Stick with Epson or go JVC for 154" screen size?

kungfuman

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i'm currently running a TW9400 on my diy screen which has a custom screen size that results in a 154" diagonal size. this is in my dedicated room which has some treatment (black velvet on all four sides to about 1.5m from screen). my main sources are just movies (SDR blu-rays and 4k HDR UHD) and some streamed tv shows. no sports or gaming at all. i do have a decent 3D collection but tbh i've not watched 3d for a while and may consider losing that if it gives me a better 2d picture.

the epson has been good for my purposes. i run on medium lamp mode and it gives a bright and clean image especially in 4k hdr, so much so i still have plenty of wow moments. although i'm now wondering if i should give jvc a try to see the improved black/contrast that people talk about. my main concern with jvc is that they won't be bright enough for my screen size. the new epson ls12000 is also another possible upgrade path although i'm not sure if it's a decent jump from the tw9400.

so at the moment i am currently considering the X7900/9900 or N5/N7 range. NZ7 seems to tick all the boxes but don't think i can stretch that far at Uk retail price. watching some YT shootout videos between epson and JVCs and they all say the jvc produces a better image albeit less bright than the epson. so i do have concerns this will be even more evident on my largish screen size.

so i'm just trying to gauge those who have a similar screen size to mine with JVCs and do you ever find it's not bright enough? and if not, which model do you have and lamp mode do you use?
 
I've had a 9300 and a JVC X7900 now so I'm probably in a pretty good position to advise you.

If you're in a fully treated room, I think a JVC X7900 or 9900 or 5900 (you are running a big screen so a 5900 will do the business) will be an upgrade on your Epson as long as you are using a high gain screen (1.0, 1.1, 1.2). I have some dreamscreen material I have compared to my grey screen and its a big upgrade in brightness, small downgrade in blacks. If using a grey screen, you're going to be tight for lumens as I am.

High lamp on X7900 is as bright as Medium to high lamp on Epson.
High lamp on X7900 is louder than medium or eco lamp on Epson.
High lamp on X7900 is much quieter than high lamp on Epson

You'll need to run X7900 or N5 or N7 in high lamp mode 100%. This will eat up costs as bulbs cost £399.

3D PQ wise the JVC is far ahead of the Epson.

Overall, I suggest you fully treat your room and look for a nice opportunity to switch. If you want to splash the cash, you can on NZ7 but I would personally watch the market for good deals. They will come. X7900 has the best contrast fully open iris from the people I've spoken to who are far more informed than me re: calibration. The N5 contrast is around 40,000:1 max spec closed iris which you will NOt use for 150'' screen, that same contrast is X7900 fully open iris which you will use.

If contrast and blacks is what you want from moving from Epson, the X7900 will tickle your fancy.
If you want DTM, 4K sharpness and calmness to image, N5/N7 is your fancy.

Obviously contrast is cool but there is more to an image than contrast (picture processing, sharpness, noise, motion etc.). I am just contrast obssessed after coming from Epson and having an OLED fetish.

I hope this information helps you.

For what its worth in regards to advice: I'd suggest you get an X7900 and optimise your room with it. If its not enough BRIGHTNESS wise, then you obviously need to jump to the lasers. No point side steeping with the N series if brightness is a concern as the X7900 in regards to most measurements I've seen is actually 100 lumen brighter than the N range (I know, shocking). I think you will be pleasantly surprised with a X7900 in your room, especially if you continue to treat it and if not, trading it in willnot be an issue and you will lose very little cash and can time a jump to NZ7.

NZ7 calibrated high lamp vs X7900 high lamp (or N7 high lamp) I'm keeping an eye out for re: comparison. Lots of NZ7 numbers floating about in the highest lumen mode or pitting it against a 2000 hour lamp N7 which isn't fair. NZ9 seems to be getting focus re: reliable measurements in fair tests.

I'm having an N5 in to play with soon hopefully so can offer you more comparisons but I think generally what I've written above is fairly accurate to your use case.

If you are using the 9400 in dynamic mode uncalibrated, no JVC projector will match that lumen output I think bar the NZ9 as it truly is a light cannon in that mode. Combine ti with some DTM and you can get a very very flattering image outside of dark scenes but obviously colour accuracy is a mess.
 
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@kenshingintoki thanks for that very informative insight here and our previous chat on pm.

my screen material is an seymour XD which i believe has a gain of 1.0

i actually do run my epson on dynamic mode but at medium lamp. i originally started with digital cinema which zapped lots of light due to the filter then moved to natural which was better but last year started using dynamic and much preferred. i was messing about this weekend and went back to natural and just couldn't get used to it.

This is probably the biggest dilemma as my screen size probably requires to have a decent amount of light which the epson provides plenty of. i would be interested to hear what you have to say about the N5 though. DTM seems to be the game changer and might be even more beneficial than the contrast difference to the X range.
 
I'll PM you mate
@kenshingintoki thanks for that very informative insight here and our previous chat on pm.

my screen material is an seymour XD which i believe has a gain of 1.0

i actually do run my epson on dynamic mode but at medium lamp. i originally started with digital cinema which zapped lots of light due to the filter then moved to natural which was better but last year started using dynamic and much preferred. i was messing about this weekend and went back to natural and just couldn't get used to it.

This is probably the biggest dilemma as my screen size probably requires to have a decent amount of light which the epson provides plenty of. i would be interested to hear what you have to say about the N5 though. DTM seems to be the game changer and might be even more beneficial than the contrast difference to the X range.
 

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