The Marantz VP-15S1 is the second Full HD projector we have seen from the company.

The hugely impressive Marantz VP-11S1 originally sold for around £10,000 - this artfully downgraded sibling comes in a full £4,500 cheaper. That's like getting a 65in plasma TV thrown in for free...

The massive die-cast aluminium chassis, that set the Marantz VP-11S1 apart from every other DLP projector in terms of build quality, is used again here.

You get the same retractable metal feet and the same chunky metal lens collar. The Marantz VP-15S1 also weighs in at a ceiling-testing 13kg. The only visual difference is the colour.

New home cinema technology

Light-absorbing matt black bodywork gives the Marantz VP-15S1 its menacing good looks, and houses the DarkChip 3 DLP chipset.

This is currently the best DMD (digital micromirror device) that Texas Instruments makes, but it is controlled this time by a new algorithm and an image processor made by Gennum.

The light path has been reshaped to fit the optics made for Marantz by Konica Minolta, which makes the Marantz VP-15S1 just a little bit bigger.

A versatile projector

Installation of this product is best left to the professionals. It uses a medium-to-long throw ratio lens, so ceiling-mounting behind the viewer is probably best, although in a longer room, it could be overhead, so make sure you're ceiling beams are up to the job.

Of course, the Marantz VP-15S1 is equally happy standing on a table and pointing up at a screen. In this case, the height-adjustable feet come in handy and there's an optical lens shift dial for vertical alignment.

If you need it, there is digital keystone correction to make the image square on the screen too. With no horizontal lens shift, it's important to stay perpendicular to the screen, though.

Dual HDMIs on offer

Air intakes at the side and underneath suck in cool air and blow it out through a vent at the front, while all of the input connections are to the rear. There's no DVI input this time, but there is a VGA socket for computers and two HDMI ports.

The main controls are all located on the Marantz VP-15S1's back. Each button is roughly the size of a ten pence piece, so they're easy to find in the dark. Most people will use the backlit remote control, though.

The user interface isn't as refined as a Panasonic or Sony menu system and the window itself is rather small. What you do get is plenty of opportunity to fine-tune the picture. This is one of the most customisable projectors on the market, and there are no less than 18 user presets.

If you have the time to programme them all, they should give you an ideal preset for every eventuality.

Stunning high definition

The Marantz VP-15S1 created quite a stir when it debuted at last year's CEDIA Expo, outshining some considerably more expensive competition, so it was with some excitement that I began the audition.

With the Marantz VP-15S1 calibrated and the lights dimmed, I was keen to see how the picture quality looked with a standard-definition DVD player; in this case the Marantz DV7001 seemed appropriate. The short answer is: very good.

Standard-definition can fall apart on a 100in screen, but this PJ's upscaling is so effective you won't feel embarrassed to revisit your favourites. Marantz has reverted to a traditional six-segment colour wheel for the Marantz VP-15S1, instead of seven, but this hasn't impacted on vibrancy.