Then there are two devices located right in between those two main groups on the price spectrum. If you're absolutely serious about audio quality, the Cambridge Audio CXUHD and Oppo UDP-203 are worth a look, as they're packed with costly and powerful components, but they will both set you back quite a pretty penny. The Pioneer Elite UDP-LX500 is all that most people need, which it had better be, given its high price tag. Rounding out our mid-range selections is the LG UBK90, which comes from one the most respected panel and hardware manufacturers on the planet, but like others in its price range, lacks audiophile-level sound.Ĭlear on the other side of the spectrum, there are a handful of high-end options that you should consider if you're intent on setting up a world-class home theater system. The Sony UBP-X800M2 also has built-in Wi-Fi, and though it is a bit more costly, it's also more refined. The Samsung UBD-M8500 improves not only upon the audio side of things but also in connectivity its integrated wireless modem makes it easy to access streaming services. Alternately, the Sanyo 8MYS is one of the least expensive with UHD support, although it doesn't have particularly high-end audio processing. If you actually aren't interested in Ultra HD playback, check out the LG BP175, which is relatively affordable and backwards compatible with DVDs and CDs, to help take advantage of your entire collection. Physical disc media is far from dead in fact, if you want a true 4K cinematic experience, for a lot of films, a 4K Blu-ray is the only way to go. The Sony UBP-X700, for example, does an even better job of handling color and dynamic contrast than its more expensive relative the Sony UBP-X800M2, and if you want the best of both worlds and can afford the investment, the Sony UBP-X1100ES should perform at least as well as both other Sony models. The remaining models, however, do a better job than almost all older options.
We've removed some from Oppo, Sanyo, and Samsung, because as their availability drops, they start to cost far more than they're worth. While 4K Blu-rays are still pretty popular, there aren't as many options available for playing them.