The Sony VPL-VW70 does black, it does bright, it does color and above all, it does it quietly.

I’m not sure how Sony does it, but it seems like with each new generation of projector, they somehow make them quieter.

This is kind of like saying, walking barefoot on moss was quiet, but not walking barefoot on moss is even quieter.

Sound output should not be taken lightly when looking at a potential projector for your abode. I’ve reviewed a lot of projectors over the years, and I can count on one hand those that didn’t make their presence known. It’s as if some projector manufacturers aren’t content creating a massive image on screen, they also want you to hear it. And by "it" I mean fan noise. What, the projector isn't want you want to hear? What’s dialogue?

So Sony joins an elite few that not only create a stunning image (don’t worry, we’ll get to that), but does so by being nearly inconspicuous as well.

It's the VPL-VW70's stylish black case that muffles the noise so exceedingly well, but this isn’t to say that it's silent. If you are seated next to it (or below it), you’ll hear it. But not only is its overall volume level much lower compared to most projectors, but the sound is mere white noise. In some ways this is more important. No frequencies stand out over others, which makes the sound disappear when there is any other noise in the room.

This lack of extraneous noise makes it easier to hear quiet passages in movies. It makes dialogue easier to understand. It makes puppies and kittens; well, you get the idea. Quiet is good.

On to the eyes

From a picture quality standpoint, the VW70 is an evolution from the VW60 (which is still being offered). What you get, from a features checklist point of view, is xvYCC color capability (not that there’s any source material that can take advantage of it), a more advanced iris and perhaps most important, an anamorphic mode.

This latter feature, when coupled with an anamorphic lens, allows for 2.35:1 movies to be displayed at their full width on 2.35:1 screens.

While a greater contrast ratio is claimed in the spec sheets, I didn’t find there to be too much of a difference between the VW60 and VW70. There was definitely an improvement, just not the 40 percent or so they claim. Then again, all manufacturers’ numbers are, shall we say, optimistic.

What matters, of course, it how the projector looks on screen, and that’s easy. It looks excellent. The image is punchy, with generally deep black levels. I say “generally” as the VW70 uses an auto iris. This technology uses an iris to make dark images darker and bright images brighter. So dark scenes get darker, and that means deep blacks. Bright scenes are brighter, which means an image that pops. This technology has evolved enough that it’s doubtful you’ll ever see it “pulsing” the light output as some used to do.

Conversely, an auto iris can’t make the contrast per scene any different (it only affects the whole image). For scenes that have a dark portion and a bright portion, like a candlelit face in a dark room, the iris can’t help. Thankfully here, the VW70 does a little better than its predecessor. Compared to the rest of the market, overall “punchiness” and three-dimensionality of the image is probably second only to the JVC DLA-HD750, but ahead of just about everything else.

While the image is nicely bright, the VW70 is no flamethrower, so don’t expect it to work on 200-inch screens. Any “normal”-sized screen for home or small home theater will be just fine.

I found myself dialing down the color control, as everything was a little too rich; Sony displays often are. Thankfully, there are plenty of adjustments you and your calibrator can make in the menus to dial this in pretty close to accurate. There is even a “Wide” color mode for those who want even more color.

As far as processing tests go, the VW70 de-interlaces 1080i correctly, and can pick up the 3:2 sequence in 1080i material. It is capable of reproducing a 1 pixel on/off pattern, indicating that it can show all the detail in an HD image. With DVD material, the VW70 does a great job, better than its predecessor. It creates lots of detail when scaling up SD material, while at the same time there is very little noise. While you may get a little better performance with an excellent scaling DVD player, it’s doubtful it would be much of an improvement over what the VW70 can do on its own.

While it’s not a big deal, there is a motorized lens cover that slides into place when you power the projector down. I’ll overlook the sandpaper-on-sandpaper noises it creates and just say that this is a great addition to minimize dust on the lens and keep oily fingers at bay.

I can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t be happy with the VPL-VW70. Its whisper quiet operation allows for placement just about anywhere, without disturbing any viewers. The image on screen has a decent black level, even when there is other content on the screen (as in, regardless of the iris), and it throws out a good amount of light. With the addition of an anamorphic lens mode, it can even party with the 2.35:1 crowd.

With projectors like this, why do people buy flat panels again?

PRICE: $7,999.99
CONTACT: 877.865.7669, sonystyle.com