Panasonic DP-UB9000 UHD Player Review

[Icboschert]

Someone can reach out to @Robert Zohn to buy one and have it drop shipped to @amirm first. Since there is no USB dac, he can only run an abbreviated set of tests.

1) Drive noise when playing UHD discs should be quieter on the UB9000 which matters if the player is in the same room as the audience. Some of it is insulation, some claim it's a different drive
2) Better backlit remote for UB9000
3) Fancier firmware for HDR tone mapping on projectors

Another weakness compared to the Oppo 205 is the lack of SACD disc playback, although it has better-than-Oppo DSD DLNA support.

I will second the drive noise on my UB420. Got a deal on a refurbished unit. Not bothersome enough since the overall film noise levels mask it but I did consider going to a Sony X700. Does yours auto upscale everything to 4K unless you go into the settings each time?

 

[Theriverlethe]

Probably because it still gets into the Blue Zone at 2V and beats the Topping D70 @ 4V. Not ideal of course.

Would be interesting to know if a firmware update can increase the voltage to 4V

You'd have to use 4x the power from a downstream amp, which could actually lead to more noise than you'd get with the Topping.

 

[Vini darko]

A suggestion : prehaps put your test tones onto a disk to check the main functionality of this unit. It should be doable with a dvdR. Would be interesting to see if performance is equal to usb.

 

[tmtomh]

A very nice unit. The lack of a USB DAC input, though, is a real shame, and mystifying.

And does it really not support SACD or DVD-A?

 

[GXAlan]

You'd have to use 4x the power from a downstream amp, which could actually lead to more noise than you'd get with the Topping.

Good point.

A very nice unit. The lack of a USB DAC input, though, is a real shame, and mystifying.

And does it really not support SACD or DVD-A?

No SACD even though it'll do DSD 2ch and Mch via DLNA/USB.
No DVD-A either.

 

[Dj7675]

I have had a few of the Panasonic players and have liked them a great deal. Had the UB900 (predecessary to the UB9000 I believe). I would like to see the lower models tested as well, like the ub420/820. I have the ub420 in my theater as it does a very nice job on hdr tone mapping on my jvc projector. Would be curious how they test as well. Nice to have a high end “audiophile” unit test well

 

[tmtomh]

Good point.

No SACD even though it'll do DSD 2ch and Mch via DLNA/USB.
No DVD-A either.

Interesting. It seems strange to market a $1000 unit with analogue audio outputs and balanced stereo audio outputs, and then not put in USB DAC, SACD, and DVD-A capability.

 

[amirm]

No SACD even though it'll do DSD 2ch and Mch via DLNA/USB.

SACD was created by Panasonic's enemies: Sony and Philips. They want to have nothing to do with that format.

DVD-A though was their making so strange to see that left behind. Then again the reality is that DVD-A has been dead for years and years.

Multi-format drives are slower by the way. There is no ID mechanism to tell the drive which disc is in the drawer. So they go through a trial and error process to read every format and see which one does not fail!

 

[waynel]

You'd have to use 4x the power from a downstream amp, which could actually lead to more noise than you'd get with the Topping.

What does this mean: "4X the power"?

 

[JBH129]

This player earned its fame for its tone mapping capabilities, which are very helpful when displaying HDR content on a display that is incapable of 1000 nit brightness.

 

[GXAlan]

This player earned its fame for its tone mapping capabilities, which are very helpful when displaying HDR content on a display that is incapable of 1000 nit brightness.

And since some HDR discs are encoded at 10,000 nits -- the tone mapping still helps with displays that reach 1500+ nits.

 

[Theriverlethe]

What does this mean: "4X the power"?

Going from 4VRMS to 2VRMS will cost you 6dB, so the amp will need higher gain to compensate.

 

[waynel]

Gain yes ,up to 6dB more which is 2x but not any more power.

 

[Dj7675]

@amirm does it make any difference if the input is hdmi?

 

[amirm]

@amirm does it make any difference if the input is hdmi?

There is no HDMI input. Only the Oppo had that.

 

[jhaider]

AGAINST
No SACD or DVD-Audio support

What a miserable failure of a disk player. If it can’t actually play disks, who cares about how it “performs?”

This disk player clearly needs a headless panther for lacking the basic ability to play disks.

 

[waynel]

What a miserable failure of a disk player. If it can’t actually play disks, who cares about how it “performs?”

This disk player clearly needs a headless panther for lacking the basic ability to play disks.

No floppy drive either.

 

[Vini darko]

And since some HDR discs are encoded at 10,000 nits -- the tone mapping still helps with displays that reach 1500+ nits.

I thought nits were something that lives in kids hair.

 

[Dj7675]

I will second the drive noise on my UB420. Got a deal on a refurbished unit. Not bothersome enough since the overall film noise levels mask it but I did consider going to a Sony X700. Does yours auto upscale everything to 4K unless you go into the settings each time?

I have noticed the drive is a bit noisy as well. Is the 820 any better in this regard?

 

[Theriverlethe]

Gain yes ,up to 6dB more which is 2x but not any more power.

You’re right. I guess the final result depends on which gain stage has better performance - the amp or the DAC output. The other possibility is that an amp is limited to 1/4 of its power output, depending on its input sensitivity.