We were recently given the opportunity to play around with the long awaited, Optoma P1 UST Laser 4K projector in our office. This is a pre-production model and may differ from the final version expected to start shipping Mid-September 2019.

We will be posting some more in depth content regarding the image quality on this unit however we wanted to address the elephant in the room - the integrated audio.

With on-board audio options in projectors being "less than stellar" as they are not really intended to be the main audio source for cinematic content, we were blown away with how the P1 changed the paradigm in regards to integrated audio.

Audio:

The Optoma P1 – Awesome Sound from a Projector

In an era where the ultra-short throw projector is synonymous with the concept of “bigger & better TV replacement” in home theater, there are many aspects to what will make someone want one specific model over another. Of course, picture quality, brightness and price are all deciding factors as they always have been when deciding on a projector. Yet, in the era of the ultra-short throw setup we now have a new compelling category for which we will add to the way in which we judge a projector:
SOUND QUALITY! That’s right. Because of the way the UST projectors are designed, they now replace not only your TV with a larger image, but they also replace your soundbar as well.

Even before its official release, the P1 is becoming a trend setter. It’s priced affordably with a lot to offer. Of course, you will want to make sure you use the right kind of screen for it – meaning one designed specifically for UST projectors. But for the remainder of this review I will speaking specifically about its sound quality.


My colleagues and I, having worked in the home theater industry for years and years, know what it’s when you’re setting up the projector in your own house. We know that special feeling when the screen is finally mounted, you pop in your favorite Blu-ray or you hope right on to Netflix and go to a spectacular visual and finally get that first glimpse of a real movie theater in your home. But what is less familiar is setting up the projector and being blown away buy its ability to fill the room with crisp, clean *loud* sound all from within the projector itself. This is exactly what happened when we had the pleasure of using the P1 for the first time. The office has its share of audiophiles too, of which I am one. While it won’t replace your B&W free standing speakers, it will replace your average (and above-average) soundbars.

The P1 employs an integrated sound bar designed by Optoma’s sister company, NuForce. Inside the soundbar reside four full-range aluminum woofers capable of rendering distortion-free audio at a considerable volume level. The only qualm we had was that the projector did not include a way to integrate a subwoofer for those sub-bass frequencies that add impact to your cinematic experience. This may change in the future if a wireless subwoofer is offered for the unit.

We are sure that the P1 will be one of many offerings in the months and years to come which will offer substantial audio improvements over projectors of the past, but for now, we are happy to say it’s simply the best sounding projector we have yet to hear. At its price point, it’s a slam dunk of AV goodness on every front. Since Optoma and Nuforce are owned by the same company, the P1 is able to be offered at an extremely cost-effective price.

Interested in purchasing an Optoma CinemaX P1 Projector? -=Click Here=-