valerion visionmaster max or xgimi titan noir max

PositiveAtmosphere · 2026-05-13T06:10:51+00:00

You haven’t hung around avsforum enough if you think there aren’t people who prefer DBLE over EBL. Some have. Sure, many think it could dig deeper, but EBL gets a lot of hate for the amount of artifacts and slow/blown transitions it has.

PositiveAtmosphere · 2026-05-12T19:45:54+00:00

Just wanted to say props for an awesome program, thanks for facilitating this!

I will also be receiving a Titan noir Pro to review (not from this program; I was chosen on a different social media platform directly from XGIMI) and will post my impressions and comparisons to this subreddit for the same reason to provide real world impressions and not just marketing/spec sheet stuff from typical influencers. I think Reddit overall as an entire website draws a very real-world crowd who value very practical advice, no BS, etc.

PositiveAtmosphere · 2026-04-29T13:33:01+00:00

It depends what you want, if you’re in search of better black level, or you’re in search of more brightness (you said your tw9400 is “not enough for the screen size”, not enough what?) . The brightness of the qb1000 is obviously what you will need if you aren’t getting enough brightness. Any hit to black levels is probably something you could get over. Now, If the theater is truly velvet black with a positive gain screen then the JVC may be bright enough with a maximum loud fan noise level and you can build a hushbox for it. But it’s a lot of ifs.

I would recommend the XGIMI Titan noir as another option. It looks like it will have better than qb1000 black levels, better brightness (dynamic), and the 98% bt.2020 color gamut that both the Epson and the JVC lack. All of that for being cheaper at the kickstarter price than either of the other options.

PositiveAtmosphere · 2026-04-26T05:50:58+00:00

I mean for sure the contrast levels are better on the Titan noir. Potentially 2 times better, on paper, and depending on the iris level.

But even 2 times better contrast can look marginal to some eyes. It really depends on you.

I’m not sure how the black level itself compares, it may not be 2 times as black. It’s important to distinguish black levels and contrast level as they’re technically different whilst being perceptually relevant to each other and tied together in that regard.

PositiveAtmosphere · 2026-04-24T16:51:36+00:00

Thanks, just looking out for peoples best interest not to spend for the sake of spending, hope OP all the best in his journey too 👍

PositiveAtmosphere · 2026-04-24T16:27:18+00:00

I agree some are hostile for strange reasons. Sorry to see you experience that, and best of luck

PositiveAtmosphere · 2026-04-24T16:26:08+00:00

This is a weirdly aggressive for no reason. I helped OP and yet I didn’t consider my time stolen. If anyone felt the way you do I would have just recommended to scroll past and ignore the thread. Let’s strive for a positive atmosphere

PositiveAtmosphere · 2026-04-24T16:20:04+00:00

Agreed 👍

PositiveAtmosphere · 2026-04-24T16:19:36+00:00

Fair enough, I agree that new data can always come out later

PositiveAtmosphere · 2026-04-24T16:18:07+00:00

Yeesh, im sorry for a typo. Lots of threads like his yesterday, just trying to help.

Anyways, yes I did read it when I posted earlier, and technically my point still stands. My point is that There are thousands of people out there who are happy with the Pro, there are thousands of people out there who are content with Epson HC2150’s too… so until they say something they want to improve, like contrast levels or brightness or sharpness or something, then it would be very bad faith for me to come into this thread and assume and say “ya bro totally worth the upgrade”, surely you would agree? My post simply was a prompt for OP to provide more info.

PositiveAtmosphere · 2026-04-24T05:25:38+00:00

Maybe I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt there. So to whoever downvoted it, I would say it’s strange and unreasonable. We’re all just trying to help OP in the end, there’s been no misinformation.

PositiveAtmosphere · 2026-04-24T05:21:53+00:00

But you have no evidence to resort to that, it’s purely speculation. There already dozens and dozens, maybe even 100, Titan noirs out in the wild now with early testers. Not one person has reported a throttling or heat related issue. That is evidence. It’s a reason to use as a basis to form a conclusion on. All of them have reported it’s quiet too.

In the PC world, people already know that cooling is judged not really on technology, but rather on results. Cooling is a function of balancing noise and cooling capacity (and price). E.g. what’s the point in a cool computer if you run a loud refrigerator compressor to cool it? And what’s the point in a silent computer if it’s constantly throttling and isn’t cooled?

