Laser light sources for projectors have their pros and cons. The same is true for LED. The MP1 Max from Dangbei teams them up for the promise of “stunning color accuracy, and enhanced viewing comfort.”
XGIMI was the first to market a dual light source for projectors, after its research showed that single lasers could suffer from color reproduction and quality issues but were nice and bright; tri-lasers handled color better but were often perceived as frosty and grainy; and LEDs weren’t as bright but delivered more natural colors.
That company’s first stab at a hybrid solution utilized four LEDs and a single laser, and subsequently launched in Horizon 4K Ultra – which I found capable of producing excellent onscreen visuals despite a relatively low brightness rating of 2,300 ISO lumens.
Dangbei
The MP1 Max marries QuaLas triple-laser technology from Japan with LEDs for a hybrid light engine that’s reported to offer viewers superior color saturation and enhanced brightness, along with long-haul eye comfort. This bumps the brightness up considerably to 3,100 ISO lumens, so daytime or lights-on watching should be within reach.
Blue light is filtered out at the source for eye comfort. The projector also shines in the color department thanks to 110% coverage of the BT.2020 color gamut, and a reported Delta 1 color accuracy of less than 1 (the lower the better).
The MP1 Max includes a DLP projection heart with a 0.47-inch DMD chip and multi-lens optics that enable 4K UHD (3,840 x 2,160) imagery between 40 and 300 diagonal inches, depending on how far away the projector is from the display surface – and how your big your movie-watching space is.
Dangbei
The throw ratio here is 1.2:1, so by way of example, if you want 100-inch visuals you’ll need to pull back the unit by 8.9 ft (2.7 m). Support for HDR10+ and HLG content is cooked in, and 3D entertainment can be watched too with the aid of optional eyewear.
The system runs Google TV for licensed Netflix as well as other entertainment apps like Disney+, Prime Video and Hulu. Wireless screen mirroring over Wi-Fi 6 is also possible, as is voice search via the Bluetooth remote. The rear of the main unit is home to USB 2.0 Type-A and HDMI 2.1 ports (one of which supports audio return) as well as a headphone jack.
Rocking curved edges and fabric-finished sides, the projector is mounted to a gimbal stand for 360-degrees of horizontal swivel and 135 degrees of vertical tilt. This ensures positioning flexibility, which works with AI-powered setup technology to automatically take care of focus, keystone, fit-to-screen, reshape for obstacles and more. The stand’s base is also where the power is plugged in.
The visuals are combined with a sound system comprising two 12-W speakers along with a 750-cc bass chamber for “resonant lows down to 45Hz for cinematic impact.” Dolby Audio and DTS Virtual:X are supported too, for immersion in the soundtrack at room-filling volumes.
Dangbei
Since Dangbei has included HDMI 2.1 for cabling up consoles, gamers can expect low-latency play and up to 240-Hz refresh (at 1080p) plus MEMC sharpness. Also worth a mention is a cooling system that incorporates dual fans, high-capacity heat pipes and thermal insulation for “silent yet efficient heat dissipation.”
The MP1 Max ships with a sturdy EPP foam travel case, and has a list price of US$1,999. However, Dangbei’s online store is currently showing a $200 discount, plus there’s a promo running until July 7 that will get the cost down to $1,699 if the code DBMP1MAX is entered during checkout.
Product page: Dangbei MP1 Max
