Back in April 2011 we afforded JVC’s DLA-X3 3D projector one-and-a-half pages in a packed First Tests section of the magazine – and it duly romped home with the full five stars.
Now it’s the turn of the DLA-X7, a significantly more expensive proposition and one that looks identical to its sibling despite costing almost twice as much.
Fortunately, the X7 does more than enough to justify its premium price.
Specification differences aren’t mind-blowing – the claimed contrast ratio of 70000:1 against the X3’s 50000:1, THX 3D and ISF certifications, and xenon lamp colour temperature control are obvious highlights – but in practice the X7 offers enough to make the price-tag seem entirely reasonable.
Deeply impressive in 2D…
Set-up is simple, despite the in-depth nature of the on-screen menus, and when projecting a (2D) Blu-ray of Avatar, the JVC looks every bit as impressive as the company’s recent projector efforts have primed us for.
Images are detailed and bright, with punchy contrasts and a vibrant, wide-ranging colour palette, and edges are drawn with a steady, confident hand.
Motion is handled without alarms, too, with the result that pictures look as natural as any in a CGI-heavy sci-fi blockbuster film can.
Like the X3, the X7 uses a separate 3D transmitter to synchronise with its (slightly weighty and cumbersome) 3D glasses, but it’s not too fussy about positioning and, with the 3D CGI-fest that is Tron: Legacy on Blu-ray playing, it’s extremely effective.
… and 3D is a force to be reckoned with
Smooth and stable with all but the severest motion, plenty bright enough and with impressive levels of detail regardless of how dark the scene is, the X7 is as enjoyable and convincing a 3D projector as we’ve seen to date.
It does particularly good work with objects in the foreground, which are securely outlined even if they’re moving fast, and has a colour gamut subtle enough to make the restricted Tron palette quite expressive.
On top of this, the JVC is quiet in operation, upscales DVDs in style and seems built to last.
If you can get beyond the price, and the oppressive size of its chassis, the DLA-X7 is a terrific proposition.
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