Magnetar's Premium Players Just Got Better for Music Streaming

Photo Credit: Magnetar

Magnetar has announced that its UDP800MKII and flagship UDP900MKII universal media players have officially earned Roon Ready certification, giving owners a new way to integrate the players into high-end music streaming and multiroom audio systems.

While Magnetar's players are best known in the home theater world for their disc playback capabilities, this update is particularly interesting for two-channel listeners who use Roon as the centerpiece of their music collections. For those unfamiliar with it, Roon has become one of the most popular music management platforms among audiophiles. Rather than simply acting as a music player, it serves as a central hub that combines local music libraries, streaming services, artist information, metadata, high-resolution audio playback, and multiroom audio management into a single interface.

The certification also means more than simply adding a logo to the product page. To earn Roon Ready status, devices must complete a series of validation and compatibility tests conducted by Roon Labs. These evaluations include network discovery testing, playback verification, interoperability checks, stress testing, and real-world performance validation to ensure the device works reliably within the Roon ecosystem. For existing Magnetar owners, the update expands the capabilities of what are already some of the more versatile media players on the market.

The UDP800MKII and UDP900MKII were introduced as updated versions of Magnetar's universal player lineup, combining support for a wide range of physical media formats with upgraded internal hardware and audio-focused improvements. Both players support playback of 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray discs, Blu-ray, SACD, DVD, and CD, making them appealing options for users who maintain large physical media collections while also wanting strong audio performance.

Existing UDP800MKII and UDP900MKII owners will be able to add Roon functionality through the upcoming OTA firmware update. With Roon Ready certification now onboard, both players gain native support for Roon's RAAT (Roon Advanced Audio Transport) protocol. This allows them to function as endpoints within a Roon-based system while supporting features such as:

• High-resolution PCM playback

• DSD playback

• Multichannel audio streaming

• Automatic network discovery

• Synchronized playback within larger Roon environments

• Seamless integration with existing Roon libraries and streaming services