Awol Vision Aetherion Max Review: Contrast Beyond the Norm

Awol Vision, which also owns the Valerion projector brand, has brought its Aetherion ultra-short-throw models to market after a spectacular crowdfunding campaign whose backing outstripped even that of the Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2, another projector funded through the same platform.

Ultra-short-throw designs have the advantage of sitting very close to a wall or a projection screen and living on a sideboard like a television. The Aetherion Max is built on a 0.47in DLP chip paired with an RGB triple-laser light source. Its 4K Ultra HD resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels is achieved by pixel shifting, as on most current models. Awol also promotes its PixelLock technology, which is meant to hold the image sharp right into the corners despite the very short throw, and to allow a projected diagonal from 80 to 200in at a 0.2:1 throw ratio.

As always with ultra-short-throw models, a tensioned ALR/CLR screen is worth using to avoid image distortion — which can be very pronounced on a screen that is not perfectly taut — and to make daytime viewing practical. A Pro version also exists, which is less bright.

All the brightness and colorimetry measurements referenced here were taken with a Jeti Specbos 2501-HiRes spectroradiometer, a Klein K10-A colorimeter and CalMAN Ultimate software.

The Aetherion Max does not go unnoticed. Its metallic grey chassis, numerous angular lines and illuminated strip give it a futuristic look, closer to a spacecraft than to a piece of living-room furniture. The result is original and the finish is serious, but this design will be harder to integrate into a lounge than the more discreet shape of a Formovie Theater Premium or a Hisense PT1. It will not be to everyone's taste.

One neat touch: a cover slides automatically over the lens when the projector is switched off — the first time such a feature has appeared on an ultra-short-throw model.

The projector measures roughly 56 cm wide, 32 cm deep and 14 cm tall, and weighs 8.7 kg. That makes it less imposing than some older UST models without being genuinely compact, though it is still easy enough to move and put away when needed.

Installation is simple: four height-adjustable feet allow the tilt and the keystone shape to be set precisely. Taking the time to position the unit physically is worth it, rather than relying on digital correction, which slightly reduces resolution and leaves an unused illuminated band at the edges of the image.

Awol has not fitted automatic focus or automatic keystone correction, options that have started to appear on recent models such as the PT1. An adjustment procedure is offered through an app, but it proved too cumbersome for regular use. Once the projector is correctly installed, there is little reason to touch it again.

Connectivity is more than complete: three HDMI 2.1 ports, one of them eARC-capable, two USB ports including a 3.0, a 1 Gb Ethernet port, a USB-C DisplayPort 1.4 input and an optical audio output. There is no mini-jack output. Wi-Fi 7 is also on board, still a very rare feature on a projector.

As on many projectors today, the interface runs on Google TV, so Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, YouTube and most popular services are present alongside the Play Store for additional apps. Navigation is fluid, and the built-in Chromecast and AirPlay 2 support allows content to be sent from a phone, tablet or computer straight to the projector.

The remote deserves a mention: well finished, pleasant in the hand and partly backlit, which saves hunting for keys in the dark. That is a clear advantage over the many rivals that ship a very basic handset.

The Aetherion Max is unusually well equipped for gaming. Input lag was measured at just 9.8 ms in 1080p at 60 Hz, comfortably less than a single frame between a controller input and its appearance on screen. It suits both single-player games and fast multiplayer titles.

4K remains limited to 60 Hz, as ever, but the projector supports VRR, ALLM and, notably, AMD FreeSync Premium. That last certification is still very rare on this type of product and synchronises the refresh rate with the output of a compatible console or PC, limiting tearing. On this evidence the Aetherion is among the best projectors currently available for gaming.

Fan noise was measured at 33.7 dB at one metre. The airflow remains audible in a perfectly silent room, particularly as a slight high-pitched coil whine sits over the top of it. In practice a film or game soundtrack should cover it quickly.

The Aetherion Max can throw a diagonal between 80 and 200in, a particularly wide range for an ultra-short-throw projector, where many rivals are still capped at 120 or 150in.

To the eye, the 4K image is well detailed and sharpness holds up convincingly across the whole surface, corners included — which is genuinely rare. PixelLock appears to deliver on its promise. Speckle, the shimmering artefact produced by projector lasers, was absent on the white test screen.

Some digital noise was noticeable in dark areas. The grain stays discreet at a normal viewing distance but can be spotted from close to the screen.

Calibration brings a pleasant surprise. Average delta E was measured at 3, marginally above the threshold at which colour drift becomes hard to distinguish by eye — an excellent result for a projector. Average colour temperature came in at 6,380 K, slightly warmer than the 6,500 K reference but only just, and average gamma sat at 2.2, exactly where it should be. Greyscale is well balanced, albeit with dark greys that are a little too bright. Awol has in any case provided a dedicated calibration menu with the necessary controls.

Contrast is where the Aetherion Max really separates itself. A ratio of 13,420:1 was recorded, an impressive figure for a consumer DLP projector. For comparison, the Hisense C2 Ultra topped out at 1,100:1, the Xgimi Horizon 20 Max at 1,415:1 and the Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 at 3,540:1 with its EBL system enabled. Even the strongest ultra-short-throw models remain well behind.

That result was achieved without engaging either EBL or the projector's mechanical iris. Closing the iris deepens the blacks further, at the expense of peak brightness: set to the Cinema 2 preset, brightness falls by around 30%, from 180 cd/m2 to 130 cd/m2. As on the VisionMaster Pro 2, EBL dynamically alters the rendering of dark scenes, at the risk of distorting them slightly — though no visible pumping was observed on the Aetherion, whereas brightness fluctuations were clearly perceptible to a trained eye on the VisionMaster Pro 2.

A motion compensation engine is also included. It reduces judder effectively on camera pans and sports coverage, but a low setting is preferable to avoid giving films an artificially smooth look.

The Aetherion Max supports HDR10, HLG, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision. Handling both dynamic HDR formats is fairly rare, although the Hisense C2 Ultra, VisionMaster Pro 2 and Horizon 20 Max now do the same. IMAX Enhanced is also present, though its contribution is harder to assess in practice.

The EOTF curve proved stable during measurement but sits noticeably above the reference, so HDR scenes are generally brighter than they should be.

On brightness, peak output was measured at 230 cd/m2 on a 10% window. That is a very good result for an ultra-short-throw model, almost double the 126 cd/m2 of the Formovie Theater Premium. It does place the Aetherion slightly behind the VisionMaster Pro 2 at 257 cd/m2 and the C2 Ultra at 266 cd/m2, and well behind the Horizon 20 Max, which retains its lead at 370 cd/m2.

HDR delta E came in at 5.8, so colours are not perfectly faithful and calibration will be needed for a better result. Colour coverage is otherwise excellent thanks to the triple-laser source, reaching 99.4% of DCI-P3 and 97.1% of Rec.2020. Awol has also built in its Anti-RBE technology, which avoids the rainbow effect that many viewers notice with laser projectors.

The built-in sound system delivers a reasonable result, but far from an ideal one. Stereo separation is clearly marked and the soundstage extends properly to either side of the unit, though spatialisation is fairly limited, as is often the case on ultra-short-throw models.

The upper mids are also pushed too far forward, which occasionally gives voices and effects a slightly aggressive character. The result beats entry-level models, of course, but it remains somewhat disappointing given the standard set elsewhere on this projector. A dedicated audio system — speakers or a soundbar — is the sensible route for serious film sessions.

Average consumption was recorded at 140 W on the standard test pattern, a very reasonable result for a triple-laser projector this bright. It stays well under the 200 W that some older ultra-short-throw models can exceed.