What model of Laserdisc player do you own?

[jscott]

Okay Laserdisc enthusiusts, list your make and model of LD player. I'm currently using an RCA LDR 600, but I also have a Pioneer CLD-504, but the RCA gives me a better picture, and has an Optical PCM output. What are you packing? Sound off!

[Hellbilly]

I have a Pioneer CLD-D500 for some time now.

[Dave]

Had the infamous LD-S9 but sold it.

Now I'm packing the Pioneer CLD-D606. I'd like to add one more player into my collection and make the CLD-D606 a backup player. That probably won't happen until later this year, though.

[Paff]

I'm using the famous Pioneer CLD-D704, noted as the best non-Elite Pioneer player. I couldn't be happier with it.

My backup is a ProScan LD46, a clone of the 500-level Pioneers.

[laserdogg]

Own 2 704's, 1 in storage and 1 in use. Great player.

Have also kept all my old ones as they were supplanted by newer models.

VP1000
PR8210
LD700
CLD-D502
LDR600

[bigdaddyhorse]

Soon to have Pioneer Elite cld-52, running some wack Quasar shit right now!

[Agent Z]

I am currently using a Pioneer CLD-D701.......and it still looks and plays like it was just brought from the store.....great, durable player!




And I'm always on the lookout for back-up players too.....

[Sam]

Pioneer Elite CLD-97
Pioneer DVL-919

[sinister]

I've got a Pioneer HLD-X9 and it really is as good as they say... very close to non-anamorphic DVD with a decent LD transfer.

[chrishicks]

Pioneer DVL-909
Pioneer DVL-919

I have Pioneer CLD-D504 Laserdisc player which I am hoping to upgrade sometime. I love lasers, but the player I have just doesn't have the quality I am looking for. A combination of seeing anamorphic DVD's and an aging machine has me looking for a solution. Man, I wish I had the funds to take that LD-S9 off of Dave when he was selling it. Oh well, someday!

[Dave]

504 is pretty limited. You would see a noticeable improvement going to something like the 704.

But yeah, if you really want to kick ass, go to LD-S9 or HLD-X9. After we buy a house or condo this summer, I may look into getting another LD-S9 or the HLD-X9 depending on the $ situation. Initially I wasn't going to bother as my collection is relatively small, but I find myself buying more and more lasers these days. I just picked up a handful of Twilight Zone (the 80's one) from Japan, Tales from the Darkside discs, and a handful of Japanese lasers. I guess it depends on how my collection grows and what, if any, make it onto DVD between now and then.

[Dave]

Here's some interesting information I was reading on alt.video.laserdisc today.

According to the info. I've gotten thus far, the CLD-79 and CLD-99 were both based on the CLD-D704. Can someone please tell me what the differences are between the three units?

Response #1

The CLD-79 was the direct Elite version of the CLD-D704. They added gold plating to the connectors, the Urushi finish, and their Legato link to the D/A audio section. The CLD-99 then adds a 3D comb filter. The comb filter in the D704 and 79 are 3-line.

Response #2

As stated before the 99 is a basically a 704 with the 3D Adaptive filter added for the S-Video Output only.

The 79 Is the same as the 704 for Video but if you use the analog Outputs the 79 is not as good as the 704 in a fine home theater system, if you use the digital output then the 79 and 704 are the same.

The Elites 79 and 99 use the same parts as the 704 but have a little different layout, just about the same. The 79 and 99 have Legato Link and the first run of 704's had it, removed after that but I have multu-bit D/A players that sound much better than a Pioneer w/Legato Link and the 1-Bit DAC's. I wouldn't
concern myself with the Legato Link Feature.

Interesting that the CLD-79 and the CLD-D704 are essentially the same player. CLD-D704 is the better bargain as it's cheaper.

Even the CLD-99 is essentially the CLD-D704 with a 3D Adaptive filter. That filter is supposed to make a big difference in picture quality. The LD-S9 had a special 3D Y/C filter only found in a few Japanese players. This filter was newer, and superior to the one in the CLD-99.

Finally, the mother of all LD players - the HLD-X9 (Japanese model) - has that special 3D Y/C filter. BUT, from what everyone says, it provides a superior picture over the LD-S9. Not 2x as good, but noticably better to many people (probably depends on the size of TV too). It also has the benefit of being a Muse player, meaning it can play (with the appropriate decoder) high def. laserdiscs that were released in Japan (there weren't that many - a few dozen or so). People speculate that since the beam reading the signal is much smaller than other LD players (due it's ability to read Muse discs), this improves its ability to display standard NTSC lasers as well. Not sure if that's true, as I'm not very technical with laserdisc players. The HLD-X9 is also known to play rotted discs damn nearly perfectly. Again, they speculate it can do this because of the smaller/thinner beam.

LD-S9 can still be bought for ~ $1100-$1600 used.

HLD-X9 is well over $2000 used.

LD-S9 is a real bargain in comparison.

[Paff]

I had always heard that the 704 and 79 are pretty much the same thing.

I've said it before, but the 704 is the best "bang-for-the-buck" player out there right now. You can easily get them for around $300 or so, and it provides some amazing video quality for LD.

Oh, I'd love to see what some discs look like on the LD-S9 or the HLD-X9, but I kinda doubt I'd be able to get one for $300.

Also, look for the 703. It's the same as the 704 only without the AC-3 output. You can either buy one and just live without AC-3, or you can add the AC-3 output at a later date. I modified my old CLD-D502 with the AC-3 output, and it's relatively easy and actually kinda fun if you know your way around a soldering iron.

[mcchrist]

I have a Pioneer model from about 91 or 92, plain vanilla as far as features go but the picture is crisp and it sounds great. Just nothing fancy I'm afraid. My grandmother hasn't shipped it here yet, so I know bugger what the model number is.