Panasonic UB820/UB9000 4K UHD Blu-ray player

[LordoftheRings]

Originally Posted by JohnAV

Please tell me that after you been waiting for their DV update a few months from now.

Are you in the audio/video business with a heavy bias?
Of course you are, Oppo is gone now...time to adapt to the new 4K players...Panasonic.
The page has turned.

[JohnAV]

Originally Posted by LordoftheRings

Are you in the audio/video business with a heavy bias?
Of course you are, Oppo is gone now...time to adapt to the new 4K players...Panasonic.
The page has turned.

People that actually buy and use players have some bias, however I am like Robert (OP) who is an consumer electronics advancement advocate.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by BdoUK

Isn't this a feature that a lot of projector owners used with the Oppo? I recently upgraded to a JVC RS540 and it sounds like the Panasonic may have just the feature set required to pair very well with my projector.

Panny's conversion/mapping is still the best around, despite OPPO making some tweaks and improvements. I was watching SDR 2020 out of my Panny UB900 over two years ago.

[Mobe1969]

Does this player have the ability to do source output now, like the opportunity? So it doesn't upscale 1080p? And can youlimit output frequency now (egto limit to 30p)?

[panasonicst60]

Really important question. Will the UB820 be able to past 1080p Blu-ray without up converting to 4k? On the oppo you can do this with direct source option and letting the tv do the up converting.

[Geoff D]

Yes, you just set it to 1080p. No actual source direct mode though.

[clevice]

Hello

the 820 and the 824 have this DAC? AK4493 ???

or it's only in Pany 9000

https://www.akm.com/akm/en/aboutus/n...208AK4493_001/

thank you

[Mobe1969]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Yes, you just set it to 1080p. No actual source direct mode though.

Ah that is a shame.

[Sir Dagonet]

Originally Posted by panasonicst60

Really important question. Will the UB820 be able to past 1080p Blu-ray without up converting to 4k? On the oppo you can do this with direct source option and letting the tv do the up converting.

I've read opinions expressed that the Oppo player's upconversion capabilities exceeded most projectors. Any opinions about the capabilities of the 820 in that regard?

[evan201]

Ok guys, whos got the projector screenshots showing the difference of bright HDR scenes with the optimizer on vs. off and on different luminance settings?

[LordoftheRings]

Originally Posted by clevice

Hello

the 820 and the 824 have this DAC? AK4493 ???

or it's only in Pany 9000

https://www.akm.com/akm/en/aboutus/n...208AK4493_001/

thank you

▪ Panasonic 9000 https://www.akm.com/akm/en/product/d...artno=AK4493EQ*
▪ Panasonic 820/824 https://hdguru.com/review-panasonic-...m-performance/

• Oppo 203 https://www.akm.com/akm/en/product/d...artno=AK4458VN**

* Stereo DAC
** 8-channel DAC

I couldn't find which 8-channel DAC the Model 820/824 is using.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FTr...ature=youtu.be

[clevice]

Originally Posted by LordoftheRings

▪ Panasonic 9000 https://www.akm.com/akm/en/product/d...artno=AK4493EQ*
▪ Panasonic 820/824

• Oppo 203 https://www.akm.com/akm/en/product/d...artno=AK4458VN**

* Stereo DAC
** 8-channel DAC

Thank you so much, LordoftheRings

but...

I did not understand

Does the 820 have AK4493 or not?

thank you

[PaulGo]

I only visit and participate in several threads on AVS and on those I gave not has any problems. The only time in the past that i did was during the Blu-ray HD DVD wars m with many Microsoft schills.

[LordoftheRings]

Originally Posted by clevice

Thank you so much, LordoftheRings

but...

I did not understand

Does the 820 have AK4493 or not?

thank you

I edited my post above; I couldn't find the DAC inside the Panasonic 820/824 model. Instead I posted a review link where they compare that model with the Oppo 203, including audio.

And I am 100% certain that it is NOT an AKM DAC, and certainly not the high-end AK4493EQ model DAC.

