Sony UBP-X800M2 Ultra HD Blu-ray Player Preview

See the complete review for the Sony UBP-X800M2 Ultra HD Blu-ray Player.

Sony’s UBP-X800M2 Ultra HD Blu-ray Player plays every kind of shiny disc.

From Ultra HD Blu-ray to DVD Audio and Video, SACD, and even 3D; it delivers high-end performance and tremendous flexibility for less than $200.

It isn’t often I get to review an optical disc player these days. With streaming becoming more prevalent, the market for CDs, DVDs, and Blu-rays is shrinking before our eyes. But if you already have an extensive library of shiny discs, you’ll need something to play them on. Sony is sensitive to this and has packed a tremendous amount of function and flexibility into the UBP-X800M2 Ultra HD Blu-ray Player.

I’ve received one of these diminutive boxes for review and though it looks like a budget player, and is priced like one, it is far from watered down. It plays every optical disc format up to Ultra HD Blu-ray and even supports 3D. It also plays every audio disc format including SACD and DVD-A. Codec support is also complete. It outputs Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLG, along with Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and everything below. And it plays DSD over its two HDMI 2.0 outputs for perfect playback of both surround and stereo layers on SACD.

Setting up the player was super easy. After selecting a menu language, I was greeted with a logically laid out system that reminded me of Oppo’s famous players. The UBP-X800M2 played without issue through both an Anthem AVM-70 processor and an Anthem MRX-740 receiver. My displays are an Anthem LTX-500 projector and an LG 65GX OLED TV. It plays perfectly to them as well.

So far, I haven’t encountered anything but trouble-free playback. If you want the complete story, check back here in a few weeks for my full review.

See the complete review for the Sony UBP-X800M2 Ultra HD Blu-ray Player.

Chris Eberle

Chris' passion for audio began when he took up playing the bassoon at age 12. During his third year at the New England Conservatory of Music, he won a position with the West Point Band where he served for 26 years as principal bassoonist. He retired from the Army in 2013 and is now writing full time and performing as a freelance musician in Central Florida. As an avid movie lover, Chris was unable to turn away the 50-inch Samsung DLP TV that arrived at his door one day, thus launching him irrevocably into an obsession with home theater. Dissatisfied with the image quality of his new acquisition, Chris trained with the Imaging Science Foundation in 2006 and became a professional display calibrator. His ultimate theater desires were realized when he completed construction of a dedicated cinema/listening room in his home. Chris is extremely fortunate that his need for quality audio and video is shared and supported by his wife of over 25 years. In his spare time he enjoys riding his recumbent trike at least 100 miles per week, trying out new restaurants, going to theme parks and spending as much time as possible watching movies and listening to music. Chris enjoys bringing his observations and discoveries about every kind of home theater product to as many curious and well-informed readers as possible. He is proud to be a part of the Team and hopes to help everyone enjoy their AV experiences to the fullest.