When building a home theatre system, the projector is the meat (and the speakers are the potatoes) in terms of what is determining the quality of your viewing experience. And with projectors, their many foreign-sounding features and finicky nature of projection can make it exceedingly difficult to know which model is best for your system. That’s why we took a moment to talk about the most versatile and accessible models from our selection at Selby Acoustics.
Here are our favorite options for home theatre projectors, selected for variety and value, as well as overall performance.
1. Epson EH-LS12000 Pro-Cinema 4K UHD Laser Projector
This is our all-around top pick from our entire projector selection. Epson is consistently one of the industry leaders when it comes to projectors of all kinds, and this model is no exception. The EH-LS12000 offers astounding performance in home cinema projection, with 4K resolution and support for HDR10+. This model uses “revolutionary 3LCD laser projection technology” to achieve extraordinary detail, vibrance, and contrast that accurately mimics a true cinematic experience.
The contrast ratio on the EH-LS12000 is an incredible 2,500,000:1, resulting in exceptionally deep blacks and rich, brilliant colours. Users can also easily adjust or customise their home theatre setup with fully motorised optics, including power zoom, focus, and lens shift — which can be adjusted by 96.3% in either vertical direction, or 47.1% in either horizontal direction.
While this model is on the pricier side at $7,590, its performance delivers, making it a versatile recommendation for almost any home theatre setup. With a more expensive and flashy model like the EH-LS12000, we like to remind our audience that it’s important to optimise your home theatre environment. Just because a projector is more expensive doesn’t mean it will perform better in your particular setup. If you invest an extra few thousand dollars to get a better model, but your home cinema room has lots of natural light, the advantage in picture quality will likely be lost. If you want to truly appreciate the 2,500,000:1 contrast ratio, then you’d better make sure your viewing room is dark. Like, really dark.
2. JVC LX-NZ3 4K DLP Cinema Projector
The only brand that can hold a candle to our Epson picks is JVC. They consistently show expertise and mastery in the world of cinema-quality high-definition projection, so any model from their flagship lines is practically guaranteed to satisfy. The LX-NZ3 makes for a well-rounded home theatre projector at a more accessible price point, which is why it makes second in the list today.
The most boasted feature on the LX-NZ3 is the BLU-Escent laser light source technology. This tech allows the model to produce 3,000 lumens in brightness, which is even more than the 2,700 offered by the EH-LS12000. This makes this model extremely versatile and a great option for those with hybrid home cinema rooms or living-room-turned-theatre situations.
You can grab one of these models on the site right now for $3,599.
3. Epson EH-LS500 Ultra Short Throw Laser Projector
Of course, we had to include a short throw on the list, because we know that not everyone has a professionally installed ceiling projector mount. At Selby, we firmly believe that home cinema is for everyone, and part of our mission is to share tech that makes creating an astonishing home theatre experience more accessible and achievable for anyone.
The Epson EH-LS500 is one of the best short throw projectors on the market, offering picture quality comparable to Epson’s pricier standard throw models, but with the versatility of a short throw. This model can be placed as close as a half-metre from the wall and still deliver optimal picture quality. The LS500 produces up to 4,000 lumens of both colour and white brightness, and is claimed to function for 20,000 hours virtually maintenance-free.
As for viewing specs, the LS500 features a dedicated 4K pixel-shift processor, as well as a 10-bit HDR colour processor that uses 100% of the HDR source information. The contrast ratio matches that of our top choice at 2,500,000:1. Combined with detail enhancement and 4K PRO-UHD from enhancement technology, the LS500 is one of the most versatile projectors offered by Epson. Available at Selby for $5,499 today.
