Sony Laserdisc vs. Pioneer

Budjet decks from Pioneer like the CLD-S201 or most especially the CLD-S304 will produce better PQ than any Sony U.S.A. decks regardless of price. Sony made some nice LD players for the Japanese market. They sent attractive junk here.

 

For OP. My understanding of LD tech is that S-Video is converted from the composite signal by a comb filter in the player. The comb filters in a TV built now would be much better, so in essence don't get it because it has an s-video because if you have a newer TV it would do a better job separating the chroma and luminance signals from the composite video out.

 

The Mcintosh 7020 is actually a Pioneer Elite CLD-97.

 

I finally got the chance to hook my Pioneer up to my Sony 40" Bravia LCD in the den. I had to cut the back out of the TV cabinet where the player goes because the unit was so deep. I found that it was much better using the composite than the S-video.

No, its' not DVD quality, especially zooming in on a widescreen LD. But it's nice to be able to play some of those movies that I don't have on DVD at all.

 

Pioneer LD players, in addition to being the best of the bunch(IMO), also make great CD players, as some here have said. Plays most any disc you throw at it very well. I have a CLD-3030 and an Elite CLD-79. I love shuttling around a CD!



Dan

 

Thanks to both of you for this info on the s-vid output

 

... which is why it is recommended!

It's also worth mentioning the Mitsubishi M-V7057 which is a rebadged Pioneer CLD-704. Other than that, Runco and Theta made high-end LD players, but you are not likely to see those for reasonable money.

Tom

 

No problem. I tested mine going back and forth between s-video and composite and in my case at the time s-video was actually better in my case. At the time anyways. I have a Pioneer CLD-703. It no longer works properly. The auto side flipping doesn't work and it doesn't always track. It's been quite a while since I touched it. I need to get rid of it I guess. Do people still repair these machines?

 

As well as having lossless audio.

 

About five years ago, I had my Pioneer DVL-909 repaired by a guy in Olympia, WA. He did a fantastic job.

More info here: http://www.laserdiscservice.com/

 

You went to see Duncan, didn't you? The guy is a master, and one of the first techs ever to be certified to repair Laserdisc players (I've seen his 30 year-old certification).

He fixed my ancient Pioneer LD-1100 (1981) and it now works better than new. Total price for a complete overhaul, alignment and replacement of several gears was like $100.00. No way I was letting that mint condition beast head to the scrap-heap.

 

I totally googled and this guy popped up number 1. I was going to ask if anyone had experience with him and I guess I don't need to now. Thanks. I bet shipping would be more than the repairs though

 

You might be surprised. I think UPS Ground well packaged might only be $25.00 or so each way. If you value your machine it's worth it. Trust me, this is THE guy for Laserdisc repair.

 

...but can he fix one of those crappy Sony players?

 

The Thetas are all Pieauhnear based. The Runcos, the similar MSB Silver, and Denon 3500 are all based on the Panasonic LX-900. The Runco and MSB add a 3-D comb filter. Very few clones are not Pieauhnear based. The Theta is the least recommendable of all hi-end clones IMO. It's based on the DVL-919.

 

The Theta Data (original model) is based on a Philips 400. It even uses the exact same remote control but without the Philips name on it.

 

I've had two Sony's. Nothing but trouble. They tend look better and have more features than other LD players, but when it comes to playing a LD, they have numerous technical issues.

I switched my high-end Sony for a low end Pioneer, and am happy I did.

Vernon Fitch
www.PinkFloydArchives.com

 

My memory doesn't go back that far because there was no Theta dealer here when it was out. I've never seen one of those.. The model I was on about which I just now remembered the name of was Voyager.

 

I still have my Pioneer CLD-D501 that I bought in 1993. It was a floor model that didn't have too many miles on it. Other than putting it in the shop once for a minor crosstalk problem about two years into me owning it, it has worked perfectly ever since.

 

I sure did.

Yeah, Duncan knows what he's doing. Heckuva nice guy, too.

 

I'd be amazed if he couldn't. Give him a call.

 

Pioneer is the only game in town. I had the best laserdisc set-up in the world and I would say that Pioneer is the only brand I would go for.

 

Do you no longer have your HLD-X0 then? Say it ain't so!

Tom

 

I was an owner of the Phillips/Magnavox CDV-400. It was not the most dependable player. From 1994 to 2001 I worked in a used mid to exotic hi-fi shop. We never placed a high trade value on Theta rebadged Phillips'CDV-400. While I owned the Phillips, I must have driven to the Phillips service center in Bensalem off of I-95 twenty times. I don't remember getting any complaints about the Sony laserdisc players but they weren't very common in the Philadelphia area.

I can't remember what Pioneer replaced my Phillips, but that replacement only lasted until I traded up to a Pioneer Elite DVL-90 DVD/LD player for a whopping $700 in 1998. The DVL-90 was so-so DVD player that couldn't be made region free or DTS DVD compatible, but it was a smokin' laserdisc player. I've read elsewhere that the DVL-90 was a rebadged DVL-700 which doesn’t seem to get any respect. The DVL-90 died after an electrical storm and was replaced by and Elite CLD-59. The CLD-59 is an excellent player, or appears to be, on my 27" Phillips HDTV CRT monitor. I bought the CLD-59 early in 2006 for $100 from a salesman at Overtures in Delaware.

I hope to invest in an Oppo Blu-Ray/SA-CD/DVD-Audio/DVD/CD player just in time for Blu-Ray to go the way of laserdisc.

Cheers Michael

 

Had....? Did you relinghish those HLD-X0's already? You could'a sent me one.......