Magnetar Audio is helping consumers establish a new love for physical media and enabling concert fans and movie buffs to reconnect with their beloved Blu-ray Disc collections with the introduction of two new, high-end Blu-ray Disc players. Magnetar Blu-ray Disc players serve two distinct markets: those who already have a significant investment in their Blu-ray Disc collection and those who appreciate the clarity, sharpness, and realism Blu-ray Disc content can provide as part of their high-end home entertainment systems. With the introduction of the Magnetar UPD800 and more advanced UPD900, collectors have a great reason to bring their collections out of storage and back to center stage. This new breed of Blu-ray Disc player will be available to home technology integration pros in the U.S. exclusively by Let’s Get Physical Distribution.
“Physical media [still] resonates strongly with consumers and the market is growing exponentially,” says Raphael Tabutin, Let’s Get Physical Distribution CEO. Not convinced? The physical media movie market is estimated at more than $2 billion, according to a report by The Hollywood Reporter, and increasingly, studios and filmmakers are releasing next-generation high-resolution DVDs to enjoy at home.
Private collections of Blu-ray Discs are also quite sizeable. “We estimate the average Blu-ray Disc collector owns at least 1000 titles,” says Tabutin. “Our UPD800 and UPD900 players have been designed and engineered specifically to fulfill the needs of those who appreciate how Blu-ray Discs deliver vivid images and brilliant sound combined with the ease of controlling what one watches when one wants to watch it,” he continues.
Following in Vinyl’s Footsteps
Despite the popularity of streaming media, over the past few years, vinyl records have made a remarkable revival. Magnetar sees similar consumer interest increasing for Blu-ray Discs but options available were limited. “Advancements in Blu-ray Disc players came to a halt as streaming media gained ground. Players quickly became antiquated, and many brands exited the category,” he explains. “Still, just like vinyl, Blu-ray Discs have a loyal following and their owners want nothing more than to spin them again, albeit with better quality.”
Many also attribute a renewed appreciation of physical media to Disney movies that families continue to collect and the wide range of artists who are releasing new music on not only streaming platforms but also vinyl, Blu-Ray Disc, DVD, and CD. Gear News reports that over 40 million vinyl records were sold in 2022 and that the trend continued with more than 2 million units sold per week in December of 2023, citing Taylor Swift as a big driver of sales. Swift, however, is but one of many artists who are drawing significant numbers of music lovers to physical media, and many bands have released concerts and related footage this way over the years. Magnetar Audio strives to serve not only new fans of physical media but also those who have a love of the heightened experience felt with Blu-ray Disc content.
A Blu-ray Disc Rebirth
Magnetar Blu-ray Disc players combine nostalgia, pride of ownership, and greater control over the entertainment experience with a rich array of state-of-the-art features. The UPD800 and UPD900 models available now produce sharp, vibrant images and uncompromised crystal-clear, immersive audio from both old and new Blu-ray Disc releases, as well as DVDs, 4K UHD discs, and media files. SACD players will soon join the lineup.
Magnetar Blu-ray Disc players feature advanced imaging decoding and processing technology, including 4K upscaling of low-resolution media; 4K Ultra HD and HDR support for Dolby Vision and HDR10+; and Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio, Dolby Atmos, and DTSX. The inclusion of premium digital analog converters further enhances audio playback. IP and RS-232 drivers enable seamless integration of prominent third-party control systems, including Crestron, Control4, and others.
The Magnetar UPD800 and UPD900 Blu-ray Disc players are available to systems integrators from Let’s Get Physical Distribution.
For more information, visit www.letsget-physical.com.
