Abstract

• The Panasonic DP-UB9000 is a top-tier Blu-ray participant praised for cinema-accurate picture processing.
• The participant helps HDR codecs like HDR10+ and Dolby Imaginative and prescient, offering the supposed viewing expertise.
• The UB9000 affords high-res audio capabilities, varied output choices, and a sturdy, noise-reducing design.

When my boss Dan requested me “What would you say was your ‘holy grail’ Blu-ray participant?”, I might by no means even thought of it. My stance has at all times been to get the very best bang-for-buck tech I can. So, I made a decision to consider it, and from the heavens descended the Panasonic DP-UB9000.

The Panasonic DP-UB9000 was launched all the way in which again in 2018, with a refreshed “mk2” mannequin launched just a few years later. Each are equivalent save for a distinction in audio chip, which Panasonic modified for provide chain causes. No matter which model you get, the Panasonic DP-UB9000 is extensively lauded because the videophile’s participant of alternative, and what’s beneath that brushed aluminum shell, I can see why.

Unimaginable Cinema-Correct Picture Processing

Pansonic refers to this as a “reference” participant, and similar to different “reference” video and audio gear, this implies the DP-UB9000 is designed to precisely reproduce the video picture as supposed by the creators of the content material.

That is doable because of a specialised, high-performance picture processing chip known as the Panasonic Hollywood Cinema Expertise (HCX) processor. This chip works to transform the picture from the Blu-ray to its true and correct illustration when it comes to shade, distinction, readability, and brightness.

It is successfully an “upscaler,” however for extra than simply decision and element. The chip takes into consideration what your show is able to, after which does the very best with what you give it. You additionally get bit-perfect translation of the video with out resorting to chroma subsampling (excellently defined by RTINGS), although the common individual will surely be unable to inform that they’re getting a barely worse picture in return for giant bandwidth financial savings.

Nonetheless, the UB9000 guarantees to be a reference participant, and so whether or not you’ll be able to inform at a look or not, it affords essentially the most technically appropriate image it may in your show.

Vast HDR Format Help

Whereas I’ve seen this participant nearly universally praised for its picture replica, quite a lot of that’s all the way down to its assist for the very best HDR codecs. This implies HDR10+ and Dolby Vision.Paired with a show with the best specs and HDR assist, the UB9000 will make it actually shine, and, once more, provide the expertise supposed by the content material creator. It additionally helps customary HDR and HLG, so that you’re just about coated for each sort of HDR format you are more likely to encounter.

The participant’s HDR optimizer function is extensively thought-about the very best within the enterprise, and you may see why on this demo video.

This can be a large deal, because it signifies that any show machine, together with dwelling theater projectors, will retain extra element with HDR footage, as a result of the optimizer maps the unique HDR information right into a brightness vary that the show can really produce.

Hello-Res Audio With Quite a few Output Choices

If something, the audio capabilties of the UB9000 are much more spectacular than its picture high quality chops. Each of the variations have a high-end digital-to-analog converter and a balanced analogue audio output circuit, so you’ll be able to hook it as much as your fancy analogue dwelling theater receiver. The audio subsystem has its personal separate energy provide, to remove interference.

Sadly, this participant doesn’t assist audiophile disc codecs like SACD or DVD-A, but it surely does assist nearly each digital format that issues: WAV/FLAC/WMA/AIFF/AAC/MP3 codecs, DSD (2.8 MHz/5.6 MHz/11.2MHz) and ALAC music recordsdata.

Connection choices for the audio embrace the aforementioned balanced analog XLR/RCA, twin HDMI, and seven.1 channel, optical and coaxial audio connections.

Constructed to Final (and to Be Quiet)

That is the form of machine that appears to be hewn from a strong slab of steel. The DP-UB9000 has a inflexible aluminum physique designed to stay issues out for the lengthy haul. So when you’re on the lookout for a participant that may go properly in your doomsday bunker, this appears to be it. It is anodized (what the Japanese usually name “alumite-treated”) which each appears to be like good and helps forestall corrosion, and weighs in at a hefty 17.2lbs! This additionally cuts down on vibration and noise from the drive and its shifting parts.

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The very fact of the matter is that the UB9000 is solidly out of my funds. My present non-4K participant price me nearly $200 and that felt laborious to justify on the time. Nonetheless, if the Editor-in-Chief handed me the corporate bank card and stated “You should buy any Blu-ray participant you need.” then this is able to be the one I gleefully swipe for.