Panasonic DP-UB9000 4k Blu-ray player review

Built for home cinema enthusiasts, the Panasonic DP-UB9000 4k Blu-ray player delivers a picture worthy of a Hollywood cinema. The audio is just as impressive, with support for Hi-Res Audio and 7.1 channel outputs.

 

As a versatile disc player, the DP-UB9000 plays 4K Blu-rays, 3D Blu-rays, regular Blu-rays, and DVDs. It can also handle audio CDs.

 

The Panasonic’s Hollywood Cinema Experience (HCX) processor drives the unit, ensuring stunning picture accuracy with life-like colours and contrast. As a THX-certified media player, it delivers a high standard of cinematic home viewing for image and sound.

 

Offering multi HDR support, it optimises each scene to show the maximum amount of detail. Also, the Panasonic DP-UB9000 supports HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma) and Dolby Vision formats. Enjoy an immersive listening experience with supports High-Resolution Audio playback.

 

Connect to Wi-Fi using the onboard wireless or Ethernet cable. The DP-UB9000 has a web browser and apps, including streaming services. Compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. Rather than needing the remote handy, you can speak your command.

 

The unit offers excellent connectivity with twin HDMI ports, XLR balanced outputs for the highest quality sound and twin USB sockets. Another bonus is the analogue 7.1 RCA output, which allows connection with older high-end AV receivers that may not have an HDMI interface.

 

The heavy and rigid construction minimises vibrations, letting the electronics work to their optimum ability for the highest quality sound and vision. Truly built to last and for a near-silent operation.

 

The Panasonic DP-UB9000 is ideal for your living room or cinema room as it provides the ultimate sound and vision for an electrifying performance. 9/10

 

 

 

 

 

Design

It’s easy to dismiss the Panasonic DP-UB9000 on looks alone. It might look like a generic Blu-ray player. However, it has a bombproof build quality. The heavy and rigid construction minimises vibrations and uses a mix of steel and aluminium to ensure longevity.

 

As expected, the front panel has a standby/on switch, disc tray, Disc tray open/close button and basic playback control buttons. There’s also an LCD display and a 2.0 High-Speed USB port. You can easily control the unit and see the position of the media you’re enjoying.

 

The rear panel is much busier than the front with plenty of connectivity options. There is a power input, are two HDMI ports (1 x video and audio, 1 x audio only), and a LAN port for wired internet. Also on the rear panel is a 3.0 Super-Speed USB port, and wireless LAN antennas.

 

Completing the rear panel is a range of audio outputs, including an Optical, 8 phonos for 7.1 surround sound, 2 channel phonos, and 2 channel XLR.

 

Finally, the remote. It comes with batteries. Despite its busy design, it is fairly compact. There are buttons for the basic controls, scene selection, disc tray open/close and menu options. There are also buttons to access Netflix, HDR, the internet, subtitles, and audio effects.

 

 

 

 

Features

Like most other Panasonic Blu-ray players, the DP-UB9000 uses their Hollywood Cinema Experience (HCX) processor to deliver a THX-certified picture. It’s designed to ensure stunning picture accuracy with vibrant, true to life colours.

 

Enjoy all of your 4k, 3D and HD Blu-rays as well as your DVD collection. You can also play CDs as it supports High-Resolution Audio playback (including WAV, FLAC, AIFF, and AAC). Plus, with two USB ports, you can enjoy a variety of media from any USB storage device.

 

Supporting multiple HDR options, including Dolby Vision and HDR10+, the built-in HDR Optimiser features automatically adjust and enhance brightness for superior presentation at all times. The unit also supports HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma HDR) formats.

 

If you prefer to stream content, you can with the Panasonic DP-UB9000! It has built-in Wi-Fi and can also connect to the internet using an Ethernet cable plugged into your Wi-Fi router. Once connected to the internet, you can use the web browser or one of the many apps, including 4K streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime (a subscription may be required).

 

Few of us really enjoy using a remote, thankfully the DP-UB9000 is compatible with both Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. Simply, speak into the controller to bring up content and search results. You can even access Google Photos and Google Maps.

 

 

Set-up

With multiple connectivity options, you can use the Panasonic DP-UB9000 in a few different ways, depending on your requirements and set up.

 

The most basic configuration is to connect the power cable and an HDMI cable to the first HDMI port (video and audio). If you’re using an AV receiver, you could connect your display (TV or projector) using the first HDMI port and use the second HDMI to supply audio to your receiver.

 

But that’s just the beginning, you could use the 7.1 outputs to supply audio to powered speakers rather than using an AV receiver. Not to mention the XLR outputs, which add further options.

 

While there are a few controls on the unit, making it easy to use, the remote provides quick access to a range of options and batteries are included.

 

As a highly configurable unit, setting up the Panasonic DP-UB9000 can take a few minutes, once you’ve plugged it in. That said, it’s worth experimenting with the different setting options to find the optimum configuration for your equipment.

 

When you’re happy with the basics, it’s worth connecting to the internet. The built-in Wi-Fi makes this super easy, or if you prefer, connect the DP-UB9000 to your router using an Ethernet cable. From there, you can explore a range of apps or simply, browse the web.

 

From there, you might want to update the unit to allow you to use Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa voice commands rather than having to always find the remote.

 

 

 

 

Performance

As a highly adjustable media player, the Panasonic DP-UB9000 is a videophile’s dream. The DP-UB9000 does have a few limitations due to the chipset. It doesn’t offer DVD-Audio or SACD support. As Panasonic’s flagship 4K Blu-ray player, this is slightly disappointing.

 

With plenty of settings to try, you can calibrate it to get the best from your existing equipment. It’s easy to get lost playing with the multitude of settings. The default settings are excellent, allowing you to simply, plug in and watch content. Older releases look just as superb as the latest ones.

 

Select the HDR options for even more picture definition and colour depth. With the DP-UB9000, Panasonic provides an unmatched level of control and quality output. That said, some menus feel a little redundant and confusing, especially if you’re trying to adjust settings on the spot.

 

For all of its flaws, the remote has a backlight, making it’s easy to use, even in a darkened room. But you probably want to use Alexa or the Google Assistant to operate it.

 

Thanks to a range of connectivity options, the DP-UB9000 painlessly slots into any room and can be easily adapted to your existing equipment yet is flexible enough to grow with you.

 

 

Is the Panasonic DP-UB9000 4k Blu-ray player worth buying?

Offering more options than any other Blu-ray player we’ve covered, including the Sony UBP-X800M2 Blu-ray player, the Panasonic DP-UB9000 4k is easily one of the best premium Blu-ray players currently available.

 

While it does cost nearly a grand, the DP-UB9000 has a superior build quality and offers exceptional performance.

 

Thanks to Panasonic’s technology, the image quality is excellent, both in SDR and HDR. You’ll notice an improvement if you’re watching older releases, and this difference is even more apparent in any of the HDR modes. It also produces fantastic audio to match.

 

Overall, the Panasonic DP-UB9000 4k Blu-ray player is a must-have if you’re serious about watching movies at home and only settle for the best. 9/10