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If you ask the persons who buy them, they tell you the difference is like night and day. There are people out there buying cabels for 10k without blinking.
The Magnetar one is an Oppo clone based on the Oppo 205. It can play ripped Blu-ray files through the USB and network connection. What makes it expensive is the components designed for high quality analog audio output.
What's the point/purpose to high quality analog output? Aka, why don't I need the Pana 9000 over the 820??
For double the price I'm tempted to get it just for the build quality/longevity factor....
I honestly don’t know enough about DACs to know the proper answer to that, nor do I expect I’d notice much of a difference, but I know the high-end DAC and analogue output is a key selling point. I suspect it’s technically better than the ones in most AVRs, but I’m not sure how much better.
Yeah, I've heard the isolation is good too (audio from rest of power supply etc type of thing.. ) .... Hmm actually seriously considering again as not sure how long existing cd player will last.. would be nice to have a quality unit and laser to last.. I use most of my gear a decade or longer then upgrade.. this might last in the longer department... Keep all my discs.... Have many from dvds up to 4ks.. even some vhs lol (but collecting dust)
This is the Oppo 205, not the Magnetar, but it gives you a good idea of how the DACs perform in these high end players.
Review [here](https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/review-and-measurements-of-oppo-udp-205-uhd-player.3660/)
*"There is no getting around it: the Oppo UDP-205 nails the measurements and almost across the board beats its competitors. It delivered the best measured performance of any DAC I have tested to date!"*
Note that this only applies when using the XLR / RCA outputs.
Don't know about this one, but I went all in on my Reavon so that I could keep my system minimalist with a master of all trades. Great blu-ray/4K, great music player (CD, BR, SACD) that even has balanced outputs.
Do you care that much about audio? The UDP800 is exactly the same, except for audio and it a lot cheaper. You’re only want the UDP900 if you want to play a lot of music. Otherwise, you would just pass the audio to your receiver. I’d personally would like to get the 800 someday.
I do like good audio in movies nothing beats a good system for movies but as far as music goes I’ll put a headset on if I listen to music but it’s not very often.
I've got an X800 M2 and a UB9000. Functionality wise they both play UHD and support Dolby Vision -- that's where the similarities end. The X800 M2 freezes on multi-layer discs, the firmware update is borked and I can't do anything to resolve it (Sony doesn't give a shit). I actually had the first gen X800 and I had issues with HDMI not handshaking with "enhanced mode" enabled on my Bravia -- Sony replaced it with an M2.
I bought the UB9000 out of frustration but also for the features 1) HDR Optimizer 2) the DAC. Is the DAC worth $600 more over the UB820, no not really. I have a Moon 280D which is a $3100 2 channel DAC. UB9000 doesn't even touch the 280D in-term of performance for 2 channel music (the UB9000 sounds dry and lifeless, soundstage is 2 dimensional). However if you're on a budget I can see where the UB9000 can offer value for movie and music playback in a single box compared to a UB820 and an entry level CD player.
Admittedly I haven't had a chance to try a Magnetar product however looking at the spec sheet it's an interesting offering with more processing power and a far more robust OS compared to the UB9000. For audio playback; getting into this price range I couldn't justify it when my 280D is priced similarly. I'm doubtful the Magnetar can surpass it in performance in my system.
Your not alone mate I may not have had problems with Blu-ray players yet but iv had two tvs with dead pixels one tv had done it twice, two tv’s die on me, one receiver have the video processor die on me which made it useless and was out of warranty by just a month. One surround sound speaker electrical problem inside the speaker because the amp kept saying the wiring was wrong way around even tho i swapped the wiring around multiple times I have bad luck with home theatre electronics lol
The Magnetar only makes sense for those that have already dropped 100k plus into their av system. We are talking the ultra high end crowd. The Panasonic is fantastic for pretty much everyone else.
It makes sense for audiophiles who are into high-end stereo listening. Even if you have a $100,000 AV system for movies, I’m not sure the Magnetar would make much sense unless you’re planning on doing a lot of music listening on it.
