Some people have reported legacy boxes give better PQ.
I haven't seen it myself (I don't se any issues with PQ).
I have 4 HD tvs (none 4K however).
Keep in mind that legacy boxes don't have Netflix capability, remote DVR viewing or Alexa integration.
I understand that all this without good PQ doesn't matter.
I assume you have tried tweaking options between STB and TV to improve quality?