The universal player that makes analogue conversion a central part of the design
Magnetar UDP-900 MKII plays the main audio and video disc formats but stands apart through dual ESS9038PRO DACs, 7.1 analogue outputs and an internal layout designed to separate critical sections.
It is intended for systems where the AV processor is not expected to do everything. Alongside UHD Blu-ray, SACD and DVD-Audio, it provides a substantial conversion stage, balanced stereo outputs and multichannel analogue connectivity. The MKII revision also adds USB Audio up to PCM768 and DSD512, TMDS retiming and an updated USB 3.0 implementation.
Key features
- Playback of UHD Blu-ray, Blu-ray, DVD-Video, DVD-Audio, SACD and CD.
- 4K UHD video with Dolby Vision and HDR10+.
- Dual ESS9038PRO DACs in the analogue audio section.
- 7.1-channel RCA, stereo RCA and balanced stereo XLR analogue outputs.
- XMOS USB Audio input supporting PCM up to 768 kHz and DSD512.
- Main HDMI output plus a separate HDMI connection for audio.
- TMDS retiming on the HDMI audio path.
- Roon Ready, Wake-on-LAN, Control4 and Crestron integration.
The step up from UDP-800 MKII is mainly analogue
UDP-800 MKII already provides dedicated stereo outputs, but UDP-900 MKII extends the audio section considerably. Its two ESS9038PRO DACs serve both stereo and 7.1-channel analogue outputs, allowing connection to compatible preamplifiers or power amplifiers and making the internal conversion stage useful beyond the conventional HDMI signal path.
Separated sections and dedicated power arrangements
The 15.4 kg chassis organises audio boards and power stages to reduce interaction between digital, video and analogue circuitry. Internal separation, copper wiring and selected components are intended to keep the signal path more controlled, which becomes especially relevant when the player's analogue outputs are used instead of sending everything downstream in digital form.
When to choose UDP-900 MKII
This is the model for users with serious film and music disc collections who also want the player to act as a complete audio source. It makes particular sense in high-quality stereo or multichannel systems using the player's analogue outputs; if conversion always takes place in an external processor, UDP-800 MKII may be sufficient, while ULTIMA takes that external-conversion concept all the way to a pure digital transport.