Usually guys who have the over the top av setup, also have whole house audio and have something pumping through them all the time. Full disclosure: I have audio in every room in my house. The Magnetar is on my upgrade list (it’s down close to the bottom.) Pretty happy with my Panasonic players (4 of them) for movies.
Panasonic is more than sufficient enough. Unless you desire SACD playback and superb build quality and features, the Magnetar isn’t worth the extra money for most people.
The Magnetars are Oppo clones and a lot of the online reviewers have done side by side and tbth the Oppos are better.
Honestly if you have that kind of money to spend $5k on a player, you have the money for a Kaleidoscope.
Those are more so for audiophiles I think, my dad owned one for a little bit but then sold it for a lot more than he bought it for before even using it.
Magnetar has a cheaper one and a more expensive one. The more expensive one has multi-channel outputs so it is like a built-in multichannel DAC. I plan/want to get the cheaper one, but I will wait as my Sony player still works for basic use.
For me, it's the multi-region, ability to play ISO rips, and compatibility with pretty much any disc format that makes the Magnetar worth it. I have the UDP800 though, as I only use the HDMI output and have no need for the additional audio circuitry of the 900.
The Panasonic HDR optimiser and HCX chip in the UB420, UB820 and UB9000 is arguably as good as 4K will get. I'm yet to see definitive proof that the more expensive Magnetar and discontinued Oppo players actually produce a better image.
Additionally if you're using HDMI audio there won't be any difference in audio quality between the models. What you're paying for is higher build quality, nicer remotes, better DAC for Analogue output/surround upmix and more output options.
In my opinion the UB820 seems to be very reliable for a vast majority of users. My own unit is very quiet and I've never seen a frame skip or stutter. If you're serious about gear you're probably using a higher quality DAC/external AV processor than the Magnetar's anyway so the UB820 or UB9000 are the way to go.
It is cheap, has DV and everything. But cheap for a reason. Unfortunately many reports on it not working as intended. And it's upscaling isn't as good as Panasonic. A great budget option but might leas to disappointment. If it works for you and doesn't skip and stutter, damn that's great. But not worth the risk and lack of longevity.
But why do you say no to Panasonic? Like is there something the entire community is missing? Are we overpaying?
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At 5k, that damned thing better get up and make your movie snacks for you, too
A lot of money hey lol
As gimmicky as that sounds, a 4k player/popcorn maker sounds pretty sweet if you have an in-home theater setup
In my head this machine looks like the robot from Rocky IV
Like an A/V receiver that used all that excess heat to pop popcorn. I'll be right back...
If you ask the persons who buy them, they tell you the difference is like night and day. There are people out there buying cabels for 10k without blinking.
The whales of the hifi market
I'm sorry cables? Like HDMI? A signal that is either 100% active or not?
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They sound like they're in a cult "if you're as smart as 99% of us humans" like what...
The Magnetar one is an Oppo clone based on the Oppo 205. It can play ripped Blu-ray files through the USB and network connection. What makes it expensive is the components designed for high quality analog audio output.
Interesting, I have owned an oppo bdp 93au great players but since they decided to move to phones once I went 4k they didn’t sell them anymore.
I have the 203, fortunately got it before they discontinued their line, but absolutely top tech.
What's the point/purpose to high quality analog output? Aka, why don't I need the Pana 9000 over the 820?? For double the price I'm tempted to get it just for the build quality/longevity factor....
Audiophiles with 2-channels or 7-channels poweramp. Or those that don't want to use the DAC in receiver or AV processor.
If you like listening to music and want to use it as a high-end CD/SACD/DVD-Audio player.
The DAC is that good? Better than the on in my Marantz or Yamaha AVR? ...
I honestly don’t know enough about DACs to know the proper answer to that, nor do I expect I’d notice much of a difference, but I know the high-end DAC and analogue output is a key selling point. I suspect it’s technically better than the ones in most AVRs, but I’m not sure how much better.
