While it seems some might be bidding adieu to the 4K Blu-ray player market, Magnetar is stepping up its efforts to be the big player in the 4K market, with news that it’s receive THX certification for both of its latest players.
After receiving Roon Ready certification earlier in 2026, the UDP900MKII and UDP800MKII have now been certified by THX, passing the hundreds of in-depth tests to ensure that they can deliver the original signal to displays and other devices.
Those tests cover sound, ensuring there’s no distortion and that multi-channel and stereo mixes are represented accurately. Colour, contrast, along with black and white levels are tested to a very “tight tolerance”, according to the THX site, to ensure images match the “colour, luminance, blacks and gamma found in the filmmaker’s studio.”
The UDP900MKII and UDP800MKII aren’t exactly what you’d call ‘affordable’, with the UDP900MKII retailing for $3399 / £3299 and the UDP800MKII at $1899 / £1899. But these two players represent the high-end performance that enthusiasts demand from their home cinema kit, built to support “virtually every physical and digital format” including 4K UHD, SACD and networked media.
With the rumours of Sony potentially leaving the physical 4K UHD market, with suggestions that the company is placing a firm focus on digital media for the future, Panasonic would be the only major brand remaining from the original line-up. Samsung, LG, and Oppo all launched with 4K UHD players many moons ago, and they’ve all left the market in the years since.
But Magnetar with its 1st Gen 4K players signalled renewed interest in the 4K UHD market, and with the launch of its 2nd Gen players in 2025, it’s been followed by less expensive models from lesser-known names such as Krovatar.
While there’s less choice and competition than before, Magnetar’s continued push with its 4K UHD players shows there is still a market to provide the best 4K UHD experience in the home. After all, 4K Blu-ray is better than streaming; and this THX certification ratifies that the players have been built to exacting standards.
On the announcement, Rob Jones, President, Magnetar North America, said: “THX Certification is a critical independent validation that enthusiasts and integrators look for when building reference-grade systems. We’re proud to see both MKII models earn their certification. It reflects the engineering and feedback from customers and dealers that went directly into the creation of the MKII Series, and it gives customers added confidence that these players will deliver the performance they expect, whether that is in a dedicated home theater or a living room.”
