

what would be the oled TV equivalent projector?

I’ve seen them all. I’m in a HT group circle of enthusiasts. We’re all JVC. There are Epson two are LS12000 they did it for cost mainly. There are more to it than just lumens. We have professional projectionist with decades of experience and he chooses JVC. After calibration epson will lose brightness. I think it was measuring at 97 Nits. As HT enthusiasts we’re looking at not only brightness but also accuracy. The Epson was driven by an Envy Extreme and fully calibrated but it didn’t have the same performance as a JVC. Especially in a very dark controlled room. JVC’s dark performance and contrast is hard to beat.

Are you sure the Sony lenses are all glass with no plastic in there?

Kris Deering runs Deep Dive AV, a professional AV Calibration, consulting and education service. He's also a writer/technical editor of Sound and Vision magazine and has been a writer/editor for both Home Theater magazine and Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity. You are welcome to challenge him and others in the 8-year-old, 5000+ comment-long thread about the SXRD degradation issue.

Another reviewer did a really good side by side of the Sony and Epson. I have seen both in person and there most clearly is a big difference. I would say the Sony is 10 % sharper and cleaner and has at least 10% better black levels. Epson for sure is brighter but looks washed out at times. Disappointed Sony when cheap with the entry level lens. I may just bite the bullet and get the more expensive Sony with the motorized lens.

My SONY VW1000 still working since 2013

Epson 6050 is a better with brightness and Contrast than 4050 on a 180 inch Stewart screen with 4k and 2k contents. I cannot see the pixels sitting 10 feet away unless you are a foot away and your eyes cannot see the difference. I think it’s a waste of money to spend over $4000 for a protect when the technology is constantly changing if you are planning to upgrade every 2-3 yrs. I do pend my money on quality speakers and audio equipments….

This guys a straight shooter and knows what hes talking about.Straight shooter being most importamt. But this video was made 9 months ago. Yes a lot can change in 9 months. He's also right about screen technology changing. I personally dont love having the home "theater" so much anymore and Ill tell you why. But firdst ill say...if you have the money...and I mean 6,000 sq feet minimum house and $80,000 doesnt make your cold one pull back up into the warmness of your torso then yes recreate a movie theater for the kids. But...having more of a man/fam cave loungie comfy comf room with beautiful ambient light running throughout and like a huge horseshoe shaped couch with nappy poo blankets and pillows layin around it is the way Im tellin you to go. Ultra short throw projectors with specific UST screens they have today? Ohh its a 120"-150" laser tv lookin like a beaut in almost total light. And you can take those $25,000 30lb black tanks they weld up on your ceiling and throw it out with the babys bath water. And thats just for the PJ. Sht....for $15,000 you can get a UST projector, a floor rising UST ALR/CLR screen and a beautiful cabinet furniture that has a motorized tray in it that hides the UST PJ when youre not using it and lifts it up and out when you hit the power button for the PJ. And it operates the floor rising screen all at the same time. And not to be a dck cos EVERYONE thinks those Sony/JVC and Epson are the bomb...but they aint. Theyve all been getting their sick kicks with us for years. Non innovative. These USTs have technology and features those big name behemoths cant touch. Theyre trying to play catch up now with the Dolby Vision capability. And dont get me started on the light bulb lamps that actually suck yet they still been giving yall the bone in ribeye if you know what I mean.

If you have a 3D collection the JVC NZ7 is the obvious choice - the Sony 5000es will not play 3D and the 6000 and 7000 need a $2000 adapter compared to $150 for the JVC.

Oh good it’s better for dark rooms like home cinemas

Epson 4050? I'm very confused

LG HU810 IS BEST, ESPECIALLY FOR THE MONEY!👍👍

just stay with epson unless your building a small movie theater if its just a room where u can see the speakers and it looks like a big tv dont spend so much moeny just stay with the cheapest one

What about the 6050

I would probably get a Sony if it wasn't for the well-documented problem with the degradation of the polarizer in the SXRD light block. If you're unlucky, you might pay a premium price but get DLP contrast and drifting colors after 2-3 years. No thanks, I'm probably getting an Epson. Kris Deering runs Deep Dive AV, a professional AV Calibration, consulting and education service. He's also a writer/technical editor of Sound and Vision magazine and has been a writer/editor for both Home Theater magazine and Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity. You are welcome to challenge him and others in the 8-year-old, 5000+ comment-long thread about the SXRD degradation issue.

I'm not married to any brand because I don't have a projector. I'm looking for a projector and I'm open to anything. But I see the content of the video with a lot of bias towards the ls12000. Each projector has its strengths and weaknesses, but only the Epson's strong point, which is light, is emphasized. Furthermore, it seems that to emphasize it he is forced to say non-real data (doubles the light difference between projectors) The ls12000 does not have 3000 lumens per specifications, but 2600. The Sony xw5000 does not have 1900 lumens due to specifications, but 2000. Also, if the ls12000 is calibrated, that light difference disappears, compared to the xw5000. He also doesn't mention this. It seems to me like a typical video of a commercial that encourages you to buy a single product. It's my impression.

Money is always and issue. Home theater processor, amplifiers. Speakers, 7:37 cables , room acoustic.........

What about Sony panel degradation. And tone mapping. You must not be a dealer for JVC because you're pushing everything BUT JVC.

Please say Sony as i have already ordered that one 😅

I get your projectors don’t do blacks argument. Makes sense. Also acknowledging your the only one saying this. What about contrast. Why does everyone online, including professional reviewers say JVC is the OLED of projectors?

Die Garantie sagt doch nix mein Sony ist 10 Jahre und macht immer noch ein geiles bild VW 500

I don't understand why the FDA would care if you have a 10,000 lumen projector in your home. What does the Food and Drug Administration care about who has what home theater projector installed? Projectors and home theaters have nothing at all to do with food or drugs.

I still don’t understand why Epson doesn’t do native 4k at this point.

Once you go JVC, you don't go back.

You are a dealer, and financially, Sony pays more to you. JVC delivers the best overall picture. I certainly understand your point of view, but please let people know that it is better for you to sell Sony. You never mentioned that their chips contrast lessens over time. Sony has refused to address it. Not to mention their bad service and ignoring their customers.

Nope! Bang for buck ill take that new xgimi horizon ultra over any of these.

Excellent review. I'm really surprised how everyone ignored the comment of the 6000lm epson. You're all going on about tone mapping and contrast levels. You need to first get the very best black diamond or ALR screen you can afford even if it cost ten grand. Your black levels are only as good as screens black level which is white if your using a white screen. Test it yourself and you'll see for yourself. There are videos that illustrate this well. Next is using a super high lumen projector to create the contrast. 2K, 4K etc is only for distance only. If your sitting 25' away from the screen a HD project is exactly the same resolution as a 4K The human eye can't see the difference unless you have 20/05 vision. First get the math down and than worried about the projector. And stop listening to sales people.

Hello David is there any projector that you would recommend that can do 120" 16x9 screen from a 10 foot throw or should I just go with a UST projector ? I would like to keep it under 5K...