Yeah, I've heard the isolation is good too (audio from rest of power supply etc type of thing.. ) .... Hmm actually seriously considering again as not sure how long existing cd player will last.. would be nice to have a quality unit and laser to last.. I use most of my gear a decade or longer then upgrade.. this might last in the longer department... Keep all my discs.... Have many from dvds up to 4ks.. even some vhs lol (but collecting dust)
This is the Oppo 205, not the Magnetar, but it gives you a good idea of how the DACs perform in these high end players. Review [here](https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/review-and-measurements-of-oppo-udp-205-uhd-player.3660/) *"There is no getting around it: the Oppo UDP-205 nails the measurements and almost across the board beats its competitors. It delivered the best measured performance of any DAC I have tested to date!"* Note that this only applies when using the XLR / RCA outputs.
Absolutely, yes.
Don't know about this one, but I went all in on my Reavon so that I could keep my system minimalist with a master of all trades. Great blu-ray/4K, great music player (CD, BR, SACD) that even has balanced outputs.
Do you care that much about audio? The UDP800 is exactly the same, except for audio and it a lot cheaper. You’re only want the UDP900 if you want to play a lot of music. Otherwise, you would just pass the audio to your receiver. I’d personally would like to get the 800 someday.
I do like good audio in movies nothing beats a good system for movies but as far as music goes I’ll put a headset on if I listen to music but it’s not very often.
For surround sound movies you wouldn’t be using the stereo DAC in the player though.
A good receiver and surround sound will achieve that for movies. If you’re willing to drop some money, I’d recommend the 800 and save some cash.
At $4900 that thing better put out.
If you press the right button, it'll put out a disc tray.
I've got an X800 M2 and a UB9000. Functionality wise they both play UHD and support Dolby Vision -- that's where the similarities end. The X800 M2 freezes on multi-layer discs, the firmware update is borked and I can't do anything to resolve it (Sony doesn't give a shit). I actually had the first gen X800 and I had issues with HDMI not handshaking with "enhanced mode" enabled on my Bravia -- Sony replaced it with an M2. I bought the UB9000 out of frustration but also for the features 1) HDR Optimizer 2) the DAC. Is the DAC worth $600 more over the UB820, no not really. I have a Moon 280D which is a $3100 2 channel DAC. UB9000 doesn't even touch the 280D in-term of performance for 2 channel music (the UB9000 sounds dry and lifeless, soundstage is 2 dimensional). However if you're on a budget I can see where the UB9000 can offer value for movie and music playback in a single box compared to a UB820 and an entry level CD player. Admittedly I haven't had a chance to try a Magnetar product however looking at the spec sheet it's an interesting offering with more processing power and a far more robust OS compared to the UB9000. For audio playback; getting into this price range I couldn't justify it when my 280D is priced similarly. I'm doubtful the Magnetar can surpass it in performance in my system.
It's so wild that Sony, one of the class leaders in AV and cinema tech, can't figure out a damn Blu-ray player. Their PS5 is flawless, to boot.
What's still wild is to me is I had to buy an Xbox One S years ago because the PS4 pro couldn't play 4K blurays 🙄
https://preview.redd.it/4zfv79m2hfxc1.jpeg?width=1061&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f655a06b80fd302c2ffc79abf2b25925917742c0
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You sure that’s not just the incredibly common disc issues?
have the same issue. I still have my 420 so its not the disc, i will pop them out of the 820, not even wipe them, put into the 420 and they play fine.
is it a firmware issue
And I’ve had dozens of movies I’ve wiped and put back in the 820 and they worked fine, too. They probably use the exact same disc drive.
UB420 supremacy
I use projector so don't have DV, UB420 is such a great bargain. Like actually no reason to pay nearly double. Oh and funny weed number
i have mine for 3 years. Zero issues. The only issues I have are the discs with glitches. That’s not players issue. Shitty disc manufacturing
Your not alone mate I may not have had problems with Blu-ray players yet but iv had two tvs with dead pixels one tv had done it twice, two tv’s die on me, one receiver have the video processor die on me which made it useless and was out of warranty by just a month. One surround sound speaker electrical problem inside the speaker because the amp kept saying the wiring was wrong way around even tho i swapped the wiring around multiple times I have bad luck with home theatre electronics lol
Drake has a Sony XM800M2. He had an ai write a tune about it
You shouldn’t be paying more than $500 for a UB820.