* I will find out, eventually. I just need to find someone who removed the top cover and took a picture of the internal analog stage circuit board. That, you can also do yourself; you will see which DAC it is. It will be near the center rear.

[clevice]

Originally Posted by LordoftheRings

I edited my post above; I couldn't find the DAC inside the Panasonic 820/824 model. Instead I posted a review link where they compare that model with the Oppo 203, including audio.

And I am 100% certain that it is NOT an AKM DAC, and certainly not the high-end AK4493EQ model DAC.

* I will find out, eventually. I just need to find someone who removed the top cover and took a picture of the internal analog stage circuit board. That, you can also do yourself; you will see which DAC it is. It will be near the center rear.

Thank you so much

because

I also think that the Pany 820 and 824 have another DAC

but we are 100% sure that the Pany 9000 has the AK4493

I'll leave the link here of the best CDs on the market with the DAC AK4497,

http://www.esoteric.jp/products/esot...01/indexe.html


yes, I'm going to open my Pany 824EGK to see what the DAC is

thank you


.

[LordoftheRings]

From that review, here's the Audio comparison (from that extract there is no need to include the mention of SACD and DVD-Audio from the Oppo 203 because the Oppo 203 is gone and because people shopping for the Panasonic 820/824 model are not after this support, but for something else ...):

Audio

"Where the Panasonic DP-UP820 earns its bones is in music reproduction. We found the sound quality differences between the DP-UB820 and the excellent Oppo UDP-203 to be very subtle. Performing an A/B comparison using Led Zeppelin’s The Song Remains The Same from the Houses of the Holy CD, the UB820 was just slightly warmer and more lively than the Oppo played through Denon’s excellent AVR-X6400H AV receiver.

The UB820’s nice flat delivery is excellent for stringed performances. We also found a pleasingly full midrange listening to Rossini’s The Thieving Magpie (La Gazza Ladra) from the original soundtrack to A Clock Work Orange. The disc provides a wonderful transition test into Wendy Carlos’ brilliant use of the synthesizer on Timesteps, and back into the power of the second movement in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. The UB820 didn’t miss a note, and did a nice job of making the instruments sound natural.

Panasonic offers a lengthy selection of sound effects that provide subtle shading nodes for music, including six different “Digital Tube Sound Effects,” which are fun to play around with to test your golden-ear worthiness, as the changes are only slightly different.

Panasonic’s player also performed well wirelessly tied into a DLNA Network Attached Storage device to stream hi-res audio (FLAC) tracks ripped from Charles Mingus’ Mingus Moves CD. Here the midrange was really put to the test. The brilliant musical conversation between the tenor sax of George Adams and trumpet of Ronald Hampton was crystal clear, right down to the rattling of spittal from Adams’ reed.

Listening to Mary Lou from Steve Miller’s The Joker album in 96-kHz/24-bit from an HDtracks FLAC download, the vocals were warm and natural, while notes from the clavinet and guitar noodling fills were clear and present in the room. The separation between the right and left channels was excellent. The UB820 will play a range of hi-res audio formats, via network connection or from USB and HDD devices connected to the USB inputs. Supported music formats include DSD (11.2MHz/2.8MHz/5.6MHz), ALAC, FLAC, AAC, MP3, WAV and AIFF. It also includes 192kHz/96kHz surround re-master."

To me personally, because I already have several universal players, including the magnificent Oppo 205 with SACD, DVD-Audio playback, etc., I am more interested in the UHD 4K picture, with both 4K flat panels and projectors. I think it's the main attraction for a lot of people everywhere, the pic adjusts with Optimizer etc., its video chip processor.
...And of course his daddy oh the 9000.

