Surprise: someones actually making a new 4K Blu-ray player! But its not exactly a mainstream option this reference player is for audiophiles as much as cinephiles

Date:
Thu, 03 Sep 2026 14:22:40 +0000

Description:
Magnetar's Ultima is a reference-grade player for UHD Blu-Ray, SACD, DVD, CD and digital sources too

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter The Magnetar Ultima is a new 4K Blu-ray player for reference-quality playback Blu-Ray, DVD, SACD, DVD-A, CD and digital support but no DAC: all-digital output to your system Costs a cool $12,000 (about 8,895 / AU$16,687) We've written many times about the benefits of Blu-ray over streaming , but many hardware firms have stopped making players as the format's popularity has declined. So it's nice to see the announcement of a new player for those who are still invested in the future of 4K Blu-ray and it's one that's also an impressive audiophile music player.

The new player comes from Magnetar, and it's called the Ultima. And because it's being unveiled in the US at CEDIA 2026, the show where sound systems
with supercar price tags are exhibited, it's clear that this reference system is aimed at the more affluent end of the market. (You might also get a hint from its price tag of $12,000.) (Image credit: Magnetar) Magnetar Ultima: key features and pricing The Ultima is built on Magnetar's MKII player platform, supporting 4K Blu-ray, Blu-ray, SACD, DVD, CD, DVD-A (remember that?), DSD/DoP, USB and network playback. That means a huge range of premium formats are covered, including external digital files, in a single system. Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here:

The Ultima adapts the existing MKII platform by moving to an external DC
power supply instead of a more traditional internal AC setup, which why it
has two distinct units. It features dedicated lithium-based power stages designed to isolate the transport, clock and signal paths from any noise, fluctuating voltage and other potential issues that might interfere with pristine digital data transmission.

Interestingly, the power stages are made by Chinese firm BYD, whose electric cars are currently selling like hot cakes in Europe. BYD is at the forefront of battery, charging and electrical tech so seeing a car firm here is less surprising than it might appear at first glance. You may like Is
Kaleidescapes new 'Cinematic 4K' movie format the next big thing after 4K Blu-rays? The best 4K Blu-ray players: Ultra HD marvels chosen by our experts What's the future of 4K Blu-ray and physical movie media? I asked the people behind the tech

The Ultima runs a synchronized master clock system based around a unified 10MHz reference clock for precise timing across the device, but there's no audio DAC: this is a reference device whose job is to deliver the most
precise audio data to the rest of your system, so it's expected that you'll connect it to a setup that can handle its audio.

As you'd expect, there are extensive connectivity options including two
HDMIs, one of which is audio-only, and there's also gigabit Ethernet, USB
3.0, AES/EBU and coax S/PDIF connections too. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

It's a hugely impressive specification, which is why it comes with that impressive price tag. It's available now through Magnetar's dealer network, but if that price is a bit steep you might want to check out our guide to the best Blu-ray players for something slightly cheaper.

Still, we're just happy to see something new arrive onto the market Blu-ray might be growing in popularity again , but the hardware hasn't had all that much love. The best 4K Blu-ray players for all budgets Our top picks, based
on real world testing

Read our full guide to the best 4k Blu-ray players 1. Best overall Panasonic DP-UB820 2. Best budget Sony UBP-X700 3. Best premium Panasonic DP-UB9000 Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/televisions/blu-ray/surprise-someones-actually-makin g-a-new-4k-blu-ray-player-but-its-not-exactly-a-mainstream-option-this-referen ce-player-is-for-audiophiles-as-much-as-cinephiles


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