Sony Laserdisc vs. Pioneer

The DVL-700 is a 50 db PQ player same as your current CLD-59. The DVL-90 you lost is a 51 db deck, which means it cut video noise some better. I stille have a CLD-59 but it's been on loan to my mom for many years ever since her CLD-52 died.

 

I'd like to see Oppo put out a LD/blu-ray/hd dvd/sacd/dvd-audio/dvd/cd-i/cd player.

 

Sony's are horrible. The 333 had constant drawer problems, that after at least a year my local dealer let me return it for the dual sided upgrade Sony player. After servicing that player 3 times, my dealer actually gave me my full money back so I could buy a CLD99 at another dealer. They were a great store!
I have also owned a 704 and currently own a Mc 7020. Never had a single problem with the Pioneers (the Mc is a beefed up CLD97)

 

Can you play CD-I? I think I have a Who, the rock group, CD-I that somebody gave me. I've never had CD-I. I did used to play some golf game on a demo set-up in a record store quite some years back. Want it....?

 

Some CD-I video discs are playable only on CD-I players(and even then, they must be equiped with the MPEG 1 adaptor/cartridge installed into the rear of the player). CD-I Discs marked "Video CD" would also play on CD-I players(with the MPEG cart), but are still playable today on many DVD players.

I believe that the technical terms applied to the two types of MPEG 1 discs are "MPEG 1 Green Book" & "MPEG 1 White Book", though I don't know which description applies to the discs which play only on CD-I players. To my knowledge, no Laserdisc player ever had the ability to play either type of MPEG 1 disc.

 

IMHO there is only one type of LD player worth buying - Pioneer Elite. I think the 97 is considered top dog, although the 99 that I have seems to do a great job too.

There are are some very rare Japanese only Elite's that you can get modified, PM Rachael Bee about them.

 

Now, that I dug out the disc, it's Pete Townsend Live. Video CD is on the box. I put it in my CLD-99 and it 'played' it, except no sound came out of the digital or analog outputs. So, it plays it without audio....

I'd give it away to anybody who could play it. Somebody gave it to me about 10 years ago. Some of my oldest music LD's, 12", are labeled Video CD. This was the first time I ever tried to play it....

 

Other than the AC-3 output and Mcintosh cosmetics, the MLD-7020 and Pioneer Elite CLD-97 are identical.

 

They don't have an Elite line in Japan. They just had nicer players than the Elite line. The 3 main nicer models are:

LD-S9....which is sort'a like a CLD-99 but has no CD playback and a nicer comb filter.

HLD-X9....which is sort of like it evolved from the CLD-97. It's about the same size and weight. It also plays Muse, Hi-Vision LD's. Like The LD-S9 it does not play CD's and has the same great comb filter.

HLD-X0.....is another Muse capable LD player. It's sort of like the LD-S2 but even heavier. Like the LD-S2, it's all all-out single side only player....also, no CD playback.

I have the LD-S9 and HLD-X9. They're just better than any U.S. models. I've never seen an HLD-X0 but it's the nicest LD player ever I'm told and I believe just that. I wish I had one but, $$$$$$$$....very expensive. When they first appeared back in '94, they cost around $6000-$7000. They were the first players to have AC-3 out, BTW.

It appears that Pioneer quit sending their top stuff here in the early 90's. The U.S. backed out of Hi-Vision TV to develope the all-digital syatem we now have.

 

What is every ones verdict on my Quasar LD-500 player?

 

my 2 HLD-X0 and 2 HLD-X9, the R7G, LD-S9 are sold.

 

Just got a CLD-59 today for $25. Looks just like new, not a scratch or scuff or fingerprint on it, including remote with jog/shuttle (lights up), owners manual, orig. box and packing material. I've played a CDV (Money For Nothing), a John Cougar LD, and currently a Pet Shop Boys LD is playing. Using the coaxial digital output, feeding into an outboard DAC (Wadia). Sounds fantastic and the picture looks good too.

 

As a fan of Sony's video related products, when I wanted my first LD player, I went with a Sony. (This was years ago so I don't recall the model.) I found the picture quality to be surprisingly less than what I expected.

I exchanged it for a more expensive Sony. No improvement in picture quality.

I took a chance and departed from my Sony-for-video mode, purchasing a Pioneer. That stayed in the system for many years, provided a great picture and worked without a hitch.

Laserdisc players are one area of video gear where I feel Sony never hit their usual high marks. (They seem to have returned to form with their DVD players.) Pioneer laserdisc machines seemed, in my experience with my own and those of friends, to do a wonderful job.

Best regards,
Barry
www.soundkeeperrecordings.com
www.barrydiamentaudio.com

 

I have an old Pioneer LD player that still works nicely. I want to hook up the analog outs
to my new pro c.d. recorder and burn the audio from some of the laser discs that I have.
Billy Joel's Live from Long Island (great show) is one that is not out on dvd or cd.

 

Good find!

 

CLD-59's make for a better CD player than the CD players that a great many folks have. They'll read all but the most far gone CD-R's. I stille have one but it's been on loan to my mom for years since her CLD-52 died.

Even though the 59 is just a 50 db video player, it'll walk all over any U.S. Sony LD spinner on video quality.

 

Agreed.

ubsman, try the analog outs with a redbook CD... odds are it won't trump your Wadia, but I'll bet you'll be pleasantly surprised at what the 59 can do.

 

Ditto, For many years I used my CLD-99 as my cd player.

 

Agreed-
for LD - stick w/ Pioneer!

 

Says here on page 9 of the owner manual for the CLD-59 "The analog audio signal of LD is not output from the digital jack".

Obviously there's a feature they didn't know about, since I've played a few analog-only LDs on it and have heard sound. The only audio connection from the CLD-59 is the coaxial digital cable that feeds into the Wadia unit. There's nothing plugged into the analog outputs.

 

Then you don't have any older LD's that only have CX Audio (analog). I do. I could give you an LD that would require using the player's analog output. LD's that say Digital Sound have PCM out. CX = no.

 

Oh woops, A Dandy In Aspic does say "digital audio" on it, and CX too. The audio is so lousy on that disk that I thought it just had to be analog... I thought I heard some static too.

I'll have to try playing Teachers... or better yet Looking For Mr. Goodbar.

Do you know what the spec is on the CLD-D704?

 

The 704 is a 51 db deck.

Hook up your analog out to an extra input. Analog tracks can include an alternate language or a commentary track. Use the 59's D/A audio button to cycle through all the possible combinations.

 

I checked "Teachers" and sure enough, no audio.

Had a Yamaha years ago that converted the analog audio to digital using a ADC I assume, so that's why I thought the Pioneer would do it also. Score 1 point for Yamaha.