[clevice]

Originally Posted by LordoftheRings

From that review, here's the Audio comparison (from that extract there is no need to include the mention of SACD and DVD-Audio from the Oppo 203 because the Oppo 203 is gone and because people shopping for the Panasonic 820/824 model are not after this support, but for something else ...):

Audio

"Where the Panasonic DP-UP820 earns its bones is in music reproduction. We found the sound quality differences between the DP-UB820 and the excellent Oppo UDP-203 to be very subtle. Performing an A/B comparison using Led Zeppelin’s The Song Remains The Same from the Houses of the Holy CD, the UB820 was just slightly warmer and more lively than the Oppo played through Denon’s excellent AVR-X6400H AV receiver.

The UB820’s nice flat delivery is excellent for stringed performances. We also found a pleasingly full midrange listening to Rossini’s The Thieving Magpie (La Gazza Ladra) from the original soundtrack to A Clock Work Orange. The disc provides a wonderful transition test into Wendy Carlos’ brilliant use of the synthesizer on Timesteps, and back into the power of the second movement in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. The UB820 didn’t miss a note, and did a nice job of making the instruments sound natural.

Panasonic offers a lengthy selection of sound effects that provide subtle shading nodes for music, including six different “Digital Tube Sound Effects,” which are fun to play around with to test your golden-ear worthiness, as the changes are only slightly different.

Panasonic’s player also performed well wirelessly tied into a DLNA Network Attached Storage device to stream hi-res audio (FLAC) tracks ripped from Charles Mingus’ Mingus Moves CD. Here the midrange was really put to the test. The brilliant musical conversation between the tenor sax of George Adams and trumpet of Ronald Hampton was crystal clear, right down to the rattling of spittal from Adams’ reed.

Listening to Mary Lou from Steve Miller’s The Joker album in 96-kHz/24-bit from an HDtracks FLAC download, the vocals were warm and natural, while notes from the clavinet and guitar noodling fills were clear and present in the room. The separation between the right and left channels was excellent. The UB820 will play a range of hi-res audio formats, via network connection or from USB and HDD devices connected to the USB inputs. Supported music formats include DSD (11.2MHz/2.8MHz/5.6MHz), ALAC, FLAC, AAC, MP3, WAV and AIFF. It also includes 192kHz/96kHz surround re-master."

To me personally, because I already have several universal players, including the magnificent Oppo 205 with SACD, DVD-Audio playback, etc., I am more interested in the UHD 4K picture, with both 4K flat panels and projectors. I think it's the main attraction for a lot of people everywhere, the pic adjusts with Optimizer etc., its video chip processor.
...And of course his daddy oh the 9000.

I am more interested in the UHD 4K picture - x2

me too

thank you so much

[LordoftheRings]

I found some internal pictures but the 820's inside is not clear enough, I cannot make the brand and model DAC(s):

▪ http://www.hdfever.fr/forum/viewtopi...15333&start=40

820 (inside):


Top left corner is where the DACs are.
What I see are three DACs with sixteen pins each.

[LordoftheRings]

Another forum from France (en Français bien entendu, ma langue native):

▪ http://www.homecinema-fr.com/forum/l...85019-480.html

* It's a long thread, all about the new Panasonic 4K Blu-ray players, with the UB820/824, the subject of our present discussion.

The rear of the 820:

[LordoftheRings]

For the 820 it says DAC x 5
• http://leconcepts.com/products/blu-r...blu-ray-player

My best guess is that it has one 8-channel DAC (4 times stereo in one chip), and perhaps another separate stereo DAC on a chip when using only the analog stereo output? That would be equivalent to 5 stereo DACs, but on two chips.
But the internal picture shows ... so I'm just not sure @ this moment. It'll come, it is the last of my worries...I have zero worries.
_____

* The 9000 has a separate high-end AKM stereo DAC, and four more stereo DACs (it could be one single chip containing an 8-channel DAC...most probably). That machine too I would like to see the analog stage of that circuit board...it'll come...just highly for pure curiosity and knowledge expansion.
Or, a SoC like in the previous 900 (for 7.1 analog out, along with the separate Stereo DAC...PCM5102A). http://www.ti.com/product/pcm5102a