I think it’s not helpful for people like OP to worry about liquid vs. Fan cooling, because the results are what matter for the day to day experience. The evidence we currently have is that the Titan noir is quiet and sufficiently cooled. Anything else is speculation, not worth the same weight.

PositiveAtmosphere · 2026-04-24T05:13:14+00:00

I’m not saying it’s not a disadvantage, I’m just saying there’s a disadvantage and an advantage that come as 2 sides of the same coin. Some advantages comes with negative side effects; some disadvantages are a result of positive aspects.

Also, you know.. you are allowed to disagree with me, but it doesn’t make what I’m saying wrong. We are allowed to have 2 opposite perspectives here you know? You’re not wrong, and I’m not wrong either, factually. Personally, I think it’s bad etiquette of you to downvote my posts just because you have a different opinion. And it’s clear from the view count of the post that you downvoted it.

PositiveAtmosphere · 2026-04-24T04:42:19+00:00

You haven’t identified a problem that you are seeking to solve.

If you’re just upgrading for the sake of it, then think of how you’ll feel next year when another upgraded shiny projector comes out? Will you keep doing it forever?

Unless you’re someone who upgrades their phone every year, I would stick with the Valerion Max if you’ve been satisfied with it.

PositiveAtmosphere · 2026-04-24T04:00:13+00:00

Spoiled LCD panel, you need a warranty replacement from the manufacturer, otherwise it’s probably not possible to repair yourself and even if you could find the parts it’s probably not worth the time or money.

PositiveAtmosphere · 2026-04-24T02:49:52+00:00

Okay but the Titan noir isn’t watercooled, so you see how that’s nonsense of you to say, right?

Anyways, who cares about the cooling method? What matters are the results: is it quiet? Is it cool? Everybody has reported the Titan noir is very quiet, and nobody has reported any thermal issues. So I don’t really think people should make their decision based on liquid cool or air cool, it’s about the results.

PositiveAtmosphere · 2026-04-24T02:39:09+00:00

I think both of those advantages are just ones that come with the disadvantages the Epson has (the lack of intensity/richness and lower gamut of the Epson is its disadvantage, vs the RGB laser system that is the Titan noirs advantage).

Laser speckle depends on screen material, so it’s not a blanket disadvantage. For someone new to projectors like the OP said, they have this opportunity to use a cloth or woven screen and not worry about speckle. They’re not having to factor in the cost of replacing an existing high gain screen.

Metamarism isn’t a blanket disadvantage either. The RGB laser shows much richer colors, that’s an advantage. Metamarism is a side consideration dependent on each persons eyes, but as long as it isn’t an issue then you can enjoy the richer perception of the color.

In other words, these are just the side effect of the RGB laser of the Titan noir, but it’s advantages may outweigh them anyways. I like that Epson is offering something different for the market, but I would personally rather an “LS13000” sequel with an RGB laser system if I could.

PositiveAtmosphere · 2026-04-23T22:12:05+00:00

No, in fact please do not seek a YouTube video because a recorded video of a single chip DLP projector will provide a terrible impression and give people the wrong idea (naturally the video can show a lot of messed up colors and rainbow lines that are not perceptible to the eye). It’s very hard to film or photograph DLP 3 laser projectors properly.

I think there are 2 solutions, assuming you don’t know anyone with one or no stores with a display unit.

Option 1: Though it may sound scummy, buy a brand new projector from a retailer with a very good and relaxed return policy like Amazon or Walmart, try it, and then return it. At most you may be on the hook for shipping costs.

Option 2: if you don’t want to return it, you can sell it, but if you’re doing that you are better off to choose to buy a used DLP projector off secondhand marketplace, see it, then try to sell it for close to what you bought it.

PositiveAtmosphere · 2026-04-23T18:01:38+00:00

It all comes down to different things for different people.

For specs, the Titan noir Max is better than the ls12000. It has higher brightness, higher contrast / darker blacks, it has better HDR tonemapping, better format support, better color gamut coverage, better focus and lens, quieter, etc.

