Wow, another Sony product with a mouthful of a name. That aside, at CES 2016, the Sony UHP-H1 High-Res Audio and Video Player made its debut. So what the heck is it? Something that the audio- and videophile in your family might just want.

 Great-looking movies on Blu-ray Disc are only the start with the brand new UHP-H1. Sony’s first High-Resolution Premium Audio and Video Player puts audio centre stage, with an engineering philosophy that’s focused on matching the finest viewing experience with the finest listening experience. 

In short, the Sony UHP-H1 is the company’s newest 4K upscaling Blu-ray player that also packs in a host of audio features like online music services, wireless multi-room setup, and of course Hi-Res Audio support. Details after the jump.

According to Sony, the UHP-H1

 treats you to audiophile-quality reproduction of any source – on disc, over your home network or streamed from an exciting range of online music services. It can also stand alone or easily integrate into your existing Wireless Multi-room setup[i]. Slip in a CD, Super Audio CD or Blu-ray Disc; connect a USB loaded with High-Resolution Audio files; or browse built-in audio apps like Spotify[ii] and Deezer. Whatever you’re listening to, sound is remarkably spacious and lifelike with High-Resolution Audio clarity and can be played on wireless speakers all around the house. 

This means that from a single device, you can now enjoy your Hi-Res Audio files (on USB) as well as any previous high quality music like Super Audio CD and Blu-ray music. The new player also supports streaming services like Spotify and Deezer and we’ve heard that even more stations will be supported in the future via firmware updates.

In addition to music playback, you can also integrate the Hi-Res player with Sony’s SongPal ecosystem which allows you to connect multiple speakers and stream your music to various parts of your house. If you have something a little more personal in mind, Bluetooth connectivity also allows you to pair your favorite headphones for more discrete playback.

 The extraordinary sound and picture quality of the UHP-H1 starts with Sony’s exceptional rigid Frame and Beam chassis design that minimises mechanical vibration. Naturally there’s a full complement of audio codecs, letting you enjoy pristine High-Resolution files encoded right up to 192kHz/24-bit and double DSD (5.6MHz). 2-channel analogue audio output to your hi-fi amplifier, home cinema receiver or TV Sound Bar is via an ultra-precise 32-bit 768kHz audio DAC that ensures incredibly clear, natural sound quality. 

Sony even touts that the UHP-H1 can split audio and video signals, routing them to separate HDMI outputs to reduce electrical cross-interference. There’s also an Audio Direct function that mutes the player’s video output and switches off the front panel display for the purest sound possible. Audio aside, video geeks can also enjoy 4K upscaling via its Blu-ray player.

 Blu-ray movies in Full HD benefit from 4K 60p upscaling, with further picture refinement delivered by SuperBitMappingV, breathing new life into your treasured collection of movies on disc. 

Keep in mind that a lot of websites are incorrectly reporting this as a 4K Blu-ray player and that instead, the Sony UHP-H1 features 4K upscaling. The Sony UHP-H1 Hi-Res Premium Audio and Video Player will be available in May 2016 priced at approximately €400 ($399).

Discuss:

Does the Sony UHP-H1 peak your interest?

[Via Sony]