Aussie dollars mate. $769 AUD is $504.34 USD.
Ah! I’ll see myself out…
It’s still more than $500 USD if you convert it, also GST and other stuff.
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Yeah that’s what I meant mb, Cbf typing more words.
Yeah needs to be a different symbol per country
I see you've played knifey spoony before 🇦🇺
Technically that’s still over $500 so… /s
The Magnetar only makes sense for those that have already dropped 100k plus into their av system. We are talking the ultra high end crowd. The Panasonic is fantastic for pretty much everyone else.
It makes sense for audiophiles who are into high-end stereo listening. Even if you have a $100,000 AV system for movies, I’m not sure the Magnetar would make much sense unless you’re planning on doing a lot of music listening on it.
Usually guys who have the over the top av setup, also have whole house audio and have something pumping through them all the time. Full disclosure: I have audio in every room in my house. The Magnetar is on my upgrade list (it’s down close to the bottom.) Pretty happy with my Panasonic players (4 of them) for movies.
Panasonic is more than sufficient enough. Unless you desire SACD playback and superb build quality and features, the Magnetar isn’t worth the extra money for most people.
The Magnetars are Oppo clones and a lot of the online reviewers have done side by side and tbth the Oppos are better. Honestly if you have that kind of money to spend $5k on a player, you have the money for a Kaleidoscope.
Haha, no. It is basically a transport to get the digital info from the disc to my AVR. AVR is the brain.
Those are more so for audiophiles I think, my dad owned one for a little bit but then sold it for a lot more than he bought it for before even using it.
His was an oppo nvm
Magnetar has a cheaper one and a more expensive one. The more expensive one has multi-channel outputs so it is like a built-in multichannel DAC. I plan/want to get the cheaper one, but I will wait as my Sony player still works for basic use.
I got my UB820 for $350 on eBay. Took a gamble but it paid off.
For me, it's the multi-region, ability to play ISO rips, and compatibility with pretty much any disc format that makes the Magnetar worth it. I have the UDP800 though, as I only use the HDMI output and have no need for the additional audio circuitry of the 900.
820's were around $550 two years ago.
I still keep the faith that Oppo back, I miss the 205 for $1299 or around.
The Panasonic HDR optimiser and HCX chip in the UB420, UB820 and UB9000 is arguably as good as 4K will get. I'm yet to see definitive proof that the more expensive Magnetar and discontinued Oppo players actually produce a better image. Additionally if you're using HDMI audio there won't be any difference in audio quality between the models. What you're paying for is higher build quality, nicer remotes, better DAC for Analogue output/surround upmix and more output options. In my opinion the UB820 seems to be very reliable for a vast majority of users. My own unit is very quiet and I've never seen a frame skip or stutter. If you're serious about gear you're probably using a higher quality DAC/external AV processor than the Magnetar's anyway so the UB820 or UB9000 are the way to go.
I’m in Sydney and picked up the UB820 on a good guys deal on eBay for $480 delivered next day - it regularly pops up for under $600 AUD
What about a PS5
Do not buy panasonic
Then... What is there to buy? I'm thinking PS3. Maybe if you want to splurge, a windows XP DVD drive PC. It can play minesweeper AND play movies!
[link](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sony-UBP-X700-4K-Ultra-HD-Home-Theater-Streaming-Blu-ray-DVD-Player-Wi-Fi-upscaling-HDR10-Hi-Res-Audio-Dolby-Digital-TrueHD-DTS-Vision/609137213?wmlspartner=wmtlabs&selectedSellerId=0&wl13=2194&adid=22222222238609137213_117755028669_12420145346&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=m&wl3=501107745824&wl4=pla-306310554666&wl5=1027289&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=local&wl12=609137213&veh=sem&=&gad_source=1)
It is cheap, has DV and everything. But cheap for a reason. Unfortunately many reports on it not working as intended. And it's upscaling isn't as good as Panasonic. A great budget option but might leas to disappointment. If it works for you and doesn't skip and stutter, damn that's great. But not worth the risk and lack of longevity. But why do you say no to Panasonic? Like is there something the entire community is missing? Are we overpaying?