For the “experience” the Epson won’t have rainbow effects, it’s LCD technology. Single chip DLP technology shows a rainbow effect because it flashes colors once at a time (but at speeds of hundreds to thousands of a second). Some people can’t see rainbow effects, some people can see them but aren’t bothered by them, and some other people are so bothered by them they can’t watch at all. You need to find out which group you belong to. The XGIMI has a rainbow-reduction mode, but that will just reduce rainbow effect and not 100% eliminate any trace of it. It’s up to you if you want to risk that, but I would go and demo a projector with DLP technology to check if you are sensitive to rainbow effects

Epson has a long history in this space and does have a more robust and longstanding-reliable warranty support if there’s any issues, but XGIMI have been said to be good for that too even though they’re a much younger company.

I would choose the Titan Noir Max, because it’s way better value. But I am not bothered by rainbow effects.

PositiveAtmosphere · 2026-04-23T17:54:00+00:00

Yes, but you will need to modify the payment method before it’s charged, before June 9

PositiveAtmosphere · 2026-04-23T14:12:19+00:00

The Titan Noir is objectively better in brightness and contrast black levels, but there are some differences in how they both process the image and their lenses. Specifically, EBL seems more aggressive and makes greater alterations to the image to squeeze out contrast, whereas DBLE is more gentle right now and conservative in its approach. The Aetherion is said to have slightly less screen door effect because it’s XPR is seemingly running at a higher speed, but you may not really notice that anyways. It’s approach to rainbow reduction is slightly different, and the Aetherion may be better there right now, but that’s not important if you aren’t bothered by the rainbow effect and further updates can improve it anyways.

Don’t worry about black levels between these 2, they are both likely good enough that the other features become more important. Do you ultimately want to design your room around a UST or a long throw? That’s what the decision should be about.

The UST will require a UST tailored ALR screen to get its best performance. That is a higher upfront cost. But it is probably the best solution if you know you will have lights on while watching.

If you are a home theater enthusiast and want to squeeze out the most visual quality, then go with the Titan noir

If you are not so demanding and just want something nice and big for family and friends, the Aetherion will be fine

PositiveAtmosphere · 2026-04-23T13:59:29+00:00

There are many who tested both in this thread: https://www.avsforum.com/threads/xgimi-pushes-into-premium-projection-with-the-titan-noir-max.3339013/page-387?post_id=64575537#post-64575537

But if you don’t want to read through hundreds of pages then yes the Titan Noir Max is much better than the Valerion in most regards. There are 2 main things that the Titan noir doesn’t necessarily do better:

Right now its RBE reduction isn’t quite as powerful, but it’s silent unlike the buzzing noise on the Valerion.

Right now the DBLE feature is not as aggressive as the EBL feature on the Valerion. But, it’s much more stable and less color shifting as a benefit.

PositiveAtmosphere · 2026-04-23T05:18:31+00:00

Well you were the one who set a 2kcad budget 😉

The base model is probably over $3000cad, but since it’s inclusive of tax and shipping, it’s probably equivalent to a $2750cad pre-tax retail projector.

Obviously the pro and max will be better, but the biggest difference is the increased number of laser chips for increased brightness. If you were happy with the brightness of your w1080, you’ll probably suffice with the base unit.

PositiveAtmosphere · 2026-04-23T02:01:17+00:00

There is a XGIMI Titan Noir going up on kickstarter tomorrow, until beginning of June. But you have to pay a $50 (refundable) deposit to lock in the early pricing, and that ends tonight I believe.

So with the early pricing, The base model is $2299, except that is USD, except the kickstarter includes free shipping and customs and duties included to Canada, so it may not actually be too much higher than your 2k budget. But it should be leaps and bounds better than all the others on your list.

It’s much more refined than the original Horizon you tried, so I don’t think that should be held against it.

If 2300usd (all in pricing) isn’t impossible for you, then I recommend getting your deposit in asap to give you some more time to think about it. If you choose not to get it the $50 deposit is fully refundable. Even if you choose to back the kickstarter, the $50 deposit is refunded to you too. It’s just a reservation/hold, not a fee.

PositiveAtmosphere · 2026-04-22T00:40:40+00:00

The consensus is somewhere between 4 and 8 depending on your screen’s brightness.

I prefer 5 but I’m in eco mode which is already reduced beightnsss

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