Panasonic Dp-Ub9000

Panasonic DP-UB9000 4k Blu ray player Review

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Review of the Panasonic DP-UB9000 4K Blu-ray player.

Pros

  • The best possible picture quality.
  • Durable
  • Playback Info Screen

Cons

  • Streaming app portal with limited features
  • It lacks Super Audio CD or DVD-A playback.

The new Panasonic UB9000 4K Blu-ray player is a beast. If you want to play 4K Blu-ray discs or stream content to a 4K TV, this is the player to buy.

If you’re looking for an affordable 4K Blu-ray player, the Panasonic UB9000 is definitely the best choice. It’s got a long list of features, including 4K, HDR, and a full range of digital audio. The UB9000 also features a full complement of HDMI and component inputs, so you can connect anything from a TV to a receiver to a set-top box.

The DP-UB9000 also has a variety of other features, including the ability to playback video and audio from a variety of streaming services, as well as support for 4K UHD Blu-ray discs, Dolby Atmos, and DTS-HD Master Audio.

Panasonic Dp-Ub9000: Price and Release Date

Panasonic’s DP-UB9000 Blu-ray player tops Panasonic’s Blu-ray range and sells for 850 pounds ($1,319 or AU $1,799). It has a hefty price point, but it still feels like it is a decent value when you lift it out of its shipping box because it feels like a premium product.

The UBR-X200 is near twice the price of Pioneer’s high-end UDP-LX500 and UDP-LX800 models and Reavon’s newer UBR-X200, which has the same quality finish and weight (important in any device that spins discs with precision).

In spite of the UB9000’s release in late 2018, it was updated in 2021 without changing features or quality, so it’s unlikely to be replaced anytime soon. The key technologies we want to see are already supported, so there is no need for them.

Panasonic Dp-Ub9000: Key features

  • Streaming Video Apps are available
  • No audio streaming apps
  • Two USB ports
  • Wifi and Ethernet ports are available

Panasonic Dp-Ub9000

There are some streaming apps on this Panasonic deck, such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and YouTube, but not nearly enough to tempt you away from your media streaming stick of choice, or from any polished smart TV platform. It would have been logical to include streaming music apps, but there are none. The smart features are limited, but it does not matter in the end.

The connectivity is among the best. There are also two HDMI outputs (one of which is only for audio), two USB ports (one of which is a fast 3.0), optical and coaxial digital audio outputs, 7.1 channel phonos, and balanced Neutrik XLR stereo connectors. Both Wi-Fi and Ethernet are available.

Our favorite feature is the Playback Info screen. A useful feature of the tool is that it can read HDR10 metadata, revealing the Maximum Frame-Average Light (MaxFALL) and Maximum Light Level (MaxCLL) values. You can find this player if you ever wanted to know that Pacific Rim Uprising was mastered for 1000 nits. Moreover, it will indicate that it has a MaxFall of 863 nits. Despicable Me 2 also boasts an average HDR brightness of 553 nits? Maybe not, but at least you can see how close to the creative intent your HDR display is getting when Gru blows something up.

Unfortunately, it is not a universal disc player. It cannot play Super Audio CDs or DVD-A platters. It can only play vanilla-flavored CDs. For movie fans, that’s no problem, but for audiophiles, it might disappoint. The player will play DSD and 24-bit FLAC files, so all is not lost on the Hi-Res audio front.

Picture Quality and Sound

This player’s picture is jaw-dropping, thanks to its THX 4K Source certification. It is equipped with Panasonic’s second-generation HCX video processor, which produces images that are beautifully detailed and have almost 3D depth.

Additionally, HDR Optimizer is available to match the output of the player to your display. OLED, High Luminance Projectors, Simple Luminance Projectors, Super High Luminance LCDs, Middle or High Luminance LCDs, and Simple Luminance LCDs are available.

This optimizer sets a tone map target (the default is 1000 nits) in addition to converting the display to enable it to handle extreme HDR highlights without clipping.

Most televisions are incapable of accurately tone mapping content mastered above 1,000 nits. Clipping can hide details by obscuring cloudy skies. Dolby Vision should theoretically solve this, but this optimizer should ensure that you’ll always get the best dynamic range no matter what you watch.

The DP-UB9000 is also capable of interpolating a 4K (4:4:4) video output from standard 4K (4:2:0) content; this works with both UHD discs and streaming services. As a result, images appear vibrant and dynamic, with expertly saturated colors and smooth gradations.

Panasonic may not be able to play hi-res audio discs, but it hasn’t skimped on sonic quality. The built-in AK4493 DAC performs the duty of a two-channel DAC, while the analog output channels are routed through a low-noise op-amp to Neutrik balanced outputs.

Panasonic Dp-Ub9000: Design

4k blu-ray dvd

In terms of style, the DP-UB9000 looks every bit like an audiophile thoroughbred. Because the deck is constructed from two layers of steel, it is reassuringly heavy at 7.8kg. Besides the top plate and the aluminum side plates that are bolted separately, the chassis base, which is also dual-layered, consists of sheets of 1.2 mm and 1.6 mm in thickness.

The attention to detail is excellent. The corners are seductively rolled, and the front panel has a hairline finish that gives it a minimalistic, up-market appearance. To keep everything firmly in place, there are four isolating feet with anti-slip pads.

Users will find easy-to-use buttons for video, music, photos, home networks, network service, and setup on the interface. The remote control is large and plasticky, but it’s easy to use.

The verdict

The best Blu-ray player for under a grand can be found here. The DP-UB9000 is a powerful disc spinner with impressive build quality and performance that blows you away.

Thanks to HDR optimization technology, the image quality is excellent. AV enthusiasts will appreciate its support for Dolby Vision and HDR10+, as well as its Playback Info screen. The sound quality is also quite good.

The DP-UB9000 is a must-have player for AV enthusiasts.