It’s been a couple of years since Hisense refreshed its Laser TV ultra short throw projector offerings (although last year we did get new UST projectors in the Laser Cinema line). At CES 2025, though, we’re getting a new model — the L9Q.
The redesigned optical light engine will allow for a variable focus range of 100- to 150-inches diagonal. Hisense will offer the the L9Q in five packages that will include ALR (Ambient Light Rejecting) screen sizes at 100, 110, 120, 136, and 150 inches. This gives us far more size variety than 2023’s L9H, which was only available in 100- and 120-inch packages. There’s potential that the L9Q will also be available without a screen (the L9H can be bought on its own for an MSRP of $3,000), but there’s been no announcement from Hisense about that, as of yet.
The throw ratio from the L9H to the L9Q has also gone down from 0.25:1 to 0.18:1, meaning the L9Q projector will sit closer to the wall. This is good news, considering that a 150-inch image from a 0.25:1 projector would need to be around 2.5 feet from the wall. With a 0.18:1 throw, the L9Q won’t extend to far into the room for the larger screen sizes. It has a new motorized focus motor and dedicated picture settings for different screen sizes to ensure a clear image during setup. Furthermore, the L9Q has auto screen alignment to make sure the image is properly squared off on the screen. We’d still recommend taking the time to get your placement right, as the added processing can usually affect input lag and has the potential to introduce artifacts in the image.
Hisense has also improved the TriChroma RGB laser light engine with a 67% increase in claimed output, from 3,000 lumens on the L9H to 5,000 lumens with the new L9Q. That is paired with a 5,000:1 native contrast ratio. Projectors will never compete with the light cannons that mini-LED TVs have become, but that lumens bump is a welcome boost to make the Laser TV have more pop in a room where ambient light can’t be easily controlled.
Where UST projectors (those of the triple laser variety, in particular) are ahead of TVs is in their coverage of the BT.2020 color space. The L9Q boasts coverage of 110%, which is pretty impressive. Now, this is more future-proofing than anything else, as the content we all watch is DCI-P3. The conversion over to BT.2020 will happen at some point, but it’s still a few years away.
Hisense will continue to use a built-in Harman Kardon sound system — now with a 6.2.2, 116-watt system (up from 40W). Also included is the Google TV OS.
It’s all wrapped in a new attractive chassis that eschews the curved body of the L9H for a more angular rectangle shape with a sweeping semicircle indentation in the top where the lens is housed. The front looks to be a metal grille with the back portion of the laser TV in black. Hisense was obviously going for a luxurious look, and we think it’s achieved it.
Instagram is making its way to yet another screen, and this time, Apple TV is getting a taste of the Reels rabbit hole. The company has launched a dedicated Instagram app for Apple TV, bringing Reels, longer videos, and live shows to the big screen. So, if watching one quick clip on a phone somehow turns into an hour of scrolling, there's now a much larger screen for that.
Instagram brings Reels and more to Apple TV
Audio-Technica, a brand well known for making some of the best studio and professional headphones on the market, has just come out with the ATH-AWX7000, which the company itself claims to be its "finest headphones ever." The new flagship closed-back headphone has debuted at an eye-watering price of $3,799. It combines hand-finished Japanese woodwork with a newly developed 58mm driver.
The earcups are made from Kiso cypress, a prized wood historically used for Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. Each housing is finished by hand with traditional Echizen lacquer, which brings out the grain and is expected to darken over time. The frame and sliders are finished in a deep navy kachi-iro shade traditionally associated with samurai.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
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